In Face of Mystery: A Constructive
Theology by Gordon Kaufman
Tough Sleding For The Layman
In the symbolic world of Christianity, which millions have inhabited for
centuries, is there room for modern and postmodern life--for todays real
world of cultural relativism and religious pluralism, of scientific knowledge
and historical understanding? In Face of Mystery draws these two worlds
together in a full-scale reconception of Christian theology.
Theology, Gordon Kaufman suggests, is an imaginative construction, the
creation of a symbolic world for ordering life. As it has been constructed,
so it can be reconstructed, and Kaufman does so in a way that clarifies
both the historic roots and the present-day applications of Christian
symbolism. He works with a biohistorical interpretation of human life, one
that portrays humanity as a product of biological evolution and historical
development. While taking account of cultural and religious pluralism, and
while providing criteria for making comparative assessments and
judgements, this interpretation of human historical exitence also situates

human begins--with their capacities for freedom and creativity--within the
ecological wed that sustains all life. Human beings, Kaufman argues, have
created religious symbolism as a necessary part of their attempt to orient
themselves in the world. He shows how Christianity, as a system of
symbols, has figured in this effort, and he carefully examines the separate
elements of the Christian perspective-- foremost among them, God. How
does the concept of God, as an ultimate point of reference, enhance our
understanding of todays world; and how does the symbol Christ qualify this
concept? The answer Kaufman proposes clarify the changing relevance of
the symbolic world of Christianity.
Firmly embeddd in physical and social science and in the tradition of
American pragmatism, this thorough reconception of a Christian worldview
offers insight into the most basic questions confronting humanity today--
questions of value, meaning, and self-identity.
Personal Review: In Face of Mystery: A Constructive Theology
by Gordon Kaufman
Gordon Kaufman is a systematic theologian. This should be fair warning
for the lay reader. The goal of this book is to lay out in a systematic fashion
the theology of Christianity for the new age. The entire first 2/3 of the book
is laying the ground work for his proposal for a new model for God and for
an understanding of Jesus. Kaufman often seems circuitous in his writing,
yet his elegant style dazzles and leaves one yearning to reread many of
the paragraphs in his book that contains those wonderful nuggest that
resonate with a modern day Christian seeker of new ideas and new vistas
of Christian theology. If you don't want to join Kaufman in some heavy duty
grappling with theological ideas, don't waste you time on this book. If you
have a serious interest in this subject, this is an outstanding writing of our
time that will challenge the layman or the clergy in rethinking Christian
theology.
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