In Search of Deity: An Essay in Dialectical Theism

by John MacQuarrie

The classical defence of, and arguments for, belief in God have not proved completely satisfactory, particularly in the perspective of modern times, and in the Gifford Lectures for 1983-4, given at the University of St Andrews, Professor Macquarrie puts forward an alternative. He calls his approach 'dialectical theism': dialectical, to indicate that he seeks to avoid the onesidedness of classical theism, and theism (as opposed to pantheism or panentheism) to show that he is still concerned to arrive at a satisfying conception of God.
After indicating some of the weaknesses of classical theism, and outlining other approaches which have been put forward,
Dr Macquarrie discusses a long series of thinkers who, he argues, represent an alternative Plotinus, Dionysius the
Areopagite, Johannes Scotus Eriugena, Nicholas of Cusa, Leibniz, Hegel, Whitehead and Heidegger. In the last section of his book, against this background he develops his dialectical concept of God, re-examines the proofs for the existence of God and shows how dialectical theism has a bearing on spirituality, ethics, theology and world religions.

Genres: Theology, Philosophy, Religion

288 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1984

About the author

John Macquarrie FBA TD was a Scottish-born theologian and philosopher. Timothy Bradshaw has described Macquarrie as "unquestionably Anglicanism's most distinguished systematic theologian in the second half of the twentieth century."