Faith In Honesty: The Essential Nature Of Theology

FAITH IN HONESTY ‘This is an exciting book, offering a theme and an approach that is fresh and invigorating. Clearly written and thought-provoking, this book represents an important contribution to the field not only in terms of the ways it rejuvenates systematic and philosophical discussions of Trinitarian theology, but of the way it seeks to reconstitute the very nature of theological discourse. It deserves a wide readership and would appeal especially to those impatient with the kind of academic theology which only seems to talk to itself.’ Professor Elaine Graham, University of Manchester, UK How, if at all, is religious faith ‘true’? The starting point for this book is that traditional Christian theology overvalues the importance of ‘correctness’. What really counts far more is ‘Honesty’. Not just sincerity or frankness, but Honesty in the sense of a sheer openness to the Other. A set of skills, Andrew Shanks argues, which the church has very much still to learn. True faith in God is faith in Honesty. But theological Honesty has three faces. It stands equally opposed to banality, manipulation, the mere disowning of history. This book thus presents a whole new approach to the doctrine of the Trinity. A fresh stimulus to theological debate at academic, student and more popular levels. This page intentionally left blank Faith in Honesty The Essential Nature of Theology ANDREW SHANKS Manchester Cathedral, UK © Andrew Shanks 2005 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher. Andrew Shanks has asserted his moral right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work. Published by Ashgate Publishing Limited Gower House Croft Road Aldershot Hants GU11 3HR England Ashgate Publishing Company Suite 420 101 Cherry Street Burlington, VT 05401-4405 USA Ashgate website: http://www.ashgate.com British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Shanks, Andrew, 1954Faith in honesty : the essential nature of theology I. Theology, Doctrinal 2. Trinity 3. Faith I. Title 230'.01 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Shanks, Andrew, 1954Faith in honesty : the essential nature of theology / by Andrew Shanks. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-7546-5320-X (hardcover : alk. paper) 1. Philosophical theology. 2. Honesty. 3. Trinity. I. Title. BT50.S47 2005 230'.01—dc22 2004029546 ISBN 0 7546 5320 X Typeset by J.L. & G.A. Wheatley Design, Aldershot, Hampshire. Printed and bound in Great Britain by MPG, Bodmin, Cornwall. Contents Preface ix Introduction: Some Preliminary Definitions 1 Honesty/Frankness/Sincerity The Essential Vocation of Theology Theology versus Sacred Ideology Against Agnosticism The Proper Self-limitation of Metaphysics A Threefold Struggle Prospectus PART I PHILOSOPHICAL PREAMBLE: CONTRIBUTION TO THE PHENOMENOLOGY OF HONEST