The Theology of Richard Kearney

Richard Kearney’s religious philosophy is deeply informed by the Christian theological tradition, which he engages with both imaginatively and innovatively. As such, it invites theological scrutiny and reflection on the consistency and clarity of its usage. This article first examines Kearney’s notion of the “possible God,” which interprets God as a possibility rather than an actuality. It then moves to his anthropology, exploring his dialectic of person and persona and the process of transfiguration, in which one recognizes persona – a God-given quality – in others while simultaneously discovering it within oneself. Finally, it analyzes his Christology, which merges with anthropology, as the notions of messiah and persona are used almost interchangeably. Across all three areas, the article raises the question of priority: the priority of the possible over the actual, the oneself over the other, and particular salvific events over epiphanic ones.