The work of German theologian Friedrich Schleiermacher (1768–1834) has played a key role in the development of Protestant thought. Despite the importance of Schleiermacher's ethical theory, it has received little attention in the English-speaking world. Jacqueline Mariña's book offers a corrective to this neglect, inviting philosophers and theologians to reassess his work and influence and the relevance of his thought to contemporary debates concerning the relation of religion and morality.
Mariña begins by acknowledging Schleiermacher's early struggle to come to terms with Kant's practical philosophy, and his changing approach to Spinozism. Moving on to analyse the mature writings, Mariña engages with Schleiermacher's ideas on the moral transformation of the self, firstly in regard to the self-consciousness of the individual vis-à-vis his community, and secondly in regard to the philosophical problem of religious pluralism.