Profiles
Publication details for Professor Paul D. Murray
Murray, Paul D. (2004). Reason, truth and theology in pragmatist perspective. Leuven, Belgium: Peeters.- Publication type: Authored book
- ISSN/ISBN: 9042914521
- Keywords: American pragmatist tradition, Rationality, Christian postliberalism, Trinity, Richard Rorty, Nicholas Rescher.
- Further publication details on publisher web site
- Durham Research Online (DRO) - may include full text
Author(s) from Durham
Abstract
This work explores which style of rationality is most appropriate to Christian theology in the contemporary pluralist, postfoundationalist, post-modern context. At its heart is a fresh consideration of the American pragmatist tradition, focussing on the writings of Richard Rorty and Nicholas Rescher. Where Rorty correctly diagnoses the failures of foundationalist "objectivism", Rescher's "pragmatic idealism" is presented as healing the ills in Rorty's own neo-pragmatism. The significant resonance between Rescher's view of rationality and Christian understanding fo the Trinity is explored. In turn, Donald MacKinnon's influential writings are presented as exemplifying just such an approach to theology. Murray both articulates an enriched form of Christian postliberalism, committed to receiving and learning from other traditions of thought and practice and probes the claim that the dynamics of human rationality can be expected to reflect the Trinitarian dynamics of God's being.