Critical theory of religion

Book Description

In this thought-provoking exploration, Marsha Hewitt bridges two powerful intellectual traditions to illuminate new pathways for understanding religion and social transformation. Drawing from the philosophical insights of the Frankfurt School thinkers—including Max Horkheimer, Theodor Adorno, and Herbert Marcuse—Hewitt examines how their penetrating analysis of modern society's challenges can inform contemporary spiritual inquiry.

The book reveals how these critical theorists' concerns about instrumental reasoning and systems of domination resonate with feminist theological perspectives. Hewitt demonstrates that scholars like Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, Mary Daly, and Rosemary Radford Ruether have developed complementary approaches that address similar questions about justice, freedom, and human flourishing.

Rather than simply applying existing frameworks, Hewitt proposes that feminist theology offers unique contributions that can enhance and correct critical theory itself. She suggests that this synthesis opens fresh possibilities for understanding Christianity's potential for genuine transformation and social change.

This scholarly yet accessible work invites readers to consider how rigorous intellectual analysis can serve spiritual and social liberation. By weaving together insights from critical theory and feminist theology, Hewitt creates a framework for those seeking to understand how religious thought can address contemporary challenges while remaining true to its deepest aspirations for justice and human dignity.