The Data of Natural Theology and the Utility of History (and Philosophy)

In recent works, N. T. Wright has put forward an account of natural theology, most comprehensively in his book, History and Eschatology: Jesus and the Promise of Natural Theology (2019). In this discussion of Wright’s view of natural theology, I do three things. First, I discuss Wright’s conceptualization of natural theology. Second, I discuss what I see to be a two-step corrective he offers with respect to natural theology. I will argue that the first is an insightful corrective and most useful to the field; the second, on my view, looks to be an overextension. Finally, I discuss Wright’s conception of the tasks of history. Throughout, I draw parallels to the tasks of philosophy. Both disciplines, it seems to me, via different methods, have the same proximate ends when it comes to theology (whether natural or otherwise).