After Enlightenment - The Post-Secular Vision of J. G. Hamann

Informationen zum Autor John R. Betz is Associate Professor of Systematic and Philosophical Theology at the University of Notre Dame, having previously taught theology at Loyola University Maryland. He has published several articles on Hamann, including Hamann's London Writings and on his significance to Kierkegaard. Klappentext After Enlightenment: Hamann as Post-Secular Visionary is a comprehensive introduction to the life and works of eighteenth-century German philosopher, J. G. Hamann, the founding father of what has come to be known as Radical Orthodoxy.* Provides a long-overdue, comprehensive introduction to Haman's fascinating life and controversial works, including his role as a friend and critic of Kant and some of the most renowned German intellectuals of the age* Features substantial new translations of the most important passages from across Hamann's writings, some of which have never been translated into English* Examines Hamann's highly original views on a range of topics, including faith, reason, revelation, Christianity, biblical exegesis, Socrates, theological aesthetics, language, sexuality, religion, politics, and the relationship between Judaism and Christianity* Presents Hamann as the 'founding father' of a distinctly post-modern, post-secular theology and, as such, as an alternative to the 'postmodern triumvirate' of Nietzsche, Heidegger, and Derrida* Considers Hamann's work as a touchtone of modern Jewish-Christian dialogue, in view of debates with his friend Moses Mendelssohn* Explores Hamann's role as the visionary founder of a 'metacritical' movement that radically calls into question the basic principles of modern secular reason, and thus reprises the debate between those defending Hamann's views and those labeling him the bête noir of the Enlightenment Zusammenfassung To Hegel, he was a genius; to Kierkegaard, he was the greatest humorist in Christendom; to Goethe, he was the brightest mind of his day. Though less known than many of his contemporaries, A.G. Hamann is gradually being recognized as one of the most important and original critics of the Enlightenment. Inhaltsverzeichnis Preface xi Acknowledgments xiv Abbreviations xvi Introduction 1 Notorious Darkness: Reading Sibylline Leaves 8 A Brief History of Scholarship 13 Hamann and Modern Theology 18 Overview 19 Part I The Making of a Christian Socrates 23 1 Life and Writings 1730-1788 25 The Making of a Philologist 26 Hamann's Conversion 29 Hamann's Falling Out with Berens 32 Hamann's Relationship with Kant 34 2 The London Writings: On the Glory of Trinitarian Condescension 38 Night Thoughts: On the Interpretation of Scripture 39 Glory in the "Rags" of Scripture 43 Biblical Meditations 45 "Reflections on church hymns" 53 "Fragments" and "Prophecies" 55 3 A Typological Re-reading of Socrates: On Faith, Reason, and History 63 The Prophet and the Idol 65 From Socratic Irony to Christian Humor 68 Toward a Philosophy of History 71 A Propaedeutic to Real Enlightenment 76 Converting Hume: Knowledge "By Faith Alone" 82 Kant, Hamann, and the So-called " Kinderphysik Fiasco" 84 Part II Crusades of the Philologist 89 4 Life and Writings 1760-1774 91 Against the Purification of Language 91 The Magi and "The Knight of Faith" 93 Crusades of the Philologist 96 On "Solomon of Prussia" and High School Drama 103 The Hamann-Herder Connection 104 A Satirical Masterpiece and Other Writings 109 5 Toward a Christological Poetics: A New Aesthetics of Scripture and Creation 113 Cloverleaf of Hellenistic Letters : On the Style of Scripture 117 Aesthetica in nuce : On the Language of Creation 123 The Di...

