What Is Theology?: Christian Thought and Contemporary Life

Theology has made a comeback in recent decades, and Adam Kotsko offers a unique guide to this complex terrain. His essay establishes a new definition of theology and its relationship with philosophy, and subsequent essays explore its impact from three different perspectives. Kotsko demonstrates the continued vibrancy of Christian theology as a creative and constructive pursuit outside the church, showing how it can underwrite a powerful critique of the modern world. He also shows how philosophical thought is drawn to theology, and the concluding section explores the theological roots of the modern world-system. Kotsko's book argues that theology is not a scholarly game or an edifying spiritual discipline, but a world-shaping force of great power that lives are at stake when we do it.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 192 pages
\n Publication date: 07 September 2021
\n Publisher: Fordham University Press
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The secular world may have believed that theology had reached its conclusion, but theology had not finished with it. A revival of religion has occurred on the social and political fronts in recent decades, prompting scholars from various fields to engage with the Christian theological legacy that has shaped the modern world. Adam Kotsko offers a distinctive perspective on this complex and often contentious terrain. The title essay establishes a novel and unexpected redefinition of theology and its intricate and frequently controversial relationship with its sister discipline, philosophy. Subsequent essays expand upon this framework from three distinct angles. In the first part, Kotsko showcases the enduring vitality of Christian theology as a creative and constructive endeavor beyond the confines of the church, demonstrating how theological concepts can provide a robust critique of the modern world. The second section examines Christian theology from the perspective of various contemporary philosophers, illustrating how philosophical thought is drawn to theology, despite its apparent resistance. The concluding section delves into the unexpected theological origins of the modern world-system, arguing that the interplay of state and economy and the structure of modern racial oppression both draw upon theological patterns of thought. Kotsko's book ultimately demonstrates that theology is not merely a scholarly pursuit or a spiritual discipline for personal edification, but a powerful force capable of shaping the world. The lives of individuals are at stake when engaging in theology, and if it is not undertaken, others will.

\n Weight: 344g\n
Dimension: 151 x 229 x 16 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9780823297825\n \n