Metaphysical Personalism: An Analysis of Austin Farrer's Metaphysics of Theism - Hardcover

Conti, Charles

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0198263384 ISBN 13: 9780198263388

Publisher: OUP Oxford, 1985

Synopsis

How can we, or should we, talk about God? What concepts are involved in the idea of a Supreme Being? This book is about the search to reconcile modern metaphysics with traditional theism - focusing on the seminal work of Austin Farrer who was Warden of Keble College, Oxford, until his death in 1968, and one of the most original and important philosophers of religion of this century.

About this title

Review:

In this lucid and valuable work, Conti brilliantly conjures the spirit of Farrer and shows himself a helpful guide through Farrer's often dense reasoning.

He has been principally responsible for the editing and publication of the posthumous collections of Farrer's writing, and it is evident from the footnotes to this book how thorough his knowledge of the published work and of the unpublished letters and manuscripts really is...the great merit of Conti's book is that it roots Faith and Speculation very firmly in the context of Farrer's lifelong theological project...Conti's book no doubt will become the standard guide to its subject and remain so for many years.

we should simply be grateful for this careful and thoughtful analysis of the thinking of a truly remarkable mind (The Expository Times)

this is the first extensive examination of the important contribution he made to contemporary Christian theology ... we should simply be grateful for this careful and thoughtful analysis of the thinking of a truly remarkable mind (B.L. Horne, University of London, The Expository Times, February 1997, Volume 108, Number 5)

he has admirable command of all of Farrer's publications and a collection of letters which movingly reveal Farrer's efforts to respond to friendly but severe criticism of his metaphysics (Julian N. Hartt, University of Virginia, Religious Studies, Vol 32 - 1996)

Conti provides us not only a clear, well-argued defense of personalist metaphysics but also insight into central currents in mid-century thinking in philosophical theology ... Conti's analysis of and arguments for personalism moves him to the forefront of late twentieth-century personalists. (Review of Metaphysics)

Those of us who are already charmed by Farrer's work (his scholarly writing or superb homilies) will welcome this volume ... Conti's exposition of Farrer's arguments is often skillful and spirited ... a fine narrative or study of the arguments and themes at stake. (The Journal of Religion)

From the Back Cover:

How can we or should we talk about God? What concepts are involved in the idea of a Supreme Being? This book is about the search for an adequate modern metaphysics to support theism. It focuses on the work of one of the most outstanding philosophers of religion of this century, Austin Farrer. Warden of Keble College, Oxford, until his death in 1968, Farrer was by common consent one of the most brilliant minds of his time, and arguably England's most original thinker this century. Farrer initially argued for the existence of God using the perfectibility of being and cause-effect thinking, but his recognition of the philosophical problems inherited from the logico-metaphysics of Aristotle, Aquinas, and Descartes forced him to reconsider the method involved in knowing or describing God. The result was a dramatic reformulation of the logic of theism - a theological methodology built on natural premises, specifically personalist metaphysics.

About this edition

• Publisher: OUP Oxford
• Publication date: 1985
• ISBN 10: 0198263384
• ISBN 13: 9780198263388
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 328