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Dialectic and Gospel in the Development of Hegel's Thinking

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This is a very good book.

He begins by looking at the religious writings of the young Hegel, basically the same material as covered by Harris in his _Toward the Sunlight_, but much more briefly and to the point. In the Berne writings, Hegel shows absolutely no understanding or interest in Chrisitianity. There is also no dialectic in these writings. According to Harris the situation is more of the same in the Frankfort writings, with Hegel's great break-through to the dialectic and to an understanding of and appreciation of Christianity not taking place til Jena. Crites argues that the break-through took place in Frankfort. At any rate in Jena Chrisitianity and the dialectic take center-stage in Hegel's thought.

Unfortunately, Crites doesn't argue that Hegel learned the dialectic at the exact same time as he came to understand Chrisitianity, as one would suppose. Crites just seems to present the matter as something of a coincidence.

So, then, Crites concludes by presenting a study of the Phenomenology. He is interested only in the religious dimension of the book, but, as he well shows, almost the entire book from beginning to end, with the notable exception of the Reason chapter, has its well-defined religious dimension.

I believe this is the best work that is available on the Phenomenology for those who already know the book by detailed complete commentaries by, for instance, Harris, or Stewart, or Hyppolite, etc. Given a general knowledge of what the book is about and how it works, Crites explains it as a whole.

It should also be mentioned that Crites expresses himself always in a very clear and readable way. Even for people who have no knowledge of the Phenomenology, perhaps, this would still be a very interesting and very readable book.