List of contents

Preface xi
 
Acknowledgments xiv
 
Abbreviations xvi
 
Introduction 1
 
Notorious Darkness: Reading Sibylline Leaves 8
 
A Brief History of Scholarship 13
 
Hamann and Modern Theology 18
 
Aim and Overview 19
 
Part I The Making of a Christian Socrates 23
 
1 Life and Writings 1730-1788 25
 
The Making of a Philologist 26
 
Hamann's Conversion 29
 
Hamann's Falling Out with Berens 32
 
Hamann's Relationship with Kant 34
 
2 The London Writings: On the Glory of Trinitarian Condescension 38
 
Night Thoughts: On the Interpretation of Scripture 39
 
Glory in the "Rags" of Scripture 43
 
Biblical Meditations 45
 
"Reflections on church hymns" 53
 
"Fragments" and "Prophecies" 55
 
3 A Typological Re-reading of Socrates: On Faith, Reason, and History 63
 
The Prophet and the Idol 65
 
From Socratic Irony to Christian Humor 68
 
Toward a Philosophy of History 71
 
A Propaedeutic to Real Enlightenment 76
 
Converting Hume: Knowledge "By Faith Alone" 82
 
Kant, Hamann, and the So-called "Kinderphysik Fiasco" 84
 
Part II Crusades of the Philologist 89
 
4 Life and Writings 1760-1774 91
 
Against the Purification of Language 91
 
The Magi and "The Knight of Faith" 93
 
Crusades of the Philologist 96
 
On "Solomon of Prussia" and High School Drama 103
 
The Hamann-Herder Connection 104
 
A Satirical Masterpiece and Other Writings 109
 
5 Toward a Christological Poetics: A New Aesthetics of Scripture and Creation 113
 
Cloverleaf of Hellenistic Letters: On the Style of Scripture 117
 
Aesthetica in nuce: On the Language of Creation 123
 
The Dithyrambs of a Christian Dionysus 128
 
Seeing All Things in Christ 133
 
Toward a Christological Poetics 136
 
6 Correcting a Disciple: Hamann and Herder on the Origin of Language 141
 
Hamann's Review of Herder's Preisschrift 144
 
The Return of Aristobulus 147
 
Philological Ideas and Doubts 149
 
The Crusading Knight's Last Will and Testament 158
 
The Mystery of Language: The Alpha and Omega 163
 
Part III Masks and Mystery Writings 165
 
7 Life and Writings 1775-1780 167
 
Hierophantic Letters 167
 
Family Life: Portrait of a Christian Sensualist 170
 
Two Mites: On the Tabernacle of Language 173
 
8 The Sibyl Speaks: On the Protological and Eschatological Mystery of Marriage 178
 
The Mystery of Marriage: A verum signaculum Creatoris 179
 
Essay of a Sibyl on Marriage 182
 
"Aprons of fig leaves": On Reason's Inveterate Shame 184
 
9 Fragments of an Apocryphal Sibyl: On Rational and Apocalyptic Religion 189
 
Doubts (about Reason) and Ideas (about the Mystical Body of Christ) 191
 
Konxompax: An Apocryphal Letter to Lessing 197
 
Part IV Metacritique: of Reason, Natural Religion, and Secular Politics 217
 
10 Life and Writings 1780-1784 219
 
Hamann's "Twins" of 1784 220
 
Hamann and Jacobi 222
 
Divestment and Transfiguration 222
 
"Metacritical tubs"? 228
 
11 Hamann's Metacritique of Kant: Deconstructing the Transcendental Dream 230
 
Transcendental "Mystique": The First Review of the Critique of Pure Reason 234
 
The Metacritique: A Brief History of the Purisms of Reason 242
 
The "Genealogical Priority" of Language 248
 
Language as a Sacrament 253
 
12 Metacritical Politics: On Mendelssohn's Jerusalem and the Modern Secular State 25

Report

"This is a scholar's book, breaking new ground in the study of eighteenth-century philosophy, and those responsible for teaching modern philosophy and theology should be warned: on picking up this book, you risk having to revise substantial portions of your lectures. This is the sort of book that ought to change the way we think about Europe's so-called Enlightenment, and the intellectual paths that we have walked ever since." (Anglican Theological Review, 2012)
 
"Simply put, Betz's accomplishment is superb. He comprehensively introduces the entire span of Hamann's work in its theological and philosophical significance ... though much remains to be done in thinking with Hamann, Betz's work is a major accomplishment that deserves wide readership." --Lutheran Quarterly
 
"This is an important book for at least two reasons. On the one hand, it is a complete, reliable, and agreeably written introduction to Johann Georg Hamann's life, work and world. On the other hand, it contributes substantially to the ongoing discussion in contemporary theology and philosophy about the seemingly ineradicable tension between modernity and Christianity." --Modern Theology
 
"After Enlightenment has much to offer those who are familiar with Hamann, as well as those who are not. The way Betz handles Hamann's difficult writings and communicates his thought is a clear and precise manner is praiseworthy ... The comprehensiveness of the study is enhanced by the ease of Betz's prose, offering a tremendous tool for understanding the enigmatic yet fruitful 'Magus of the North'." --Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
 
"[Betz] has produced the best and fullest survey of the life and writings of Johann Georg Hamann in a generation, helpfully including many passages from Hamann's letters and publications and commenting intelligently on the style, theology, philosophy, and (to a lesser extent) historical context of Hamann's notoriously obscure oeuvre; second, he has written an intellectual history covering Hamann's relation to the major figures of his time as well as his subsequent influence on and reception by philosophers and theologians down to our own day." --Church History

Product details

• Authors: John R Betz, John R. Betz, John R. (University of Notre Dame Betz, Jr Betz, Betz John R.
• Publisher: Wiley, John and Sons Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 20.02.2012
• EAN: 9780470674925
• ISBN: 978-0-470-67492-5
• No. of pages: 384
• Series: Illuminations: Theory & Religion; Illuminations: Theory & Religion
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Religion/theology > Christianity; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Philosophy: antiquity to present day; Theologe, Religion & Theology, Religion u. Theologie, Moderne Theologie, Contemporary Theology, Postmodern Theology, Theologie der Postmoderne