Publisher Description

In the wake of Heidegger's announcement of the end of onto-theology and inspired by both Levinas and Derrida, many contemporary continental philosophers of religion search for a post-metaphysical God, a God who is often characterized as tout autre, wholly other. Christ in Postmodern Philosophy investigates the Christological ideas of three contemporary thinkers, Gianni Vattimo, Rene Girard and Slavoj iek. In doing so, Frederiek Depoortere focuses on the relation between transcendence and the event of the Incarnation on the one hand, and the uniqueness of Christianity on the other.

Author Biography

Dr Frederiek Depoortere is a Postdoctoral Fellow of the Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO) at the Faculty of Theology, K.U.Leuven (Belgium) and a member of the research group 'Theology in a Postmodern Context'.

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Question of Christology after the Death of God1. Gianni Vattimo1.1. The Background of Vattimo's Christology: How the Return of Religion Became Possible (Nietzsche, Heidegger)1.2. Vattimo's Christology: Kenosis and Caritas2. Slavoj iek2.1. The Background of iek's Christology: Reading Hegel's Christology with Lacan2.2. iek's Christology2.2.1. The Deadlock of the Sacrificial Interpretation of Christ's Death on the Cross2.2.2. From God as 'Wholly Other Thing' to God as 'Barely Nothing'2.2.3. The Coming of Christ, the Death of the Divine Thing2.2.4. The Crucified Christ, the Ultimate objet petit a3. René Girard3.1. The Background of Girard's Christology: Mimesis and the Scapegoating Mechanism3.2. Girard's Christology3.2.1. Girard's Account of the Christ Event3.2.2. Girard vs. Nietzsche: Dionysus and the Crucified One - on the impact of the Christ Event in World History4. Evaluations & Confrontations4.1. Vattimo's Christology, a Return of 'God Is Dead'-Theology4.2. Girard vs. Vattimo4.3. The Shared Inspiration of iek and Girard4.4. The Fate of Transcendence in the Work of iek4.5. Girard vs. iek4.6. General Conclusion: On the Transcendence of Love and the Uniqueness of Christianity

Review

Some of Europe's top philosophers of religion put forward great new ideas based on the works of Levinas, Derrida, Lacan, Kant and others, to explore divergent philosophical concepts around Christology, incarnation and the uniqueness of Christ, and therefore Christianity, in a very different way. * Publishing News, 2008 *
Mention -Chronicle of Higher Education, March 13, 2009
The book lucidly fulfils its dual aims, articulating the prospects for an understanding of the Incarnation that does not divest or empty the doctrine of the Trinity whilst using the postmodern philosophers as grist on the question of the particularly Christian faith. In addition to the well-referenced, cogently-structured main project, Depoortere has furnished us with a set of beginning guides on some of the religious coordinates of three important, thought contested, social theorists. * Theological Book Review, Vol. 21, No.2 *
Christ in Postmodern Philosophy not only serves as an excellent primer for those who might be relatively new to the conversation about Christ in contemporary continental though, but also offers a set of insights and intuitions which will prove fruitful for further reflection upon Christ's uniqueness. * The Thomist *
Both titles are examples of academically yet clear and readable studies. * Bijdragen, International Journal in Philosophy and Theology 71 (1) *
Depoortere... is to be congratulated on a concise and clear introduction to the thought of three important contemporary thinkers, Vattimo, Girard and Zizek. * Journal of Reformed Theology 4 *

Promotional

An investigation into the Christological ideas of three contemporary thinkers: Slavoj iek, Gianni Vattimo and René Girard.

Long Description

In the wake of Heidegger's announcement of the end of onto-theology and inspired by both Levinas and Derrida, many contemporary continental philosophers of religion search for a post-metaphysical God, a God who is often characterized as tout autre , wholly other. Christ in Postmodern Philosophy investigates the Christological ideas of three contemporary thinkers, Gianni Vattimo, Rene Girard and Slavoj iek. In doing so, Frederiek Depoortere focuses on the relation between transcendence and the event of the Incarnation on the one hand, and the uniqueness of Christianity on the other.

Review Quote

"The book lucidly fulfils its dual aims, articulating the prospects for an understanding of the Incarnation that does not divest or empty the doctrine of the Trinity whilst using the postmodern philosophers as grist on the question of the particularly Christian faith. In addition to the well-referenced, cogently-structured main project, Depoortere has furnished us with a set of beginning guides on some of the religious coordinates of three important, thought contested, social theorists." Theological Book Review, Vol. 21, No.2

Promotional "Headline"

An investigation into the Christological ideas of three contemporary thinkers- Slavoj i ek, Gianni Vattimo and Rene Girard.

Details