Description
Book SynopsisTheological work, whatever else it may be, is always reflection on social transformations. Not only pastors but also theologians work with the sources of the Christian traditions in one hand and a newspaper in the other. But how are we to understand the relationship between social transformations and the continuously “compromised” development of Christian ideals, as these are measured by doctrinal formulations? And how might a more deeply sociological perspective on this relationship inform theological work? Matthew Ryan Robinson and Evan F. Kuehn approach this question, not by reconstructing a history of ideas, but rather by telling a story about the development of churches and theological institutions. They take the turbulent and dynamic ecclesiological situation of nineteenth-century Germany as a representative case, focusing on the sociological methodological orientation of Friedrich Schleiermacher and Ernst Troeltsch in the context of the rise of theological liberalism, the history of religions, and the German churches’ confrontation with social and political challenges. . Robinson and Kuehn then connect this orientation with the sociology of religion of Hans Joas and Niklas Luhmann, arguing for a functional focus in theological research on what doctrines do rather than what the reality behind or in any particular doctrine is.
Trade ReviewHow relevant is sociology for a theological understanding of church and doctrine? This provocative little book offers a new perspective on Schleiermacher and Troeltsch by connecting their contributions to contemporary social theory. -- Hans Joas, Humboldt University of Berlin
At least since the 1990s, theologians have been suspicious of sociology and social theory. Yet in this short and striking book, Matthew Ryan Robinson and Evan F. Kuehn revive what they view as the sociological heartbeat of all theology, presenting Ernst Troeltsch as the pacemaker who has kept it going from the past to the present. Required reading for anyone interested in theological methodology. -- Ulrich Schmiedel, University of Edinburgh
Table of ContentsPart I – Doing Theology: A Different Theological History Chapter 1 – From Friedrich Schleiermacher to Friedrich Naumann: How Systematic Theology and Social Formation Mutually Respond to and Produce One Another Chapter 2 – Troeltsch on (Concepts of) the Church Chapter 3 – Troeltsch’s Theory of Compromise Chapter 4 – Troeltsch and the Politics of Compromise Part II – Contemporary Models Chapter 5 – Hans Joas on Troeltsch, Transcendence, and the Formation of Values Chapter 6 – Niklas Luhmann and Religious Community under Conditions of Modernity Conclusion Bibliography Appendix – Translation Translator’s Note Foreword to the Book Schleiermacher, Philosopher of (the) Faith, by Friedrich Naumann “Schleiermacher and the Church,” by Ernst Troeltsch
