Peter Rollins (born 31 March 1973) is a Northern Irish writer, public speaker, philosopher, producer and radical theologian. Drawing largely from various strands of continental philosophy, Rollins' early work operated broadly from within the tradition of apophatic theology, while his more recent books have signalled a move toward the theory and practice of Death of God theology. In these books Rollins develops a "religionless" interpretation of Christianity [similar to Bonhoeffer] called Pyrotheology, an interpretation that views faith as a particular way of engaging with the world rather than a set of beliefs about the world. Rollins has a Bachelor of Arts degree with honours in scholastic philosophy, a Master of Arts degree in political theory and social criticism, and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree dealing with post-structural theory from Queen's University, Belfast.
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| American Philosopher, Jack Caputo |
John David Caputo (born October 26, 1940) is an American philosopher who is the Thomas J. Watson Professor of Religion Emeritus at Syracuse University and the David R. Cook Professor of Philosophy Emeritus at Villanova University. Caputo is a major figure associated with postmodern Christianity and continental philosophy of religion, as well as the founder of the theological movement known as weak theology. Much of Caputo's work focuses on hermeneutics, phenomenology, deconstruction and theology.
In this second seminar from my six part Pyrotheology course, I look at the move from a position called the 'Lack of the Secret' to that of the 'Secret of the Lack'. This is a movement that turns doubt, ambiguity and unknowing from an expression of epistemological humility into positive ontological affirmations.
This is a small clip from an all-day seminar I gave on the theory and technology of Pyro-theology.
The Northern Irish philosopher Peter Rollins represents an idea of faith, that embraces doubt, unknowing and complexity. In the intersection of philosophy, theology and psychology he developed his Pyrotheology, which is more about how you believe, than what you believe.Peter Rollins was interviewed by the German theologian Peter Jost in April 2018 at Wake Festival. More information about Wake and Peter Rollins can be found on his website: https://peterrollins.com/
Joshua and Ryan discuss the fear of missing out (FOMO), the joy of missing out (JOMO), and how to be content in the midst of uncertainty with author, theologian, and philosopher Peter Rollins. Watch “Maximal” episodes of The Minimalists Private Podcast exclusively at http://patreon.com/theminimalistsQuestions answered in this episode:
- What is ‘the lack’? (03:21)
- What is the difference between freedom and determinism? (04:28)
- What are hypothetical and categorical imperatives? (05:57)
- Can too much freedom cause anxiety? (11:22)
- How do I find satisfaction with my current situation rather than constantly searching for something new? (13:10)
- What is the difference between desire and drive? (15:50)
- Why do most of us seem to crave change? (22:42)
- What is the burden of freedom? (23:50)
- What is the ‘lack of the secret’ compared to the 'secret of the lack’? (27:07)
- How can I curb my constant desire for new things? (31:38)
- Is our desire for the new related to our past? (33:16)
Summary of Argument: Pete argues for the Protestant idea of original sin. Jack for the Catholic idea of God's Image from which sin cannot come forth nor be removed. Here, in this post, I have presented the Imago Dei as God's residing image imprinted upon creation (re Caputo) but acknowledging that with freewill came the ontic separation or "lack" (re Rollins) which couldn't remove God's Image but had pushed it's possibility further away from creation unless rectified in Christ salvifically (which it has been in Jesus, positionally but not yet practically).
Thus, in Jesus' redemptive work can now begin the heavy lifting of reducing the Imago Dei gap/gulf away from an ontic lack of being towards the progressive possibilities and actualities of ontic fulfillment of fellowship in the Divine (being and becoming) evidenced by loving engagement with one another while bringing restorative value to creation (e.g., process theology) - re slater
Prepare yourself for some live theological goodness from the Subvert the Norm conference. In this episode you will hear Tripp and Jonnie talk with Catherine Keller about her newest book Cloud of the Impossible: Negative Theology and Planetary Entanglement among other subversively inspired topics. Then Jack Caputo arrives to settle a significant disagreement with Peter Rollins about the nature of humanity. It was simultaneously nerdy and hilarious, so do not listen until you are prepared to rub your chin while laughing.
