
Decreation
The Last Things of All Creatures
Paul J. Griffiths(Author)
Baylor University Press
Published on 1. November 2014
Book
Hardback
408 pages
978-1-4813-0229-6 (ISBN)
Description
Death is not the endaeither for humans or for all creatures. But while Christianity has obsessed over the future of humanity, it has neglected the ends for nonhuman animals, inanimate creatures, and angels. In Decreation , Paul J. Griffiths explores how orthodox Christian theology might be developed to include the last things of all creatures. Griffiths employs traditional and historical Christian theology of the last things to create both a grammar and a lexicon for a new eschatology. Griffiths imagines heaven as an endless, repetitively static, communal, and enfleshed adoration of the triune God in which angels, nonhuman animals, and inanimate objects each find a place. Hell becomes a final and irreversible separation from Godaannihilationasin's true aim and the last success of the sinner. This grammar, Griffiths suggests, gives Christians new ways to think about the redemption of all things, to imagine relationships with nonhuman creatures, and to live in a world devastated by a double fall.
Reviews / Votes
"Decreation sets forth a theology of creation, redemption, and the refusal of redemption that is without equal in terms of erudition, elegance, and brilliant engagement with historically significant Christian teaching and doctrine. -- Charles Taliaferro, Professor & Chair, Department of Philosophy, St Olaf College "At once deeply traditional and strikingly novel, Griffith's exploration of 'last things' is rigorous in its argumentation and unafraid to overturn some of the favored positions of modern theologians in its quest for an eschatology that is adequate to scripture and tradition and yet takes account of contemporary theological and philosophical questions and insights." -- Frederick Christian Bauerschmidt, Professor of Theology, Loyola University Maryland "This is the finest work of speculative theology to appear on any topic in a long while. Beautifully straitened by Catholic doctrine, relentlessly rigorous in argument, Decreation brings an abundance of light to both familiar topics in eschatology and some hardly touched in Christianity's long history of reflection on the last things. At a time when such work has practically vanished, Paul Griffiths confronts us anew with the ancient challenge of speculative theology: to see the truths upon which Christians must finally stake their lives." --Bruce D. Marshall, Lehman Professor of Christian Doctrine, Southern Methodist University A consummate work of impressively detailed theological scholarship... -- Paul T. Vogel -- The Midwest Book Review Informed amateur theologians as well as trained ones, readers who enjoy a rigorously thoughtful writer, and Christians seeking to hone a greater intellectual connection to their faith will find this a rewarding and stimulating book. -- Russell E. Saltzman -- Aleteia A major work on the traditional theme of the last things. -- Neil Ormerod -- Theological Studies A stimulating theological study. -- Choice This is a remarkable book. In the clarity and care of its argumentation it is a model of theological method. While treating questions that have sometimes been relegated to the fringe of Christian theological enquiry, it sheds new light on topics across the range of theological concerns: the nature of time, tears, and political quietism, to name but a few. -- David Clough -- Anglican Theological Review The bookas expansiveness shows how valuable and needed it is for theologians to reflect on the last things, and Griffithsas volume will surely be a benchmark for a long time to come on this topic. -- David Cloutier -- The Journal of Religion No one reading this book can fail to admire the creativity, energy and originality of its author, and perhaps to some extent its audacity. -- Celia Deane-Drummond -- International Journal of Systematic Theology There is a kind of sobriety in evidence here, most of all in the lucidity of the prose and the delimitations of the project. But there is also an enraptured, unadulterated pleasure of the soul at worka|The result is sublime. -- Brad East -- Marginalia Review of BooksMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Waco
United States
Dimensions
Height: 228 mm
Width: 152 mm
Weight
710 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4813-0229-6 (9781481302296)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
11/2014
Baylor University Press
€53.99
Available for download
Person
Paul J. Griffiths is Warren Chair of Catholic Theology at Duke Divinity School.
Content
Preface and Acknowledgements
Part I: The Grammar of the Last Things?1 Lexicon?2 Last Things Defined?3 Annihilation: The First Last Thing?4 Simple Stasis: The Second Last Thing?5 Repetitive Stasis: The Third Last Thing?6 Epektasy: Denying Last Things?7 Iconicity: Representing Last Things
Part II: Doctrine About Last Things?8 Theology and Last Things?9 Doctrine and Last Things?10 The Doctrinal Schema?11 The Narrative Arc?12 Patterns of Thought
Part III: Timespace?13 The Lord's Eternity?14 The Chronic Temporality of Creatures?15 Time Damaged: Metronome?16 Time Healed: Liturgy, Systole, Fold
Part IV: Angels?17 Thinking About Angels?18 What Angels Are?19 Angelic Fall?20 Angelic Last Things
Part V: Humans?21 Human Flesh?22 The Discarnate Intermediate State?23 Human Last Things (1): Annihilation?24 Human Last Things (2): Heaven?25 Hell Reconstrued?26 The Church's Last Thing
Part VI: Plants, Animals, Inanimate Creatures?27 Plants and Animals?28 The Last Things of Plants and Animals?29 Inanimate Creatures?30 The Last Things of Inanimate Creatures
Part VII: The Last Things in the Devastation?31 Opus Domini?32 Trembling?33 Delight?34 Lament?35 Quietus
Part VIII: Bibliography?36 Bibliographic Essays?37 Bibliographic List
Part I: The Grammar of the Last Things?1 Lexicon?2 Last Things Defined?3 Annihilation: The First Last Thing?4 Simple Stasis: The Second Last Thing?5 Repetitive Stasis: The Third Last Thing?6 Epektasy: Denying Last Things?7 Iconicity: Representing Last Things
Part II: Doctrine About Last Things?8 Theology and Last Things?9 Doctrine and Last Things?10 The Doctrinal Schema?11 The Narrative Arc?12 Patterns of Thought
Part III: Timespace?13 The Lord's Eternity?14 The Chronic Temporality of Creatures?15 Time Damaged: Metronome?16 Time Healed: Liturgy, Systole, Fold
Part IV: Angels?17 Thinking About Angels?18 What Angels Are?19 Angelic Fall?20 Angelic Last Things
Part V: Humans?21 Human Flesh?22 The Discarnate Intermediate State?23 Human Last Things (1): Annihilation?24 Human Last Things (2): Heaven?25 Hell Reconstrued?26 The Church's Last Thing
Part VI: Plants, Animals, Inanimate Creatures?27 Plants and Animals?28 The Last Things of Plants and Animals?29 Inanimate Creatures?30 The Last Things of Inanimate Creatures
Part VII: The Last Things in the Devastation?31 Opus Domini?32 Trembling?33 Delight?34 Lament?35 Quietus
Part VIII: Bibliography?36 Bibliographic Essays?37 Bibliographic List