Overview

The divide between liberal and postliberal theology is one of the most important and far-reaching methodological disputes in twentieth-century theology. Their divergence in method brought related differences in their approaches to hermeneutics and religious language. This split in the understanding of religious language is widely acknowledged, but rigorous philosophical analysis and assessment of it is seldom seen. Liberalism versus Postliberalism provides such analyses, using the developments in analytic philosophy of language over the past forty years. The book provides an original reading of the ""theology and falsification"" debates of the 1950s and 60s, and Knight's interpretation of the debates supplies a philosophical lens that brings into focus the centrality of religious language in the methodological dispute between liberal and postliberal theologians. Knight suggests that recent philosophical developments reveal problems with both positions and argues for a more inclusive method that takes seriously the aspirations of the debaters. His book makes an important contribution to contemporary theological method, to the understanding of liberal and postliberal theologies, and to our understanding of the role of analytic philosophy in contemporary theology and religious studies.

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9780199969388

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<br> This was one of the most interesting, thought provoking, and well-written books I have had the pleasure of reading in quite a while. The treatment of the relevant literature here is stellar. In addition to his insightful discussion of the major thinkers and developments, Knight's knowledge of the nuances of this long-standing conversation is impressive. The book will have a considerable impact on the field. --Mary Doak, author of Reclaiming Narrative for Public Theology<p><br> This book is a clearly written, carefully argued, and insightful account of some of the basic features that distinguish 'postliberal' theology from both earlier and contemporary forms of 'liberal' theologizing. The scholarship is sound, the interpretations are clear and accurate, and the author's emphasis on religious language offers a distinctive perspective from which to survey recent theological developments. --Michael Raposa, Professor of Religion Studies and Philosophy of Religion, Lehigh University<p><br> Knight ties disputes between Christian theological liberals and postliberals to a specific period in the history of the philosophy of language. He convincingly argues that both the liberal and postliberal positions required adherence to unacceptable views regarding how language works, and that more recent (i.e. post-Kripkean) developments offer a more promising basis for philosophically informed theological work. This is a well-written, important, and timely book. --Andrew Dole, author of Schleiermacher on Religion and the Natural Order<p><br> Writing with extraordinary charity and clarity about the liberal and post-liberal theological alternatives by focusing on debates surrounding the issue of falsification, Knight helps us understand why issues in the philosophy of language are at the heart of these important alternatives. Not only does this book have the virtue of reminding us of the importance of the falsification debates, but it offers a constructive way to appreciate both th

There are few contemporary theological disputes more divisive and acrimonious than that referenced in Knights title, yet his book is a model of precision, analytical rigour and methodological clarity Travis E. Ables, Theology

<br> This was one of the most interesting, thought provoking, and well-written books I have had the pleasure of reading in quite a while. The treatment of the relevant literature here is stellar. In addition to his insightful discussion of the major thinkers and developments, Knight's knowledge of the nuances of this long-standing conversation is impressive. The book will have a considerable impact on the field. --Mary Doak, author of Reclaiming Narrative for Public Theology<p><br> This book is a clearly written, carefully argued, and insightful account of some of the basic features that distinguish 'postliberal' theology from both earlier and contemporary forms of 'liberal' theologizing. The scholarship is sound, the interpretations are clear and accurate, and the author's emphasis on religious language offers a distinctive perspective from which to survey recent theological developments. --Michael Raposa, Professor of Religion Studies and Philosophy of Religion, Lehigh University<p><br> Knight ties disputes between Christian theological liberals and postliberals to a specific period in the history of the philosophy of language. He convincingly argues that both the liberal and postliberal positions required adherence to unacceptable views regarding how language works, and that more recent (i.e. post-Kripkean) developments offer a more promising basis for philosophically informed theological work. This is a well-written, important, and timely book. --Andrew Dole, author of Schleiermacher on Religion and the Natural Order<p><br>

Author Information

John Allan Knight is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies and Coordinator of the Catholic Studies Program at Marist College. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. His essays have appeared in edited volumes and journals such as the Journal of Religion, the Scottish Journal of Theology and the American Journal of Theology and Philosophy.

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