Iris Murdoch and the Others - by Paul S Fiddes (Paperback)

About the Book

"The "others" examined by Fiddes are mainly those with whom Murdoch entered into explicit dialogue in her novels and philosophical writing-including Immanuel Kant, Simone Weil, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Rudolph Bultmann, Paul Tillich, Don Cupitt, Donald Mackinnon, and Jacques Derrida. This "historic" dialogue is, however, placed within a wider dialogue between literature and theology being conducted by the author, and "others" are brought into relation with Murdoch in order to illuminate this more extensive conversation-notably the poet Gerard Manley Hopkins and the feminist philosopher Julia Kristeva. The book demonstrates that characteristic themes in Murdoch's novels and philosophy-the love of the Good, the death of the ego, illusory consolations, the death of God, the modifying of the will by "waiting", the sublime and the beautiful, and attention to other things and persons-all take on a greater meaning when placed in the context of her life-long conversation with theology. The exploration of this context is deepened in this volume by reference to annotations and notes that Murdoch made in a number of theological books in her personal library"--

Book Synopsis

The 'others' examined by Fiddes are mainly those with whom Murdoch entered into explicit dialogue in her novels and philosophical writing - including Immanuel Kant, Simone Weil, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Rudolph Bultmann, Paul Tillich, Don Cupitt, Donald Mackinnon and Jacques Derrida. This 'historic' dialogue is, however, placed within a wider dialogue between literature and theology being conducted by the author, and 'others' are brought into relation with Murdoch in order to illuminate this more extensive conversation - notably the poet Gerard Manley Hopkins and the feminist philosopher Julia Kristeva.

The book demonstrates that characteristic themes in Murdoch's novels and philosophy - the love of the Good, the death of the ego, illusory consolations, the death of God, the modifying of the will by 'waiting', the sublime and the beautiful, and attention to other things and persons - all take on a greater meaning when placed in the context of her life-long conversation with theology. The exploration of this context is deepened in this volume by reference to annotations and notes that Murdoch made in a number of theological books in her personal library.

Review Quotes

Lovers of theology and of Iris Murdoch-her novels and philosophy of the selfless good-often leave amazed she could reject theological traditions clearly informing all she wrote and read. Paul Fiddes carefully attends to this puzzle. His is a dialogue of clarity and discovery, for which many of us amazed by Murdoch have long been hoping.

The intersection of Iris Murdoch's professed atheism and her passionate interest in theological questions has long fascinated readers. In Iris Murdoch and the Others: A Writer in Dialogue with Theology, Paul Fiddes explores her life-long interest in theology with a depth and a sophistication which is unmatched. Bringing Murdoch into dialogue with Weil, Derrida, Kristeva, Hopkins, and many others, Fiddes shows Murdoch's relevance for reflection on what it means to travel with and without faith in the modern world. I know of no other work which addresses these important questions as well.

This text is an excellent addition to the corpus of work Fiddes has published on the interrelationship between theology and literature. ... this book would be worth reading by those interested in the relationship between theology, literature, and philosophy.
Journal of European Baptist Studies

About the Author

Paul S. Fiddes is a Fellow of the British Academy, Professor of Systematic Theology in the University of Oxford, UK, and Principal Emeritus of Regent's Park College, Oxford, UK