Kantian Reason and Hegelian Spirit: The Idealistic Logic of Modern Theology

by Gary J. Dorrien

Winner: 2012 The American Publishers Award for Professional and Scholarly Excellence in Theology and Religious Studies, PROSE Award.In this thought-provoking new work, the world renowned theologian Gary Dorrien reveals how Kantian and post-Kantian idealism were instrumental in the foundation and development of modern Christian theology.Presents a radical rethinking of the roots of modern theologyReveals how Kantian and post-Kantian idealism were instrumental in the foundation and development of modern Christian theologyShows how it took Kant's writings on ethics and religion to launch a fully modern departure in religious thoughtDissects Kant's three critiques of reason and his moral conception of religionAnalyzes alternative arguments offered by Schleiermacher, Schelling, Hegel, and others - moving historically and chronologically through key figures in European philosophy and theologyPresents notoriously difficult and intellectual arguments in a lucid and accessible manner

Genres: Philosophy, Theology, History

616 pages, Hardcover

First published February 27, 2012

About the author

Gary John Dorrien is an American social ethicist and theologian. He is the Reinhold Niebuhr Professor of Social Ethics at Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York and Professor of Religion at Columbia University, both in New York City, and the author of 18 books on ethics, social theory, philosophy, theology, politics, and intellectual history.

Prior to joining the faculty at Union and Columbia in 2005, Dorrien taught at Kalamazoo College in Michigan, where he served as Parfet Distinguished Professor and as Dean of Stetson Chapel.

An Episcopal priest, he has taught as the Paul E. Raither Distinguished Scholar at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut and as Horace De Y. Lentz Visiting Professor at Harvard Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Reviews

[Beauregard Bottomley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book reads like a chronological reading of an encyclopedia for the major thinkers in the development of modern theology from Kant to the mid 20th century.

The author's approach is to look at each of the major players one at a time. He starts with Kant and shows the subsequent thinkers in detail and how they led to Hegel, and then tells the story in the same way up to the mid 20th century (ending with Karl Barth). He'll spend a couple hours on each of the major players and a little less on the minor players and then move on chronologically. I think he quotes Barth as saying that most of modern theology had been making God less serious and Barth wanted to make God more serious. It's a good quote and it describes a lot of the development of theology.

I don't really understand theology that well and got lost on some of the discussion on the post Hegelian thinkers. He does spend about 2 hours on Kierkegaard and shows how he was mostly ignored in his own time, but becomes relevant in the early 20th century. I just recently listened to Kant's "Critique of Pure Reason" and followed that up with Hegel's "Phenomenology of Spirit" so this book was a natural follow up for me. Also, I was surprised that he frequently would make Heidegger as a re-occurring background character
in his telling of the 20th century theologians.

Most people say that Kant is the hardest of all philosophers to read and that Hegel's Phenomenology is impenetrable. The author provides the listener with detailed explanations and summaries of their philosophies and gives biographical background and context beyond what reading their books give, and it's not really necessary to have read their books before reading this book (though I would still recommend listening to them before having listened to this book, or if you prefer, you can listen to this book's brilliant summaries and get even more by listening to Kant and Hegel yourself each available on Audible).

I would strongly suggest the listener listen through to the end. The author gives a very good re-summary of the theologians he's introduced in the book and explains them once again but in a modern context so that the non student of theology can figure out what the major points were. In addition, he has a long segment on the obvious racism and antisemitism that many of the thinkers mentioned in this book espoused and goes into great detail about Ernst Haeckel (not a theologian).

I don't know a lot about theology and at times I would get confused and I always like learning new things that I didn't already know even though I sometimes have a hard time understanding, but I like the author's encyclopedic approach of telling the story One-Darn-Person-After-Another (ODPAA).

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I downloaded the Audible audiobook version, which was worthwhile, the reader has a true broadcasting voice but lacks familiarity with the pronunciation of names and terms (we hear a lot about Bar-TH). I am glad I listed to this, it's got a good balance of biography and analysis of ideas, summarizing the sources and results of liberal and modern theology, early chapters helped me better understand Kant and Hegel and situate Kierkegaard a bit more. I really like situating Coleridge in his context. Later chapters helped me rethink Ritschl and Schleiermacher, I think I can ask better questions about theology, understand Barth's contribution, and even get the significance of Tillich. All this by way of summaries and broad strokes. It would be very helpful if someone were to use it before heading into 18th, 19th century theological studies, to get background before heading into some more in-depth material.

[Brett Vanderzee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was truly superb. Given the vaulted subject matter and task—tracing the development of 19th century German idealism and modern theology—it maintained a remarkable lucidity and vitality. Dorrien takes imposing giants of the last several centuries (Kant, Hegel, Kierkegaard, and Barth, to name a few) and makes them positively readable. I would recommend this to anyone interested in pursuing theology at the academic level. One of the best books I’ve ever read.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dorrien's breadth of knowledge is quite impressive--even awe-inspiring. That one person could become so familiar with so many figures and philosophies and theologies and intellectual stories over various generations and places is incredibly inspiring to me.

However, the strength of the book is also its weakness. There is just too much material here for the book to be completely coherent and intelligible. It is often hard to follow, and it is easy to get lost in the labyrinth that Dorrien creates. I think it would have been a good idea to save the British story for another book entirely.

[Brad East · Rating 5 out of 5]

A masterpiece, as advertised. If you want to understand the sources of modern theology or anything about 19th century German philosophy, read this book.

[Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dorrien tells this story with breathtaking mastery.

[Neil · Rating 1 out of 5]

Way too much information about too many people for one book! Very dry and difficult to get through.