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Transformation of the Self in the Thought of Schleiermacher
Jacqueline Mariña 2008
E-Book: 281 pages
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The work of German theologian Friedrich Schleiermacher (17681834) has played a key role in the development of Protestant thought. Despite the importance of Schleiermacher’s ethical theory, it has received little attention in the English-speaking world. Jacqueline Mariña’s book offers a corrective to this neglect, inviting philosophers and theologians to reassess his work and influence and the relevance of his thought to contemporary debates concerning the relation of religion and morality.
Mariña begins by acknowledging Schleiermacher’s early struggle to come to terms with Kant’s practical philosophy, and his changing approach to Spinozism. Moving on to analyse the mature writings, Mariña engages with Schleiermacher’s ideas on the moral transformation of the self, firstly in regard to the self-consciousness of the individual vis-à-vis his community, and secondly in regard to the philosophical problem of religious pluralism.
Review
Marina has correctly identified the sometimes subtle but important differences between Kant and Schleirmacher, and nicely articulates precisely those resulting strengths of Schleiermacher’s thought that make him a valuable ethical resource for today.
— Theodore Vial, Journal of the American Academy of Religion
Marina’s essay has notable merits…those wishing to engage with Schleiermacher’s abiding significance for ethics will not want to be without it.
— Jason A. Goroncy. The Journal of Theological Studies
Jacqueline Marina’s treatment of the philosopher and theologian Friedrich Schleiermacher (1768-1834) is in many ways brilliant: she is thoroughly immersed in the texts and background, she makes no self-indulgent or hasty moves, and the continuities and discontinuities of Schleiermacher’s thought are meticulously traced. This is without doubt an invaluable text for anyone studying Schleiermacher’s thought.
— Christopher Insole, Times Literary Supplement
This is an important study… Beyond the stereotypes and caricatures of Schleiermacher’s Christology which abound, there is material here which is best not left in the history books.
— Clive Marsh, Theology
An important contribution to the recent revival of interest in Schleiermacher’s philosophy and particularly his philosophical ethics.
— Wayne Proudfoot, Religious Studies
Jacqueline Marina’s book is one of the best things I have seen on Schleiermacher, giving a compelling and accessible account of his conception of ethics as a descriptive historical study. It is a major contribution to the study of German philosophy and religious thought in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
Robert Adams, University of Oxford
About the Author
Jacqueline Mariña is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Purdue University, Indiana. She has written numerous articles on both Kant and Schleiermacher.