Natural theology reconsidered (again)

Re Manning, R (2017) 'Natural theology reconsidered (again).' Theology and Science, 15 (3). pp. 289-301. ISSN 1474-6700

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14746700.2017.1335064

Abstract

Neither the “traditional” nor the “revisionist” accounts of the nature and fate of natural theology are adequate to the task of explaining the peculiar trajectory of its history and, in particular, the consensus view of its apparent terminal decline. Contrary to the accepted narrative, natural theology was not fatally undermined by the scientific revolution. Even if temporarily marginalized by disciplines such as systematics and dogmatics, natural theology never went away. It is still with us, and it provides a healthy grasp of the divine presence in the natural world.

Item Type: Article
Note:

In this article I have another look at the very idea of natural theology and, more specifically, reconsider (again) the vexed question of its apparent demise. I shall also, by way of conclusion, say something about the future of natural theology, the prospects for which are, I think, far from as bleak as is commonly believed.
In brief, my argument is that neither what I shall call the ‘traditional’ nor the ‘revisionist’ accounts of the nature and fate of natural theology are adequate to the task of explaining the peculiar trajectory of its history and, in particular, the consensus view of its apparent terminal decline since its alleged ‘heyday’ in the original series of Boyle Lectures established by Robert Boyle’s benefaction of 1691.
To anticipate my main contention: I suggest that the fundamental reason behind the seeming eclipse of natural theology in the modern era was the increasing ‘specialisation’ of Christian theology in the attempts, characteristic of the 19th and 20th centuries, by theologians to establish an unambiguous subject matter for theology: initially through the notion of faith and subsequently through that of revelation. It is, I propose this quest for disciplinary purity that proved fatal for the inherently ‘impure’ enterprise of natural theology – namely that of looking to nature to speak of God. The conviction of modern theology that it be primarily – indeed exclusively – about religion or about God’s own self-revelation is, I propose, incompatible with the idea – crucial to the vibrancy of natural theology – that knowledge of God is not restricted to one specific domain – be it religion or revelation – but is available, in some form or another, to all simply on the basis of their experiences of the world they find themselves in.

Keywords: natural theology, faithful theology, Robert Boyle, Michael Buckley, Paul Tillich
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > B Philosophy (General)
B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BL Religion
B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BR Christianity
B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BT Doctrinal Theology
Divisions: School of Writing, Publishing and the Humanities
UoA: History
Identification Number: https://doi.org/10.1080/14746700.2017.1335064
Date Deposited: 15 Jun 2017 14:05
Last Modified: 15 Aug 2021 09:46
URI / Page ID: https://researchspace.bathspa.ac.uk/id/eprint/9621
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