Theology against Religion This page intentionally left blank Theology against Religion Constructive Dialogues with Bonhoeffer and Barth by TOM GREGGS Published by T&T Clark International A Continuum Imprint The Tower Building, 11 York Road, London SE1 7NX 80 Maiden Lane, Suite 704, New York, NY 10038 www.continuumbooks.com All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. © Tom Greggs, 2011 Tom Greggs has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identifi ed as the Author of this work. A section of Chapter 5 (pages 111–116) is a re-written version of several pages of ‘ “Jesus is Victor”: Passing the Impasse of Barth on Universalism’, © 2007 Scottish Journal of Theology. Originally published in Scottish Journal of Theology 60:2 (2007), 196–212. Reprinted with permission. A section of Chapter 9 (pages 209–214) is a re-written version of several pages of ‘Inter-Faith Pedagogy for Muslims and Christians: Scriptural Reasoning and Christian and Muslim Youth work’, © 2010 Discourse. Originally published in Discourse 9:2 (2010), 201–25. Reprinted with permission. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN: 978-0-567-46279-4 (hardback) 978-0-567-10423-6 (paperback) Typeset by Newgen Imaging Systems Pvt Ltd, Chennai, India Printed and bound in India This book is dedicated to three friends since school days – Chris Allen, Steven Jamieson and Mark Perkins. This page intentionally left blank TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements x Abbreviations xiii Chapter 1 Introduction 1 A Theological not a Sociological Discussion 3 The Need to Speak Simultaneously of Secularity, Religion, Pluralism and God 7 Dialoguing with Bonhoeffer and Barth 10 Synopsis of Parts 11 Part I Christianizing the Critique of Religion: Barth and Bonhoeffer Chapter 2 Barth’s Early Discussions of Religion 15 Introduction 15 Early Discussions of Religion 16 Religion in Church Dogmatics I/2, §17 24 In the Context of Revelation: Overcoming Some Common Misunderstandings 31 Conclusion 38 Chapter 3 Bonhoeffer’s Religionless Christianity 39 Introduction: Theologizing the Critique of Religion 39 Continuity with the Earlier Bonhoeffer 42 Positivism of Revelation 54 Theological Motifs for Religionless Christianity 64 Conclusion 72 Chapter 4 After Religionlessness: Back to Barth and Formative Motifs 74 Introduction 74 viii Table of Contents Promeity and Christocentrism 75 Creation and Anthropology 80 Light and Lights and Secular Parables of the Kingdom 86 Provisional Summary: Motifs in Religionlessness 92 Part II Doctrine after Christendom: Secularism, Salvation and the Church Chapter 5 Saviour of All: Soteriology against Religion 99 Universal Salvation as a Non-Personalized Version of Salvation 103 The Centrality of Jesus as Victor 111 Related Themes 116 Conclusion 122 Chapter 6 Post-Christendom Ecclesiology 124 Dynamic and Actualistic Ecclesiology of the Spirit 126 Church as Community of Intensity and Activism 132 Church: A Community within the World 136 Church: A Community for the World 143 Conclusion 146 Chapter 7 Religionlessness and Public Space: Generous Particularism 147 The Politics of the Secular 148 Overcoming Binaries: The Complexities of Inter-Relationship 151 Liberalism and Particularism 154 Ultimacy and Penultimacy 158 The Markers of Public Theological Engagement of a Theology against Religion 162 Conclusion 168 Part III Engaging with the Religions: Pluralism and Theology against Religion Chapter 8 A Theology of Religions against Religion 173 Against a Substantialized Theology of Religions 175 Relativizing Theological Speech: Speaking as a Religionist 181 Table of Contents ix Multiple Densities of God’s Holy Spirit 185 Differentiated Exclusivisms 188 Conclusion: Realizing Eschatology Is Not Fully Realized 194 Chapter 9 From Theory to Practice: Inter-Faith Dialogue 196 Dynamic Engagements 197 Humility in Approaching the Other 201 Understanding Oneself Better 205 Remembering Secular Issues 207 Scriptural Reasoning as One Possible Non-Religious Interpretation 209 Conclusion: The Quest for Peace 215 Chapter 10 Conclusion: A Coda on Mystery and Hope 217 Summary 217 Appropriate Mystery 218 Appropriate Hoping 221 Bibliography of Secondary Sources 225 Index 238