A Philosophy of Life is a fitting tribute to Cupitt’s legacy — a courageous thinker whose impact continues to ripple across the world in myriad ways. His pressing concerns about contemporary faith remain, and this book attests to how his work continues to inform so many of our intellectual, theological, and ethical conversations.

Clayton Crockett, Professor of Philosophy of Religion and Director of Religious Studies Program, University of Central Arkansas and Global Centre for Advanced Studies. Author of Energy and Change: A New Materialist Cosmotheology (2022).

This impressive collection of essays from a wide-ranging set of contributors will be essential reading for all those looking to understand Don Cupitt’s enduring legacy for the study of theology, philosophy, and religion.

Elaine Graham FBA, Professor Emeritus of Practical Theology, University of Chester. Principal Investigator for a British Academy/Leverhulme research project 2021–2024 based on the Sea of Faith and Don Cupitt archives. www.doncupitt.com.

Don Cupitt is a legendary figure in the field of radical theology. Courageous in the stand he took in the face of established doctrine and entrenched orthodoxy, he showed the rest of us how to explore the genuine depth of religious experience by relieving it of its mystification and authoritarianism. A worthy tribute to an intrepid intellectual explorer.

John D. Caputo, Thomas J. Watson Professor Emeritus of Religion, Syracuse University, and David R. Cook Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, Villanova University. Author of What to Believe? Twelve Brief Lessons in Radical Theology (2023). https://johndcaputo.com

This volume is a fitting tribute to Don Cupitt, whose extensive oeuvre has been both an inspiration and a provocation for many. The editors and contributors have struck precisely the right balance between illuminating reminiscences of his life and perceptive reflection on his ideas. The volume will appeal to both specialists and general readers with an interest in any of the enormous range of topics — religious, theological, philosophical, ethical — with which Cupitt engaged.

Mikel Burley, Professor of Religion and Philosophy, University of Leeds. Author of A Radical Pluralist Philosophy of Religion: Cross-Cultural, Multireligious, Interdisciplinary (2020).

A profound exploration, from a number of different voices and perspectives, of the ethical and spiritual dimensions of Don Cupitt’s radical understanding of the point and purpose of religion. This important book extends the relevance of Cupitt’s work to today’s ‘post-secular’ landscape, including its implications for issues such as better interfaith dialogue, resonance with Buddhism and Chinese traditions, and hope for humanity facing climate catastrophe.

Denise Cush, Professor Emerita in Religion and Education at Bath Spa University. She has published on Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, and Pagan traditions, as well as pluralist religious education, including as co-editor of bigideasforre.org.

The intellectual and spiritual banquet these essays set before us is a fitting tribute to the penetrating intellect, generosity of spirit, and courageous honesty of one of the giants of our time in the philosophy of religion.

Robert J. Miller, Rosenberger Professor of Religious Studies, Juniata College, Pennsylvania. Author of The Jesus Seminar and Its Critics (1999) and Born Divine (2003), and editor of The Complete Gospels (4th edn, 2010).

This important collection traces Don Cupitt’s spirituality from his early austere asceticism to his later joyful mysticism of life. For those new to Cupitt, this book will serve as an excellent introduction. For those familiar with Cupitt’s ideas, there is plenty here to fascinate and delight.

Dr Hugh Rayment-Pickard, writer, and author of Impossible God: Derrida’s Theology (2003).

Overend and Mitchell’s collection of essays does much to deepen our understanding of Cupitt’s philosophy. The essays, collectively, highlight the extraordinary breadth of Cupitt’s work and the complexities of its reception. The development of Cupitt’s non-realist approach to Christianity into a philosophy of life and solar ethics, with all their ramifications for how we live our lives, situate ourselves politically, and relate to other religious and philosophical beliefs, is debated in depth. Whether you (initially or ultimately) agree or disagree with Cupitt, he is one of those contemporary thinkers who is always worth engaging and arguing with. This book greatly enhances that engagement and the resultant conversation.

Andrew Edgar, Emeritus Reader, School of English, Communication and Philosophy, Cardiff University. Dr Edgar is author of Somaesthetics and Sport (2022) and co-editor of Cultural Theory: The Key Concept (2008) and Cultural Theory: The Key Thinkers (2001).

Don Cupitt is one of the most important theologians of the twentieth century. This book deepens our understanding of an original, radical, and creative thinker.

Graeme Smith, freelance writer and researcher. Professor Smith is co-editor of Future Faith: Public and Practical Theologies for the Contemporary World (2024).

A timely celebration of Don Cupitt’s philosophy of religion that reveals its creative possibilities for the faith of today.

