Metaphorical Theology, Models of God in Religious Language by Sallie McFague

Metaphorical Theology, Models of God in Religious Language by Sallie McFague

One of the most important shifts in recent theology has been the move away from understanding theological statements as dogmatic propositions about metaphysical realities, towards exploring the way in which they function as narratives, metaphors and models. Here Sallie McFague examines how religious language, the language of images and metaphors, becomes theological language, that of models and concepts. In particular she asks how this can happen without leading to the idolatry and irrelevance which are so often the accompaniment of traditional doctrinal claims.

As she convincingly demonstrates, metaphorical theology need not as a result be 'reductionist' or feeble. On the contrary, such a perspective is not only appropriate because Jesus' parables are metaphors and Jesus himself can be seen as a parable of God, but it is also in tune with the modern world because it allows for a sense of discontinuity, scepticism and relativity between our language and its reference to God and the world.

Particular attention is paid to the use of the model of God as Father, since this has become increasingly problematic for many Christians; as a complementary model, Dr McFague suggests that of God as friend, and works out its implications in fascinating detail. The whole thrust of her book, approaching from a different angle problems also discussed in David Tracy's The Analogical Imagination, makes it one of the most important additions to the ongoing debate over the question of the very meaning and relevance of theology.

Sallie McFague is Professor of Theology at Vanderbilt University, The Divinity School, Nashville, Tennessee.

Details

• Paperback 
• Condition: Acceptable, the spine is bleached, the book has notes in pencil (see photo's), no stamps and otherwise a clean copy. 
• ISBN: 334009660
• Publisher: SCM Press Ltd