The Theological Origins of Modernity
Exposing the religious roots of our ostensibly godless age, Michael Allen Gillespie reveals in this landmark study that modernity is much less secular than conventional wisdom suggests. Taking as his starting point the collapse of the medieval world, Gillespie argues that from the very beginning moderns sought not to eliminate religion but to support a new view of religion and its place in human life. He goes on to explore the ideas of such figures as William of Ockham, Petrarch, Erasmus, Luther, Descartes, and Hobbes, showing that modernity is best understood as a series of attempts to formulate a new and coherent metaphysics or theology.

“Bringing the history of political thought up to date and situating it against the backdrop of contemporary events, Gillespie’s analyses provide us a way to begin to have conversations with the Islamic world about what is perhaps the central question within each of the three monotheistic religions: if God is omnipotent, then what is the place of human freedom?”—Joshua Mitchell, Georgetown University

1101613905
The Theological Origins of Modernity
Exposing the religious roots of our ostensibly godless age, Michael Allen Gillespie reveals in this landmark study that modernity is much less secular than conventional wisdom suggests. Taking as his starting point the collapse of the medieval world, Gillespie argues that from the very beginning moderns sought not to eliminate religion but to support a new view of religion and its place in human life. He goes on to explore the ideas of such figures as William of Ockham, Petrarch, Erasmus, Luther, Descartes, and Hobbes, showing that modernity is best understood as a series of attempts to formulate a new and coherent metaphysics or theology.

“Bringing the history of political thought up to date and situating it against the backdrop of contemporary events, Gillespie’s analyses provide us a way to begin to have conversations with the Islamic world about what is perhaps the central question within each of the three monotheistic religions: if God is omnipotent, then what is the place of human freedom?”—Joshua Mitchell, Georgetown University

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The Theological Origins of Modernity

The Theological Origins of Modernity

by Michael Allen Gillespie
The Theological Origins of Modernity

The Theological Origins of Modernity

by Michael Allen Gillespie

Paperback(New Edition)

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Overview

Exposing the religious roots of our ostensibly godless age, Michael Allen Gillespie reveals in this landmark study that modernity is much less secular than conventional wisdom suggests. Taking as his starting point the collapse of the medieval world, Gillespie argues that from the very beginning moderns sought not to eliminate religion but to support a new view of religion and its place in human life. He goes on to explore the ideas of such figures as William of Ockham, Petrarch, Erasmus, Luther, Descartes, and Hobbes, showing that modernity is best understood as a series of attempts to formulate a new and coherent metaphysics or theology.

“Bringing the history of political thought up to date and situating it against the backdrop of contemporary events, Gillespie’s analyses provide us a way to begin to have conversations with the Islamic world about what is perhaps the central question within each of the three monotheistic religions: if God is omnipotent, then what is the place of human freedom?”—Joshua Mitchell, Georgetown University


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780226293462
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Publication date: 08/15/2009
Edition description: New Edition
Pages: 400
Product dimensions: 6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Michael Allen Gillespie is professor of political science and philosophy at Duke University.

Table of Contents

Preface
Introduction

1          The Nominalist Revolution and the Origin of Modernity
2          Petrarch and the Invention of Individuality
3          Humanism and the Apotheosis of Man
4          Luther and the Storm of Faith
5          The Contradictions of Premodernity
6          Descartes’ Path to Truth
7          Hobbes’ Fearful Wisdom
8          The Contradictions of Enlightenment and the Crisis of Modernity

Epilogue
Notes
Index
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