Ontology, Missiology, and the Travail of Christian Doctrine: A Conversation with Kevin Hector’s Theology without Metaphysics (original) (raw)

2013, The journal of analytic theology

's book is an important formal account of the conceptual scaffolding on which all theologians depend but seldom make explicit. Theology without Metaphysics offers us a comprehensive account of concept formation, meaning, reference, and truth, all under the rubric of Trinitarian theology and theological realism. What's not to like? Indeed, Theology without Metaphysics was a delight to read and made for engaging company for several hours. My attention never wandered, and I never found myself wishing that the author would shut up and go home. On the contrary, I would have liked him to stay a few more hours, long enough to answer my several questions. Though I have minor queries about the philosophy behind his argument, for the most part I leave those to more qualified analytic theologians and philosophical theologians. My primary interest pertains to the consequences of Hector's account for theology and the church. For what we have in the book is a sophisticated, highly analytic account of what it is to speak of God. Hector makes important formal (i.e., methodological) moves-most notably the appeal to Jesus and the Spirit-but by and large there is little material (i.e., dogmatic) description of the contents of theology. One or two extended case studies would not be out of place. In short: we are told how to talk of God, and how to do so authoritatively, but we are not told what to say. Hector nevertheless provides an impressive account of the mechanics of authentic God-talk. It is a coherent proposal, and he is careful not to wax totalitarian and insist that everyone has to think or use terms the way he does. Others will no doubt challenge his basic premises about the non-necessity of metaphysics. I want to do something a bit different. I want to take the ball and run with it. A football analogy will therefore set the stage for what I shall here do, and this despite the conspicuous absence of football at the University of Chicago. Hector thinks and acts like a quarterback, for Theology without Metaphysics is essentially a matter of runs and throws, of hand-offs and passes, even the occasional lateral-all ways of conveying meaning, reference, and truth to players on one's team. 1 As we shall see,