Thirty years of reflection on the philosophical theology of Austin Farrer lie behind the nine chapters of this book, in which Farrer's seminal work on faith and reason, providence and evil, finite and infinite freedom, evolution and creation, and the doctrines of the Incarnation and the Trinity is discussed and developed. Austin Farrer, Fellow and Chaplain of Trinity College, Oxford for twenty years, then Warden of Keble College till his death in 1968, is widely regarded as the most significant Anglican philosophical theologian of the twentieth century. His unparalleled combination of philosophical acuity, theological insight and spiritual profundity have earned him lasting admiration and influence wherever the mainstream Christian tradition is valued and thought worthy of further exploration and fresh interpretation. These studies are offered in the hope that a new generation of philosophical theologians will find inspiration and encouragement in Farrer's work.

The British theologian and New Testament scholar Austin Farrer was a member of " the Oxford Christians," conversing frequently with C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, Dorothy Sayers, and T. S. Eliot. A. N. Wilson has called Farrer "the one true genius of the Church of England in the 20th century." Farrer's theory about the Synoptic Problem remains one the most debated theories of Synoptic relationships in contemporary New Testament scholarship. The editors have put together a book that makes the practical, spiritual meaning of Farrer's thought available to those who desire to integrate serious thinking with faithful life. Contributors to the volume include Ann Loades (University of Durham), Diogenes Allen (Princeton Theological Seminary), Julian N. Hartt (University of Virginia), Charles Hefling (Boston College), and O.C. Edwards (Seabury-Western Theological Seminary). David Hein is Professor and Chair of Religion and Philosophy at Hood College and the author of Noble Powell and the Episcopal Establishment in the Twentieth Century. Edward Hugh Henderson is Professor of Philosophy at Louisiana State University and co-editor with Brian Hebblethwaite of Divine Action: Studies Inspired by the Philosophical Theology of Austin Farrer.

In A Science of God? Austin Farrer insists upon the concrete, positive, affirmative elements in the Christian faith. Here, he counters the argument that scientific discoveries - for example, those associated with the theory of evolution - make belief in God impossible. A Science of God? showcases Farrer's well-deserved reputation for combining considerable scholarship with intellectual integrity. There have been few better advocates for universal, deep-rooted, mature Christianity.‘One of the twentieth century's most original and independent theologians offers stimulating reflections on the inter-relationship of science and theology in their common quest for truth.' Revd John Polkinghorne, KBE, FRS, author of Quantum Physics and Theology. ‘I welcome the republication of this important contribution to the science and religion debate. It was ahead of its time - conceived against the background of the “Death of God” movement of the 1960s, it is even more relevant now in the context of the “New Atheism”.' John Barton, Oriel & Laing Professor of the Interpretation of Holy Scripture, University of Oxford

Austin Farrer is often called the one genius the Church of England produced in the 20th Century. His innovative ideas crossed a host of theological disciplines. Assessing his continuing importance and introducing him to a new generation of readers, Austin Farrer for Today brings together a stellar collection of writers to reflect on Farrer’s contribution to biblical theology, philosophy, language, doctrine, prayer and preaching. Chapters include: •Rowan Williams on Farrer as a doctrinal theologian •Morwenna Ludlow on Farrer's language and symbolism •Jane Shaw on Farrer as preacher •John Barton, on typology in Farrer

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Austin Farrer (1904-1968), Warden of Keble College, Oxford, was a remarkably creative and significant figure in twentieth-century theology. Robert MacSwain argues that one explanation for Farrer's relative obscurity is that most commentators have focused on his metaphysics, and in particular on Finite and Infinite (1943), his monumental treaties of 'rational theology'. By contrast, MacSwain proposes an epistemological analysis that takes seriously the neglected but crucial theme of fideism in Farrer's thought. MacSwain charts the development of Farrer's thinking on the proper relation between faith and reason from 1924 to 1968 û including his engagements with Karl Barth, logical positivism, Thomism, and Wittgensteinian philosophy - and offers a reading of Farrer that resonates with contemporary religious epistemology and the growing focus on spiritual praxis. The final chapter considers Farrer's provocative claim that the logical paradoxes of religious belief are 'solved by sacrifice' in the lives of those whom we recognize as 'saints': as Farrer puts it, 'Such a life, then, is evidence, and what other evidence could you hope to find?' Book jacket.

