Routledge Schleiermacher’s Theology of Sin and Nature: Agency, Value, and Modern Theology (Routledge New Critical Thinking in Religion, Theology and Biblical Studies)

Friedrich Schleiermacher (1768-1834) is often considered the Father of Modern Theology, known for his attempt to reconcile traditional Christian doctrines with philosophical criticisms and scientific discoveries. Despite the influence of his work on significant figures like Karl Barth, he has been largely ignored by contemporary theologians. Focussing on Schleiermacher’s doctrine of sin, this book demonstrates how Schleiermacher has not only been misinterpreted, but also underestimated, and deserves a critical re-examination. The book approaches Schleiermacher on sin with respect to three themes: one, its power to transcend an intractable metaethical dilemma at the heart of modern debates over sin; two, its intended compatibility with natural science; and three, to re-evaluating its place, and so Schleiermacher’s place, in the history of theology. It solves and dissolves problems arising simultaneously from natural science, confessional theology, ethics, and metaphysics in a single, integrated account using Schleiermacher’s understudied thought from his dogmatics The Christian Faith. In contrast to the account sometimes given of modern theology as marked by a break with "Greek metaphysics," Schleiermacher’s account is shown to stand in stark contrast by retrieving, not excising, ancient thought in service of an account of sin adequate to natural science. This is a vital rediscovery of a foundational voice in theology. As such, it will greatly appeal to scholars of Modern Theology, theological ethics, and the history of Modern Christianity. Review "I have long been convinced that Friedrich Schleiermacher’s account of original sin - its origin and its transmission - is superior to all others, including those constructed subsequently. To demonstrate the truth of this conviction, however, requires a specialist’s knowledge of Schleiermacher combined with close knowledge of the history of philosophy and natural science. Daniel Pedersen has the needed expertise in all three areas and has brought them together to write a stunning book. Not only is it the finest book on Schleiermacher’s doctrine of sin available in the English-language; it is, for me, the most significant constructive contribution to the Christian doctrine of sin in years." Bruce McCormack, Charles Hodge Professor of Systematic Theology, Princeton Theological Seminary "An excellent and sorely needed contribution to discussion about the origins of sin. Pedersen (re-) confronts readers with Schleiermacher’s claim that God is the author of sin and the cause of evil, in ways that open new questions of agency, normatively and tradition. That Pedersen is able to shed light on classical and modern accounts, examine Schleiermacher’s position, and explicate implications across a range of doctrines, is testimony to the high calibre of his scholarship. In Pedersen’s feisty reading, Schleiermacher continues to disrupt familiar conceptions of God and human experience." Esther D. Reed, Professor of Theological Ethics, University of Exeter "In this clearly written, accessible, and erudite book Daniel Pedersen provides a new interpretation of Schleiermacher’s theology of sin and nature. The book shows how Schleiermacher was firmly committed to traditional theological notions, such as the priority of the good over bad, but that he relied on these notions to reach radical and unconventional conclusions. Notably, he denied that a historical Fall from paradise ever took place. Pedersen shows how Schleiermacher’s account is ambitious both in its theological scope and in its engagement with the sciences of the time, including pre-Darwinian evolutionary theories." Helen De Cruz, Danforth Chair in the Humanities, St Louis University "One of the most strikingly modern features of Friedrich Schleiermacher’s systematic theology (or Glaubenslehre), The Christian Faith, written almost two hundred years ago, is the treatment of the concept of sin, which lies