Pascal and Theology

The question of man's freedom to exercise his will—as active an issue among twentieth-century philosophers and theologians as it was in the Jesuit and Jansenist camps known to Pascal—is basic to this study. Pascal's theological thinking, which Professor Miel demonstrates to be the source of unity an...

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Main Author: Miel, Jan
Format: Online
Language:English
Published: Johns Hopkins University Press 2022
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Online Access:ONIX_20220715_9781421434247_667
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author Miel, Jan
author_browse Miel, Jan
author_facet Miel, Jan
author_sort Miel, Jan
collection Directory of Open Access Books
description The question of man's freedom to exercise his will—as active an issue among twentieth-century philosophers and theologians as it was in the Jesuit and Jansenist camps known to Pascal—is basic to this study. Pascal's theological thinking, which Professor Miel demonstrates to be the source of unity and coherence in virtually all phases of his thought, is preoccupied by a concern for man's limitations. In his analysis of Pascal's theology, Miel is concerned not only with characterizing Pascal's theological position but also with evaluating it in terms of the history of the church. In a concise and lucid review of the Christian doctrine of grace from the pre-Augustinians through the Renaissance, the author identifies the intellectual-theological atmosphere that created the need for Pascal's strong defense of Augustinian theology. Miel considers Pascal's Écrits sur la grâce, Lettres provincials, and Pensées as well as shorter compositions and correspondence. He establishes the content of Pascal's vision of grace and free will, noting both its originality and its sense of history. Most importantly, he asserts that Pascal's affirmation of Jansenism predated his association with Port Royal and, indeed, was basic to all his adult thought and work. The author finds in the writings of Pascal a style that anticipates twentieth-century theology, a sophistication that belies charges of Pascal's theological naïveté, and a concern to uphold rather than to undermine doctrinal traditions of the church.
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spelling doab-20.500.12854ir-889202024-03-26T22:58:21Z Pascal and Theology Miel, Jan Literature: history & criticism thema EDItEUR::D Biography, Literature and Literary studies::D Biography, Literature and Literary studies::DS Literature: history and criticism The question of man's freedom to exercise his will—as active an issue among twentieth-century philosophers and theologians as it was in the Jesuit and Jansenist camps known to Pascal—is basic to this study. Pascal's theological thinking, which Professor Miel demonstrates to be the source of unity and coherence in virtually all phases of his thought, is preoccupied by a concern for man's limitations. In his analysis of Pascal's theology, Miel is concerned not only with characterizing Pascal's theological position but also with evaluating it in terms of the history of the church. In a concise and lucid review of the Christian doctrine of grace from the pre-Augustinians through the Renaissance, the author identifies the intellectual-theological atmosphere that created the need for Pascal's strong defense of Augustinian theology. Miel considers Pascal's Écrits sur la grâce, Lettres provincials, and Pensées as well as shorter compositions and correspondence. He establishes the content of Pascal's vision of grace and free will, noting both its originality and its sense of history. Most importantly, he asserts that Pascal's affirmation of Jansenism predated his association with Port Royal and, indeed, was basic to all his adult thought and work. The author finds in the writings of Pascal a style that anticipates twentieth-century theology, a sophistication that belies charges of Pascal's theological naïveté, and a concern to uphold rather than to undermine doctrinal traditions of the church. 2022-07-15T15:16:29Z 2022-07-15T15:16:29Z 1970 book ONIX_20220715_9781421434247_667 9781421434247 https://directory.doabooks.org/handle/20.500.12854/88920 eng image/jpeg Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International https://muse.jhu.edu/book/72154 Johns Hopkins University Press 10.1353/book.72154 10.1353/book.72154 1f9b1002-ec35-4fcf-94be-32cfd0a1dfd3 9781421434247 open access
spellingShingle Literature: history & criticism
thema EDItEUR::D Biography, Literature and Literary studies::D Biography, Literature and Literary studies::DS Literature: history and criticism
Miel, Jan
Pascal and Theology
title Pascal and Theology
title_full Pascal and Theology
title_fullStr Pascal and Theology
title_full_unstemmed Pascal and Theology
title_short Pascal and Theology
title_sort pascal and theology
topic Literature: history & criticism
thema EDItEUR::D Biography, Literature and Literary studies::D Biography, Literature and Literary studies::DS Literature: history and criticism
topic_facet Literature: history & criticism
thema EDItEUR::D Biography, Literature and Literary studies::D Biography, Literature and Literary studies::DS Literature: history and criticism
url ONIX_20220715_9781421434247_667
work_keys_str_mv AT mieljan pascalandtheology