In the foreword to this collection of essays, the noted British philosopher of religion John Hick aptly describes the style and tone to be found in Reflective Faith."Farrer asks . . . the right questions and thereby puts philosophical theology on the right road. This collection constitutes an introduction to Farrer's thought such as many have wished for; and it will be important also for those who are concerned to study Farrer's work as a whole." And that work, Hick adds, "is so far removed from the realm of unanalyzed slogans, vague metaphors, and all form of sloppiness and imprecision, that to read someone of Farrer's stature is to lose any taste for the lower levels of theological writing."Reflective Faith spans Farrer's long career at Oxford, and includes essays taken from lectures, papers, and broadcast talks presented during those years. Originally written for select and usually small audiences, they display a warmth and spontaneity that enables readers to draw close to Farrer, and in so doing to appreciate his breadth of scholarship and wit. Here is traced the evolution of Farrer's thought from its early origins in scholastic theology to his eventual movement towards the "philosophy of action." Also included are study notes provided by the editor, and a bibliography of Farrer's published works.

This original study is concerned with the reconciliation of divine providence, grace, and free will. Mark Wiebe explores, develops, and defends Luis de Molina's work in these areas, and bridges the main sixteenth-century conversations surrounding Molina's writings with relevant sets of arguments in contemporary philosophical theology and philosophy of religion. The result fills a gap between theologians and philosophers working in related areas of study and is a unique contribution to the field of analytic theology. Wiebe begins by sketching the historical and theological context from which Molina's work emerged in the late sixteenth century. He then lays out Thomas Aquinas's understanding of God's nature and activity, as well as his understanding of the relationship between God's action and creaturely activity. In the face of challenges like the Problem of Evil, Wiebe argues, Molina's work is a helpful supplement to Aquinas's thought. Turning to direct consideration of Molina's work, Wiebe responds to several of the most well-known objections to Molinism. In support of Molina's understanding of creaturely freedom, he then develops some twentieth-century work in free will philosophy, focusing on the work of thinkers like Austin Farrer, Timothy O'Connor, and Robert Kane. He argues that there are good reasons to defend a restrained version of libertarian or noncompatibilist free will, and also good reasons to believe this sort of freedom obtains among human agents. Wiebe concludes that a Molinistic revision of Eleonore Stump's work on the relationship between providence and free will provides a well-rounded, coherent theological option for reconciling divine providence, grace, and free will. This thoughtful study will appeal to theologians and philosophers, as well as educated readers with a basic knowledge of Christian theology.

Philosophical Theology and Christian Doctrine surveys and comments on recent work by philosophers of religion in the analytic tradition on the doctrines of the Christian creed. Topics covered include creation, Incarnation, Trinity, salvation and eschatology, and the ultimate future of creation. Comprehensive survey of core Christian doctrines

This book offers a critical edition of arguably the greatest work of English theology in the 20th century: Austin Farrer's Bampton Lectures published as The Glass of Vision in 1948. Farrer was an interdisciplinary genius who made original contributions to philosophy, theology, and biblical studies, as well as to our understanding of the role of imagination in human thought and Christian doctrine. According to Farrer, the three primary themes of these lectures are 'scripture, metaphysics, and poetry,' individually and in relation to each other. The lectures defend his famous theory of divine revelation through images rather than propositions or events, a provocative account of the place of metaphysical reasoning in theology, and a literary approach to the Biblical text that was decades ahead of its time and is still controversial. The Glass of Vision has generated a rich and interesting interdisciplinary conversation that has lasted for decades, starting with commentators such as Helen Gardner and Frank Kermode. In addition to Farrer's full text, this critical edition also contains an introduction to the significance and context of Farrer's thought, and a selection of thirty-years' worth of commentary by leading British and European theologians and literary scholars: David Brown, Ingolf Dalferth, Hans Haugh, Douglas Hedley, David Jasper, and Gerard Loughlin. Of interest to literary and biblical scholars, theologians, and philosophers, this book holds particular value for those exploring the nature of imagination in contemporary thought and scholarship.