Shalom and the Ethics of Belief: Nicholas Wolterstorff's Theory of Situated Rationality

Against the individualism and abstractionism of standard modern accounts of justification and epistemic merit Wolterstorff incorporates the ethics of belief within the full scope of a persons socio-moral accountability an accountability that ultimately flows from the teleology of the world as intended by its creator and from the inherent value of humans as bearers of the divine image. This study explores Nicholas Wolterstorffs theory of situated rationality from a theological point of view and argues that it is in fact a doxastic ethic based upon the theology of Wolterstorffs neo-Calvinist Kuyperian background which emerges in terms of his biblical ethic and eschatology of shalom. Situated rationality the sum of Wolterstorffs decades-long work on epistemology and rationality is a shalom doxastic ethic--a Christian common grace ethic of doxastic (even religious doxastic) pluralism. In Shalom and the Ethics of Belief Nathan Shannon skillfully brings to light connections between two areas of my thought that I myself have never explicitly connected in my published writings namely the theory of entitled belief that I developed in my writings on epistemology and the account of justice and shalom that I developed in my writings on social justice. Shannon identifies some connections that I have not only not written about but that I had not previously noticed. Reading the essay was a learning experience! Its a fine contribution. --From the foreword by Nicholas Wolterstorff In this important book Nathan Shannon offers a reliable exposition of the themes that unify Nicholas Wolterstorffs rich contribution to philosophical and theological inquiry. But Shannon does more. In explaining Wolterstorffs complex system with admirable clarity Shannon adds new insights of his own to our understanding of shalom-centered life and thought. --Richard Mouw Professor of Faith and Public Life Fuller Theological Seminary Pasadena CA Nathan D. Shannon (PhD VU Amsterdam) is Assistant Professor of Systematic Theology Torch Trinity Graduate University Seoul Korea.