Oliver-Philosophy God and Motion.pdf

Philosophy, God and Motion

In the post-Newtonian world motion is assumed to be a simple category

which relates to the locomotion of bodies in space, and is usually associated

only with physics. Philosophy, God and Motion shows that this is a relatively

recent understanding of motion and that prior to the scientific revolution

motion was a much broader and more mysterious category, applying to

moral as well as physical movements.

Simon Oliver presents fresh interpretations of key figures in the history of

western thought including Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas and Newton, examining

the thinkers’ handling of the concept of motion. Through close readings of

seminal texts in ancient and medieval cosmology and early modern natural

philosophy, the book moves from antique to modern times investigating

how motion has been of great significance within theology, philosophy and

science. Particularly important is the relation between motion and God.

Following Aristotle, traditional doctrines of God have understood the

divine as the ‘unmoved mover’ while more recent theology and philosophy

has suggested that, in order for God to be involved in the cosmos, the divine

must in some way be subject to motion. Simon Oliver argues that, while

God is beyond all qualifications of change, motion is nevertheless a means of

creation’s perfection and participation in the dynamic eternal life of God.

Philosophy, God and Motion therefore suggests that there may be an authenti-

cally theological, as well as a natural scientific, understanding of motion.

This volume will prove a major contribution to theology, the history of

Christian thought and to the growing field of science and religion.

Simon Oliver is Lecturer in Systematic Theology at the University of

Wales, Lampeter and an Anglican priest.

Routledge Radical Orthodoxy Series

Edited by John Milbank, Catherine Pickstock

and Graham Ward

Radical orthodoxy combines a sophisticated understanding of contemporary

thought, modern and postmodern, with a theological perspective that looks

back to the origins of the Church. It is the most talked-about development

in contemporary theology.

1 Philosophy, God and Motion

Simon Oliver

Previous titles to appear in the Routledge Radical Orthodoxy Series include:

Radical Orthodoxy

edited by John Milbank,

Catherine Pickstock

and Graham Ward

Genealogy of Nihilism

Conor Cunningham

Speech and Theology

James K. A. Smith

Divine Economy

D. Stephen Long

Culture and the Thomist

Tradition

Tracey Rowland

Truth in Aquinas

John Milbank

and Catherine Pickstock

Being Reconciled

John Milbank

Cities of God

Graham Ward

Augustine and Modernity

Michael Hanby

Liberation Theology after

the End of History

Daniel M. Bell, Jr

Truth in the Making

Robert Miner

Philosophy, God

and Motion

Simon Oliver

First published 2005 by

Routledge

2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN

Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada

by Routledge

270 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10016

Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group

This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2005.

“To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge’s

collection of thousands of eBooks please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk.”

duced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or

other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photo-

copying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval

system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

A catalog record for this book has been requested

ISBN 0-415-36045-5

Taylor & Francis Group is the Academic Division of T&F Informa plc.

(Print Edition)

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