Agnosticism and Eschatological Hope: Allard Pierson and Hope Beyond the Moment of Not-Knowing

Autor(en)

Sabine Joanne Wolsink

Abstrakt

Hope beyond certainty is a significant element in contemporary theological discourse after the death of God. This relation between hope and uncertainty is not new. In the nineteenth century, a growing number of intellectuals started to call themselves agnostic, but did not always end up in scepticism and nihilism. On the contrary, new ways to search for meaning and fulfilment in life beyond the traditional answers of institutional religions (i.e. the church) were explored. The Dutch intellectual Allard Pierson (1831–1896) is a good case in point. From a contemporary postsecular perspective and radical theology, this article argues that Pierson’s agnosticism should not be seen as an attitude of indifference, but as opening up the possibility for an eschatological hope beyond certainty. First, the (im)possibility of hope is discussed by debating the views of David Newheiser, Richard Kearney, and John D. Caputo. Second, the article analyses Pierson’s view by focusing upon hermeneutics instead of epistemology, an openness to transcendence, and imagination. The article thereby contributes to the understanding of nineteenth-century religious and secularisation developments as well as to contemporary theological debates on the (im)possibility of faith and hope after the death of God.

Organisation(en)

Institut für Systematische Theologie und Religionswissenschaft

Journal

International Journal of Philosophy and Theology

Band

84

Seiten

99-113

Anzahl der Seiten

15

ISSN

2169-2327

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1080/21692327.2023.2224372

Publikationsdatum

06-2023

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ÖFOS 2012

603118 Religionsphilosophie, 603222 Systematische Theologie

Schlagwörter

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Philosophy, Religious studies

Link zum Portal

https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/de/publications/17dc04a9-a4e6-471c-b715-7ab85679d976