Feature Book Review - Hegel’s Berlin Lectures: The Consummate Religion [Book Review]

This volume contains Hegel’s Berlin lecture presentations of the consummate religion, which for Hegel is historically realized in and as Christianity. The publication of this volume should go a long way toward dispelling any lingering doubts as to whether Hegel the philosopher took Christianity and certain of its basic doctrines seriously. But, whether one will ever finally convert those still burdened with such doubts or not, there can be no doubt about the import for and influence of Hegel’s philosophical interpretations of Christianity on subsequent Western thought both religious and more secular. These major Berlin efforts of Hegel’s at a speculative, dialectical presentation of the consummate religion are now for the first time in the original German conveniently gathered and intelligently arranged so as to be readily accessible. The presentation of this volume will proceed in three steps: 1) a review of the volume as a whole; 2) a resume of Hegel on the consummate religion; 3) reflections on further research opportunities opened by this volume.