Bradley: from History to Mystery

Abstract

In the late nineteenth century, the critical implosion, in England and to a mainly Anglican audience, reached a climax but also a dead end. It did this through the movement which may be called, admittedly with some misdescription, Anglo-Hegelianism. Of this movement, F. H. Bradley (1846–1924) was the highest point. In his case, however, more than in those of previous thinkers, it is necessary to see him as part of a range: an Everest, but flanked by K.2’s, Kanchenjungas and Nangaparbats; alongside his predecessors E. Caird and T. H. Green, his contemporary Bernard Bosanquet, and his successor J. M. E. McTaggart. The Anglo-Hegelians were philosophers, not theologians. Generally, they did not regard themselves as Christians. Nevertheless, they had a philosophy of religion which influenced Christians, particularly Anglicans and, as McTaggart once said, the Church of England was the Church they stayed away from.