Christian Theology and Tragedy

Kevin Taylor studied theology at Wake Forest University and Princeton Theological Seminary, and received his PhD in Divinity from the University of Cambridge (Peterhouse). Giles Waller's undergraduate degree in Divinity is from the University of Cambridge (Peterhouse), and he began his PhD with Ben Quash at Peterhouse; he is currently supervised by David Ford.

Contents: Introduction; Part I Theology and Tragic Literature: Four Biblical characters: in search of a tragedy, Ben Quash; Tragic sacrifice and faith: Abraham and Agamemnon again, Jennifer Wallace; Primo Levi and the tragedy of Dante's Ulysses, Vittorio Montemaggi; 'Thee thither in a whirlwind': tragedy and theology in Shakespeare's Timon of Athens, Robin Kirkpatrick. Part II Theologians and Tragedy: Freedom, fate and sin in Donald MacKinnon's use of tragedy, Giles Waller; Simone Weil: force, tragedy, and grace in Homer's Iliad, Adrian Poole; Hans Urs von Balthasar and Christ the tragic hero, Kevin Taylor; The tragedy is in the pity: C.S. Lewis and the Song of the Goat, Michael Ward. Part III Theology Engaged with Tragic Theory: Participating in the tragedy: emplotting the Dionysian in Christian thought, Craig Hovey; Tragedy, contingency, and atonement: Waiting for Godot and Jesus of Montreal, Larry D. Bouchard; Sacrifice and the tragic imagination, Douglas Hedley; Tragedy without evasion: attending [to] performances, David S. Cunningham; Conclusion, David F. Ford; Bibliography; Index.