Schleiermacher is one of the most important figures of classical German philosophy, or what has sometimes been called the Sattelzeit, the tempestuous and fecund transition from the early modern to the modern period. This Oxford Handbook is divided into three parts, each with its own subdivisions. The first part, titled “Schleiermacher in Context,” includes chapters on important historical and contemporary interlocutors, with useful chapters on Plato, Kant, Spinoza, Schelling, and Schlegel, among other contributions. One missed opportunity in this section is the omission of a chapter on Herder, whose influence upon Schleiermacher is arguably as great, if not greater, than some of the other figures covered here. The second part, “Schleiermacher’s Thought,” covers important themes and fields across both theological and philosophical issues. The chapters on dialectic, hermeneutics, aesthetics, sin and redemption, and Jesus are among the highlights in this section. This part also includes a consideration Schleiermacher’s pastoral and occasional writings, with four excellent contributions making up this section. A chapter on Schleiermacher as a Romantic thinker would have been a welcome addition here. The final third part, titled “Thinking after Schleiermacher,” examines both the reception of Schleiermacher’s thought, as well as offering some constructive engagements with it, particularly in theological contexts. Whilst some essays are stronger than others, the overall quality of the contributions is excellent, balancing detail with succinct presentation. The major drawback to the text is something it shares in common with all of the other Oxford Handbooks, namely a high retail price that will put it out of the reach of many. Overall, the book accomplishes what one looks for from a handbook. The achievement of this book, and particularly that of its editors, whose efforts are to be commended, is that it will undoubtedly function as one of the most important reference resources for scholars with questions about a range of topics relating to Schleiermacher.
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