02PR1850 v-vi 30/9/99 10:23 Page v Studies in Literature and Religion General Editor: David Jasper, Director, Centre for the Study of Literature and Theology, University of Glasgow This is a series of interdisciplinary titles, both monographs and essays, concerned with matters of literature, art and textuality within religious traditions founded upon texts and textual study. In a variety of ways they are concerned with the fundamental issues of the imagination, literary perceptions and theory, and an understanding of poetics for theology and religious studies. Titles include: David Scott Arnold LIMINAL READINGS Forms of Otherness in Melville, Joyce and Murdoch John D. Barbour THE CONSCIENCE OF THE AUTOBIOGRAPHER Ethical and Religious Dimensions of Autobiography Tibor Fabiny THE LION AND THE LAMB Figuralism and Fulfilment in the Bible, Art and Literature Max Harris THEATRE AND INCARNATION David Jasper (editor) POSTMODERNISM, LITERATURE AND THE FUTURE OF THEOLOGY READINGS IN THE CANON OF SCRIPTURE Written for Our Learning TRANSLATING RELIGIOUS TEXTS Ann Loades and Michael McLain (editors) HERMENEUTICS, THE BIBLE AND LITERARY CRITICISM Irena S. M. Makarushka RELIGIOUS IMAGINATION AND LANGUAGE IN EMERSON AND NIETZSCHE Linda Munk THE TRIVIAL SUBLIME George Pattison KIERKEGAARD: THE AESTHETIC AND THE RELIGIOUS - 2011-04-20 - PalgraveConnect Tromso i - licensed to Universitetsbiblioteket www.palgraveconnect.com material from Copyright 10.1057/9780230599055 - Theology and Contemporary Critical Theory, Graham Ward 02PR1850 v-vi 30/9/99 10:23 Page v Kiyoshi Tsuchiya DISSENT AND MARGINALITY Essays on the Borders of Literature and Religion Graham Ward THEOLOGY AND CONTEMPORARY CRITICAL THEORY Studies in Literature and Religion - 2011-04-20 - PalgraveConnect Tromso i - licensed to Universitetsbiblioteket www.palgraveconnect.com material from Copyright Series Standing Order ISBN 0–333–71497–0 (outside North America only) You can receive future titles in this series as they are published by placing a standing order. 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Customer Services Department, Macmillan Distribution Ltd, Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS, England 10.1057/9780230599055 - Theology and Contemporary Critical Theory, Graham Ward 02PR1850 v-vi 30/9/99 10:23 Page v Theology and Contemporary Critical Theory Graham Ward Second Edition Copyright material from www.palgraveconnect.com - licensed to Universitetsbiblioteket i Tromso - PalgraveConnect - 2011-04-20 - PalgraveConnect Tromso i - licensed to Universitetsbiblioteket www.palgraveconnect.com material from Copyright 10.1057/9780230599055 - Theology and Contemporary Critical Theory, Graham Ward 02PR1850 v-vi 30/9/99 10:23 Page v Published in Great Britain by MACMILLAN PRESS LTD Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS and London Companies and representatives throughout the world A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN 0–333–79031–6 hardcover ISBN 0–333–79032–4 paperback Published in the United States of America by ST. MARTIN’S PRESS, INC., Scholarly and Reference Division, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010 ISBN 0–312–22766–3 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Ward, Graham. Theology and contemporary critical theory / Graham Ward. — 2nd ed. p. cm. — (Studies in literature and religion) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0–312–22766–3 (pbk.) 1. Theology, Doctrinal—History—20th century. 2. Critical theory. 3. Philosophy and religion. I. Title. II. Series. BT85.W37 1999 230'.01—dc21 99–33805 CIP © Graham Ward 1996, 2000 First edition 1996 Second edition 2000 All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without written permission. No paragraph of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted save with written permission or in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, 90 Tottenham Court Road, London W1P 0LP. