Belief and Metaphysics

This is an exciting, distinguished and indeed brave volume on the relation between belief and metaphysics. The volume of twenty essays is exciting in that the points of entry to the question of relation and styles of discourse are so varied, while less-established voices are allowed to sound with the more established; it is distinguished not simply because of its many famous names, but because it unites in one volume analytic and continental philosophical approaches to the issue to the common purpose of retrieving yet also reconceiving metaphysics; and it is brave in that not only does it refuse to indulge the contemporary prejudice against metaphysics and the necessity for belief to forgo the comfort of relation, but brings to the surface postmodernity’s own penchant for axiomatics and its containment of the religious by uncoupling it from metaphysical commitments.” -Cyril O’Regan, Catherine F. Huisking Professor of Theology, Department of Theology, Notre Dame “Without metaphysics theology is boring, some one says in this book; without theology metaphysics goes nowhere, some one else says. Of course it depends what you mean by metaphysics and for that matter theology. There is more than enough here to interest, entertain, and even enrage philosophers and especially theologians. A MARVELLOUS COLLECTION!” -Fergus Kerr O.P., Honorary Fellow in the School of Divinity at the University of Edinburgh “This is a truly splendid collection of essays, admirable not only for its range, but for its depth. It would be hard to assemble a more distinguished cast of contributors, and harder still to find another volume that offers comparably rich and varied reflections on the profund relation between faith and metaphysical reasoning.” -David Bentley Ha