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187290

A pair of ledgers

Peter S. Dillard

pp. 71-81

Abstract

Dillard compares the respective strengths and weaknesses of these theologies. While Streit theology ascribes a definite phenomenology of struggle to our encounter with the holy, it threatens to make divinity hopelessly inscrutable, conflates negative metaphysical antinomy with enigmatic divinity, and lacks any obvious connection to Christian doctrine. Gelassenheit theology ascribes a definite phenomenology of tranquil dwelling to our experience of the holy and seems to demarcate metaphysics from non-metaphysical thinking about divinity. However, upon closer inspection, Gelassenheit theology blurs the holy from non-metaphysical being, avoids making God blandly benign, or fits with distinctively Christian beliefs. Heidegger hints at how these hurdles might be overcome: tranquil dwelling includes a latent energy precluding quiescence; non-metaphysical being "needs' the holy as a distinct norm; and "the fourfold" includes "gods" as an acceptable plurality within the holy that models the Trinity. Dillard decides to develop a Gelassenheit theology.

Publication details

Published in:

Dillard Peter S. (2016) Non-metaphysical theology after Heidegger. Dordrecht, Springer.

Pages: 71-81

DOI: 10.1057/978-1-137-58480-9_5

Full citation:

Dillard Peter S. (2016) A pair of ledgers, In: Non-metaphysical theology after Heidegger, Dordrecht, Springer, 71–81.