tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1884430527047805767.post5130421062360881802..comments2015-06-13T15:31:45.005-04:00Comments on Reasonable and Holy: Review from The Living ChurchTobias Stanislas Haller BSGhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08047429477181560685noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1884430527047805767.post-65005826916898196362010-02-13T02:28:23.592-05:002010-02-13T02:28:23.592-05:00An academic colleague of mine, a devoutly unrecons...An academic colleague of mine, a devoutly unreconstructed Marxist of the variety I assumed was now only to be found in the glass cases of the Museum of Natural History, recently reviewed a book that suggested (albeit all too politely for my taste) that “pure Marxism” (whatever that may be) was not necessarily the solution to all human ills. Naturally, the review was scathing. Of course, my colleague did not begin by declaring his pre-existing obsession with Marx as the Saviour of the World, but attacked the work under review on “scholarly” grounds.<br />I found that approach fundamentally dishonest and academically unethical. So I find Professor Radner’s review of “Reasonable and Holy”. It does not require a great deal of intellectual effort to conclude that a professor of historical theology at Wycliffe College operates on the basis of a number of assumptions, matters of faith which he does not – indeed cannot – question, just as my colleague does not, and cannot, genuinely question the Truth of Marxism. That is, as far as it goes, perfectly fine. But it does raise the question of whether any scholar, committed de facto to a set of pre-existing truths which he cannot question and does not declare, can serious and objectively review a work which basically questions those pre-existing truths. Shall we see an objective and scholarly review of Kung’s work on infallibility from a Professor at the Pontifical Gregorian University? Or, at least, a professor who desires to keep his tenure.<br />Unfortunately, particularly in the academic field of religion and theology, the pretence – if not fraud - of some objectivity and personal distance is all too common, with writers purporting to be able to consider with detachment even arguments which, if correct, would essentially undermine their own faith commitments.<br />I would not object to a review of “Reasonable and Holy” that began: “Given that I believe as a matter of unquestionable faith that homosexuality and homosexual practice is always and everywhere condemned by God......” But, if that is a reviewer’s position, how can he do otherwise than condemn Father Tobias’ book? Can he say, perhaps: “As a result of reading and studying this book I have now completely abandoned my pre-existing belief that.....”? I presume tenure at Wycliffe College might become a matter for discussion is this were so.<br />I have no particular objections to any of Professor Radner’s (somewhat tedious and pedantic and snide) criticisms of the book. I could add some of my own. The book does not run to 5,000 pages and does not contain 150,000 footnotes and a bibliography citing 200,000 works (mainly from obscure academic journals). And (traditional academics will here clutch their racing hearts!) it was largely published first on a blog to which (horror!) ordinary people had access. It’s even written in language that might just be comprehensible to intelligent men and women who don’t possess degrees in theology!<br />But all the sniping and nit-picking and tragic academic snobbery is really nothing to do with scholarship. It is to do with Truth: (i) Fr Tobias' essential thesis must be false because it contradicts Divinely Revealed Truth, therefore (ii) his scholarship must be defective because if it was not it would support Divinely Revealed Truth, and therefore (iii) it is essential to attack his scholarship lest it lead to the questioning of Divinely Revealed Truth.<br />So why not just state this at the outset? Indeed, why review of the book at all? It can’t (by definition) add anything to our understanding of the subject because it is, by definition, wrong?<br /><br />Fr GregoryFr Gregorynoreply@blogger.com