Christopher Craig Brittain
Biographic Data
| ID | 3687735 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Christopher Craig Brittain |
| GIVEN NAMES | Christopher Craig |
| FAMILY NAME | Brittain |
| SIGNATURE | BRITTAIN C C |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Aberdeen |
| VERIFIED | No |
| TOTAL WORKS | 20 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 44 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 20 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2003 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2022 |
| H-INDEX | 5 |
Desmond Tutu and the promise and perils of the prophetic role of the Church
The legacy of Desmond Tutu is often framed according to one of two polarized trajectories. On one hand, his accomplishments are sometimes romanticized and his life and theology are viewed as a panacea of all South Africa’s struggles. On the other hand, he is often severely criticized for advocating idealistic notions of reconciliation and “rainbowism.” This essay challenges both understandings of Tutu’s legacy. Indeed, this refusal to adopt an ei…
Artificial Intelligence: Three Challenges to Theology
The emergence of artificial intelligence raises substantial and, for many, uncomfortable questions about the future of human society and existence itself. Such concerns relate to three areas of theological significance: the doctrines of the imago Dei, Providence, and ethical issues impacting on human labour and community. This paper offers brief reflection on each of these in turn and argues that it is the third area of concern that represents th…
Reshaping Offline Community in the Image of Online Experience: The Impact of Digital Media on Church Conflict in the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh
As more and more people join social media networks, Christian churches struggle to discern how best to adapt to this emerging cultural phenomenon and employ it in ways that are consistent with Christian beliefs, values, and practices. This essay argues that as Christians explore the potential of digital media, they should not neglect to also reflect deeply on the negative aspects of the medium, which are increasingly coming under scrutiny among s…
Racketeering in religion: Adorno and evangelical support for Donald Trump
In the 2016 American presidential election, 81% of White evangelicals voted for Donald Trump despite the obvious fact that he had little knowledge or interest in Christianity. This has continued to puzzle many commentators, as well as conservative Christian leaders. This paper argues that Theodor W. Adorno's 1943 analysis of the radio broadcasts of Martin Luther Thomas provides insight into Trump's popularity among evangelicals. Adorno compares t…
Introduction to the special issue on the Frankfurt School and religion
Partnership Not Dialogue: Lent and Ramadan under the Same Roof
Since January 2011, members of a mosque in Aberdeen, Scotland have been meeting to pray in an Episcopal Church. Based on ethnographic research in both congregations, this paper explores the reasons each community entered into the relationship, the public reaction that erupted when the existence of the arrangement was discovered, and how members of each group describe the benefits of the situation. The essay argues that this relationship is better…
Horkheimer, Religion, and the Normative Grounds of Critical Theology
This essay examines how the legacy of Marx’s emancipatory commitments continues to be intertwined with his critique of religion. This is illustrated with reference to Raymond Geuss’s claim that Marxism’s political failure is related its lack of an adequate moral theory, a view that leads him to suggest that Marxism needs to function more like a ‘pseudo-religion’. These issues are analysed by drawing from Max Horkheimer’s writing on Christianity, …
Why Ecclesiology Cannot Live By Doctrine Alone
This essay defends the significance of ethnography for ecclesiology. It does so by engaging with the ecclesiology of John Webster, particularly his essay ‘In the Society of God’, which directly challenges the appropriateness of ethnographic methods for a theology of the church. The discussion demonstrates the importance of Webster’s warning against the reduction of ecclesiology to an uncritical embrace of the apparent ‘givenness’ of empirical obs…
The Frankfurt School on Religion
The diverse scholars associated with the Frankfurt School offer an important understanding of religion. Offering a more nuanced position than either the contemporary "return of religion" position or that of "New Atheism," critical theorists like Horkheimer, Adorno and Benjamin develop an aggressive critique of the ideological nature of religion, while also appreciating religion's relationship with the concern for objective truth. This complex att…
Religion at Ground Zero: Theological Responses to Times of Crisis
‘The world will never be the same!’ How many times have human beings uttered this cry after a tragic event? This book analyzes how such emotive reactions impact on the way religion is understood, exploring theological responses to human tragedy and cultural shock by focusing on reactions to the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and 7/7, the two World Wars and the Holocaust, the 2004 South-East Asian tsunami, Hurricane Katrina and the 2010 earthquake in H…
