On Being a Christian in the Academy - Paperback

by Andrew Sloane (Author)

Having identified crucial flaws in both classical foundationalism and cognitive relativism, Andrew Sloane expounds Wolterstorff's theory of rationality and his understanding of the devising and weighing of theories. The role of control beliefs in scholarship and the place of Christian beliefs in the practice of Christian scholarship are explored. The author then critically appraises Wolterstorff's view in dialogue with its rivals. He presents a defensible person-specific but nonrelativist criterion of theory choice and outlines an organic epistemological metaphor. The book concludes by exploring the implications of these findings for theological scholarship, in particular Old Testament exegesis. The author suggests that Wolterstorff's notion of scholarly practice explains the practice of scholarship and is to be commended to Christian scholars as a cogent and challenging method of devising and appraising theories.

Author Biography

Andrew Sloane studied medicine and practiced briefly as a doctor before entering the Baptist ministry. He studied theology at Morling College (Sydney) and in 1994 he was awarded his ThD by the Australian College of Theology for the thesis on which this book is based. From 1996 to 2002 he was in the faculty of Ridley College, Melbourne. In 2002 he took up the position of Lecturer in Old Testament and Christian Thought at Morling College, Sydney.