PART I INTRODUCTION 1.Short Biography and Reception of Bultmann PART II BULTMANN AND THE LOCK 2. Paradigm and Paradox: John 1:14 3. Flesh or Glory? 4. Historie or Geschichte PART III BULTMANN'S KEYS RENEWED 5. Demythologizing and Justification by Faith 6. From Cartesian to Anti-Cartesian Thought 7. A Post-Structural Context 8. Wittgensteinian Parallels PART IV BULTMANN UNLOCKED 9. Dissolving Locks and Philosophy 10. Implications for Theology and Religious Studies
A new reading Bultmann as a unique scholar leading to the keys that unlock the distinct character of Bultmann's thought.
Tim Labron is Professor and Department Chair in Philosophy and Religious Studies at Concordia University of Edmonton, Canada. He is author of Science and Religion in Wittgenstein’s Fly Bottle (Bloomsbury, 2016), Bultmann Unlocked (Bloomsbury, 2011), Wittgenstein and Theology (Bloomsbury, 2009), and Wittgenstein’s Religious Point of View (Bloomsbury, 2006).
Only a few years ago taking a degree in Christian origins or
Protestant Christian theology would have included at least some
acquaintance with Rudolf Bultmann. But Bultmann's writings, like
Eliade's in the field of comparative religion, are now more often
criticized or simply ignored. Dr. Labron, while not overlooking the
problems with Bultmann's work, insists here on its perennial value
for scholars in general and Christians in particular. He considers
Bultmann's key point to be succinctly expressed in his exegesis of
John 1:14a, underlining the divine as the counter-pole to the
human, and the incarnation as a deep paradox. Labron emphasizes
Bultmann's radical, independent thought, while also lingering on
its deep points of similarity with Ludwig Wittgenstein. Bultmann's
critique of objective historical research-stated more generally and
in Christian terms: the human proclivity to justify
oneself-encourages Labron to challenge some of the current
assumptions in the academic study of religion by honouring the role
of religious observers. Indeed, throughout this book Labron seeks
to unlock the potential he sees in Bultmann to generate fresh
thought and sound Christian theology. This book is a superb
testimony to the creative energies of both these German and
Canadian scholars.
*Michel Desjardins, Professor of Religion and Culture, Wilfrid
Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.*
Labron notes that the work of Bultmann has fallen into obscurity.
If his work is mentioned these days, its fate is a dismissive nod
consigning it to the dustbins of the past. Labron rightly argues
that this situation is unjustifiable, a consequence of a failure to
grasp the import of Bultmann's work. That failure is rooted in
misunderstanding, which Karl Barth noted, was common among
Bultmann's contemporary critics. Nothing has changed. The aim of
his book is to unlock Bultmann's thought from obscurity and the
prison of dismissive misunderstanding. He does not seek to gain
uncritical acceptance of Bultmann's thought, but to reveal what
Bultmann called the actual scandal of the gospel. Using his own
work on Wittgenstein and post-structuralism he sets out to show
that Bultmann's existentialism is actually opposed to Cartesian
thought, thus requiring reassessment.
*John Painter, Charles Sturt University, Australia*
Tim Labron has written a highly provocative book on Wittgenstein
and Theology. He argues that Wittgenstein's philosophy moves away
from the prevalent Western tradition of philosophy towards Jewish
thought and finally Christian thought. Whereas Western philosophy
and theology largely follow the Platonic and Cartesian paths,
Wittgenstein doesn't, not does Chalcedon. This is only one of the
many challenging points of this clearly written and well-argued
study. It will no doubt provoke discussion about the relationship
of Wittgenstein's philosophy to theology, and it should.
*Ingolf U. Dalferth, Claremont Graduate University, USA and
University of Zurich, Switzerland.*
Wittgenstein and Theology is a courageous statement in an age when
few theologians are able or willing to undertake such original and
broad examinations of traditional and contemporary questions.
Labron has produced a work which will be of interest to both
Wittgenstein specialists and to those who are more generally
interested in the relationship between modern philosophy and
theology in the Christian tradition.
*David Goodill OP, Blackfriars Hall, University of Oxford, UK.*
Ask a Question About this Product More... |