Background
Buckley, Michael J. was born on October 12, 1931 in San Francisco, California, United States. Son of Michael T. and Eleanor (Fletcher) Buckley.
- Photos
- Works
- Photos
- Works
book
At the Origins of Modern Atheism
( The rise of atheism in the modern world is a religious ...)
The rise of atheism in the modern world is a religious phenomenon unprecedented in history, both in the number of its adherents and in the security of its cultural establishment. How did so revolutionary a conviction as this arise? What can theological reflection learn from this massive shift in religious consciousness? In this book, Michael J. Buckley investigates the origins and development of modern atheism and argues convincingly that its impetus lies paradoxically in the very attempts to counter it. Although modern atheism finds its initial exponents in Denis Diderot and Paul d’Holbach in the eighteenth century, their works bring to completion a dialectical process that reaches back to the theologians and philosophers of an earlier period. During the seventeenth century, theologians such as Leonard Lessius and Marin Mersenne determined that in order to defend the existence of god, religious apologetics must become philosophy, surrendering as its primary warrant any intrinsically religious experience or evidence. The most influential philosophers of the period, René Descartes and Isaac Newton, and the theologians who followed them accepted this settlement, and the new sciences were enlisted to provide the foundation for religion. Almost no one suspected the profound contradictions that this process entailed and that would eventually resolve themselves through the negation of god. In transferring to other areas of human experience and inquiry its fundamental responsibility to deal with the existence of god, religion dialectically generated its own denial. The origins and extraordinary power of modern atheism lie with this progressive self-alienation of religion itself.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0300048971/?tag=2022091-20
Michael J. Buckley
Edit Profile
Michael J. Buckley, American theology educator. Named Cosmos and Creation lecturer Cosmos and Creation Society, 1988, Hanley lecturer University Manitoba, 1991, Bowles lecturer Catholic Chaplaincy, Harvard, 1994. Member American Academy Religion, American Theological Society, Catholic Theological Society of America, Metaphysics Society of America, Alpha Sigma Nu.
Education
Bachelor in Philosophy, Gonzaga University, Spokane, 1955. Master of Arts in Philosophy, Gonzaga University, Spokane, 1956. Master of Sacred Theology in Theology, University Santa Clara, California, 1963.
Doctor of Philosophy, University Chicago, 1967. STD (honorary), Spring Hill College, 1989. Doctor of Divinity (honorary), Jesuit School of Theology at Berkley, 1994.
Career
Assistant professor philosophy, Gonzaga U., Spokane, 1968-1969;
from assistant to associate professor theology, Jesuit School Theology, Berkley, 1969-1986;
rector, Jesuit School of Theology, Berkley, 1969-1973;
visiting professor, Pontificial Gregorian U., Rome, 1973-1975;
visiting scholar, Santa Clara, California, 1981-1983;
executive director committees on doctrine, pastoral research and practices, National Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, 1986-1989;
professor theology, U. Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana, 1989-1992;
professor theology, Boston College, since 1992;
director Jesuit Institute, Boston College, since 1992. Delegate general congregations Society Jesus, Rome, 1974-1975, 83, 95. President Catholic Theological Society American, 1991-1992.
Member board of trustees various universities. Mem.bd. directors (journal) Theological Studies, since 1990. Member of advisory committee Center for Theological Inquiry.
Achievements
Works
book
-
At the Origins of Modern Atheism
( The rise of atheism in the modern world is a religious ...)
- At the Origins of Modern Atheism by Michael J. Buckley (1990-08-29)
-
At the Origins of Modern Atheism
Membership
Member American Academy Religion, American Theological Society, Catholic Theological Society of America, Metaphysics Society of America, Alpha Sigma Nu.
Connections
-
Born
-
Nationality
American -
Religion
Roman Catholic
Education
-
1955
-
1956
-
1963
-
1967
-
1989
-
1994
Career
-
1968 - 1969
-
1969 - 1973
-
1969 - 1986
-
1973 - 1975
-
1981 - 1983
-
1986 - 1989
-
1986 - 1989
-
1989 - 1992
-
1992
- show more ...
Awards
-
Named Cosmos and Creation lecturer Cosmos and Creation Society, 1988, Hanley lecturer University Manitoba, 1991, Bowles lecturer Catholic Chaplaincy, Harvard, 1994.Named Cosmos and Creation lecturer Cosmos and Creation Society, 1988, Hanley lecturer University Manitoba, 1991, Bowles lecturer Catholic Chaplaincy, Harvard, 1994.