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The Oxford Handbook of the Epistemology of Theology
The Oxford Handbook of the Epistemology of Theology brings together leading scholars in the fields of theology and epistemology to examine and articulate what can be categorized as appropriate epistemic evaluation in theology. Part one focuses on some of the epistemic concepts that have been traditionally employed in theology such as knowledge of God, revelation and scripture, reason and faith, experience, and tradition. This section also considers concepts that have not received sufficient epistemological attention in theology, such as saints, authority, ecclesial practices, spiritual formation, and discernment. Part two concentrates on epistemic concepts that have received significant attention in contemporary epistemology and can be related to theology such as understanding, wisdom, testimony, virtue, evidence, foundationalism, realism/antirealism, skepticism, and disagreement. Part three offers examples from key figures in the Christian tradition and investigates the relevant
epistemological issues and insights in these writers, as well as recognizing the challenges of connecting insights from contemporary epistemology with the subject of theology proper, namely, God. Part four centers on five emerging areas that warrant further epistemological Liberation Theology, Continental Philosophy, modern Orthodox writers, Feminism, and Pentecostalism.
This authoritative collection explores how the various topics, figures, and emerging conversations can be reconceived and addressed in light of recent developments in epistemology. Each chapter provides an analysis of the crucial moves, positions, and debates, while also identifying relevant epistemic considerations. This Handbook fulfils the need for the development of this new conversation that will take its natural place in the intersection of theology and epistemology. It links the fields of theology and epistemology in robust, meaningful, and significant ways.
epistemological issues and insights in these writers, as well as recognizing the challenges of connecting insights from contemporary epistemology with the subject of theology proper, namely, God. Part four centers on five emerging areas that warrant further epistemological Liberation Theology, Continental Philosophy, modern Orthodox writers, Feminism, and Pentecostalism.
This authoritative collection explores how the various topics, figures, and emerging conversations can be reconceived and addressed in light of recent developments in epistemology. Each chapter provides an analysis of the crucial moves, positions, and debates, while also identifying relevant epistemic considerations. This Handbook fulfils the need for the development of this new conversation that will take its natural place in the intersection of theology and epistemology. It links the fields of theology and epistemology in robust, meaningful, and significant ways.
- GenresTheology
646 pages, Hardcover
Published August 8, 2017
8 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
About the author
William J. Abraham
54 books15 followersWilliam J. Abraham is the Albert Cook Outler Professor of Wesley Studies and Altshuler Distinguished Teaching Professor at Perkins School of Theology, working as a philosophical and systematic theologian.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
February 20, 2025
An excellent survey of the current state of the field, ideas and debates in religious epistemology. The volume is dominated by thinkers in analytic philosophy and the Christian tradition, which suits my purposes fairly well, but may disappoint others.
This volume opens with an attempt to summarize the current state of general epistemology and then moves into the first quarter of the text which are essays on epistemic concepts in theology. Moser's essay on the inner witness of the Spirit was a standout. The next section in General Epistemic Concepts related to theology was even better including excellent essays on Testimony, Evidence, Foundationalism, and Disagreement among other topics. A full chapter on Kant's, Wittgenstein's and other critiques of classical foundationalism would have been beneficial, but as it stands the coverage of those important critiques is thin and spread out across multiple essays. There's even less on coherentism and pragmatism which does seem like a fault to me.
The third section covers epistemologists from the Christian tradition. I did not read this section in full but read the essays on Paul, Scotus, Edwards, and Kierkegaard. I wish there were chapters covering Reid and Locke. Polanyi is not covered nor is any kind of presuppositionalism (I don't miss the absence of presuppositionalism, but I do miss a survey of Polanyi). The chapter on Paul is the only biblical theology in the book, and is well done by Moser but unsurprisingly becomes an exegetical argument for Moser's distinct views.
The final section covers "Emerging Conversations," which features the best essay on liberation theology I've read in any text. The essay on Continental Philosophy was also excellent and could have been much longer, and the essay on Pentecostalism was a welcome surprise though an odd way to end the volume. Highly recommended this is almost a one-stop compendium for the field. I do think some important topics and conversations are left out, and would have preferred their inclusion over some of the more directly theological essays.
This volume opens with an attempt to summarize the current state of general epistemology and then moves into the first quarter of the text which are essays on epistemic concepts in theology. Moser's essay on the inner witness of the Spirit was a standout. The next section in General Epistemic Concepts related to theology was even better including excellent essays on Testimony, Evidence, Foundationalism, and Disagreement among other topics. A full chapter on Kant's, Wittgenstein's and other critiques of classical foundationalism would have been beneficial, but as it stands the coverage of those important critiques is thin and spread out across multiple essays. There's even less on coherentism and pragmatism which does seem like a fault to me.
The third section covers epistemologists from the Christian tradition. I did not read this section in full but read the essays on Paul, Scotus, Edwards, and Kierkegaard. I wish there were chapters covering Reid and Locke. Polanyi is not covered nor is any kind of presuppositionalism (I don't miss the absence of presuppositionalism, but I do miss a survey of Polanyi). The chapter on Paul is the only biblical theology in the book, and is well done by Moser but unsurprisingly becomes an exegetical argument for Moser's distinct views.
The final section covers "Emerging Conversations," which features the best essay on liberation theology I've read in any text. The essay on Continental Philosophy was also excellent and could have been much longer, and the essay on Pentecostalism was a welcome surprise though an odd way to end the volume. Highly recommended this is almost a one-stop compendium for the field. I do think some important topics and conversations are left out, and would have preferred their inclusion over some of the more directly theological essays.
Displaying 1 of 1 review