Kenneth Hamilton

Kenneth Hamilton (1921-2001) was a Canadian theologian and philosopher who made significant contributions to 20th-century Protestant thought and religious existentialism. After serving in World War II, he completed his doctorate at the University of Edinburgh and taught at United College (later University of Winnipeg) from 1949 to 1986. Hamilton's work bridged systematic theology and philosophy of religion, with particular expertise in Kierkegaard studies and theological anthropology. His major works include "The System and the Gospel: A Critique of Paul Tillich" (1963), which offered one of the earliest comprehensive Protestant critiques of Tillich's theology, and "To Turn from Idols" (1973), examining modern secularization and religious faith. Hamilton's scholarship emphasized the paradoxical nature of Christian faith and the limitations of systematic theology in capturing religious truth, arguing for a more existential and biblically grounded approach to understanding God.