Foundations of Systematic TheologyGuarino argues in this book that the doctrinal form of the Christian faith, in its essential characteristics, calls for certain theoretical exigencies. This is to say that the proportion and beauty of the form is not served or illuminated by simply any presuppositions. Rather, a determinate understanding of first philosophy, of the nature of truth, of hermeneutical theory, of the predication of language and mutual correlation is required if Christian faith and doctrine are to maintain a recognizable and suitably mediative form. Failing to adduce specific principles will lead either to a simple assertion of Christian truth, in which case the form of Christianity becomes less intelligible and attractive-or one will substitute a radically changed form, which is itself inappropriate for displaying the fundamental revelatory narrative of faith. The house of Christian faith possesses a certain proportion of structure; the form will sag badly if one removes an undergirding item, or if one beam is replaced with another of variable shape or size. The form's beauty will either be obscured, no longer clearly visible, or the form will become something quite different, no longer architectonically related to what was originally the case. The intention of this book is to discuss those doctrinal characteristics considered fundamental to the Christian faith, as protective of its revelatory form and, concomitantly, to examine the theoretical principles required if such form is to remain both intelligible and beautiful. |
Contents
1 | |
2 Christian Doctrine and a Renewed First Philosophy | 39 |
Contemporary Challenges | 73 |
Renewals | 107 |
5 Interpretation and the Nature of Christian Doctrine | 141 |
6 Renewing the Hermeneutics of Christian Doctrine | 169 |
7 Christian Doctrine and Theological Language | 209 |
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accent affirmations analogy Aquinas Aquinas's argues assertion Balthasar Barth Bernard Lonergan Bernstein Betti Bouillard Christ Christian doctrine Christian faith church claims cognitive concept contemporary context/content continuity course culture defend Derrida dimensions divine dogma encyclical essential example explicate faith and doctrine fideism Fides et ratio finitude foundationalism foundationalist fundamental Gadamer Gadamer's God's gospel grace Habermas Heidegger Heidegger's Henri de Lubac hermeneutical hermeneutical theory historicity horizons Husserl identity interpretation Jean-Luc Marion Karl Karl Barth Karl Rahner kind Kuhn legitimate logical Lonergan Lubac Luther Marion meaning mediated metaphysics negative theology neo-Scholasticism nonfoundationalist normative notion of truth ontological ontotheology Pannenberg perduring phenomenology philosophy pluralism postliberalism postmodern precisely Rahner rationality realism reason recognize reconstructive relativism revelation Robert Jenson Roman Catholic Rorty says Scripture seeking simply Sokolowski spoils statements teaching theologians theological language theology thinkers thinking Thomist thought tion Tracy tradition trans transcendental true ultimately understanding University Press Vanhoozer Vatican Vatican II