Catherine Keller speaks to Process Theology then Pete Rollins and Jack Caputo get it on at 34:30
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| https://peterrollins.com/ |
Peter Rollins
Peter Rollins | |
|---|---|
 Rollins in 2015 | |
| Born | 31 March 1973 |
| Era | Contemporary philosophy |
| Region | Western philosophy |
| School | |
Main interests | Theology |
Notable ideas | Pyrotheology Transformance art Suspended space |
show Influences | |
show Influenced | |
Peter Rollins (born 31 March 1973) is a Northern Irish writer, public speaker, philosopher, producer and radical theologian.[1]
Drawing largely from various strands of continental philosophy, Rollins' early work operated broadly from within the tradition of apophatic theology, while his more recent books have signalled a move toward the theory and practice of death of God theology. In these books Rollins develops a "religionless" interpretation of Christianity called pyrotheology,[2] an interpretation that views faith as a particular way of engaging with the world rather than a set of beliefs about the world.[3]
In contrast to the dominant reading of Christianity, this more existential approach argues that faith has nothing to do with upholding a religious identity, affirming a particular set of beliefs or gaining wholeness through conversion. Instead he has developed an approach that sees Christianity as a critique of these very things. This anti-religious reading stands against the actual existing church and lays the groundwork for an understanding of faith as a type of life in which one is able to celebrate doubt, ambiguity and complexity while deepening care and concern for the world.[4] He argues that the event which gave rise to the Christian tradition cannot itself be reduced to a tradition, but is rather a way of challenging traditions.
In order to explore and promote these themes Rollins has founded a number of experimental communities such as ikon[5] and ikonNYC.[6] These groups describe themselves as iconic, apocalyptic, heretical, emerging and failing[7] and engage in the performance of what they call 'transformance art'[8] and the creation of "suspended space."[9] Because of their rejection of "worldview Christianity" and embrace of suspended space, these groups purposefully attempt to attract people with different political perspectives and opposing views concerning the existence of God and the nature of the world.[10]
Although Rollins does not directly identify with the emerging church movement,[11] he has been a significant influence on the movement's development.[12][13]
Early life and education
Rollins grew up in East Belfast during the Troubles,[14] a period of intense and violent sectarian conflict that erupted in Northern Ireland in the late 1960s and resulted in the deaths of more than 3,600 people[15] before the signing of the Good Friday Agreement on 10 April 1998,[16] which is generally regarded as the end of the conflict, though pockets of violence persist today. He attended Orangefield Boys High School and left at the age of sixteen without the qualifications required for further study. He was unemployed for several years before taking a job as a youth worker in Carrickfergus and working in a homeless shelter run by the Simon Community on the Falls Road, Belfast.He then went on to study an access course on the Castlereagh Campus of the Belfast Metropolitan College (an intensive one-year course designed for disadvantaged students who wish to attend university but lack the entry requirements).[17] Rollins has a Bachelor of Arts degree with honours in scholastic philosophy, a Master of Arts degree in political theory and social criticism, and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree dealing with post-structural theory from Queen's University, Belfast.[18]
Academics such as Cathy Higgins have explored how an understanding of Rollins activism requires an appreciation of The Troubles. The development of groups like the Belfast-based ikon collective was at least partially a response to the pervasive atmosphere of violence, economic hardship, rigid identity markers and deep rooted sectarianism in operation in the province. The sectarian violence combined with the use of religion to legitimize injustice, the fundamentalism of many Protestant churches and the sexual abuse scandals of the Catholic Church, played a major role in creating the frame of reference from which Rollins works.[19] The result being an emphasis on creating practices designed so that "participants [could] set aside the various identities that define them" and gather as a gathering of equals to "share stories, struggles, and rituals that help them respond to one another in a Christ-like way."[20] In contrast to a dogmatic form of religion she notes that ikon provided a space in which "doubt is viewed as healthy and necessary for owning our material reality, vulnerability and limitedness".[21]
Career
While operating broadly outside the academy Rollins does work with various academic institutions across the UK. He has been a research associate with the Irish School of Ecumenics (Trinity College, Dublin)[22] and is currently on faculty at the Global Center for Advanced Studies.[23]
Early writing
Rollins' unpublished PhD (His Colour is Our Blood: A Phenomenology of the Prodigal Father) offers a survey of religious thinking in the aftermath of Marx, Freud, and Nietzsche. It engages directly with Martin Heidegger's critique of onto-theology and explores the religious significance of Jacques Derrida's post-structural theory and Jean-Luc Marion's saturated phenomenology (drawing out the points of connection and conflict between them). This manuscript represents Rollins' initial attempt to articulate an approach to faith that would short-circuit the categories of theism and atheism and problematize the various debates that arise from them. In so doing this marks an approach to Christianity that is not related to a system of belief but rather to a particular mode of life.
