Theology against Religion: Constructive Dialogues with Bonhoeffer and Barth

257 Pages·2011·1.15 MB·English

by  Tom Greggs

Theology against Religion
This page intentionally left blank
Theology against Religion
Constructive Dialogues with
Bonhoeffer and Barth
by
TOM GREGGS
Published by T&T Clark International
A Continuum Imprint
The Tower Building, 11 York Road, London SE1 7NX
80 Maiden Lane, Suite 704, New York, NY 10038
www.continuumbooks.com
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or
any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the
publishers.
© Tom Greggs, 2011
Tom Greggs has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act,
1988, to be identifi ed as the Author of this work.
A section of Chapter 5 (pages 111–116) is a re-written version of several pages of
‘ “Jesus is Victor”: Passing the Impasse of Barth on Universalism’, © 2007 Scottish
Journal of Theology. Originally published in Scottish Journal of Theology 60:2 (2007),
196–212. Reprinted with permission.
A section of Chapter 9 (pages 209–214) is a re-written version of several pages of
‘Inter-Faith Pedagogy for Muslims and Christians: Scriptural Reasoning and Christian
and Muslim Youth work’, © 2010 Discourse. Originally published in Discourse 9:2
(2010), 201–25. Reprinted with permission.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN: 978-0-567-46279-4 (hardback)
978-0-567-10423-6 (paperback)
Typeset by Newgen Imaging Systems Pvt Ltd, Chennai, India
Printed and bound in India
This book is dedicated to three friends since school days
– Chris Allen, Steven Jamieson and Mark Perkins.
This page intentionally left blank
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgements x
Abbreviations xiii
Chapter 1
Introduction 1
A Theological not a Sociological Discussion 3
The Need to Speak Simultaneously of Secularity, Religion,
Pluralism and God 7
Dialoguing with Bonhoeffer and Barth 10
Synopsis of Parts 11
Part I
Christianizing the Critique of Religion:
Barth and Bonhoeffer
Chapter 2
Barth’s Early Discussions of Religion 15
Introduction 15
Early Discussions of Religion 16
Religion in Church Dogmatics I/2, §17 24
In the Context of Revelation: Overcoming Some
Common Misunderstandings 31
Conclusion 38
Chapter 3
Bonhoeffer’s Religionless Christianity 39
Introduction: Theologizing the Critique of Religion 39
Continuity with the Earlier Bonhoeffer 42
Positivism of Revelation 54
Theological Motifs for Religionless Christianity 64
Conclusion 72
Chapter 4
After Religionlessness: Back to Barth and
Formative Motifs 74
Introduction 74
viii Table of Contents
Promeity and Christocentrism 75
Creation and Anthropology 80
Light and Lights and Secular Parables of the Kingdom 86
Provisional Summary: Motifs in Religionlessness 92
Part II
Doctrine after Christendom: Secularism,
Salvation and the Church
Chapter 5
Saviour of All: Soteriology against Religion 99
Universal Salvation as a Non-Personalized Version of Salvation 103
The Centrality of Jesus as Victor 111
Related Themes 116
Conclusion 122
Chapter 6
Post-Christendom Ecclesiology 124
Dynamic and Actualistic Ecclesiology of the Spirit 126
Church as Community of Intensity and Activism 132
Church: A Community within the World 136
Church: A Community for the World 143
Conclusion 146
Chapter 7
Religionlessness and Public Space: Generous
Particularism 147
The Politics of the Secular 148
Overcoming Binaries: The Complexities of Inter-Relationship 151
Liberalism and Particularism 154
Ultimacy and Penultimacy 158
The Markers of Public Theological Engagement of a Theology
against Religion 162
Conclusion 168
Part III
Engaging with the Religions: Pluralism and
Theology against Religion
Chapter 8
A Theology of Religions against Religion 173
Against a Substantialized Theology of Religions 175
Relativizing Theological Speech: Speaking as a Religionist 181
Table of Contents ix
Multiple Densities of God’s Holy Spirit 185
Differentiated Exclusivisms 188
Conclusion: Realizing Eschatology Is Not Fully Realized 194
Chapter 9
From Theory to Practice: Inter-Faith Dialogue 196
Dynamic Engagements 197
Humility in Approaching the Other 201
Understanding Oneself Better 205
Remembering Secular Issues 207
Scriptural Reasoning as One Possible Non-Religious Interpretation 209
Conclusion: The Quest for Peace 215
Chapter 10
Conclusion: A Coda on Mystery and Hope 217
Summary 217
Appropriate Mystery 218
Appropriate Hoping 221
Bibliography of Secondary Sources 225
Index 238