Theology and the Justification of Faith: Constructing Theories in Systematic Theology Book

	Preface	viii
	Introduction	x
	Systematic Theology and Philosophy of Science	xii
	Some Conceptual Definitions	xv
	Conceptual Models and Theories	xvi
	Outline	xix
Part I	Systematic Theology and Philosophy of Science
1.	Logical Positivism	3
	The Vienna Circle	3
	The Unity of Science	5
	The Standard Conception of Science	7
2.	Theological Reaction to the Positivist Model of Science	11
	Introduction	11
	Theology as a Unique Science	14
	Heinrich Scholz and the Minimum Demands for Science	17
	Theology and Subjectivism	19
3.	Critical Rationalism	24
	Rationality and Objectivity	24
	The Theory Ladenness of Observation	27
	The Criterion of Falsifiability	29
	The Theory of Verisimilitude	31
4.	Critical Rationalism and Theology	33
	Introduction	33
	The Accusation of Loss of Reality	35
	Theology and the Question of the Limits of Rationality	36
	Pancritical Rationalism	40
	Commitment and Theorizing	44
5.	The Paradigm Theory and the Question of the Origins of Theological Models	47
	Introduction	47
	The Historicist Turning Point	49
	Kuhn in Debate with Popper	55
	The Incommensurability of Paradigms	57
	Truth, Rationality, and Historicity	60
	Kuhn's Relevance to Systematic Theology	61
Part II	The Construction of Theories in Systematic Theology
6.	Theology as the Science of God	71
	Introduction	71
	The Universal Nature of Theology	74
	Theology and Philosophy of Science	77
	Theological Statements as Hypotheses	81
	The Object of Theology: God as Problem	85
	The Scientific Nature of Theological Reflection: Critical Evaluation	92
7.	Theology as a Critical-Argumentative Science	101
	Systematic Theology as an Argumentative Theology	101
	Five Basic Problems in Theology	103
	The Origin of Theological Statements	109
	The Justification of Theological Statements	114
	An Analytic-Theoretical Model of Thought for Theology: Critical Evaluation	117
Part III	Systematic Theology: A Critical-Realist Perspective
8.	The Nature of Theological Statements	125
	Introduction	125
	Religious Experience and the Language of Faith: The Origin of Theological Statements	126
	Religious Language as Metaphoric Language	132
	What Is a Metaphor?	133
	From Metaphor to Thought Model: The Nature of Theological Conceptualizing	137
9.	Criteria for a Critical-Realist Model of Rationality in Systematic Theology	143
	Introduction	143
	The Reality Depiction of Theological Statements	147
	The Critical and Problem-Solving Ability of Theological Statements	172
	The Constructive and Progressive Nature of Theological Statements	190
	Bibliography	198
	Index	204