Charles Taylor as a Christian thinker

This thesis is a critical examination of Charles Taylor's moral theory. Its purpose is to understand both Taylor himself as an important contemporary Christian thinker, as well as the ramifications his philosophy has in the realm of Christian Ethics and Practical Theology.Part I (chapters 1-3) discusses the development of Taylor's moral theory, particularly as it appears in Sources of the Self. Chapter One begins by discussing Taylor's definition of ethics which includes notions of the good and the meaningful in our lives. This leads to his argument that the moral domain depends upon frameworks of significance closely linked to the identity of the moral agent. Chapter Two examines Taylor's idea of moral frameworks in terms of practical reasoning and moral articulation. Finally, Chapter Three develops Taylor's arguments for articulating the goods in our lives, and why this is essential for the pursuit of ethics.Part II (chapters 4-5) investigates certain theological influences on Taylor. Chapter Four is a discussion of Taylor and Augustine which draws certain parallels and contrasts in the field of theological anthropology. Chapter Five examines how Taylor's idea of the Church in modernity has largely been shaped by Yves Congar's writings on the laity and Henry de Lubac's Catholicism. It examines Taylor's ecclesiology with specific reference to these two theologians who have had a significant impact on his Christian identity.Part III (Chapters 6-8) looks more specifically at Taylor's relevancy to Christian Ethics and Practical Theology. By way of introduction, Chapter Six argues for a distinct role for God in Taylor's theory. Following on from this I discuss through a brief historical argument how secular philosophy has eclipsed two important features of Christian Ethics which Taylor asserts are indispensable for giving the best account of the human moral domain. These two features are transcendence and ontology, and Chapter Seven examines these particularly in relation to the role they have in Taylor's philosophy, and what implications this has for Christian Ethics. The final chapter develops the discussion of transcendence and ontology through the essential good of Agape. Agape is discussed not only as a pivotal concept in Christian Ethics, but also as a fundamental part of Taylor's own moral framework. I conclude this chapter by arguing that Taylor's ontologically 'thick' concept of Agape as an empowering good needs to be considered in Christian Ethics if we are to be consistent about the transcendent and ontological claims of the discipline.In conclusion I bring together some of the seminal features of Taylor's philosophy as articulated in the thesis. In particular these are discussed in the light of their valuable contribution to our understanding of Christian Ethics and Practical Theolog