Bourdieu, Capital, and Conflict in a Religious Field: The Case of the ‘Homosexuality’ Conflict in the Anglican Communion
Although Bourdieu's sociological project is a generalised sociology of religion, his work has not been as influential among sociologists of religion as one might have expected it to be. In this article we provide an overview of Bourdieu's analysis of religion, paying particular attention to key problems that have been identified in the literature and suggesting how his work can be understood in such a way as to overcome these limitations. Drawing…
Homosexuality and the Construction of 'Anglican Orthodoxy: The Symbolic Politics of the Anglican Communion
The conflict over “homosexuality,” which has embroiled the Anglican Communion over the past 15 years, has not primarily been a conflict about homosexuality, or even about sexuality per se. Rather, we argue that the conflict has been so intense because “homosexuality” has become a salient symbol, to which different Anglican constituencies (Evangelical, Liberal, and Anglo-Catholic) have brought their own agenda. The conflict does not simply reflect…
Adorno and Theology
Introduction: Adorno and Theology? Chapter I: Materialism, Secularism and the Stigmata of Existence Chapter II: Actuality and Potentiality: On Kant and Metaphysics. Chapter III: Negative Dialectics as Crypto-Theology? The 'Positivist Dispute' Chapter IV: Inverse Theology: Bilderverbot and the Illumination of Nonidentity Chapter V: Politics, Liberation and the Messianic Chapter VI: Religion and the Culture Industry Chapter VII: Hymns to the Silenc…
Political Theology at a Standstill: Adorno and Agamben on the Messianic
This essay explores the use of the concept of the messianic by Giorgio Agamben and Theodor Adorno. Throughout his work, Agamben consistently presents his reading of the messianic as an alternative to what he considers to be the 'pessimistic' negative dialectics of Adorno, which he argues 'is an absolutely non-messianic form of thought'. For Agamben, the messianic brings dialectics to a 'standstill'. This essay analyzes this deployment of the 'mes…
Leo Strauss and Resourceful Odysseus: Rhetorical Violence and the Holy Middle
In the context of the heated rhetoric surrounding the legacy of political philosopher Leo Strauss's thought in the United States, this essay illustrates that the roots of the polemic are found within Strauss's approach to political philosophy, particularly as it is grounded in his critical interpretation of modernity and his distinction between esoteric and exoteric writing. This essay is an examination of how Strauss's anxiety regarding the pote…
Theology and Social Theory: Beyond Secular Reason, Second Edition – By John Milbank
The "Secular" as a Tragic Category: On Talal Asad, Religion and Representation
Among current efforts to deconstruct the category "religion" is a tendency to problematize the secular/sacred distinction with the argument that it is simply the product of the distinctive history of post-Reformation Western Europe. The "secular," it is claimed, is a category employed to legitimize the modern state by establishing a boundary between the authority of the public sphere, in opposition to the privatized sphere of the individual relig…
Social Theory and the Premise of all Criticism: Max Horkheimer on Religion
This essay examines the fragmentary writings of Max Horkheimer on religion. It demonstrates that Horkheimer was consistently drawn to refection on religion throughout his life in response to limitations he perceived within Marxist theory and practice. While he agreed with Marx that the 'criticism of religion is the premise of all criticism,' he did not think that 'the criticism of religion has been largely complete.' As he struggled to overcome t…
Meditating on Foucault
A Messiah for Marxism
Bourdieu, Capital, and Conflict in a Religious Field: The Case of the ‘Homosexuality’ Conflict in the Anglican Communion
Although Bourdieu's sociological project is a generalised sociology of religion, his work has not been as influential among sociologists of religion as one might have expected it to be. In this article we provide an overview of Bourdieu's analysis of religion, paying particular attention to key problems that have been identified in the literature and suggesting how his work can be understood in such a way as to overcome these limitations. Drawing…
The "Secular" as a Tragic Category: On Talal Asad, Religion and Representation
Among current efforts to deconstruct the category "religion" is a tendency to problematize the secular/sacred distinction with the argument that it is simply the product of the distinctive history of post-Reformation Western Europe. The "secular," it is claimed, is a category employed to legitimize the modern state by establishing a boundary between the authority of the public sphere, in opposition to the privatized sphere of the individual relig…
Homosexuality and the Construction of 'Anglican Orthodoxy: The Symbolic Politics of the Anglican Communion
The conflict over “homosexuality,” which has embroiled the Anglican Communion over the past 15 years, has not primarily been a conflict about homosexuality, or even about sexuality per se. Rather, we argue that the conflict has been so intense because “homosexuality” has become a salient symbol, to which different Anglican constituencies (Evangelical, Liberal, and Anglo-Catholic) have brought their own agenda. The conflict does not simply reflect…
