The Philosophical Foundations of the Late Schelling: The Turn to the Positive

A new book by McGrath argues that Schelling's philosophy of religion is rational and rigorous, and provides new resources for critiquing rationalism, reductive naturalism, and posthumanism. It appeals to scholars working on political eschatology in the works of Benjamin, Taubes, Rosenzweig, Derrida, i ek, Moltmann, and Levinas.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 296 pages
Publication date: 28 February 2023
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press

A robust defense of the rationality and rigor of the late Schelling's visionary philosophy of religion

A significant new endeavor to organize and assess Schelling's arguments for a Philosophy of Revelation and to demonstrate their relevance for contemporary debates

Uncovers in largely unexamined texts of the late Schelling new resources for critiquing rationalism, reductive naturalism, and posthumanism

Will appeal to the many scholars in various fields working on political eschatology in the works of Benjamin, Taubes, Rosenzweig, Derrida, i.e., Moltmann, and Levinas

Schelling's positive philosophy has long been recognized as the historical root of Marxism, existentialism, and other central trends in continental philosophy, but its main argument has never been fully elaborated as a tenable philosophical strategy for thinking Christianity forward into its future.

According to McGrath, Schelling's late turn to speculative theological realism (the positive) is neither fideistic nor arbitrary, but rather the consequence of the free decision of the philosopher who has soberly assessed the results of logic, nature-philosophy, historical-critical and systematic theology.

The positive philosophy of Schelling, which emerged in his later works, represents a profound and innovative approach to theology and philosophy. It is grounded in a deep understanding of the natural world and the human condition, and seeks to reconcile these two realms in a way that is both rational and spiritual.

One of the central themes of Schelling's philosophy is the idea of revelation. He argues that the divine is not a distant and abstract entity, but rather a living and dynamic force that is present in all of nature and in the human soul. Revelation, according to Schelling, is the process by which the divine reveals itself to humanity through the natural world and through human experience.

Schelling's philosophy of revelation is grounded in a number of key concepts. One of these is the idea of the Absolute, which is the ultimate source of all being and all knowledge. The Absolute is both transcendent and immanent, meaning that it is both beyond human comprehension and present within human experience.

Another key concept in Schelling's philosophy is the idea of the finite and the infinite. The finite is the realm of human experience and the natural world, while the infinite is the realm of the divine and the spiritual. Schelling argues that the finite and the infinite are not opposed to each other, but rather are two sides of the same coin.

Revelation, according to Schelling, is the process by which the infinite is revealed to the finite. This revelation takes place through a number of different means, including the natural world, human experience, and religious experience.

One of the key criticisms of Schelling's philosophy of revelation is that it is too speculative and abstract. Some critics argue that it is difficult to see how his ideas could be applied to real-world situations and that they are more suited to the realm of philosophy than to the practice of religion.

Despite these criticisms, Schelling's philosophy of revelation remains a powerful and influential force in contemporary theology and philosophy. His ideas have been widely studied and debated by scholars in a number of different fields, and his work has had a significant impact on the development of political eschatology, existentialism, and other central trends in continental philosophy.

In conclusion, Schelling's philosophy of revelation is a profound and innovative approach to theology and philosophy. It is grounded in a deep understanding of the natural world and the human condition, and seeks to reconcile these two realms in a way that is both rational and spiritual. While his ideas may be challenging to apply to real-world situations, they remain a powerful and influential force in contemporary theology and philosophy.

Weight: 440g
Dimension: 230 x 154 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781399511193