About the Book
Here freshly researched, unprecedented stories regarding modern American thought and religious life show how the scholar Friedrich Schleiermacher (1768-1834) provides ongoing influence still. They describe his influence on universal rights, American religious life, theology, philosophy, history, psychology, interpretation of texts, community formation, and interpersonal dialogue. Schleiermacher is an Einstein-like innovator in all these areas and more. This work contrasts chiefly ""evangelical liberal"" figures with others (between circa 1835 and the 1920s). It also looks ahead to several careers extended well into the twentieth century and offers numerous characterizations of Schleiermacher's thought. In six tightly organized parts, fourteen expert historians chronologically discuss the following: (1) Methodist leaders (1766-1924); (2) Stuart, Bushnell, Nevin, and Hodge; (3) Restorationists, Transcendentalists, women leaders, Schaff, and Rauschenbusch; (4) Clarke, Mullins, Carus, and Bowne; (5) Dewey, Royce, Ames, Knudson, Brown, Fosdick, Cross, Jones, and Thurman--within contemporary contexts. Unexpectedly, John Dewey lies at the epicenter of the narrative, and Harry Emerson Fosdick and Howard Thurman bring it to its climax. Recently, evidence displays a broadening influence advancing rapidly. The sixth part of the book surveys modern historiography, Schleiermacher on history and comparative method and on psychology as a basic scientific and philosophical field. That section also provides a critical survey of histories of modern theology and offers concluding questions and answers. The three editors contribute twenty of the thirty-one chapters. ""Schleiermacher's thought and influence are both too sprawling, rich, and complex to permit capsule assessments, yet summarize we must, while taking select plunges into detail. Here it is done by Jeffrey Wilcox, Terrence Tice, and Catherine Kelsey with deep understanding and discernment, with the scholar's love of a profound subject constantly showing through."" --Gary Dorrien, Author, Kantian Reason and Hegelian Spirit ""Here Catherine Kelsey and Jeffrey Wilcox collaborate with Terrence Tice, 'dean' of Schleiermacher translators and interpreters, in providing a vast, first-of-its kind orientation to Schleiermacher's manifold bequests to American religious thought, theological studies, and scholarship beyond. An exceptional contribution to Schleiermacher study itself, this reception history telling is also instructive for anyone, friend or foe, of American Christianity's ongoing liberal/progressive intellectual heritage."" --James O. Duke, The I. Wylie and Elizabeth M. Briscoe Professor of History of Christianity and History of Christian Thought, Brite Divinity School, Texas Christian University ""This is a timely and important work. There is renewed interest in Friedrich Schleiermacher's thought among scholars of religion as well as among theologians today, and Tice and Wilcox make a major contribution to this Schleiermacher revival by offering a sophisticated exploration of the twin foundational pillars of his thought, his Dialektik and his Psychologie. Tice and Wilcox are among the most prominent contemporary interpreters of Schleiermacher today. Even more, they embody his spirit in their careful historical research, their sympathies with Schleiermacher's view of knowledge as being both critical and open-ended, and their deep understanding of Schleiermacher's liberal vision for church and society."" --Christine Helmer, Professor of Religious Studies, Northwestern University Jeffrey A. Wilcox is Assistant Professor of Theological and Religious Studies at Bethel University in McKenzie, Tennessee. Terrence N. Tice is Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at the University of Michigan. He is the author of Schleiermacher (2006) and a translator of Schleiermacher, including of Christmas Eve Celebration (Cascade Books, 2010). Catherine L. Kelsey is Dean of the Chapel and S
