Theology at the Void

Thomas M. Kelly is professor of systematic theology at Creighton University and immersion coordinator for the Ignatian Colleagues Program, a national program of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities.

". . . based on sound scholarship, thoroughly documented, carefully argued, displaying sensitivity and balance in its interpretations . . ." —The Heythrop Journal"...Kelly's book is a commendable work that is clearly written and thorough in its presentation of the contemporary postmodern debate about the relationship between language and experience...Kelly's fine text is one theologically viable response to the void that avoids mere posturing." —Journal of the American Academy of Religion"Recommended..." —Library Journal"[A]n evocative, thoughtful exploration of three core questions: What is human being? What is language? What is theology? Thomas Kelly absorbs the wisdom from the writings of five intellectuals to present a full-fleshed analysis of paradoxes and issues that deal with the heart of individual identity. [S]trongly recommended...." —Midwest Book Review"[T]he book nicely highlights limitations of postmodernist approaches, and it illustrates well significant differences and implications on the topics of religious experience, language, and doctrine." —Catholic Studies: An On-Line Journal"...[I]nteresting for specialists who want to think about the theological implications relating to language and experience in the context of the post-modernist/deconstructionist debate...." —Scottish Bulletin of Evangelical Theology"...a valuable contribution to the contemporary discussion." —Religious Studies Review"...[A] timely contribution to a central issue in contemporary fundamental theology." —Theological Studies"…valuable in the urgent questions that it deals with and its often very lucid exposition of its main intellectuals…" —Journal of Theological Studies"Thomas Kelly clearly and precisely situates the work of Karl Rahner within the contemporary context of postmodernism and deconstruction. In so doing, he makes a significant contribution to the conversation concerning the deepest philosophical and theological issues of our times." —Dennis Doyle, associate professor of religious studies, University of Dayton"Theology at the Void makes a discerning argument for a theological retrieval of aspects of both modern and postmodern insights to articulate a theological perspective which takes seriously both the turn to the subject and the turn to language. Its analysis pinpoints a number of the key issues which postmodernity raises for contemporary theology, engages these seriously and offers a constructive, nontrivializing response." —Robert Masson, associate professor of theology, Marquette University and associate editor of Philosophy & Theology"Modern theology qua modern begins with Schleiermacher's 'turn to the subject' in terms of experience as the ground for theological affirmations. With the contemporary 'linguistic turn' the modern turn has become problematic, especially with the postmodern understanding of language as constitutive of experience rather than as merely expressive. Accepting the critique of moderate postmodern thought, Kelly offers a critical retrieval of experience, as significantly conditioned without being totally constituted by language, for theological inquiry. Kelly joins other contemporary theologians in finding in Karl Rahner an anticipation of the postmodern concern with the formative power of language on experience. This book is a well-focused contribution to this contemporary discussion." —Michael J. Scanlon, O.S.A., Josephine C. Connelly Chair in Christian Theology, Villanova University