Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #295809 in Books
• Published on: 1984-01-01
• Released on: 1984-01-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 142 pages

Customer Reviews

Key book for dealing with the nature of doctrine & religion
Lindbeck begins this important work by presenting three approaches to understanding the nature of religion which in turn are accompanied by three understandings of what doctrine is. The first he calls the cognitive, the view that religion is mostly concerned with knowledge and beliefs. It is understood in comparison with science. Doctrine, on such an understanding. consists of informative propositions. A second model is the Experiential Expressive. Personal consciousness and feeling are central here. Doctrine in this conception consists of symbolizations of inner states of mind and feeling. The third model, and the one Lindbeck finds most helpful, he calls the cultural linguistic. Using this model, doctrines are seen as analogous to grammatical rules. Lindbeck's position is motivated, first (and from a personal perspective) by his long time ecumenical interests. A cognitive view of religion and doctrine makes doctrinal change (needed in some form for ecumenism to work) hard to conceive, while an EE approach tends to minimize all distinctions between groups, short-circuiting the dialogue. The second major influence on Linbeck is postmodern philosophy of language, Wittgenstein and Austin in particular. Lindbeck's use of these two, especially of Austin, seems superficial. Austin is famous for his discussion of the performative dimension of language. Lindbeck seems to have read only the first few chapters of How to Do Things With Words - never reaching the point where Austin rejects a hard division between performatives and conatives (descriptive or truth claiming). In spite of its philosophical weaknesses, this is a book that must be reckoned with by all who would write in the field.

Coined the term 'Postliberalism'...
This work is a small classic in the `postliberal' movement which originated under the influence of Lindbeck and Hans Frei. Other theologians who bear some of the same characteristics include Placher, Hunsinger, Thiemann, Tanner, Kelsey, and Hauerwas. Postliberals emphasize the specificity of Christianity (and all religions) and a Christological and intratextual method of theology that finds the meaning of Christian language within Scripture. This meaning is given in the praxis of the church and the task of the systematic theologian is to give a normative self-description of the community as well as to discern deficiencies and distortions in communal practices. New proposals are primarily pragmatic in that they aim to `build up the body of believers.' Accusations of relativism and fideism naturally follow the postliberal denial of a universal ground of knowledge and their stress on internal description over external description (usually philosophy). However, Lindbeck believes the cultural/linguistic model will generate more conversation with other disciplines than the usual models (cognitive and experiential) since many historians, sociologists, anthropologists, and philosophers also employ approaches that utilize a cultural and/or linguistic scheme. Postliberal theology is open to rational testing, but reasonableness is assessed by its ability to provide an intelligible interpretation, in its own terms, of the relevant practical and cognitive data of Christian believers. Ad hoc apologetics is preferred over systematic.
The main argument of this book is twofold: religion (Christianity included) as a cultural/linguistic community and a regulative view of doctrines. The religion provides a frame of interpretation that shapes life, thought, and actions of the believer. Basic patterns of the religion are interiorized through worship, proclamation, and instruction. Doctrines serve as rules that regulate the communities' discourse, attitudes, and practices. Lindbeck's work reflects aspects of Wittgenstein, Geertz, and Peter Berger among others. One word of warning: this book is meant to be provocative and not definitive. If you are not already sympathetic to the cultural/linguistic approach (or unsympathetic to the cognitivist or experiential approaches) you will probably not be convinced. The Nature of Doctrine initiated an ongoing conversation and simply seeks to establish the viability of a cultural/linguistic framework and rule theory of doctrine for ecumenical, interreligious, and non-religious discussions.
What follows are some points in the book that I found interesting.
A religion is described as one large proposition. Does it as a whole (discursive and nondiscursive symbols, practices, action, etc.) correspond to God's will (for Christians)?

The basis for interreligious dialogue is that other religions may contain potential actualities and realities explored that may not fall within the scope of Christianity but nevertheless be God-willed, God-approved aspects of the coming kingdom.

Just as Cyprian said there is no salvation outside the church, Lindbeck states that there is no damnation outside the church either. One must know the language of faith before one can ultimately reject it. He also speculates of a post-mortem encounter with Jesus.

Theological assertions are true only in context i.e. `when speaking religiously.' He gives the example of Luther who says `I can only say "Christ is Lord" when I make him my Lord.' Ontological truth happens in the context of existential participation in proclamation, praise, and prayer not in the abstract.

Lindbeck advocates a modest cognivitism he finds in Aquinas. `God is good' is true but we do not know how it is true.

The scriptural world "absorbs" the universe. Scripture gives the world meaning rather than vice-versa. He states that Aquinas, Augustine, Luther, Calvin, and even Schleiermacher used this method to varying degrees.

A couple aspects I would like to see given more rigorous treatment are the relation of intrasystematic to ontological truth and a theological treatment of the church as a cultural/linguistic community. If anyone knows if this has been done please contact me. An aside: Unlike other reviewers I am not a masters student in theology only an educated layperson but I had little difficulty in comprehending the vocabulary employed in the book. If you are used to reading theology you will not have much trouble with Lindbeck's book. Also, one wonders that if you admittedly had trouble understanding the concepts in a text if you are then able to adequately critique that same text. Anyway, if you are interested enough to come here and read reviews you are interested enough to read the book. Enjoy. PIC

Post-Liberalism at its clearest
This book is essential for a number of reasons. 1. It is perhaps the most lucid presentation of post-liberal theology and one could also say the radical orthodoxy school of cambridge. 2. It's short. Many of the ideas here are difficult, but they are argued well while giving a sympathetic hearing to skeptical outsiders. This is a work that deserves to be read multiple time until one gets a handle on the exact line of argument. As such, it is a groundbreaking, methodological work. It's indispensible for anyone interested in doing any kind of theological dialogue, whether inter-faith or intra-faith. I write this as a Christian student of Islamic studies who found the cultural-linguistic model of religion and religious discourse endorsed here by Lindbeck illuminating for my own studies of Islam and investigation of inter-faith questions.