I argue that Spinoza’s concept of “intuitive knowledge” is rooted in his notion of experienced unity. Following an analysis of this notion of unity, and its general application to human emotional life, I provide an analysis of intuitive knowledge designed to integrate Spinoza’s notion of “Iiberation” with his theory of emotions. Two shorter sections are provide which deal with the Spinozistic concept of love, and the fact-value distinction within a Spinozistic framework.

The once marginal theological question of Christ’s unique status has today entered into general consciousness. Increasing friendly dialogue among religions is one factor contributing to the urgency of the question. Another is the critical nature of the question within Christian theology. This article examines a broad range of responses and calls for a foundational approach based on Karl Rahner. It shares the advantage of this approach in addressing the suggestion that the Christian religion plays a unique role in a “liberation theology of religions.”

The head and the heart, the hermeneutics of finitude and the hermeneutics of suspicion, Descartes and Jeremiah, idealism and faith: is the “Know thyself” but an epistemological project, a matter of attention, or is there a deceit in the human heart beyond pure reason? Perhaps Socrates’ way is an alternative between Jeremiah and Descartes, a significant revision of the boundary between human and divine.

In this essay I offer a criticism of David Tracy’s work, The Analogical Imagination, in Iight of my reading of Alice Walker’s fiction. I propose that Tracy’s analysis of the contemporary theological scene is flawed because his portrait of theology bypasses important aspects of liberation theology. In particular, I suggest that despite Tracy’s rccognition of liberation theology, his work is imperiled by a residue of privilege that clings to his hermeneutic model of theology. As a consequence, opportunities for substantive dialogue with Iiberation theology are missed. The core of my criticism focuses on aspects of privilege that attend Tracy’s discussion of the religious classic. As I examine Alice Walker’s work. I suggest that Tracy would be disinclined to acccpt The Color Purple as a religious classic. His disinclination, I argue, may be attributed to three privileges: texts, time, and tradition. As I offer an alternative reading of the religious significance of The Color Purple, I suggest means by which explorations of a broader definition of “religious classic,” inclusive of works such as The Color Purple, might lead to productive dialogue between Tracy and liberation theologians.

This article offers further exploration of themes first presented in Habits of the Heart. Following an analysis of Tocqueville’s critique of social and political individualism, I examine more positive views of individualism in the writings of Emerson and several contemporary thinkers. The closing section deals with the concept of individualism as it emerges in contemporary American society. This paper is a revised version of a talk delivered at Marquette University in the fall of 1987.

Thinking about the first coming and how it relates to visions of a second coming is one of the most important ways for the Christian tradition to contribute to serious reflection on the structure of history, the significance of anticipation, and their importance for the structure of action. This paper draws on two texts, Flannery O’Connor’s novel, Wise Blood, and Thomas Sheehan’s historical and theological study, The First Coming, to lay a groundwork for such reflection. Rather than treating the texts sequentially, this article intertwines them, following the structure of Sheehan’s book but illuminating it with O’Connor’s story.

Critics’ praise of Woody Allen as an artist is increasing. No other comedian includes within his humour so many references to God. Philosophers interested in contemporary culture should take Allen’s comedy seriously. Accepting Albert Camus’s vision of reality, Allen has been artistically handling the absurdity of reality by use of humour. Through comedies, Allen’s films deal with important questions. His finest film may contain an argument for God.

This paper is a comprehensive examination of the ethical issues surrounding artificial insemination. The interests of parents, AI children and society are identified and compared, and a variety of arguments for and against AIH and AID are examined. Although various criticisms of the natural law position are offered, this paper comes to the similar conclusion that donor artiricial insemination is not morally justified.

Beginning with an examination of Lukasiewicz’s remarks on the logical status of the law of contradiction, I examine several systems of modal logic in which the law is said to fail. This raises the issue of hypercontradiction and bivalence in the semantics of modal systems, and these are examined in the context of constructing senses for ‘truth’ and ‘meaning’ within systems where the law no Ionger holds. FoIlowing an examination of the work of several later logicians and similar efforts on their part, I conclude that the notion of ‘truth’ is not part or any system of format logic or metalogic.

This article is a set of personal reflections on religious education based upon my experience as general superior of the School Sisters of Notre Dame.

I discuss the fusion of horizons as Gadamer’s alternative to both historicism and romanticism. The hermeneutical implicalions of this alternative are also summarized, together with a number of critical problems associated with it.

Following an analysis of the historical contexts from which liberation theology emerged, ana anlysis of Gutiérrez’s version of this theology is provided with a discussion of its prospects for future development.

I argue that the theological enterprise within universities faces grave threats, especially by tendencies within the religious community itself. Following a discussion of these, a preliminary analysis or what the modern university should be is offered, together with reflections on the place of Christianity in this university environment.

This article offers an historical and theologico-reflective account of a number of Catholic individuals and groups who worked to save Jews in France during the Holocaust. It summarizes some of the results of the author’s research in both France and Israel.

I address three distinct issues. What is a Catholic universit y? What is a Catholic theologian? What is the relationship of both to the Catholic Church? These three questions are addressed across several discussions from contemporary authors, with a brief historical survey of their recent development.

This paper critiques John Noonan’s recent attempt to show the compatibility of Humanae Vitae and contraception. Although Noonan’s arguments are rejected, an alternate approach for showing that sort of compatibility is explored.