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Sanctify Them in the Truth: Holiness Exemplified
Hauerwas argues that the truth of the gospel cannot be discovered apart from its embodiment in specific communities of faith. The Christian life, he argues, is not about being in possession of "the truth," defined as a set of timeless and universal principles of belief and action. Rather, it is about learning and living the life of truthfulness toward God and one another.
- GenresTheologyChristianity
264 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
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About the author
Stanley Hauerwas
167 books287 followersStanley Hauerwas (PhD, Yale University) is the Gilbert T. Rowe Professor of Theological Ethics at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. He is the author of numerous books, including Cross-Shattered Christ, A Cross-Shattered Church, War and the American Difference, and Matthew in the Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible.
America's Best Theologian according to Time Magazine (2001), though he rejected the title saying, "Best is not a theological category."
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
December 28, 2011
I started reading Hauerwas with his "Against the Nations." That book will remain one of my favorite books and an influence on my philosophy and worldview. But aside from his pacifism and quasi-anarchy, I don't think Hauerwas has much to offer, and this book proves that.
Theoretically the book is a long "explanation" of the entirety of Hauerwas' theology. The problem is, as Hauerwas himself acknowledges in the introduction, that Hauerwas simply can't say, "here's what I believe." He will claim that he can't because theology should always be practical and be occasioned by real events. True enough, but that doesn't mean one shouldn't be able to say what specifically they believe. So instead the book reads as a collection of essays loosely connected as what Hauerwas most cares about, for the exception of pacifism because everyone knows him for that. I wouldn't be able to tell you, though, what issues Hauerwas cares about or what the connection between any of the parts of the book are.
Hauerwas is always interesting to read, too, because he is simply incapable of writing anything other than a short essay. He cannot sustain an argument over a series of chapters, nor can he sustain an argument more than a few handfuls of pages. What makes this interesting is that Hauerwas generally spends 80% of each article explaining his terms or going over some historical background, or bashing someone for being wrong; then he spends about a page or two finally articulating what his point is and what he thinks. Of course, this style makes Hauerwas an explosive figure, which he no doubt has become, but it is neither efficient nor actually productive.
Apart from stylistic issues, I also simply disagree with much of what Hauerwas asserts. I disagree so intensely on so many things with Hauerwas that I'm tending toward not referencing him at all when I argue for pacifism.
I would, however, strongly recommend this book, as well as other Hauerwas writings, to anyone who seems to have not given much thought to their worldview, philosophy, theology, lifestyle, etc. Though I think that much of Hauerwas' attack against the popular culture is off the mark, he certainly does force one to think about why we believe what we believe.
Theoretically the book is a long "explanation" of the entirety of Hauerwas' theology. The problem is, as Hauerwas himself acknowledges in the introduction, that Hauerwas simply can't say, "here's what I believe." He will claim that he can't because theology should always be practical and be occasioned by real events. True enough, but that doesn't mean one shouldn't be able to say what specifically they believe. So instead the book reads as a collection of essays loosely connected as what Hauerwas most cares about, for the exception of pacifism because everyone knows him for that. I wouldn't be able to tell you, though, what issues Hauerwas cares about or what the connection between any of the parts of the book are.
Hauerwas is always interesting to read, too, because he is simply incapable of writing anything other than a short essay. He cannot sustain an argument over a series of chapters, nor can he sustain an argument more than a few handfuls of pages. What makes this interesting is that Hauerwas generally spends 80% of each article explaining his terms or going over some historical background, or bashing someone for being wrong; then he spends about a page or two finally articulating what his point is and what he thinks. Of course, this style makes Hauerwas an explosive figure, which he no doubt has become, but it is neither efficient nor actually productive.
Apart from stylistic issues, I also simply disagree with much of what Hauerwas asserts. I disagree so intensely on so many things with Hauerwas that I'm tending toward not referencing him at all when I argue for pacifism.
I would, however, strongly recommend this book, as well as other Hauerwas writings, to anyone who seems to have not given much thought to their worldview, philosophy, theology, lifestyle, etc. Though I think that much of Hauerwas' attack against the popular culture is off the mark, he certainly does force one to think about why we believe what we believe.
Displaying 1 of 1 review