Abstract

From the point of view of Catholic political theology, this is a massive study of Habermas which attempts to penetrate to the very foundation of Hegelian Marxism and to resolve it by a fundamental theology with a practical intent. Like all “enlighteners,” Habermas’ dilemma is that he is not able to remove people’s need for consolation, for this is what only traditional religious-metaphysical and mystical systems can do. While maintaining that Habermas is a Kantian Marxist or a Marxist Kantian, Siebert nevertheless finds the core of Habermas’ thinking in a translation of Hegelian “spirit” into “communicative structure” or “world.” Yet, unlike Hegel, Habermas seeks redemption and freedom without the cross. This would seem to be questionable in view of Siebert’s thesis that Habermas works in a tradition of mystical atheism, a tradition extending from Meister Eckhart to Hegel to the Frankfurt School. This is the most original and valuable part of a book which otherwise is not remarkable except for the thoroughness of its exposition and its conjunction of Habermas’ communications theory with fundamental theology.