Essays Anglican and Analytic
Explorations in Critical Catholicism
- Philosophy
- Theology
- Publisher: Eerdmans
- Published: 2025
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Publisher's Description
Explore the riches at the intersection of Anglican and philosophical theology. In this thought-provoking essay collection, Robert MacSwain explores important connections between Anglican and philosophical theology. Shining a spotlight on the underappreciated theological work of Austin Farrer and David Brown, he brings them into creative conversation with better-known figures such as Joseph Butler, C. S. Lewis, Stanley Hauerwas, and Eleonore Stump. He skillfully leads readers through diverse conceptual territory ranging from the Reformed epistemology of Alvin Plantinga and Nicholas Wolterstorff, to the hiddenness argument of J. L. Schellenberg, to a sacramental vision of human culture and the arts. More broadly, MacSwain outlines what he calls “Critical Catholicism,” explaining how it differs from other movements in contemporary Christian thought such as Radical Orthodoxy and Analytic Theology. These perceptive essays will be of particular interest to scholars and pastors who are curious about connections between theology, philosophy, and Anglican studies.
Endorsements (4)
“Robert MacSwain is an incisive thinker, an approachable writer, and a person of deep personal faith. Each piece in his Essays Anglican and Analytic exemplifies what Anselm called faith seeking understanding. For those of us devoted to braiding together the life of the heart and the life of the mind, this collection of essays is a must read. Preachers, teachers, and the spiritually curious will find in these pages one jewel of insight and inspiration after another.”
“Robert MacSwain’s dedication to reenergizing the field of Anglican studies pays off in this insightful invitation to a ‘Critical Catholicism’ that reunites theology and philosophy. His essays catalyze an expansive opportunity for Anglican-friendly thinkers on both sides of the Atlantic to elaborate a methodologically open Anglophone Christianity—that is, a way of being Christian that honors classically orthodox Anglican divines but is also nuanced by insights from ecology, feminism, and other justice-oriented perspectives.”
“In this wide-ranging and ambitious collection, Robert MacSwain makes a strong case for the importance of analytic philosophy as a way of doing Anglican theology. In dialogue with a number of philosophically minded Anglican scholars, especially Austin Farrer and David Brown, the author develops a style of theologizing that is at once catholic and critical. These are essays that both stimulate and challenge the reader to engage the heart and the mind in the quest to grasp something of the mystery of God.”
“Robert MacSwain’s book brings to light the profound Anglican contribution to theology and philosophy since the mid-twentieth century. It is erudite, engaging, based on thorough research, and includes his own insights on the relationship between faith and reason. Highly recommended to non-Anglicans and Anglicans, scholars and laypersons.”
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