Five Key Topics on the Frontier of Theology and Science Today

Abstract : This article explores the creative mutual interaction between Christian theology and the natural sciences through five key issues: (1) the relation between creation ex nihilo and Big Bang cosmology; (2) biological evolution and continuous creation; (3) the search for non‐interventionist objective divine action in light of physics and biology; (4) the problem of suffering in nature and with it the turn to redemption theology via the bodily Resurrection of Jesus; and (5) the challenge raised for its eschatological implications by scientific predictions for the future of the universe. The article concludes with a brief suggestion for the ways Christian theology, reformulated in light of these sciences, might offer creative suggestions for future scientific research, and, in doing so, complete the loop promised by the phrase “mutual creative interaction.”     

The Perspective of Feminist Pastoral Theology,a Review of Indigenous and Cultural Psychology: Understanding People in Context

This essay review examines Indigenous and Cultural Psychology: Understanding People in Context, Edited by U. Kim, K.-S. Yang and K.-K. Hwang (New York, NY, US: Springer, 2006), from the perspective of feminist pastoral theology. In doing so, it focuses on shimjung, a critical Korean indigenous concept by Choi and Kim (Naïve psychology of Koreans’ interpersonal mind and behavior in close relationships. In U. Kim, K.-S. Yang &; K.-K. Hwang (Eds.), Indigenous and cultural Psychology: Understanding people in context (pp. 357–369). New York: Springer, 2006). There are three main sections in the essay review. First, shimjung of Korean women is discussed and compared with that of Korean men. Second, shimjung in mother–son relationship is analyzed and explored. Third, an invitation is given for further research in promoting shimjung exchange in the husband and wife relationship in Korean culture.     

Books received

Art therapy
Murphy, J. (ed.). Art Therapy with Young Survivors of Sexual Abuse – Lost for Words.
Autobiography
Sandison, Ronald. A Century of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Group Analysis – A Search for Integration.
Philosophy
Avramides, Anita. Other Minds.
Neuropsychiatry
Feinberg, Todd E. Altered Egos – How the Brain Creates the Self.     

Theology: Reduction or Autonomy?

Issues of the nature and task of theology remain important to the science-theology dialogue. This paper lays out a framework for understanding the nature of theology in relation to the other sciences. In particular, I argue that the primary question remains one of autonomy and reduction. If theology is a genuine academic discipline, then it should be an autonomous field with its own subject matter and norms. Wolfhart Pannenberg argues that theology is the science of God, but I suggest that theology be more broadly understood as the science of meaning. If we recognize this, the modes of interaction between theology and the other sciences becomes clearer.     

Proclus and the Neoplatonic Syllogistic

An investigation of Proclus' logic of the syllogistic and of negations in the Elements of Theology, On the Parmenides, and Platonic Theology. It is shown that Proclus employs interpretations over a linear semantic structure with operators for scalar negations (hypernegation/alpha-intensivum and privative negation). A natural deduction system for scalar negations and the classical syllogistic (as reconstructed by Corcoran and Smiley) is shown to be sound and complete for the non-Boolean linear structures. It is explained how Proclus' syllogistic presupposes converting the tree of genera and species from Plato's diairesis into the Neoplatonic linear hierarchy of Being by use of scalar hyper and privative negations.     

Reception of Analogy of Being in Contemporary Eastern Orthodox Theology

This article examines the relationship between the analogy of being (which is a fundamental principle of Catholic theology and metaphysics) and the most significant contemporary Eastern Orthodox theologians. This question of analogy touches upon the fundamental theological problem of the conceptualization of the relationship between God and creation. Even though there is no analogy in Eastern Orthodox theology, it has two polar positions regarding Western analogy of being—pro and con.     

Emerging Tapestry: An Evangelical Lutheran Social Ethic

This article argues that an identifiable social ethic is emerging in the social teaching documents of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Reading across the body of teaching and policy it becomes evident how conscientious attention to Lutheran themes and commitments at the interface with contemporary social analysis and questions has produced a coherent ethic. That is, it is relatively comprehensive, responsibly consistent, and remarkably cogent with an identifiable moral imperative and mode of reasoning. The paper delineates the character of this responsibility ethic across the five dimensions of ethics.     

The Contemporary Constructive Task

Lutheran theology is noted for its excellent contributions to historical theology. Contemporary times, however, require that Lutheran theologians become attuned to the urgent demands of the present and take up the discipline of constructive theology to address these demands. Taking the lead from contemporary feminist Lutheran theologians, constructive approaches utilizing Lutheran theological resources must articulate vigorous critique of a corrosive neo‐liberal culture by articulating divine judgment on human greed as well as witnessing to divine grace that always favors truthful living.     

Hobbes’s agnostic theology before Leviathan

Prior to 1651, Hobbes was agnostic about the existence of God. Hobbes argued that God’s existence could neither be demonstrated nor proved, so that those who reason about God’s existence will systematically vacillate, sometimes thinking God exists, sometimes not, which for Hobbes is to say they will doubt God’s existence. Because this vacillation or doubt is inherent to the subject, reasoners like himself will judge that settling on one belief rather than another is epistemically unjustified. Hobbes’s agnosticism becomes apparent once we attend to his distinctions between the propositional attitudes one might adopt towards theological claims, including supposing, thinking, having faith and knowing.