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  • © 2017

Theology and New Materialism

Spaces of Faithful Dissent

Palgrave Macmillan

Authors:

  • Presents a comprehensive account of an emerging field
  • Offers inovative engagement with a vibrant topic

Part of the book series: Radical Theologies and Philosophies (RADT)

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Table of contents (7 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-vii
  2. Transcendence

    • John Reader
    Pages 17-39
  3. Human Agency

    • John Reader
    Pages 41-66
  4. New Enlightenment

    • John Reader
    Pages 67-96
  5. Aesthetics after the Death of God

    • John Reader
    Pages 97-119
  6. Technology as Pharmakon

    • John Reader
    Pages 121-141
  7. Back Matter

    Pages 155-162

About this book

This book argues that identified weaknesses in recent theological engagement with New Materialism can be successfully addressed by incorporating insights from Relational Christian Realism. Central themes are those of the relational and the apophatic as they represent different but essential strands of a materialist theology. The relational refers to the work of Deleuze and its influence upon key New Materialist thinkers such as De Landa, Bryant, and Braidotti but supplemented from Relational Christian Realism by Latour and Badiou and with reference to the concept of the apophatic as found in Keller and Kearney. Examining the concepts of transcendence, human agency, and a New Enlightenment, the book moves into more practical areas of aesthetics and technology concluding with a response to the contemporary apocalyptic of climate change. Being “beyond in the midst” requires developing spaces of faithful dissent and holding the tension between the relational and the apophatic in theology.


Reviews

“While his scholarly credentials and breadth of philosophical engagement are self-evident, Reader provides clear summaries of all the thinkers with whom he engages. The book therefore offers an opportunity for anyone who is not familiar with this complex field to dip their toes in and begin a journey. … For this reason, the book is worth engagement by anyone involved with faith communities.” (Timothy Howles, Modern Believing, Vol. 62 (2), 2021)

Authors and Affiliations

  • University of Chester , Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

    John Reader

About the author

John Reader is an Associate Research Fellow with the William Temple Foundation, University of Chester, UK, and Honorary Senior Lecturer with the University of Worcester, UK. 

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access