G. W. F. Hegel

The works of German philosopher G. W. F. Hegel, published in the early 1800s, deeply influenced subsequent European thought. In the secular sphere, his fingerprints cover “right” and “left” Hegelianism and Marxism. In the theological realm, his thinking shaped David Strauss, process theology, and Barthianism. His ideas have so spread that anyone who does theology in the twenty-first century should have some understanding of Hegel. In this introduction to Hegel’s thought, Shao Kai Tseng examines the events in his life that shaped his work―most notably his shift from theology to philosophy. The terms orthodox and modern do not apply to Hegel! In the analysis that follows, Tseng shows the true significance of Hegel’s philosophy of religion and surveys the use of Hegelian methods in recent Protestant theology, with a focus on Barth and his theological heirs. Taking a Reformed stance, Tseng critiques Hegelian methods to underscore the importance of an objective commitment to Scripture and to Christ.