The Frankfurt School on Religion
The diverse scholars associated with the Frankfurt School offer an important understanding of religion. Offering a more nuanced position than either the contemporary "return of religion" position or that of "New Atheism," critical theorists like Horkheimer, Adorno and Benjamin develop an aggressive critique of the ideological nature of religion, while also appreciating religion's relationship with the concern for objective truth. This complex att…
Racketeering in religion: Adorno and evangelical support for Donald Trump
In the 2016 American presidential election, 81% of White evangelicals voted for Donald Trump despite the obvious fact that he had little knowledge or interest in Christianity. This has continued to puzzle many commentators, as well as conservative Christian leaders. This paper argues that Theodor W. Adorno's 1943 analysis of the radio broadcasts of Martin Luther Thomas provides insight into Trump's popularity among evangelicals. Adorno compares t…
Political Theology at a Standstill: Adorno and Agamben on the Messianic
This essay explores the use of the concept of the messianic by Giorgio Agamben and Theodor Adorno. Throughout his work, Agamben consistently presents his reading of the messianic as an alternative to what he considers to be the 'pessimistic' negative dialectics of Adorno, which he argues 'is an absolutely non-messianic form of thought'. For Agamben, the messianic brings dialectics to a 'standstill'. This essay analyzes this deployment of the 'mes…
Theology and Social Theory: Beyond Secular Reason, Second Edition – By John Milbank
A Messiah for Marxism
Meditating on Foucault
The "Secular" as a Tragic Category: On Talal Asad, Religion and Representation
Among current efforts to deconstruct the category "religion" is a tendency to problematize the secular/sacred distinction with the argument that it is simply the product of the distinctive history of post-Reformation Western Europe. The "secular," it is claimed, is a category employed to legitimize the modern state by establishing a boundary between the authority of the public sphere, in opposition to the privatized sphere of the individual relig…
Social Theory and the Premise of all Criticism: Max Horkheimer on Religion
This essay examines the fragmentary writings of Max Horkheimer on religion. It demonstrates that Horkheimer was consistently drawn to refection on religion throughout his life in response to limitations he perceived within Marxist theory and practice. While he agreed with Marx that the 'criticism of religion is the premise of all criticism,' he did not think that 'the criticism of religion has been largely complete.' As he struggled to overcome t…
Leo Strauss and Resourceful Odysseus: Rhetorical Violence and the Holy Middle
In the context of the heated rhetoric surrounding the legacy of political philosopher Leo Strauss's thought in the United States, this essay illustrates that the roots of the polemic are found within Strauss's approach to political philosophy, particularly as it is grounded in his critical interpretation of modernity and his distinction between esoteric and exoteric writing. This essay is an examination of how Strauss's anxiety regarding the pote…
Theology and Social Theory: Beyond Secular Reason, Second Edition – By John Milbank
Adorno and Theology
Introduction: Adorno and Theology? Chapter I: Materialism, Secularism and the Stigmata of Existence Chapter II: Actuality and Potentiality: On Kant and Metaphysics. Chapter III: Negative Dialectics as Crypto-Theology? The 'Positivist Dispute' Chapter IV: Inverse Theology: Bilderverbot and the Illumination of Nonidentity Chapter V: Politics, Liberation and the Messianic Chapter VI: Religion and the Culture Industry Chapter VII: Hymns to the Silenc…
Political Theology at a Standstill: Adorno and Agamben on the Messianic
This essay explores the use of the concept of the messianic by Giorgio Agamben and Theodor Adorno. Throughout his work, Agamben consistently presents his reading of the messianic as an alternative to what he considers to be the 'pessimistic' negative dialectics of Adorno, which he argues 'is an absolutely non-messianic form of thought'. For Agamben, the messianic brings dialectics to a 'standstill'. This essay analyzes this deployment of the 'mes…
Religion at Ground Zero: Theological Responses to Times of Crisis
‘The world will never be the same!’ How many times have human beings uttered this cry after a tragic event? This book analyzes how such emotive reactions impact on the way religion is understood, exploring theological responses to human tragedy and cultural shock by focusing on reactions to the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and 7/7, the two World Wars and the Holocaust, the 2004 South-East Asian tsunami, Hurricane Katrina and the 2010 earthquake in H…
Bourdieu, Capital, and Conflict in a Religious Field: The Case of the ‘Homosexuality’ Conflict in the Anglican Communion
