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Discourses of Philology and Theology in Nietzsche

From the “Untimelies” to The Anti-Christ

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  • © 2023

Overview

Authors:
  1. Paul Bishop

    1. School of Modern Languages and Cultures, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

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  • Examines the tension in Nietzsche’s works between two competing discourses, theology and philology
  • Argues Nietzsche cannot believe because he thinks he uncovers a fraudulent production of meaning in biblical texts
  • Understanding his ‘philological turn’ explains the increasing urgency of his anti-Christian polemics

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About this book

This study proposes to examine the tension in Nietzsche’s works between two competing discourses, i.e., the discourse of theology and the discourse of philology. It argues that, in order to understand Nietzsche’s complicated standpoint and the aim of his Kulturkritik, we have to appreciate how he operates with two different discourses, one indexed to belief, faith, liturgy (i.e., the discourse of theology) and another indexed to analytical reason, sceptical investigation, and logical argumentation, as well as historical context and linguistic precision (i.e., the discourse of philology). Its core thesis is that, in the end, Nietzsche can no longer believe, because he thinks he has uncovered a fraudulent production of meaning in the texts, in a way that is comparable with his insight into the production of morality in On the Genealogy of Morals (1887).

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Table of contents (8 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xvii
    Download chapter PDF

  2. Introduction

    • Paul Bishop
    Pages 1-30

  3. Nietzsche and the History of Atheism

    • Paul Bishop
    Pages 31-102

  4. Nietzsche and the Quest for the Historical Jesus

    • Paul Bishop
    Pages 103-166

  5. Nietzsche, David Friedrich Strauß, and the Post-Straussian Tradition

    • Paul Bishop
    Pages 167-238

  6. Nietzsche and St Paul

    • Paul Bishop
    Pages 239-332

  7. Methods and Nietzsche’s Portrait of Christ

    • Paul Bishop
    Pages 333-384

  8. Nietzsche on Philology

    • Paul Bishop
    Pages 385-463

  9. Conclusion

    • Paul Bishop
    Pages 465-480

  10. Back Matter

    Pages 481-493
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Reviews

This masterful study explores the fascinating tension that underlies Friedrich Nietzsche’s cultural criticism: the confrontation between the competing discourses of theology and philology. Bishop’s approach to one of the most prominent figures in modern German thought is both innovative and fruitful. Drawing on an impressive range of sources, he reveals how Nietzsche’s sustained critique of Christianity is firmly rooted in his early turn from theology to philology. Impeccably written, Bishop’s book also stresses the relevance of Nietzsche’s ideas to ongoing debates about the role of language-learning in higher education.  

–Thorsten Carstensen, Lecturer in German Studies, University of Amsterdam


Authors and Affiliations

  • School of Modern Languages and Cultures, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

    Paul Bishop

About the author

Paul Bishop is William Jacks Chair of Modern Languages at the University of Glasgow.

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Discourses of Philology and Theology in Nietzsche

  • Book Subtitle: From the “Untimelies” to The Anti-Christ

  • Authors: Paul Bishop

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-42272-0

  • Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham

  • eBook Packages: Religion and Philosophy, Philosophy and Religion (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-031-42271-3Published: 01 November 2023

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-031-42274-4Due: 02 December 2023

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-031-42272-0Published: 31 October 2023

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XVII, 493

  • Number of Illustrations: 5 b/w illustrations

  • Topics: Philosophy of Religion, History of Philosophy, Hermeneutics

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