Premium
A ‘Glaring Misunderstanding'? Schleiermacher, B arth and the Nature of Speculative Theology
Author(s) -
Gordon James
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
international journal of systematic theology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.149
H-Index - 13
eISSN - 1468-2400
pISSN - 1463-1652
DOI - 10.1111/ijst.12041
Subject(s) - false accusation , philosophy , theology , speculation , epistemology , psychology , economics , social psychology , macroeconomics
Both Friedrich Schleiermacher and Karl B arth attempted to keep C hristian dogmatic theology free from abstract philosophical speculation. However, B arth thinks that Schleiermacher is guilty of the very speculative theology to which Schleiermacher is so averse. This article will defend the claim that B arth misreads S chleiermacher's G laubenslehre , such that Schleiermacher's theological method and formulations are just as anti‐speculative as B arth's. To defend this claim, this article examines what B arth considers to be speculative theology as well as his accusation that Schleiermacher is guilty of such speculative proposals. After considering B arth's challenges, this article defends Schleiermacher's methodology and theology as anti‐speculative. Finally, several additional accusations against Schleiermacher (those of B ruce M c C ormack and T homas C urran) are overcome.