Revelation and Reconciliation: An Angle on Modernity

Professor Williams's book addresses the turn against Christianity in the West. The author challenges some contemporary theologians' focus on epistemological objections to revelation and argues for the need to focus instead on anthropological objections to reconciliation. Discussing Locke, Nietzsche, and Barth's characterisation of the eighteenth century as 'absolutist', Williams demonstrates the sensibility which found repugnant the notion of a divine reconciling action through Christ in history, as does the modern. Williams shows that the driving force behind Nietzsche and Don Cupitt alike is a rejection of the Christian view of humanity and redemption. Revelation and Reconciliation concludes that either we have refuge in Christ or no refuge at all, but that we have no refuge in Christ without the crucifixion.