Hope in a Secular Age: Deconstruction, Negative Theology, and the Future of Faith

This book argues that hope is essential for religious practice and secular politics, sustaining commitments that may be disappointed. It suggests that atheism and Christianity have more in common than they often acknowledge and offers a new reading of deconstruction and negative theology.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 187 pages
Publication date: 03 March 2022
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

This book makes a compelling case that hope is an essential prerequisite for religious practice and secular politics. In contrast to dogmatic complacency and despairing resignation, David Newheiser argues that hope sustains commitments that remain vulnerable to disappointment. The persistence of hope across belief systems, regardless of individual faith, suggests that faith has a future in a secular age. Drawing on premodern theology and postmodern theory, Newheiser demonstrates that atheism and Christianity share more common ground than is often acknowledged. His clear and engaging writing style develops a fresh interpretation of deconstruction and negative theology, arguing that, despite their differences, they both embrace a self-critical hope. By reclaiming texts and traditions that are rarely read together, this book offers a significant contribution to the ongoing debates about the role of religion in public life.

Weight: 288g
Dimension: 151 x 227 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781108724395
Edition number: New ed