Dante the Theologian

Denys Turner

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An understanding of Dante the theologian as distinct from Dante the poet has been neglected in an appreciation of Dante's work as a whole. That is the starting-point of this vital new book. In giving theology fresh centrality, the author argues that theologians themselves should find, when they turn to Dante Alighieri, a compelling resource: whether they do so as historians of fourteenth-century Christian thought, or as interpreters of the religious issues of our own times. Expertly guiding his readers through the structure and content of the Commedia, Denys Turner reveals - in pacy and muscular prose - how Dante's aim for his masterpiece is to effect what it signifies. It is this quasi-sacramental character that renders it above all a theological treatise: whose meaning is intelligible only through poetry. Turner's Dante 'knows that both poetry and theology are necessary to the essential task and that each without the other is deficient.'

Book Details

Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Publish Date: Sep 22nd, 2022
Pages: 310
Language: English
Edition: undefined - undefined
Dimensions: 8.60in - 5.50in - 1.00in - 1.15lb
EAN: 9781009168700
Categories: • Gender Studies• Theology

About the Author

Turner, Denys: - Denys Turner is Horace Tracy Pitkin Professor Emeritus of Historical Theology at Yale University. His widely-acclaimed books include The Darkness of God (Cambridge University Press, 1995, which famously separated medieval mystical thought from contemporary ideas of experiential spirituality), Julian of Norwich, Theologian (Yale University Press, 2013) and Thomas Aquinas (also Yale University Press, 2014). This new book is a loosely related companion to the latter titles, completing a trilogy.

Praise for this book

'This is a superb book, and will be very welcome. It's written with energy, and a sense of excitement and fun - all qualities which are often lacking in books on Dante. It brings a +avenues for research on and discussion of its subject.' Matthew Treherne, University of Leeds

'This volume is a delightful read, explaining the main contours of the Divine Comedy in modern theological terms.' Alison Cornish, Theological Studies

'[This book] makes a number of inroads for the study and appreciation of a theological Dante. Turner opens up a rich set of possibilities for treating Dante as an authority in thinking and speaking meaningfully about the deepest mysteries of existence. Thanks to Turner, I think, students of medieval theology will undoubtedly be able to find in Dante a true companion in the life of the mind and spirit.' Stephen Pepper, The Heythrop Journal

'Turner's writing and argumentation is energetic and fresh, with a lightness of touch likely to engage even the most suspicious of his readers.' Rachel K. Teubner, Journal of the American Academy of Religion

'Dante the Theologian is a significant, brilliant and illuminating contribution to theological reflection on Dante's Commedia. As such, it can both build on and help strengthen further the growing body of scholarly reflection on the theological dimensions of Dante's work. It presents an unusually compelling combination of depth of content and accessibility of style while offering new insights into Dante's poetry.' Vittorio Montemaggi, King's College London

'This is an odd and brilliant book. Its brilliance lies in its compelling drawing out of the theology running throughout the whole of the Comedy. Its oddity stems from how it does not fit easily into established academic categories. It cannot be simplistically cataloged as Dante scholarship, or historical theology, or historical reconstruction, nor does it fit neatly under the heading of doctrinal or spiritual theology. This oddity is the book's best feature. For in its stubborn refusal to fit into tidy academic categories, Turner's work mirrors Dante's.' Matthew Rothaus Moser, The Living Church