Matthew Ashley

Building the Human City

Philosophy

“William Lynch lived through the first spasms of our current culture wars and foresaw the dispiriting and shattered mess they would make of our civic, religious, and political life. He crafted in response a synthesis that is as brilliant as it is daunting. John Kane has done us all a great service in providing this overview of Lynch's writings, which so compellingly conveys his invitation to inhabit 'the valley of the human.' Kane's framing of Lynch's work in terms of its depth insights from Ignatian spirituality is penetrating and evocative. Highly recommended.”

Contemplation and Freedom

Prayer & Spiritual Formation

“Recently, theologians such as Sarah Coakley and Andrew Prevot have argued persuasively for the integration of prayer, especially the mystical, into the work of theology, contending that such an interweaving provides indispensable resources in struggles for a world at once more human and more divine. This collection shows the reach and fecundity of such a project, with forays into thorny yet fascinating theoretical problems and conversations with and between a broad range of figures. For all of this, it does not sacrifice unity of theme for the sake of diversity of topic and interlocutor, making it ideal for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses. Offering profound meditatio on living the contemplative and active lives under the conditions of modernity, I will return to these essays often.”

Remembering and Resisting

Theology

“Now more than ever we need the particular genius and passion for God that characterized Metz’s six decades of theological labor. We are all in John Downey’s debt for this collection that introduces the reader to the most important themes of Metz’s mature work. The essays are carefully chosen, and the interviews reinforce Metz’s own insistence that theology must always develop within a biographical framework. Highly recommended.”