Shao Kai Tseng - G. W. F. Hegel

William James amusingly noted that one side effect of nitrous oxide inhalation is increased understanding of Hegels philosophy. As fun as that sounds, I have a better suggestion: read this splendid book by Alex Tseng before diving into the German idealists profoundly difficult writings. I learned many new and useful things from Tsengs well-informed exposition and analysis. Reformed readers will especially appreciate the discussion of how Bavinck, Vos, and Van Til salvaged treasures from Hegels shipwreck, exposing the flawed foundations of his system while co-opting his common-grace insights to demonstrate the virtues of a Reformed Christian worldview.

James N. Anderson , Professor of Theology and Philosophy, Reformed Theological Seminary, Charlotte

G. W. F. Hegel had an incalculable influence on the modern world. Whether faithfully or not, his philosophy was adopted by major thinkers as well as political activists throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. His dictum that the rational alone is real was embodied in a progressive, organic view of history that culminates in an absolute state. China, Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, and even parts of American liberalism stand on this pillar. Shao Kai Tsengs deeply learned account presents Hegel as an absolute realist whose views have found some echoes in Bavinck, Vos, Van Til, and even Schaeffer, and yet who is ultimately one of the great foes of biblical Christian faith. This series just keeps getting better and better.

William Edgar , Professor of Apologetics, Westminster Theological Seminary

Tsengs introduction to Hegel achieves a remarkable balance of clarity, depth, and intellectual charity. He manages to present the essential features of Hegels thought in accessible and engaging terms (no small feat!), while resisting the temptation to caricature. He combines these virtues with a rich grasp of theological history to help us appreciate how one of modern philosophys most important thinkers has been, and continues to be, both a challenge and an inspiration to the Reformed Christian tradition. This book represents the best of the genre, and will be of interest to both student and teacher.

Ryan Kemp , Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Wheaton College

Alex Tsengs book not only sets out a clear and reliable introduction to Hegels thought but also makes clear why this is important to Christiansnot least those who are inclined to view it with suspicion.

George Pattison , 1640 Professor of Divinity, University of Glasgow; Fellow, Max Weber Centre for Advanced Research in Cultural and Social Studies

In an era when nontheological and antimetaphysical readings of G. W. F. Hegel tend to dominate the scholarly scene, Shao Kai Tsengs concise and highly readable study contributes valuably to a resituation of Hegel in a theological light wherein he can be understood and assessed as he deserves to be. The explication of key themes in Hegels absolute idealism is admirably lucid, and Tsengs Reformed assessment successfully steers clear of any temptation to interpret Hegel in terms of friend or foe. Whats more, Tsengs exposition of the critical reception of Hegel by thinkers such as Herman Bavinck, Geerhardus Vos, Francis Schaeffer, and especially Cornelius Van Til might be particularly appreciated by readers interested in the Reformed tradition, but will prove valuable to anyone interested in genuinely theological assessments of Hegel. This is a welcome entry in historical theology and the history of philosophy.

Joel D. S. Rasmussen , Mansfield College, University of Oxford

No great philosopher presents his readers with more formidable obstacles than Hegel. It is a pleasure, then, to be able to give Alex Tsengs book a very warm welcome. Professor Tseng is an authoritative, approachable, engaged, and always fair-minded guide. The student coming to Hegels thought for the first time is in excellent hands.

Michael E. Rosen , Senator Joseph S. Clark Professor of Ethics in Politics and Government, Department of Government, Harvard University

Alex Tsengs brilliant introduction to Hegel betrays on every page the authors impeccable grasp of his subject. Writing from the perspective of Reformed theology, Tseng makes a strong and plausible case for serious theological intellectual engagement with this uniquely influential thinker. Accessible and precise at the same time, the book is a highly rewarding read.

Johannes Zachhuber , Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology, University of Oxford, Faculty of Theology and Religion

Praise for the Great Thinkers Series

After a long eclipse, intellectual history is back. We are becoming aware, once again, that ideas have consequences. The importance of P&R Publishings leadership in this trend cannot be overstated. The series Great Thinkers: Critical Studies of Minds That Shape Us is a tool that I wish I had possessed when I was in college and early in my ministry. The scholars examined in this well-chosen group have shaped our minds and habits more than we know. Though succinct, each volume is rich, and displays a balance between what Christians ought to value and what they ought to reject. This is one of the happiest publishing events in a long time.

William Edgar , Professor of Apologetics, Westminster Theological Seminary

When I was beginning my studies of theology and philosophy during the 1950s and 60s, I profited enormously from P&Rs Modern Thinkers Series. Here were relatively short books on important philosophers and theologians such as Nietzsche, Dewey, Van Til, Barth, and Bultmann, by scholars of Reformed conviction such as Clark, Van Riessen, Ridderbos, Polman, and Zuidema. These books did not merely summarize the work of these thinkers; they were serious critical interactions. Today, P&R is resuming and updating the series, now called Great Thinkers. The new books, on people such as Aquinas, Hume, Nietzsche, Derrida, and Foucault, are written by scholars who are experts on these writers. As before, these books are shortaround 100 pages. They set forth accurately the views of the thinkers under consideration, and they enter into constructive dialogue, governed by biblical and Reformed convictions. I look forward to the release of all the books being planned and to the good influence they will have on the next generation of philosophers and theologians.

John M. Frame , Professor of Systematic Theology and Philosophy Emeritus, Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando

GREAT THINKERS

A Series

Series Editor
Nathan D. Shannon

AVAILABLE IN THE GREAT THINKERS SERIES

Thomas Aquinas , by K. Scott Oliphint
Richard Dawkins , by Ransom Poythress
Jacques Derrida , by Christopher Watkin
Michel Foucault , by Christopher Watkin
G. W. F. Hegel , by Shao Kai Tseng
Karl Marx , by William D. Dennison

FORTHCOMING

Francis Bacon , by David C. Innes
Karl Barth , by Lane G. Tipton
David Hume , by James N. Anderson
Friedrich Nietzsche , by Carl R. Trueman
Karl Rahner , by Camden M. Bucey
Adam Smith , by Jan van Vliet

2018 by Shao Kai Tseng

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwiseexcept for brief quotations for the purpose of review or comment, without the prior permission of the publisher, P&R Publishing Company, P.O. Box 817, Phillipsburg, New Jersey 088650817.