Faith in Honesty

How, if at all, is religious faith 'true'? The starting point for this book is that traditional Christian theology overvalues the importance of 'correctness'. What really counts far more is 'Honesty'. Not just sincerity or frankness, but Honesty in the sense of a sheer openness to the Other. A set of skills, Andrew Shanks argues, which the church has very much still to learn. True faith in God is faith in Honesty. But theological Honesty has three faces. It stands equally opposed to banality, manipulation, the mere disowning of history. This book thus presents a whole new approach to the doctrine of the Trinity. A fresh stimulus to theological debate at academic, student and more popular levels.

Shortlisted for The Michael Ramsey Prize 2007 'This is an exciting book, offering a theme and an approach that is fresh and invigorating. Clearly written and thought-provoking, this book represents an important contribution to the field not only in terms of the ways it rejuvenates systematic and philosophical discussions of Trinitarian theology, but of the way it seeks to reconstitute the very nature of theological discourse. It deserves a wide readership and would appeal especially to those impatient with the kind of academic theology which only seems to talk to itself.' Professor Elaine Graham, University of Manchester, UK 'Shanks' style is [...] refreshingly lively and engaging... The real value of this book lies in the specific challenge to the church to review both its own history and its present way of proclaiming the gospel, in the light of Shanks' description of the Honesty that lies at the heart of Christian theology, itself a refection of the God's own nature.' International Journal of Systematic Theology '...a subtle and illuminating book which deserves a wide readership.' Times Literary Supplement 'In this thought-provoking book, Canon Shanks offers an understanding of theology as primarily called to summon human thinking to honesty... we are offered an intriguing journey through some of the twists and turns of the historical evolution of Christian theology, especially attending to the doctrine of the Trinity. Several times, I found quite brief discussions awakening my interest and starting my further thinking.' Church Times ’... Faith in Honesty is nothing if not a vivid and passionate conversation open to everyone from Amos to Emmanuel Levinas... well worth reading... Shanks demonstrates a rare ability to get to the core, or somewhere near the core, of often complex historical and theological debates; and this, it has to be said, has the surprising effect of dragging conversation back from mystification...’ Theology ’This is a wide-rangi

Andrew Shanks has published a number of books including: Hegel's Political Theology (CUP), Civil Society, Civil Religion (Blackwell), God and Modernity (Routledge), and 'What is Truth? Towards a Theological Poetics' (Routledge). An Anglican priest, he has lectured in theology at the Universities of Leeds and Lancaster, and Manchester where he is Canon Theologian.