Robert Cummings Neville 
Religion [EPUB ebook] 
Philosophical Theology, Volume Three

Religion is the third and final volume in Robert Cummings Neville’s systematic development of a new philosophical theology. Unfolding through his earlier volumes,
Ultimates and
Existence, and now in
Religion, philosophical theology considers first-order questions generally treated by religious traditions through philosophical methods while reflecting Neville’s long engagement with philosophy, theology, and Eastern and Western religious traditions. In this capstone to the trilogy, Neville provides a theory of religion and presents a sacred worldview to guide religious participation. His philosophical theory of value enlightens religions’ approaches to ethics, spirituality, and religious institutional living and collaboration. With a detailed examination of plausibility conditions for sacred worldviews, the book concludes with an exploration of ‘religionless religion’ for which institutions of religion are of penultimate value.



Through the development of philosophical theology, Neville has built a unique, multidisciplinary, comparative, nonconfessional theological system, one that addresses concerns and provides tools for scientific and humanistic scholars of religion, postmodern thinkers, intellectuals from both secular and religious backgrounds, and those interested in the global state of religion today.

Daftar Isi

Cross References

Preface



Introduction



I. Theology for Whom?

II. The Question of Truth in Popular Religion

III. Explaining Religion

IV. Understanding Religion




Part I. Understanding Religion



Part I. Preliminary Remarks



1. Science and Culture



I. Cognitive Science with Evolutionary Biology

II. Social Science and Phenomenological Understandings of Religion

III. Evolution and Semiotics

IV. The Cultural Evolution



2. Axial Age Religion



I. The Axial Age Revolution

II. The Tribal Underground of Axial Age Religion

III. Religious Membership and Practice

IV. Sacred Worldviews of Axial Age Religions



3. Theology and the Religious Situation



I. Confessional Theologies

II. Interpreting between Transcendence and Intimacy

III. Back-Reading History

IV. The Religious Situation



4. A Viable Sacred Canopy



I. The Problem of Transcendent and Intimate Symbols

II. Transcendent Concepts of Ultimacy

III. The Critical Interpretation of Intimate Symbols

IV. The Religious Situation and the Axial Age



Part I. Summary Implications




Part II. Historical Religions



Part II. Preliminary Remarks



5. Abrahamic Religions



Prologue

I. Form/Value/Possibilities/Obligation

II. Components/Groundedness/Wholeness

III. Existential Location/Engagement/Love

IV. Absolute Value-Identity



6. Buddhism



Prologue

I. Form/Value/Possibilities/Obligation

II. Components/Groundedness/Wholeness

III. Existential Location/Engagement/Love

IV. Absolute Value-Identity



7. Hinduism



Prologue

I. Form/Value/Possibilities/Obligation

II. Components/Groundedness/Wholeness

III. Existential Location/Engagement/Love

IV. Absolute Value-Identity



8. Chinese Religion



Prologue

I. Form/Value/Possibilities/Obligation

II. Components/Groundedness/Wholeness

III. Existential Location/Engagement/Love

IV. Absolute Value-Identity



Part II. Summary Implications




Part III. Normative Religion



9. Value



I. Differential Value in a Purposeless Cosmos

II. The Formal Nature of Value

III. The Actualization of Value: Future, Present, Past

IV. Obligation, Responsibility, and Conjoint Action



10. Religious Ethics



I. The Religious Dimension of Ethics

II. Religious Values

III. Ritual Forms of Normative Action

IV. Minimal Ethics, Freedom, and Life Abundant



11. Spirituality



I. Wisdom: A Spirituality of Form and Choice

II. Discipline: A Spirituality of Groundedness and Comportment

III. Desire: A Spirituality of Existential Location

IV. Excellence: A Spirituality of Value-Identity



12. Religious Companionship



I. Semiotic Space

II. Religious Community Defined

III. Critical Belonging

IV. Ultimate Belonging



Part III. Summary Implications




Part IV. Religionless Religion



13. The Plausibility of Sacred Worldviews



I. Consistency

II. Appropriateness for Predicaments and Ecstatic Fulfillments

III. Sustaining Intimacy and Transcendence in Symbols

IV. Authority in Orientation



14. The Implausibility of Sacred Worldviews



I. Consistency and Science

II. Appropriateness for a Global Society

III. Transcendence and Intimacy in a Purposeless Cosmos

IV. Authority, Fallibility, and Containment



14. Imploding Worldviews and Ontological Predicaments



I. Cosmological and Ontological Boundary Conditions

II. Apophasis and Kataphasis

III. The Desperation of Meaning-Making

IV. Terror of the Infinite



16. Ontological Salvation and Ecstatic Fulfillment



I. The Dao Cannot Be Named

II. “To action alone hast thou a right and never at all to its fruit”

III. “Love your enemies”

IV. This Is Not the Only Time or Place



Part IV. Summary Implications



Notes

Bibliography

Index

Tentang Penulis

Robert Cummings Neville is Professor of Philosophy, Religion, and Theology and Dean Emeritus of the School of Theology at Boston University. He is the author of many books, including
Ultimates: Philosophical Theology, Volume One;
Existence: Philosophical Theology, Volume Two; and
Religion in Late Modernity, all published by SUNY Press.