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. The author has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. This book is printed on paper suitable for recycling and made from fully managed and sustained forest sources. Copyright material from www.palgraveconnect.com - licensed to Universitetsbiblioteket i Tromso - PalgraveConnect - 2011-04-20 - PalgraveConnect Tromso i - licensed to Universitetsbiblioteket www.palgraveconnect.com material from Copyright 10987654321 09 08 07 06 05 04 03 02 01 00 Printed and bound in Great Britain by Antony Rowe Ltd, Chippenham, Wiltshire 10.1057/9780230599055 - Theology and Contemporary Critical Theory, Graham Ward 02PR1850 v-vi 30/9/99 10:23 Page v Contents Preface to the Second Edition vii Introduction ix 1 Theology and Representation 1 Introduction 1 Jacques Derrida 10 Luce Irigaray 18 Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak 26 Judith Butler 29 Theological implications 34 2 Theology and History 38 Introduction 38 Paul Ricoeur 46 Hayden White 51 Ricoeur and narrative 53 Michel Foucault 57 New historicism 66 Theological implications 77 3 Theology and Ethics 81 Introduction 81 Julia Kristeva 88 Emmanuel Levinas 96 Jean-Luc Nancy 105 Theological implications 114 4 Theology and Aesthetics: Religious Experience and the Textual Sublime 120 Introduction 120 Copyright material from www.palgraveconnect.com - licensed to Universitetsbiblioteket i Tromso - PalgraveConnect - 2011-04-20 - PalgraveConnect Tromso i - licensed to Universitetsbiblioteket www.palgraveconnect.com material from Copyright Stanley Fish 127 Jean-François Lyotard 133 Hélène Cixous 141 Michel de Certeau 146 Theological implications 156 v 10.1057/9780230599055 - Theology and Contemporary Critical Theory, Graham Ward 02PR1850 v-vi 30/9/99 10:23 Page vi vi Contents Conclusion: Theology and the Re-enchantment of the World 160 Slavoj Zˇizˇek: a coda 162 Theological implications 169 Notes and References 172 Index 195 Copyright material from www.palgraveconnect.com - licensed to Universitetsbiblioteket i Tromso - PalgraveConnect - 2011-04-20 - PalgraveConnect Tromso i - licensed to Universitetsbiblioteket www.palgraveconnect.com material from Copyright 10.1057/9780230599055 - Theology and Contemporary Critical Theory, Graham Ward 03PR1850 vii-xx 30/9/99 10:24 Page vii Preface to the Second Edition In the three years since the first publication of this book theological conversation has undergone something of a sea-change. Certain geographies are emerging as the Christian evangelical position is becoming distinct from the older Liberal tradition and a younger critical liberalism is staking out territory with respect to Catholic orthodoxy and Radical orthodoxy. In this regrouping the impact of critical theory has been pronounced – particularly among those critic- al liberals and radically orthodox theologians. More divinity schools and departments of religion and theology are developing courses in postmodern theology to reflect an increasing interest among under- graduates and postgraduates in the way critical theory is shaping the way we examine and reflect upon cultures in a digital age. Interdisciplinary work is now being encouraged in these schools and departments. In part, this is an expression of the new engagement of theological discourse with the discourses of other disciplines. In part, this is an expression of the changing economic situation in univer- sities – the external funding of faculty-based projects, the internal encouragement for departments to work closely with each other. These changes, and the way this book has been adopted by several teachers of Christian studies to assist in introducing students of the- ology to critical theory and its implications for interdisciplinary study, have made this second edition in paperback timely. Furthermore, within critical theory itself there have been new emphases. In particu- lar, there has been an increasing interest in postcolonial and gender studies, and new demands upon poststructural thinkers to engage with the political implications of their thinking. To reflect these new emphases – and the theorists responsible for initiating them – I have added new sections. To the chapter on ‘Theology and Representation’ I have added an account of the work done by Judith Butler, who is at the forefront of the development in gender studies known as queer theory. To the chapter ‘Theology and History’ I have added an account - 2011-04-20 - PalgraveConnect Tromso i - licensed to Universitetsbiblioteket www.palgraveconnect.com material from Copyright of the work done by the New Historicists on the movement of social energies, particularly by Stephen Greenblatt. To the chapter ‘Theology and Ethics’ I have added an account of the work done by Jean-Luc Nancy, who has taken poststructural modes of thinking into discus- sions of political concern – freedom and community. To the chapter vii 10.1057/9780230599055 - Theology and Contemporary Critical Theory, Graham Ward 03PR1850 vii-xx 30/9/99 10:24 Page viii viii Preface to the Second Edition on ‘Theology and Aesthetics’ I have added an account of the work of Michel de Certeau, who has explicitly examined notions of the sublime with respect to mysticism