Abstract

This book deserves the attention of philosophers of religion. Tracy presents a monumental synthesis of philosophy and history within the context of a "revisionist" theological model. Part I attempts adequately to articulate a method of inquiry by outlining the sets of evaluative criteria, the uses of evidence, and the place of the various philosophical and historical methods within this model. Not only must the method be responsive to the historical tradition, but it also must heed the non-Christian scrutiny of what Van A. Harvey calls the "morality of scientific knowledge," which demands a critical posture toward beliefs and tradition. Tracy’s model involves three steps: 1) phenomenology of the "religious dimension" of our "common experience and language," 2) an "historical and hermeneutical investigation" of the Christian tradition, and 3) "transcendental or metaphysical reflection" in order both to determine the "truth-status" of the previous steps and to effect a critical correlation of philosophy and hermeneutics.