Phenomenology’s Rejects: Religion after Derrida’s Denegations (original) (raw)
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The philosophy of Jacques Derrida is one of the milestones of twentieth century thought and is still of great influence in many disciplines today. This book offers a survey of many aspects of Derrida's work, mainly focusing on the significance of his thoughts for the domains of ethics, politics and religion. The main thesis of this study is that the key to a fruitful evaluation of the strong and weak points of his work can be found in its ambiguous relation to the metaphysical tradition. Usually Derrida's ideas, and deconstruction as it is practiced and manifested by many others, are seen as a critique of metaphysics. This is true, but it is also just one side of the matter. In many cases, especially in by far the most of Derrida's texts, deconstructions are as well a continuation and even an affirmation of the metaphysical tradition. Despite his continuous critique of metaphysical ways of thought, and despite the deconstructions of metaphysical constructions, Derrida's own style of thinking and writing is still driven by a metaphysical desire that includes a "hubris of metaphysics". Through this perspective, this study provides a profound evaluation of the significance of Derrida's philosophy for ethics, politics and religion.
Religion as Response: Derrida's Responsibility to the Question of the Question
2016
fullest treatment of religion comes . In it he states, Of the origins and borders of the question as of the response. In this thesis I explore to and fro of question and response as a means for thinking through what is taking place in the event of religion. nd the way it engages with four thinkers who influence his exploration of religion as response: Heidegger, Kant, Levinas and Kierkegaard. The thesis reveals that, rather than approaching religion as a site to be excavated and examined as if we might get to its interests lie in the event of religion that would exceed thematisation. As such, he attempts a way to speak of religion without ever saying what religion is, for when it comes to religion everything tends to drop out of sight as soon as knowledge is framed in terms of mastery. For Derrida, knowledge is not opposed to faith, but rather something that is infused with faith as it participates in the fiduciary opening that performativity affords. This faith-filled reasoning ope...
This paper explores the philosophical ideas of Jacques Derrida and their application to theological hermeneutics, offering a deconstructive lens through which sacred texts and doctrines can be reimagined. It begins by outlining Derrida's intellectual biography and the core principles of deconstruction, such as différance and the critique of logocentrism, and demonstrates how these ideas challenge traditional approaches to interpretation. The discussion then examines how deconstruction enriches theological hermeneutics by embracing textual ambiguity, uncovering marginalized voices, and fostering interfaith and ethical dialogue. Despite critiques of Derrida's methods as promoting relativism or undermining theological certainty, this paper argues that deconstruction does not dismantle theology but deepens it, encouraging a dynamic, inclusive, and reflective engagement with faith. By applying Derrida's thought to doctrines, rituals, and contemporary movements like liberation theology, the paper highlights the transformative potential of deconstruction for modern theological scholarship. Through a multidisciplinary and multilingual approach, it seeks to provoke critical reflection and open new pathways for understanding the interplay between language, faith, and the sacred.
Impossible God: Derrida's Theology (review)
2006
content and Russian religious thought. This is a particularly strange omission coming from someone who is a specialist precisely in Russian religious thought. A second puzzle is that Kornblatt queries why Jews would convert specifically to Russian Orthodoxy, with its antisemitism, rather than another form of Christianity—as if antisemitism were not something that historically existed to an equal, if not greater, degree in Protestantism and Catholicism (though perhaps antisemitism is stronger in Russian Orthodoxy than in other Christian confessions today). Finally, students of comparative religion might wish for a deeper engagement with the theoretical literature on conversions. Despite any shortcomings, however, the book provides provocative insights into the nature of religious versus ethnic identity and the fluidity of multiple identities in a postmodern world, as well as deepening our understanding of Soviet Jewry. The book will be of interest to a broad range of students and sch...
Metaphysical Desire. Jacques Derrida beyond Religion and Radical Atheism
Journal for Continental Philosophy of Religion, 2024
This article revisits the debate on the ‘religious and ethical readings’ of Derrida that was instigated by Martin Hägglund’s Radical Atheism. The impasse in this debate can be overcome in a new reading of Derrida’s work that combines the strong elements of the opposing interpretations. At the same time, this new and critical reading exposes an implicit metaphysical desire, a desire without desire, in Derrida’s work, the presuppositions and consequences of which are not well understood in all the other interpretations. This desire turns out to be an excessive desire, which should be balanced with a more contextual approach.