“Are you there, Lord?” A philosophical exploration of God in history Week 5: God in Post-modernity

On Knowing God… “The body is the house of God. So know thyself!” – Ancient Egyptian proverb “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” – Proverbs 9:10 “Nearly all wisdom we possess, that is to say, true and sound wisdom, consists of two parts: the knowledge of God and the knowledge of ourselves” – John Calvin, Institutes, I.1.i

The Return of God in Contemporary Theology Recently, a way has opened back up to reflection on God. Theologians have begun drawing from… the mystical tradition to reflect on the mystery of God Trinitarian theology to reflect on community in God the “way of the cross” to reflect on the suffering of God the prophetic tradition to reflect on the otherness of God the creative power of God to reflect on “God in all things”

The “Masters of Suspicion”

The “Masters of Suspicion” Karl Marx (1818-1883) Power is economic. Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) Power is psychological. Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) Power is moral.

Postmodernism and Descartes “cogito” Fragmentation and plurality Social and historical relativity The Linguistic Turn Otherness Ambiguity

Theology after truth “What is truth?”

How can theologians continue to do the work of theology in an era where truth is no longer possible?

David Tracy: Theology after truth Roman Catholic Twentieth-century Integrates contemporary philosophy with the theological task. Key influencers St. Augustine Soren Kierkegaard Hans-Georg Gadamer Bernard Lonergan Paul Ricoeur Hermeneutical Philosophy

David Tracy: Theology after truth What is truth? Common ground An experience How does one risk making true claims in an era of plurality? Find common ground Locate your claim to truth in shared experience

David Tracy: Theology after truth Finding common ground Phenomenology: Reflection on experience Hermeneutics: An awareness of interpretation “The Public” and “publics”

David Tracy: Theology after truth Christian tradition as collection of classics Religious classics Christ as classic Fragment Revisionist theology Decentering power Classic as interruptive / disruptive Fragment as prophecy