Robert Cummings Neville 
Existence [EPUB ebook] 
Philosophical Theology, Volume Two

Religion, writes Robert Cummings Neville, articulates existential predicaments and provides venues for ecstatic fulfillment. Like its companion volumes treating ultimacy and religion,
Existence advances a systematic philosophical theology to address first-order questions found in the array of Axial Age religions. Issues arising in the major religious traditions are explored through a complex array of philosophical approaches. This second volume shows religion to be the engagement of ultimate realities common to all human beings. Neville finds five problematics relative to ultimate boundary conditions of the human world: the contingency of existence, living under obligation, the quest for wholeness, engagement with others, and the meaning or value in life. Common to all human beings and hence ‘religion, ‘ the engagement with realities is also historically and culturally bound, becoming simultaneously socially constructed ‘religions.’ Readers will find Neville’s philosophical theology both bold and enlightening, running counter to dominant intellectual trends while richly informed by a long and fruitful engagement with theology, philosophy, and religion, East and West.

Jadual kandungan

Cross-References

Preface



Introduction



I. The Existential Dimensions of Religion

II. The Human Condition, Suffering, and Semiotics

III. Universality of Religion

IV. Ontological Ultimacy: Death and Life




Part I. Ultimate Boundary Conditions



Part I. Preliminary Remarks



1. Form as the Condition of Obligation



I. Form and Human Possibility

II. Value

III. Obligation

IV. Obligations: Moral, Social, Personal, and Natural



2. Components as the Condition for Grounded Wholeness



I. Deference and Integration

II. Mythos: Orientation to Wholeness

III. Some Contemporary Christian Re-Mythologies

IV. Comportments: Appropriation, Deference, Negotiating Change, Realism



3. Existential Location as the Condition for Engagement



I. The Cosmology of Existential Location

II. Contours, Value, and Otherness

III. Human Engagement across the Existential Field

IV. Modes of Engagement: Awareness, Appreciation, Courage, Love



4. Value-Identity as the Condition for Meaning



I. The Cosmology of Value-Identity

II. The Eternity of Value-Identity

III. The Symbolism of Meaning

IV. Modes of Achievement: Personal Goals, Contributions to Nature and Society, Facing Suffering, Relating to Ultimacy



Part I. Summary Implications




Part II. Predicaments and Deliverances



Part II. Preliminary Remarks



5. Guilt and Justification



I. Failure of Obligation: Damnation, Betrayal, Existential Refusal, Blood Guilt

II. Brokenness of Obligation

III. Deliverance from Moral and Social Guilt: Redemption and Restoration

IV. Deliverance from Personal and Natural Guilt: Sagacity and Purification



6. Disintegration and Centeredness



I. Disintegration: Alienation, Arrogance, Suffering, Delusion

II. Centeredness: Deliverance from Disintegration

III. Deliverance from Alienation and Arrogance: Healing and Humility

IV. Deliverance from Suffering and Delusion: Comfort and Enlightenment



7. Estrangement and Connection



I. Estrangements: Denial, Distortion, Despair, Hate

II. Connection

III. Deliverance from Denial and Distortion: Acceptance and Purgation

IV. Deliverance from Despair and Hate: Faith and Reconciliation



8. Meaninglessness and Happiness



I. Destruction of Meaning: Impotence, Isolation, Apathy, Non-Being

II. The Ambiguity of Absolute Value-Identity

III. Deliverance from Impotence and Isolation: Renunciation and Dedication

IV. Deliverance from Apathy and Non-Being: Submission and Affirmation



Part II. Summary Implications




Part III. Ecstatic Fulfillments



Part III. Preliminary Remarks



9. Ecstatic Meaning in Time



I. Meaning in Life

II. Historical Apocalyptic

III. Cosmic Apocalyptic

IV. Time within Eternity



10. Ecstatic Life in Eternity



I. The Problem of Ultimate Meaning

II. Mapping the Infinite onto the Finite

III. Eternal Life and Its Temporal Maps

IV. The Truth of Finite Symbols of Ultimate Meaning



11. Ecstatic Love



I. Gratuity

II. Arbitrariness

III. Undeservedness

IV. Surprise



12. Ecstatic Freedom



I. Cosmological Freedom

II. Release from Attachment to Finding Meaning

III. Freedom in Becoming a Sign of Ultimacy

IV. Freedom to Love



Part III. Summary Implications




Part IV. Engagement and Participation



Part IV. Preliminary Remarks



13. Ritual



I. Anthropological Understandings of Ritual

II. A Ritual Analysis

III. Confucian Understandings of Ritual

IV. Ritual Engagement



14. Commitment



I. Bio-Developmental Dimensions of Commitment

II. Religious Commitment and Worldviews

III. Intensity of Religious Commitment

IV. Sharing of Religious Commitment



15. The Life of Faith



I. Preparation

II. Presence and Action

III. Relationships

IV. Faith Enduring Change and Death



16. Inhabitation of a Sacred Worldview



I. Sacred Worldviews

II. Inhabiting Absolute Value-Identity

III. The Ontological Shock of Creation

IV. Chaos and Containment



Part IV. Summary Implications



Notes

Bibliography

Index

Mengenai Pengarang

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
Realism in Religion: A Pragmatist’s Perspective;
Ritual and Deference: Extending Chinese Philosophy in a Comparative Context; and
Ultimates: Philosophical Theology, Volume One, all published by SUNY Press.