LESLIE DEWART (1922 – 2009) Canada’s Forgotten Theological Philosopher : “A Review of His Major Works”

In the course of my presentation of Dewart’s philosophy in this book I shall note particular insights of two other thinkers whose religious philosophy I accept as dehellenized in Dewart’s meaning of the term. Auguste Sabatier (1839-1901) and Paul Trudinger (1930-) never employ the term as far as I can determine. Both Sabatier and Trudinger base their philosophical interpretation on experience. Both suggest that one must decide against what one had been taught by religious authorities of their day. Trudinger gives examples from his belief in the Christian Creed and Sabatier gives examples from the philosophy and theology of the Church in his time. For Trudinger the decision against one’s earlier instruction is a “shift in faith” not a “loss of faith.” For Sabatier “autonomy in action transforms authority by gradually displacing its seat. So much the more does authority contribute to the development of autonomy. From their interaction results the progress of humanity.” To my mind both philosophical attitudes Trudinger’s “shift in faith” and Sabatier’s “active autonomy” are what Dewart describes as dehellenization of the philosophical attitude in a positive sense.