In this book, Professor José Francisco Morales Torres offers a systematic account of ‘wonder’ as a philosophical and theological theme. Here ‘wonder’ becomes a key to understanding human existence and human aspiration for transcendence. This quest for wonder is developed in dialogue with the 20th century phenomenology and the metaphysical traditions going back to the Middle Ages. This book, however, is meant to be a contribution to the contemporary study of theological anthropology. This is accomplished wonderfully in a way that makes significant contributions to the contemporary philosophical and constructive theology.

Bo-Myung Seo, Chicago Theological Seminary

Morales Torres resists the flattening of life with his emergent “theo-thaumatic vision.” Focusing on how humans can be opened by the world, he considers salient resources and themes for a theological anthropology of wonder.

Kristine A. Culp, University of Chicago

Since a lot of current theological conversation seems to be centered around theodicy, which can lead to reductive visions of God, such that we look for ways of getting God off the hook for the presence of evil in the world, these efforts often leave us without much about this God that is captivating us. There are few wonder-producing dimensions to this vision of God, but Morales’ trinitarian vision of a God whose act of creation is one of generosity is captivating, and thus is quite attractive to me. That he draws on representatives from the three Abrahamic traditions to get there is even more compelling. [An] important study of the role of wonder as a foundation for theological anthropology!

Robert D. Cornwall, Disciples of Christ Pastor and Church Historian, BobCornwall.com

Whether or not “wonder” really can provide a new starting point for theological anthropology, the refracting of reality through a previously underexploited lens always brings things to light that otherwise would have remained in the shadows, and Torres’s worthwhile text does precisely that.

Journal of Ecumenical Studies