Prometheus Rebound: The Irony of AtheismWilfrid Laurier Univ. Press, 1988 - 366 pages Modern atheism is a further act in the ancient drama of Prometheus vs Zeus. This book argues that the antagonism is false, as proved by the "irony": in which atheism turns into antitheism, transferring divine qualities to Humanity. The drama is framed by the "classicla dilemma," a conflict of wills: Tyrant and Rebel. The Unbinding of Prometheus is traced through Western history, to the Enlightenment "death of God," both speculative (Hegel) and practical (Marx). Finally, four types of "idols" are examined, in which Prometheus is rebound: Freud's Oedipus, Nietzsche's Dionysus, Camus' Sisyphus and Sartre's Orestes. The revision of both theism and atheism demands re-casting Zeus and Prometheus, breaking the impasse of heteronomy/autonomy and omnipotence/free will. Only thus may we affirm Humanity without denying God. |
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absolute Aeschylus alienation ambiguous analysis antitheism atheism autonomy Barth belief Bloch called Camus Christ Christian Church classical theism concept creation critical critique death debate deism deity dialectic dialogue Dionysus divine doctrine Engels Enlightenment Epicurus essay eternal evil existence faith father Feuerbach fideism fire Freud gods Goethe Greek Hegel Hegelian heteronomy Ibid idea interpretation Jesus Kant Karl Karl Barth Karl Marx Lenin logic London Marx Marxist modern moral mystical myth nature negation Nietzsche Nietzsche's nihilism notes Oedipus omnipotence Orestes Peter Martyr Vermigli philosophy positive problem problem of evil Prome Promethean Prometheus Prometheus Bound question rational reality reason rebel rebellion relation religion religious Renaissance revolution Ricoeur role Sartre Sartre's scepticism secular selfhood significant social spirit sublation suffering symbol theme theologian theology theonomy theory thesis theus things thought tion Titan tradition transcendence truth University York Zeus