Theology, University, Humanities

"As debate about the social role and economic value of universities intensifies in the developed world, this collection is timely. The papers within it are a refreshingly lively reminder that these concerns have a history and that to address them requires serious and intellectually generous engagement with underlying philosophical and theological questions. This is altogether a most appropriate provocation."

-Susan Frank Parsons

Editor, Studies in Christian Ethics



"In this collection of high-octane essays, many of the papers seek to dig deeper into the causes and cures of our cultural malaise, of which the crisis in identity afflicting university education is a symptom. The authors also move beyond doing 'theology and culture' to attempting a 'theology of culture'. There is a concern for dialogue and the observation of otherness. A common thread is that the humanities need theology for a proper account of the creature, and that theology is both wonderfully useful and properly useless (high minded) at the same time."

-Mark W. Elliott

University of St Andrews



"In universities these days, there is a great deal of talk-much of it dull and overly abstract-about the loss of purpose in the university and especially about the malaise afflicting the humanities. Who would have thought that the introduction of theology into the discussion would be precisely what is needed to move from remote, arid speculation to concrete, inspiring proposals and examples? The learned and lively essays in Theology, University, Humanities: Initium Sapientiae Timor Domini advance the conversation about university education in surprising and welcome ways."

-Thomas Hibbs

Baylor University