Today I have the honour of reviewing the recently published Theology Beyond Metaphysics: Transformative Metaphysics of René Girard by Anthony Bartlett.
British-born but a longtime resident of Syracuse, New York, Bartlett is a former priest and theologian whose thinking has been radically influenced by the work of the late French cultural anthropologist René Girard. He is a prolific author whose previous work includes Cross Purposes, in which he sought to dismantle prevalent theories of the atonement rooted in violence; Virtually Christian, wherein he explored the ways in which the Gospel has infiltrated human meaning; Pascale’s Wager, a novel that is at once dystopian and utopian in which he creatively explores key Girardian themes, their effects in human relationships and culture, and what they might mean for the future of humanity; and Seven Stories: How to Study and Teach the Nonviolent Bible, a personal and group study guide offering a thoughtful re-reading of seven key biblical themes from the perspective of non-violent theology.
So much for the background. Now, on to the book in hand.
We might perhaps begin by consider its title. If one stops to consider what it might mean to talk about Theology Beyond Metaphysics, one will quickly realise that the vast bulk of Christian theology categorically has not been and cannot be said to be “beyond metaphysics”: that is to say, philosophical abstractions have been and continue to be deeply embedded in most Christian theologies and the worldviews they inform and support. Indeed, one might even say that when it comes to theology, many people are utterly dependent on philosophical abstractions to answer questions (or metaphysically defer answering them) and fill in gaps that would otherwise remain unresolved and open. It may be no exaggeration to suggest that metaphysics is the most frequently played theological “get out of jail free” card.