His first book, How (Not) to Speak of God (2006) popularized the main themes of his PhD by blending the apophatic work of Meister Eckhart[24] and pseudo-Dionysius[25] with the Post-structural work of Derrida[26] and Marion.[27] How (Not) to Speak of God also outlined how the theory was developed and worked out in a concrete way through the ikon collective (the second half of the book outlined a series of 'transformance art' liturgical experiments).[28]
While his early work is marked by themes that continue to play a central role in his later development (such as doubt, complexity and ambiguity), they remain largely within a specifically theistic and mystical register.[29]
Shift to radical theology
The Fidelity of Betrayal (2008) signalled a movement from apophatic and post-structural discussions witnessed in his PhD and How (Not) to Speak of God into Radical Theology.[30] With this work we begin to see a critique of purely theistic forms of faith and witness the growing influence of political philosopher Slavoj Žižek and psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan in his overall project.[31] The Fidelity of Betrayal is thus a work that bridges the more mystical influence of his first writings toward a theological materialism, a trajectory that was subsequently fleshed out and deepened in Insurrection (2011) and The Idolatry of God (2013). In these later books the influence of Hegel, Žižek, Lacan, later Bonhoeffer and Tillich comes to the fore, though John Caputo remains as an ongoing point of reference.[32]
Story-telling
Rollins incorporates narrative forms into his talks to create a more informal style of communication. In 2009 Rollins published The Orthodox Heretic, a book of 33 short, parable-like stories. He has also written fairytales[33] and a play that became the basis of a short film he produced, called Making Love[34]
Current thinking
Rollins' overall project is marked by the themes of doubt, complexity, unknowing and embracing brokenness.[35] More than this, he has been interested in showing that these themes are central to the founding event of Christianity.[36] He is interested in showing how the central scandal of Christianity offers us a critique of religion[37] (including the need to believe) and tribal identity,[38] both of which have been lost in the actually existing church; an institution that he argues represents a fundamental betrayal of the insurrectionary power of faith.[39] His work is an attempt to show that Christianity does not rest on theistic belief, some commitment to supernaturalism or the affirmation of some set of dogmas.[40] Rollins has named his theological program pyrotheology.[41] The name was inspired by the Spanish anarchist Buenaventura Durruti's statement that "the only church that illuminates is a burning church."[42] The phrase has also inspired some of Slavoj Žižek's work related to radical theology.[43]
Rollins' work operates at the intersection of where Post-Structuralism, Psychoanalysis, Phenomenology, and Existentialism meet and inform each other.[44] What follow are some of the major themes evidenced in his project:
- Humans have a natural and destructive disposition toward the pursuit of satisfaction: By employing insights developed by psychoanalysis, Rollins argues that humans tend to seek some object that would seem to promise satisfaction.[45] This very pursuit is, however, itself destructive, for we either don't get what we seek above all else and thus always long for it, or we do get it and discover that it is actually unable to offer us what we sought.[46]
- Humans have a natural and destructive disposition to seek out certainty: Employing the insights of childhood development in the area of metapsychology Rollins argues that, as children, we identify with false images that help us to cover over our weakness and dependence on others.[47] Rollins claims that adults often remain caught within these false images.[48] Our various beliefs offer us a certain level or security and sense of belonging. But he argues that they ultimately damage us by distancing us from others, causing us to repress doubt and preventing us from being positively impacted by people who think and practice in ways that are different from our own.[49]
- Religion falsely promises to offer the certainty and satisfaction that we seek: While certainty and satisfaction are being offered to us from multiple sources, Rollins argues that the church offers the paradigmatic version of this pursuit. God is offered as that which will give us satisfaction and a certainty not available elsewhere.[50] He argues that anything we believe offers this type of happiness and confidence is actually nothing but an idol that offers, ironically, the opposite: dissatisfaction and uncertainty.[51]
- The Liberal and Progressive forms of Church are structurally similar to Conservative and Fundamentalist Church: While Conservative and Fundamentalist churches can be seen to fall into the problems Rollins outlines, his main concern lies with Liberal and Progressive communities. He argues that Liberal and Progressive churches verbally advocate doubt, complexity, ambiguity and brokenness, yet generally enact an idolatrous view of faith in their liturgical structures.[52][53]
- Faith is not a system that offers certainty and satisfaction but is a mode of living free from these drives.
