Philosophy of ReligionDEFENDING LIFE: A MORAL AND LEGAL CASEAGAINST ABORTION CHOICE. By Francis J. Beckwith.Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007. Pp. xv + 296.$22.99.

Beckwith’s contribution to the debates over abortionadopts a dispassionate—though by no means irenic—tone. Hetargets for dismantling a whole range of intellectually repu-table (and some not so reputable) arguments in favor ofunfettered access to abortion. Part One’s three chapters clearphilosophical and legal space by attacking “moral relativ-ism,” critiquing the reasoning in Roe vs. Wade and otherSupreme Court decisions, and rejecting claims that personaland religious liberty constitute reasons for abortion choice.The case that morally significant human personhood beginsat conception is made in Part Two. This thread runs throughBeckwith’s negative assessments of a large number of argu-ments for abortion. Beckwith repeatedly accuses these argu-ments of begging the question of the unborn fetus’s status.Part Three considers the moral legitimacy of cloning, andbriefly recapitulates the book’s main case against abortion.The temperature of this controversy has risen so high—orexhaustion over its intractability runs so deep—that even themost reasonable elaboration of one’s position risks beinguncritically celebrated by those who agree and peremptorilydismissed by those who do not. That would be a pity in thiscase, for Beckwith not only makes controversial philosophi-cal claims—for example, his “substance” account of humanpersonhood—worthy of serious engagement, but also offersan important explication of the core issues at stake.

Maurice LeeHarvard Divinity School

THE IMPOSSIBLE MOURNING OF JACQUESDERRIDA. By Sean Gaston. New York: Continuum, 2006.Pp. vii + 152, $35.95.

This unorthodox work consists of fifty-two dated entrieswritten in the two months following Derrida’s death thataddress the issue of how to mourn this death, if indeed onecan. The compelling reflections on mourning are guided by adiscussion of gaps, with the author’s stated goal being to“mind the gap” that Derrida left behind. The immediacy ofthe work to Derrida’s passing brings an interesting personalperspective to this academic work, capturing Gaston’sstruggle to confront the death of someone for whom he hasgreat respect and admiration. In the midst of this struggle,Gaston provides extensive discussion of a large portion ofDerrida’s corpus, while also referencing Plato, Descartes,Hegel, and Heidegger, who are so often at play in Derrida’sthought. The author’s intent, however, is not to provide anexegesis of Derrida’s text; thus, a comprehensive readingdemands that the reader have both familiarity with Derrida’swork and an acquaintance with the thinkers mentionedabove. Gaston also provides an extensive bibliography withreferences to many of Derrida’s unpublished and lesser-

known works. This, coupled with the stimulating reflections,makes the book of use to any Derrida scholar or student oftwentieth-century philosophy, especially those interested inthe question of mourning and the question of the gap left bydeath.

Matthew Paul SchunkeRice University

DISCOVERING LEVINAS. By Michael Morgan. NewYork: Cambridge University Press, 2007. Pp. xvi + 504.$90.00.

M. Morgan’s Discovering Levinas is a fresh and compel-ling account of the philosophy and ethics of Levinas forexperts and newcomers alike. This masterpiece comes afterMorgan taught Levinas with his colleague P. Franks. Morganbegins by reading some of Levinas’s essays and then turns tohis published books. Topics covered include Levinas’sthoughts on philosophy, phenomenology, ethics, Judaism,the Holocaust, and other themes. Early in the text, Morgandiscusses Levinas’s ethics as a response to the Europeancrisis and the holocaust. Although Morgan questions the useof phenomenology to understand what he calls things thathappen in preexistence, he offers an excellent discussion ofLevinas’s phenomenology. Morgan also explores key themesin Levinas’s philosophy such as the face, infinity, meaning,the subject, and religion. Especially helpful is his discussionof the profound impact of Judaism on Levinas, whichincludes Levinas’s views on Zionism. The book alsoaddresses Levinas on politics and ethics, bringing insightsfrom Korsgaard, O’Neill, and Rorty. Morgan reads Levinas inconversation with other philosophers without departingfrom his main objective, which is to introduce Levinas toreaders as a complex interpreter of subjectivity. One couldargue that Morgan overstates his case when he argues that“eros” is tangential to Levinas’s entire project. Overall,Morgan has given the reader an excellent introduction tothis thinker. This book belongs in the library of all who wantto study Levinas.

Elias BongmbaRice University

JACQUES DERRIDA: A BIOGRAPHY. By Jason Powell.New York: Continuum International Publishing Group,2006. Pp. ix + 250. $156.00.

