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Slavoj Zizek, Radical Theology, and the Materialist Defense of Christianity University of Calgary PRISM: University of Calgary's Digital Repository Graduate Studies The Vault: Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2016 Slavoj Zizek, Radical Theology, and the Materialist Defense of Christianity Fishley, Daniel Fishley, D. (2016). Slavoj Zizek, Radical Theology, and the Materialist Defense of Christianity (Unpublished master's thesis). University of Calgary, Calgary, AB. doi:10.11575/PRISM/27800 http://hdl.handle.net/11023/3226 master thesis University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission. Downloaded from PRISM: https://prism.ucalgary.ca UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY Slavoj Žižek, Radical Theology, and the Materialist Defense of Christianity by Daniel Theodore Fishley A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS GRADUATE PROGRAM IN RELIGIOUS STUDIES CALGARY, ALBERTA AUGUST, 2016 © Daniel Theodore Fishley 2016 Žižek, Radical Theology, and the Materialist Defense of Christianity Abstract: This thesis explores the theological assertions of the philosopher Slavoj Žižek. Žižek, an atheist and a materialist, has produced a rather substantial body of work concerning Christianity in general and Christian theology specifically. My aim here is several. First, to provide an intellectual portrait of the dominant themes and ideas that emerge from Žižek’s earliest writings to his most recent. Second, to show how certain tensions which emerged in these earlier writings provided the impetus for his later interest to Christian theology. As well, I will argue that Žižek’s specific form of Christian theology echoes the themes and tensions announced by Radical theology, I shall show this via a study of the dominant themes that are prevalent in Thomas Altizer’s Death of God Theology. Finally, in my analysis of Žižek’s various theological claims I set out to describe the actual form of Christianity which surfaces from Žižek’s encounter with Christianity, by asking: what is the image of Christ that emerges from Žižek’s analysis? Why did Christ incarnate in flesh and have to die according to Žižek’s theology? And what does it mean to be a Christian, transformed by Christ, resulting from the interaction between Žižek and Christian theology? What is decisive: to transcend without transcendence. -Ernst Bloch And so I ask God to rid me of God. -Meister Eckhart 2 Žižek, Radical Theology, and the Materialist Defense of Christianity Table of Contents 1.0.0 Introduction: A New Theology ................................................................................. 5 1.1.0 Žižek: Religion and Theology ........................................................................................... 6 1.2.0 Radical Theology: Altizer and Žižek ...............................................................................11 1.3.0 Thesis Structure and Intent ............................................................................................14 2.0.0 Žižek: Philosophical Foundations ........................................................................... 18 2.1.0 Žižek: Three Underlying Tensions ..................................................................................19 2.2.0 Žižek’s Lacan: Key Ideas and Concepts ..........................................................................25 2.2.1 Lacan: The Subject .......................................................................................................27 2.2.2 Lacan: The Big Other ....................................................................................................30 2.2.3 Lacan: The Death Drive ................................................................................................35 2.2.4 Lacan: Che Vuoi and Desire ..........................................................................................38 2.2.5 Lacan: The Last Temptation of Christ .............................................................................40 2.2.6 Lacan: Conclusion ........................................................................................................43 2.3.0 Hegel: Absolute Spirit and the Dialectic ..........................................................................44 2.3.1 Hegel: Absolute spirit ...................................................................................................44 2.3.2 Hegel: The Subject .......................................................................................................48 2.3.3 Hegel: The Negative and Loss ........................................................................................52 2.3.4 Hegel and Lacan: Absolute Spirit and the Big Other .........................................................57 2.4.0 The Event: The Truth of Being .......................................................................................61 2.4.1 Žižek: The Event’s Formation ........................................................................................67 2.4.2 The Event, Truth, and Subjectivity..................................................................................71 2.5.0 Surprised by Monstrosity: Žižek’s Christian Turn ..........................................................75 3.0.0 Altizer, the Death of God, and Radical Theology ..................................................... 80 3.1.0 Altizer: Radical Theology and the Death of God ..............................................................83 3.2.0 Altizer: Hegel, Kenosis, and Christ .................................................................................92 3.3.0 Altizer and Eliade ......................................................................................................... 100 3.4.0 Altizer: The Event ........................................................................................................ 105 3.4.1 Altizer: Three types of the event ................................................................................... 110 3.4.2 Altizer and Žižek: The Event Considered and Compared ................................................. 118 3.5.0 Altizer: Conclusion ....................................................................................................... 129 4.0.0 Žižek: Cur Deus Homo? ....................................................................................... 132 4.1.0 Žižek: Theological Outline ............................................................................................ 133 4.2.0 Žižek: God the Father .................................................................................................. 137 4.2.1 Žižek: God’s Personhood ............................................................................................ 143 4.2.2 Žižek and Schelling .................................................................................................... 150 4.2.3 Žižek: God’s Nature Considered................................................................................... 155 4.3.0 Žižek: God the Son ....................................................................................................... 158 4.3.1 Christ’s Mediation ...................................................................................................... 159 4.3.2 Christ’s Monstrosity ................................................................................................... 165 4.3.3 Christ: The Good News of Finitude .............................................................................. 177 4.4.0 Žižek: Materialist Theology and the Holy Spirit ............................................................ 181 3 Žižek, Radical Theology, and the Materialist Defense of Christianity 4.4.1 Žižek: The Holy Spirit ................................................................................................ 183 4.4.2 The Holy Spirit: Žižek and Hegel Compared .................................................................. 186 4.4.3 The Holy Spirit and the Material World ........................................................................ 190 5.0.0 A Materialist Theology? Altizer, Žižek, and Radical Theology .............................. 195 5.1.0 Altizer’s Theology Considered ...................................................................................... 195 5.2.0 Žižek’s Theology Considered ........................................................................................ 201 5.2.1 Žižek and Lacan ......................................................................................................... 202 5.2.2 Žižek and Hegel ......................................................................................................... 205 5.2.3 Žižek and the Event .................................................................................................... 211 5.3.0 Žižek: Theological Implications .................................................................................... 216 5.3.1 Žižek: God’s Immanent Nature .................................................................................... 217 5.3.2 Žižek: Participating in Christ’s Death ............................................................................ 221 5.4.0 The Holy Spirit and Žižek’s Material Theology ............................................................. 226
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