Projects
Rollins's project involves attempting to encourage a constant rupturing of ideological forms of Christianity through the development of non-dogmatic collectives that embrace doubt, complexity and ambiguity, open themselves up to critique, and face up to the human experience of lack.[54][55][56] He has stated that these communities have a structural similarity to twelve step programs insofar as they involve facing up to one's issues and working them through in communities where grace and acceptance are fundamental principles.[57] Psychoanalytic ideas, particularly from the school of Lacan, play a fundamental role.[58][59] Rollins has developed a number of "contemplative practices" that are designed to help in this process.[60]
Public speaking
As a public speaker and storyteller Rollins has been involved in various tours (often in collaboration with musicians and artists).[61] These include How (Not) to Speak of God (2006), Beyond Belief (2008), Lessons in Evandalism (2008), Insurrection (2009), Building on Fire (2013), and Playing with Fire (2014). In addition to this Rollins curates an annual three-day festival event in Belfast exploring the theory and practice of pyrotheology.[62]
Bibliography
- How (Not) To Speak of God (Paraclete/SPCK, 2006). The book aimed to re-envisage faith in the postmodern world, focusing on provisionality, fragility and fragmentation. The book became influential among emergent evangelical Christians soon after its publication.[63]
- The Fidelity of Betrayal: Towards a Church beyond Belief (Paraclete/SPCK 2008)
- The Orthodox Heretic and Other Impossible Tales (Paraclete/SCM, April 2009)
- Insurrection: To Believe is Human; to Doubt, Divine (Howard/Hodder and Stoughton, October 2011)
- The Idolatry of God: Breaking Our Addiction to Certainty and Satisfaction (Howard/Hodder and Stoughton, January 2013)
- The Divine Magician: The Disappearance of Religion and the Discovery of Faith (Howard/Hodder and Stoughton, January 2015)
- Enduring Love: Tales of Tortuous Desire from the Lonely Forest (September 2018)
- Producer and co-writer of Making Love (Magician's Niece, released December 2018). Based on an original script by Peter Rollins called The Gallows[64]
- Producer of Extimacy: An Assent into Hell (Magician's Niece, June 2020)[65]
- Producer of Outopia: A Descent into Heaven (Magician's Niece, June 2020)[66]
- Producer of Allone (Magician's Niece, April 2020)[67]
- Producer of Jamaica (Magician's Niece, original release 2015, re-edit October 2020)[68]
- Co-writer and Producer of A Guide to Making Love (Magician's Niece, In production)
References
- ^ "Moody, Katharine, "The Church Emerging After the Birth of God"". syndicatetheology.com. Archived from the original on 29 April 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
- ^ Keefe-Perry, Callid Way to Water: A theopoetics Primer (Cascade Books, 2014), Loc 2232
- ^ Rollins, Peter The Idolatry of God (Howard, 2012), p121
- ^ Rollins, Peter The Divine Magician (Howard, 2015) p95-96
- ^ Caputo, John What Would Jesus Deconstruct? (Baker Academic, 2007), pp129-134
- ^ "Ikon NYC". Facebook. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
- ^ "Pyrotheology". Pyrotheology. 18 January 2013. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
- ^ Higgins, Cathy Churches in Exile (Columbia Press, 2013), Loc 3011
- ^ Rollins, Peter The Fidelity of Betrayal (Paraclete Press, 2008), pp173-176
- ^ Caputo, John What Would Jesus Deconstruct (Baker Academic, 2007), p130
- ^ Higgins, Cathy Churches in Exile (Columbia Press, 2013), Loc 2994
- ^ "Northern Ireland, America and the Emerging Church Movement: Exploring the Significance of Peter Rollins and the Ikon Collective By Katharine Sarah Moody" (PDF). Journal of the Irish Society for the Academic Study of Religions. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
- ^ "A Book Review of Gerardo Marti and Gladys Ganiel's The Deconstructed Church: Understanding Emerging Christianity By James Wellman". Patheos. 20 March 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
- ^ Keefe-Perry, Callid Way to Water: A theopoetics Primer (Cascade Books, 2014), Loc 2178
- ^ "The Troubles". BBC. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
- ^ "The Good Friday Agreement". British Library. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
- ^ How (Not) to Speak of God (Paraclete Press, 2006) Back cover
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 26 May 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
- ^ Higgins, Cathy Churches in Exile (Columbia Press, 2013), Loc 109-292
- ^ Higgins, Cathy Churches in Exile (Columbia Press, 2013), Loc 3010
- ^ Higgins, Cathy Churches in Exile (Columbia Press, 2013), Loc 3037
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 26 May 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
- ^ https://globalcenterforadvancedstudies.org/faculty/peter-rollins/
- ^ Rollins, Peter How (Not) to Speak of God (Paraclete Press, 2006), pp18-19
- ^ Rollins, Peter How (Not) to Speak of God (Paraclete Press, 2006), pp26-29
- ^ Rollins, Peter How (Not) to Speak of God (Paraclete Press, 2006), pp45-46
- ^ Rollins, Peter How (Not) to Speak of God (Paraclete Press, 2006), pp42-45
- ^ Rollins, Peter How (Not) to Speak of God (Paraclete Press, 2006), pp77-145
- ^ Rollins, Peter How (Not) to Speak of God (Paraclete Press, 2006), pp23-26
- ^ Rollins, Peter The Fidelity of Betrayal (Paraclete Press, 2008), pp129-142
- ^ Rollins, Peter The Fidelity of Betrayal (Paraclete Press, 2008), pp49-50
- ^ Moody, Katharine "Retrospective Speculative Philosophy: Looking for Traces of Zizek's Communist Collective in Emerging Christian Praxis" Political Theology April 2012, Vol. 13 Issue 2, p183
- ^ Rollins, