Don Cupitt and the State of Radical Theology

Abstract

Don Cupitt’s non-realist thought is an important part of the ongoing story of radical theology. This article surveys some of the most important recent figures and trends in that story to assess the current state of the field. It sets out ways in which Cupitt’s attack on dualistic and dogmatic thought is strongly echoed by thinkers such as John Caputo, Richard Kearney, Catherine Keller and Grace Jantzen, and how major materialist philosophers like Slavoj Žižek still show a fascination with the emancipatory potential of Christianity. The article argues that some of Cupitt’s positions need to be challenged in the light of the contemporary ecological and metaphysical concerns of radical theology today.