In the second series of van Leeuwen's Gifford Lectures, the author examines the 'transmutation' from the critique of heaven into the critique of earth. His thesis is that Marx's critique of religion is seen not in his opposition to 'religion', but in his ideas on political economy. This thesis is undergirded with analysis of Marx's critique of political economy from 1842 to Das Kapital. Marx's biography works itself out at three levels of critique: from religion via politics to political economy. Das Kapital sums up the whole of Marx's thought. The analysis of the 'mystical character of commodities' is both the key to the critique of Christianity, 'with its cult of abstract man', and the key to the critique of political economy, the fetishism of which 'emerges clear as the noon-day, whenever it has to do with capital'. The reception of Marx's critique in the categories, structure and method of traditional theology is not feasible; a transformation of theology is necessary. To put it another way, reception of Marx's critique will be both cause and symptom of a self-fulfilling theological transformation, for which this work provides a prolegomena.

The first series of van Leeuwen's Gifford Lectures shows that Christian philosophy occupied a key position in Marx's view of world history and his confrontation with it played an important role in his development as a thinker. Van Leeuwen has written a thoughtful account of this confrontation and of Marx's critiques of religion which was one of the major themes of his early thought. It is not the religious situation as such which preoccupies him during these early years, van Leeuwen writes, any more than it is the question of economics as such which will absorb his attention during the mature period of his life. The point at stake is an underlying problem, which lies at the root of the religious as well as the economic question, - how to alter radically a universal, though man-made, philosophical or economic system. Van Leeuwen's exploration of the encounter between the young Marx and Christianity is a provocative and important reinterpretation of Marx's thought that points towards a new view of the religious and economic systems with which Marx was concerned.

Under the overall title of "Critique of Heaven and Earth", this first series of van Leeuwen's Gifford Lectures examines the young Karl Marx's developing thought. It is intended for those studying Marx and those involved in Marxist-Christian dialogue, Christian philosophy occupied a key position in Marx's view of world history and his confrontation with it played an important role in his development as a thinker. Van Leeuwen has written a thoughtful account of this confrontation and of Marx's critiques of religion which was one of the major themes of his early thought. "It is not the religious situation as such which preoccupies him during these early years", van Leeuwen writes, "any more than it is the question of economics as such which will absorb his attention during the mature period of his life. The point at stake is an underlying problem, which lies at the root of the religious as well as the economic question", - how to alter radically a universal, though man-made, philosophical or economic system. Van Leeuwen's exploration of the encounter between the young Marx and Christianity is a reinterpretation of Marx's thought that points towards a new view of the religious and economic systems with which Marx was concerned.

The second series of van Leeuwen's Gifford Lectures examines the young Karl Marx's developing thought, of importance to those studying Marx and those involved in Marxist-Christian dialogue. The author examines the "transmutation" from the critique of heaven into the critique of earth. His thesis is that Marx's critique of religion is seen not in his opposition to "religion", but in his ideas on political economy. This thesis is undergirded with analysis of Marx's critique of political economy from 1842 to "Das Kapital". Marx's biography works itself out at three levels of critique: from religion via politics to political economy. "Das Kapital" sums up the whole of Marx's thought. The analysis of the "mystical character of commodities" is both the key to the critique of Christianity, "with its cult of abstract man", and the key to the critique of political economy, the fetishism of which "emerges clear as the noon-day, whenever it has to do with capital".