Beverley Clack, Professor Emerita in the Philosophy of Religion, Oxford Brookes University, and Visiting Fellow, Harris Manchester College. Author of How to Be a Failure and Still Live Well (2020) and co-author of The Philosophy of Religion (3rd edn, 2019).

At once an illuminating study, a fine and fitting tribute, and a challenge to complacent theology.

Scott Cowdell, Research Professor of Theology, Charles Sturt University, Canberra; author of Atheist Priest? Don Cupitt and Christianity (1988).

Don Cupitt was one of the great religious thinkers of the modern period. This volume — with contributions from a wide range of scholars — illuminatingly explores numerous dimensions of his writing.

Dan Cohn-Sherbok, Reform rabbi and Emeritus Professor of Judaism at the University of Wales. He is the author of numerous books dealing with interfaith dialogue.

Too often, the extraordinary breadth of Cupitt’s work is simplified such that it loses its depth, but this collection restores something of the full range and richness of his thought. A vivid, essential portrait of one of the most original and influential religious philosophers of the twentieth century, which illustrates the depth, daring, and humanity of Don Cupitt’s legacy.

Simon Cross, writer, activist, United Reformed Church minister, and Chair of the Progressive Christianity Network, Britain. Dr Cross is the content creator of https://simonjcross.substack.com.

Don Cupitt’s intellectual courage in recognizing religion as a profoundly human creation has been an invaluable contribution to modern humanist thought, even for those whose humanism is not Christian-flavoured. This engaging collection beautifully captures his legacy. The body of work Don left behind repays all the attention this book gives to it, and more. And the deep engagement of the contributors with his work is a great tribute to his well-lived life.

Andrew Copson, Chief Executive, Humanists UK. He writes on the values and philosophy of Humanism, and political secularism, and is most recently editor of What I Believe: Humanist Ideas and Philosophies to Live By (2024).

A comprehensive guide to the work of one of the most heroic and generous-minded thinkers of our era.

Richard Holloway, bishop, spiritual writer, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church from 1992 to 2000. Author of On Reflection: Looking for Life’s Meaning (2024) and Last Words (2025).

Don Cupitt’s BBC series The Sea of Faith was a key, life-changing, and liberating moment in the development of my thinking and life of faith. It helped me understand that my faith could be a lifelong unfolding free-religious journey of discovery about the world and my and others’ place in it. I continued to follow the development of Cupitt’s freethinking with great interest through an astonishing number of books. A Philosophy of Life is a very helpful and insightful summary of the development of his thinking and for this reason alone, I recommend it. I also recommend it to any reader who has only recently become intrigued by Don’s work, for this volume shows new readers that there are many possible starting points for exploring Don’s considerable legacy.

Andrew James Brown, Unitarian and Free Christian minister, and co-editor of Imaoka Shin’ichirō: Selected Writings on Free Religion and Other Subjects (2025). Content creator at https://andrewjbrown.blogspot.com.

One does not have to agree with Don Cupitt’s views to appreciate his intellectual integrity and honesty, as this book amply illustrates. His writings, however, compel all thinking Christians to look with rigour at what they truly believe about God and the Christian faith in general, without resorting to clichés and platitudes.

Barry Morgan, bishop from 1992, Archbishop of Wales (2003–17). He was elected a Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales in 2013, and appointed Knight to the Order of St John (KStJ) in 2017.

Just as Stephen Batchelor has developed a secular Buddhist approach relevant to our contemporary society, this thought-provoking collection of essays, to which he contributes, reveals how Don Cupitt creatively and bravely transformed Christianity from a system of orthodox beliefs into a life-affirming, ethical philosophy. As a secular Buddhist, I am heartened by Cupitt’s effort to reconstruct the Christian tradition to meet the challenges that we face in our saeculum.

Mike Slott, editor of the Secular Buddhist Network website and its newsletter, Insights. Author of Mindful Solidarity: A Secular Buddhist Democratic Socialist Dialogue (2024).

Nobody stimulated my theological thinking as a sixth-form student more than Don Cupitt. His questions pressed hard against his propositions, as he taught me the art of self-scrutiny in the spiritual life, as well as the role imagination must play in joining the dots of life. This is a fitting tribute to his questioning joy and insatiable mind.

Mark Oakley, Dean of Southwark. Dr Oakley is author of The Splash of Words: Believing in Poetry (2016) and My Sour-Sweet Days: George Herbert and the Journey of the Soul (2019).

In an age of dangerous certitudes, Don Cupitt questioned everything, yet remained a profoundly religious person.

Peter Heehs, religious writer on the history of modern India. Author of Writing the Self: Diaries, Memoirs, and the History of the Self (2013) and Spirituality without God (2018). https://peterheehs.com