1st Edition
Theological Reflection and the Pursuit of Ideals Theology, Human Flourishing and Freedom
Contemporary thought is marked by heated debates about the character, purpose and form of religious thinking and its relation to a range of ideals: spiritual, moral, aesthetic, political and ecological, to name the obvious. This book addresses the interrelation between theological thinking and the complex and diverse realms of human ideals. What are the ideals appropriate to our moment in human history, and how do these ideals derive from or relate to theological reflection in our time? In Theological Reflection and the Pursuit of Ideals internationally renowned scholars from a range of disciplines (physics, art, literary studies, ethics, comparative religion, history of ideas, and theology) engage with these crucial questions with the intention of articulating a new and historically appropriate vision of theological reflection and the pursuit of ideals for our global times.
Biography
David Jasper is Professor of Literature and Theology, University of Glasgow and Changjiang Chair Professor, Renmin University of China, Beijing. He has numerous publications in the field of Literature and Religion, including co-editorship of The Oxford Handbook of English Literature and Theology (2007). Dale Wright is Gamble Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies, Occidental College. He is a specialist in Buddhism and Eastern Religions, and he has been closely involved with David Klemm and Bill Schweiker in the project of Theological Humanism which is the driving inspiration of this current volume.
’Theological Reflection and the Pursuit of Ideals represents the latest contribution to the contemporary revival of theological humanism associated with the work of David Klemm and William Schweiker. This is a wide-ranging, creative, and insightful collection of essays written by a diverse group of authors united in their commitment to modes of theological reflection that enhance the integrity of life and engage the cultural ideals of our time. Readers interested in post-traditional spirituality, the aestheticization of religion, and corresponding styles of religious thought will find this volume especially stimulating and rewarding.’ Brent Sockness, Stanford University, USA ’This collection faithfully reflects the timeliness and intellectual importance of the programme of Theological Humanism as envisaged by David Klemm, William Schweiker and others. These well informed and imaginative essays will generously reward both readers who are open to exploring the important themes of Theological Humanism, and others who seek to relate them to such broad concerns as ecology, physics, literature and philosophy.’ George Newlands, University of Glasgow, UK