Although Bourdieu's sociological project is a generalised sociology of religion, his work has not been as influential among sociologists of religion as one might have expected it to be. In this article we provide an overview of Bourdieu's analysis of religion, paying particular attention to key problems that have been identified in the literature and suggesting how his work can be understood in such a way as to overcome these limitations. Drawing…
Homosexuality and the Construction of 'Anglican Orthodoxy: The Symbolic Politics of the Anglican Communion
The conflict over “homosexuality,” which has embroiled the Anglican Communion over the past 15 years, has not primarily been a conflict about homosexuality, or even about sexuality per se. Rather, we argue that the conflict has been so intense because “homosexuality” has become a salient symbol, to which different Anglican constituencies (Evangelical, Liberal, and Anglo-Catholic) have brought their own agenda. The conflict does not simply reflect…
The Frankfurt School on Religion
The diverse scholars associated with the Frankfurt School offer an important understanding of religion. Offering a more nuanced position than either the contemporary "return of religion" position or that of "New Atheism," critical theorists like Horkheimer, Adorno and Benjamin develop an aggressive critique of the ideological nature of religion, while also appreciating religion's relationship with the concern for objective truth. This complex att…
Why Ecclesiology Cannot Live By Doctrine Alone
This essay defends the significance of ethnography for ecclesiology. It does so by engaging with the ecclesiology of John Webster, particularly his essay ‘In the Society of God’, which directly challenges the appropriateness of ethnographic methods for a theology of the church. The discussion demonstrates the importance of Webster’s warning against the reduction of ecclesiology to an uncritical embrace of the apparent ‘givenness’ of empirical obs…
Horkheimer, Religion, and the Normative Grounds of Critical Theology
This essay examines how the legacy of Marx’s emancipatory commitments continues to be intertwined with his critique of religion. This is illustrated with reference to Raymond Geuss’s claim that Marxism’s political failure is related its lack of an adequate moral theory, a view that leads him to suggest that Marxism needs to function more like a ‘pseudo-religion’. These issues are analysed by drawing from Max Horkheimer’s writing on Christianity, …
Partnership Not Dialogue: Lent and Ramadan under the Same Roof
Since January 2011, members of a mosque in Aberdeen, Scotland have been meeting to pray in an Episcopal Church. Based on ethnographic research in both congregations, this paper explores the reasons each community entered into the relationship, the public reaction that erupted when the existence of the arrangement was discovered, and how members of each group describe the benefits of the situation. The essay argues that this relationship is better…
Racketeering in religion: Adorno and evangelical support for Donald Trump
In the 2016 American presidential election, 81% of White evangelicals voted for Donald Trump despite the obvious fact that he had little knowledge or interest in Christianity. This has continued to puzzle many commentators, as well as conservative Christian leaders. This paper argues that Theodor W. Adorno's 1943 analysis of the radio broadcasts of Martin Luther Thomas provides insight into Trump's popularity among evangelicals. Adorno compares t…
Introduction to the special issue on the Frankfurt School and religion
Artificial Intelligence: Three Challenges to Theology
The emergence of artificial intelligence raises substantial and, for many, uncomfortable questions about the future of human society and existence itself. Such concerns relate to three areas of theological significance: the doctrines of the imago Dei, Providence, and ethical issues impacting on human labour and community. This paper offers brief reflection on each of these in turn and argues that it is the third area of concern that represents th…
Reshaping Offline Community in the Image of Online Experience: The Impact of Digital Media on Church Conflict in the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh
As more and more people join social media networks, Christian churches struggle to discern how best to adapt to this emerging cultural phenomenon and employ it in ways that are consistent with Christian beliefs, values, and practices. This essay argues that as Christians explore the potential of digital media, they should not neglect to also reflect deeply on the negative aspects of the medium, which are increasingly coming under scrutiny among s…
Desmond Tutu and the promise and perils of the prophetic role of the Church
The legacy of Desmond Tutu is often framed according to one of two polarized trajectories. On one hand, his accomplishments are sometimes romanticized and his life and theology are viewed as a panacea of all South Africa’s struggles. On the other hand, he is often severely criticized for advocating idealistic notions of reconciliation and “rainbowism.” This essay challenges both understandings of Tutu’s legacy. Indeed, this refusal to adopt an ei…
Philosophy (15 works) · Sociology (13 works) · Theology (10 works) · Epistemology (9 works) · Law (9 works) · Religion and Society Interactions (9 works) · Political science (8 works) · Politics (8 works) · Religious studies (8 works) · Philosophy (7 works)