This biography provides a comprehensive account ofDerrida’s life, from his time growing up in Algeria to hisdeath in 2004, as well as a brief examination of his ongoinglegacy. Derrida died while the author was writing themanuscript. Each brief chapter, of which there are twenty-three, covers a specific time in Derrida’s life, discussingwhere he was, the happenings of his personal life, and withwhom he was working. The author indicates Derrida’smajor interlocutors at these times, both past and present.Powell highlights the influence of Husserl, de Man, andLevinas, but fails to provide an in-depth analysis of theseinfluential figures’ works. Powell nicely gathers viewpoints

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from prominent secondary literature on Derrida, includingJ. Caputo, R. Bernasconi, R. Rorty, and R. Scruton. In thesediscussions, the author shows his allegiance to Derrida,defending him from various critical assessments. Powell’swork thus provides the reader with a starting point forfurther study, but it does not answer any advanced ques-tions about the most influential figures and ideas forDerrida. The book, while lacking rigorous analysis of Der-rida’s thought, is a successful general overview of thewhole of his life and work, useful to anyone looking for anefficient introductory account of this prominent thinker.

Matthew Paul SchunkeRice University

ESSAYS IN THE PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION. ByPhilip L. Quinn. Edited by Christian B. Miller. Oxford: OxfordUniversity Press, 2006. Pp. xii + 315. $49.95.

This collection for professional philosophers beginswith Quinn’s devastatingly rigorous criticism of J. Rachel’sargument for the impossibility of any being’s being worthyof worship, and also includes some of his groundbreakingwork in rehabilitating divine command theory (DCT). Somediscussion of DCT is dated, but still important. Alsoincluded are Quinn’s contributions to his historic debatewith Plantinga on the proper basicality of theistic belief.Quinn pioneered philosophical consideration of uniquelyChristian issues, and included are thoughtful, yet inconclu-sive, essays on original sin, atonement, and ecclesiology.The essays on tragic dilemmas, political liberalism and reli-gious diversity round out the scope of this selection. Thearguments contained within the covers of this book con-tinue to exert influence on contemporary discussions.Quinn has passed on, but this collection stands as a testi-mony to the fact that his was a truly top-notch analyticalChristian mind, if ever there was one. This is recom-mended for philosophers of religion and other seriousstudents of religion.

Michael A. CantrellBaylor University

THE OXFORD HANDBOOK OF ESCHATOLOGY.Edited by Jerry L. Walls. New York: Oxford University Press,2008. Pp. xviii + 724. $150.00.

The Oxford Handbook of Eschatology is a welcome addi-tion to the consistently excellent Oxford Handbooks series.This handbook contains thirty-nine articles divided amongfive major sections: Biblical and Patristic Eschatology, Escha-tology in World Religions, Eschatology in Distinct ChristianTraditions and Theological Movements, Theological Issues,and Philosophical and Cultural Issues. As seen from thesesections, the range of topics is quite broad, including essaysfrom “Apocalyptic Eschatology in the Ancient World” to“Eschatology in Christian Feminist Theologies” to “HumanNature, Personal Identity, and Eschatology.” The disciplinarybackgrounds and methodologies of the contributors are

equally varied, including theologians, historians, biblicalscholars, and analytic philosophers. (It is interesting to notethat more chapters written by scholars primarily known asanalytic philosophers can be found in the section “Theologi-cal Issues” than in the section “Philosophical and CulturalIssues.”) Because of its diversity, most readers will find somepositions and issues with which they are not familiar with,such as the Göttingen school, Millernarian adventism, theRapture Index, or the endurantism/perdurantism debate.Nevertheless, the various chapters provide excellent over-views of their respective topics—and thus serve as a wonder-ful resource to student and scholar alike. Furthermore, manyof the chapters are unwilling to merely report the currentstate of the debate, but also push discussion in new andwelcome directions, showing promising avenues for futureinvestigation. This is an excellent research resource.

Kevin TimpeUniversity of San Diego

TheologyTHE EUCHARIST: BODIES, BREAD AND RESUR-RECTION. By Andrea Bieler and Luise Schottroff.Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2007. Pp. viii + 248.$22.00.

In this volume on the Eucharist, Bieler and Schottroffdraw from their respective disciplines (worship studies, NT,theology) to create an exploration of the Eucharist, whichcrosses disciplinary lines and seeks to locate the Eucharist,as the authors state, “as a resurrection meal.” As such, thebook focuses on the eschatological aspects of the Christianlife, with the Eucharist as the chief emblem of this life. Thus,rather than explore what the Eucharist is ontologically, theauthors explore what the meaning of the Eucharistic meal isfor Christian engagement with a variety of social problems(hunger, political abuse, destructive economic practice, andloss of cultural memory). The most valuable portion of Bielerand Schottroff’s work is the practical nature of their writing.Drawing connections between global hunger and the plenti-tude of resources present in the Eucharistic celebration, theyinvite their readers to unshackle their imagination andrefuse to capitulate to a theology built on scarcity and lack.Their highly accessible style will provide a valuable intro-duction to one way of connecting liturgical practice with theproblems of the extra-ecclesial world.

Myles WerntzBaylor University

AFTER THE CHURCH: DIVINE ENCOUNTER IN ASEXUAL AGE. By Claire Henderson Davis. Norwich:Canterbury Press, 2007. Pp. xvi + 79. $15.99.

This small book subverts tidy theological genres. Com-bining personal narrative, depth psychology, biblical storyand theological reflection, Davis offers a dramatic rewritingof central Christian doctrines. The author assumes an

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