Irena Backus offers the first study in over four hundred years that characterizes Leibniz as both scholar and theologian. She explores his treatment of the key theological issues of his time-predestination, sacred history, the Eucharist, efforts for a union between Lutherans and members of other Christian traditions-illuminating his unique integration of theology into philosophy.
Drawing on a wide range of Leibniz's writings, Backus carefully examines the philosophical points and counterpoints of his positions. She shows how Leibniz's Lutheran theology was reconciled with his philosophy, and demonstrates that the solutions he sought to the problems of confessional division were more philosophical than theological. Despite his attempts to merge the two fields, Backus reveals, many of Leibniz's ideas were met with resistance by both theologians and philosophers of his time.
Using a wealth of previously unexplored material, Backus also includes the first-ever English translation of the Unvorgreiffliches Bedencken. This study will be an important contribution to the history of ideas, and to understanding Leibniz's place in the mainstream Protestant theology of his time.
Industry Reviews
"[I]t provides a wealth of new insights into the historical and theological background to some of Leibniz's central philosophical concerns and introduces some new ones."-Paul Lodge, Church History and Religious Culture
"[A]n impeccable work of scholarship. Containing enormously well-documented references to the available texts and exceedingly careful in handling them, it affords us a wealth of knowledge in an area of Leibniz studies where there remains much to be done and from which essential lessons can be drawn that are likely to produce ripple effects throughout our understanding of his entire intellectual enterprise. Backus deals authoritatively with topics--such as
Leibniz's take on history and the Bible--which only few philosophically trained Leibniz scholars are capable of discussing in a qualified way...[A] remarkable addition to the literature and a must-read for
anyone interested in Leibniz's theology."--Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews
"[Leibniz] is of the highest scholarly excellence and demonstrates profound erudition...Recommended."--CHOICE
"Irena Backus's much-anticipated study of Leibniz as a philosopher-theologian examines significant trajectories of his ecumenical endeavors, in published essays, manuscripts and correspondence, on the Eucharist, predestination, and sacred history. Her work is noteworthy both for its approach as intellectual history and for its detailed examination of the history of Leibniz's efforts toward church union. The result is a significant contribution to our knowledge
of late seventeenth- and early eighteenth-century religious, theological, and philosophical debate."
--Richard A. Muller, P. J. Zondervan Professor of Historical Theology, Calvin Theological Seminary
"This groundbreaking book focuses on the doctrinal and ecclesiastical peculiarities of both Lutheranism and Calvinism, convincingly showing that Leibniz's efforts in view of the confessional union between the Lutherans of Hannover and the Calvinists of Brandenburg were based on his personal convictions and at the same time on his own philosophical doctrines, especially those relating to the problem of substance and to the question of freedom, necessity, and
theodicy. This book fills in a serious gap in the Leibniz scholarship and, considering the far reaching influence of Leibniz's thought in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, will provide a precious
reference for readers and researchers interested not only in the early modern theology, but also philosophy."
--Gianni Paganini, Professor of History of Philosophy, University of Eastern Piedmont
"Irena Backus's book fills a major gap in Leibniz literature. A systematic study of Leibniz's theology fully grounded in the wealth of sources which have become available over the past century has long been awaited. Backus's superb command of the nuances of early modern Protestant theology in their historical contexts leads the reader to the discovery of key but neglected aspects of Leibniz's thought. This contribution will have a lasting impact."
--Maria Rosa Antognazza, Head of the Department of Philosophy, King's College London
