Hellfire and Lightning Rods

Renowned philosopher Frederick Ferre invites us to contemplate a new world to be constructed out of the debris of modernity. Hellfire and Lightning Rods displays a vision in which the dichotomies between religion, philosophy, science, and technology can be seen as too-narrow construals of a single, but polyvalent, organic world.

Ferre wisely notes that the conceptual worlds of premodern animism, modern ""scientism,"" and biblical orthodoxy have major internal flaws and create immense practical problems. Yet, while they are largely unconvincing to persons who see the need for ""postmodern"" approaches, a successor to these views is nowhere near universally accepted. In that context, Ferre suggests that an important interim worldview that he calls ""multi-mythic organicism"" will help humanity recover spiritual dimensions now lacking.


""Ferre has succeeded admirably in showing the linkage between science, technology and religion.""
--Joseph Bracken, S.J.

""Ferre is a visionary who dissolves dichotomies between religion, science, philosophy, and technology to create a single organic universe.""
--The Other Side

""Describes the crises of our modern scientific-industrial culture, suggests possible spiritual successors to our current 'technolatry,' and shows the need for Christian philosophers to come to terms with science and develop a postmodern faith.""
--Theology Digest


Frederick Ferre (1933-2013) was Professor of Philosophy Emeritus at The University of Georgia, editor of Research in Philosophy & Technology, and author of many books and articles, including the classic Language, Logic, and God. He was also a past president of the Metaphysical Society of America.