Scholarly interest in theological aspects of Murdochs fiction and philosophy took off slowly. It was thirty years after her writing debut that the first work taking detailed notice of the theological language deployed by this overtly-atheist author appeared, and it was a further decade before theologians began to engage with Murdochs work together. But it was not until the twenty-first century that this aspect of Murdochs thought and imagination began to receive sustained attention. This collection seeks to build on this foundation, begun forty years ago, and to expand the work in this area of Murdoch studies which has lately been gathering momentum. This project consolidates earlier discussion of the vital part theology plays in Murdochs thought, and then takes the debate in new directions. Contributors include a wide range of current Murdoch scholars from diverse disciplines who develop debate about this subject in a variety of innovative and fruitful ways, to inspire future works in this area of Murdoch studies.
PART ONE: THEOLOGICANS, CHURCHES AND MYSTICS.-
1. Matthew Mills
Seeking Goodness: A Dialogue between Iris Murdoch and Peter Abelard.-
2. Anne
Rowe Iris Murdoch and Julian of Norwich.-
3. Peter Webster Iris and the
Christians: What did the British Churches make of Murdoch 1954-c1983.-
4.
Frances White Despite herself: Iris Murdoch, the reluctant Christian?.-
5.
Paul Fiddes - The Theological Roots and Implications of Iris Murdochs Idea
of the Mystical Christ.- PART TWO: THEOLOGY IN FICTION AND IN PHILOSOPHY.-
6.
Miles Leeson - Iris Murdoch and Fictionalised Theology.-
7. Daniel Read -
Iris Murdoch and The Book of Job.-
8. Hannah Maria Altorf The Point at
which Plato starts making jokes: The Fire and the Sun as Religious Text.-
9.
Scott Moore Forgiveness and the Beautiful, Unexpected Strangeness of the
World in Iris Murdoch.- PART THREE: OTHER ART FORMS AND MODES OF SPIRITUAL
EXPERIENCE.-
10. Andrew Taylor Dispersal and Gathering in Iris Murdochs
The Bell and Andrei Tarkovskys Andrei Rublev.- 11. Rob Hardy Seeing
morethan we are supposed to: Iris Murdoch and the Occult.
Miles Leeson is Director of the Iris Murdoch Research Centre at the University of Chichester and Senior Lecturer in English Literature. He is also Visiting Research Fellow at Kingston University.
Frances White is Deputy Director of the Iris Murdoch Research Centre and Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Chichester.
