1,721,019 research outputs found
Freedom and the 'creative act' in the writings of Nikolai Berdiaev : an evaluation in light of Jürgen Moltmann's theology of freedom
No full textThis project revisits the work of Nikolai Berdiaev, one of the first Russian Silver Age religious philosophers to be widely read in the West. The focus of this research is his thought on freedom and the ‘creative act’. We will argue that Berdiaev’s vision of freedom contains two types of freedom – a freedom understood within the created order and a freedom ‘outside’ of creation. It will be shown that in the former type, the reader finds a nuanced and insightful multi-layered conception of human freedom, which offers intriguing possibilities for exploring freedom and its implications for humanity. It will also be demonstrated that this type of freedom is closely related to his innovative view of creativity. Berdiaev conceives of freedom and creativity as distinct concepts, and yet so integrally related that they are interdependent. In the latter type of freedom, the reader will encounter a highly speculative and original metaphysical view that attempts to explain freedom as non-determination and answer the challenges of theodicy, which, this research will maintain, fails to do.
This research will contend (contrary to Berdiaev’s own statements) that his thought is most comprehensible from a broadly theological perspective. This perspective will underscore the significant tension within his work that arises from his speculative metaphysics. Unlike earlier works on Berdiaev that glossed over this tension, we will attempt to ameliorate it by engaging Jürgen Moltmann’s theology of freedom. Moltmann’s theology will provide a number of ideas and concepts for an analysis, critique, and reconfiguration of Berdiaev’s vision. This reconfiguration will seek to remain faithful to Berdiaev’s core concerns, while providing a new interpretation of his thought that is relevant for a contemporary dialogue concerning the significance of freedom and creativity for the person and community in relation to God
Unity, God and music : Arnold Schoenberg's philosophy of compositional unity in trinitarian perspective
No full textThis project consists of a theological exploration of unity, both divine and created,
through an engagement with the writings of the composer Arnold Schoenberg (1874-
1951). It proceeds by examining Schoenberg' s philosophy of unity as embodied in his
compositional theory and practice, and brings to light his explicit and implicit
metaphysical commitments through the lens of Arthur Schopenhauer's philosophy. A
critique is offered that utilizes a vibrant tradition of contemporary trinitarian theology,
drawing, in particular, upon the work of Colin Gunton. This theological critique
employs 'musical space' to assist in 'sounding out ' and articulating a trinitarian and
perichoretic model of unity. Thus, this thesis shows not only how theology can
benefit the philosophy of music, but also how the philosophy of music can enrich and
augment theological discourse.
Part I examines unity from the perspective of 'particularity' . This inquiry traces
Schoenberg's investigations into the material of music, from which he draws two
conclusions: that conflict is essential to the musical material, and that the distinction
between consonance and dissonance is illusory. Through adopting these assumptions
into his philosophy of unity, Schoenberg unwittingly develops a theory of the many
that undermines the value and integrity of material particulars. In response, this
project counters with a trinitarian theology that upholds the integrity of particulars
through a mutually constitutive understanding of particulars-in-relation.
Part II examines unity from the perspective of 'the whole' . This investigation
focuses upon Schoenberg' s structural principles of coherence, from which he makes
three claims: that 'the whole' ('the musical idea') is distinct from the composition,
that the essence of the musical idea must be expressed in every individual part within
the whole, and that the primary goal of the composer is to express the musical idea.
Schoenberg' s construction of unity is, therefore, dependent upon privileging the one
over the particular. Thus, Schoenberg' s theory and practice lack the sort of unity in
which the concepts of oneness and particularity are related adequately. This project
proposes that a proper understanding of unity can arise only from a triune conception
of being that holds oneness and particularity inseparably together: not as mutually
exclusive, but as mutually constitutive
Fides ex auditu: dogmatic theology and the ecclesial practice of music
No full textAny consideration of the aural reception of Christian faith must take the ecclesial practice of music and its relation to the divine logos into account. Specifically, the logos provides normativity for such music, as the latter endeavours to proclaim that divine Word. Contemporary theological reflections on music are made difficult by the modern development of the concept of taste, which has culminated in a radicalized subjectivity that eschews normative criteria. A reclamation of the normative role of the logos is thus required in the dogmatic theology of music.
Karl Barth’s theology is examined in order to establish the critical relation between proclamation and dogmatics. Barth’s praise of Mozart is reviewed to demonstrate how his detachment from a broader historical tradition confines him to a strictly formalist aesthetic that is unable to hear musical meaning. Further examination of
his early writings reveal how his critical revelatory dialectic, vis-à-vis his reading of the Auftrag, prohibits a proclamatory role for the ecclesial practice of music.
