Book Review: <i>Wittgenstein for Theologians: Beyond Certainty</i> by Kallenberg, Brad J. KallenbergBrad J. (2025). Wittgenstein for Theologians: Beyond Certainty. Eugene, OR: Cascade Books. xiv + 132 pp. USD 22 (paperback or e-book), USD 37 (hardcov

A book titled, Wittgenstein for Theologians suggests an introduction to Ludwig Wittgenstein's philosophy that theologians (and perhaps more widely, scholars concerned with religion in general) could find useful in their academic work.In this respect, Brad Kallenberg's slim volume might disappoint.There is relatively little in the way of explicit discussion of Wittgenstein's thought in the book.However, a certain Wittgenstein-inspired approach to language, life, and Christianity is certainly conveyed by the author.Kallenberg has chosen to illuminate four key ideas of the later Wittgenstein's work: language-games (chapter 1), grammar (chapter 2), forms of life (chapter 3), and aspectseeing (chapter 4).These main chapters are placed between a short introduction and the final chapter titled "The Un-Conclusion," suggesting that Wittgensteinian ideas cannot be wrapped up in the form of a proper conclusion.Far from being a mere exposition of Wittgenstein's views, Kallenberg seeks to trace out their significance for our life with language, especially religious (including Christian) life.The work is rich in examples, biblical and everyday-perhaps even too rich.The reader learns about feeding dogs and feeding someone's pride (13), steering bicycles (18-19), exotic birds in Minnesota ( 35), the colors of Rembrandt's painting in the Hermitage Museum ( 35), children's development (68-69), the cultural (including musical) background of the Wittgenstein family (72-73), Jesus in his hometown (85-87), the geography of Lake Superior (97), and many other things.One obvious question, left unclarified by Kallenberg, is what theology actually is.To whom is the book primarily written?It seems that the intended audience is not as much the community of academic researchers but more broadly people needing instruction in what it means to use religious language or be engaged in religious forms of life.(The book might have been titled, "Wittgenstein for Religious Believers.")Indeed, the goal of the discussion, as stated in the introduction (xiv), is to show how Wittgensteinian "conceptual lessons" may "free us from some of today's most common, but unwanted,