Pope Benedict XVI’s theology provides a fitting alternative, as his dogmatic
reflections assume a necessarily kerygmatic role for music that Barth denies. In this
Benedict is more in tune with the ancient Church Fathers. His dogmatic reflections on the “musified” logos are in dialectical tension with modern philosophies of music, as he espouses a Christian rationality over against modern secular/subjective reason. This dialectic is augmented with a comparison of Augustine and Kant on the practice of
counting. Finally, contrary to some readings, the normativity of Benedict’s musical logos
is not an oppressive force, hampering the freedom of musical performance.
A “descriptive” method of dogmatic reflection is finally recommended, in which the theology of music approximates a kind of journalistic “music criticism,” albeit one that listens for the Word of Christ, the hearing of which brings faith (Romans 10:17)
The Son and the other stars: Christology and cosmology in the imagination of C.S. Lewis
No full textThis dissertation treats the theory and practice of C. S. Lewis's theological imagination,
focussing upon the imaginative use he made of his professional expertise in medieval and
renaissance literature. Its approach is principally expository rather than an evaluative.
Chapter One outlines the centrality of the imagination to a proper understanding of Lewis's
works.
Chapter Two examines Lewis's own theory of imagination and surveys how he practised it
as a literary critic. We compare and contrast Lewis's theory and practice of imagination
with that of his friend, the theologian, Austin Faffer.
Chapter Three looks in more detail at Lewis's imaginative practice, in particular his
fascination with the images supplied by the seven planets of the Ptolemaic cosmos, which
he termed 'spiritual symbols of permanent value'. We analyse what he meant by 'sprit'
and 'symbol'.
Chapter Four introduces the main argument of the dissertation namely that these seven
spiritual symbols structure the works for which Lewis is best known, the seven 'Chronicles
of Narnia'. We claim to have uncovered the governing imaginative blueprint of the septet.
We address Lewis's capacity for and interest in secrecy and consider why this planetary
theme has remained hitherto undetected.
In Chapters Five to Eleven we take the seven planets in turn and trace the use Lewis made
of them through out his writings. We analyse the planetary symbolism undergirding each
Chronicle and conclude each chapter with an exegesis of the Christological message of each
book so understood.
Chapter Twelve examines factors which motivated Lewis to focus his imaginative energies
upon Ptolemaic cosmology and suggests one particular occasioning factor behind the
composition of the Chronicles. In addition, we consider theological and pedagogical reasons
why he kept silent about the planetary theme. We conclude by indicating certain
consequences that our argument has for future readings of these seven works
Bach and the Beauty of Christ: A Study in Theological Aesthetics
No full textThis dissertation attempts to shed explanatory light on the work of Johann Sebastian Bach by situating it within the broader framework of Lutheran theological aesthetics. Although Bach has long been considered one of the most influential musicians in European history, he wrote very little about himself and the personal convictions that inspired his music. This vacuum has prompted theologians and musicologists to explore – and speculate about – the nature of those convictions and the historical sources that shaped them. Here I argue that Bach was a sophisticated interpreter of Lutheran aesthetics, who used music to make the beauty of Christ’s cosmic redemption more audible to his listeners.In order to defend this thesis, I adopt the following methodology: in chapter one, I present a conception of Bachian aesthetics from both theoretical and practical perspectives. In chapter two, I open up a historical vantage point for understanding that aesthetic conception: the thought of Martin Luther and his followers. Although Luther has typically been considered an anti-aesthetic figure, I follow the recent Luther scholarship of Mark C. Mattes and Miikka E. Anttila, who argue that Luther held to a radically Christocentric conception of beauty. After presenting my condensed rendering of Lutheran aesthetics, in chapter three I seek to situate music within that theo-dramatic framework. For Luther, music is one of the most beautiful gifts of God, which was created through Christ and can help Christians gain a foretaste of the heavenly beauty achieved by Christ’s crucifixion. In chapter four, then, I re-read chapter one in light of chapters two and three, with the goal of presenting Bach as a sophisticated interpreter of Lutheran aesthetics. In chapter five, I pivot to consider the implications of this study for the modern academy and church, two locales that are critical for both Bach and this dissertation. In particular, I suggest that neither the modern academy nor the modern church offer an entirely hospitable locale for studying and understanding Bach’s music. The dissertation closes by offering several alternative cultural locales for understanding Bachian aesthetics, to which both the contemporary academy and church should pay more attention.
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Music, Emotion, and Worship: Is There Anything to Fear? (audio)
No full textIn today’s culture, more than ever before, music is used to move us emotionally - on TV and in movies, shopping malls and restaurants. From the ancient Greeks to the r ecent Taliban regime, many have feared this profound power of music. In the Christian Church the anxiety has often been intense, especially in worship where music plays such a prominent role, and where some suspect they are being manipulated. Using perfor mance, slides and recorded music, Jeremy Begbie, noted author, professor and associate director of the Institute for Theology, Imagination and the Arts at St. Mary’s College of St. Andrews University in Scotland, asks, “In worship, what, if an ything, have we to fear from music’s emotional power?
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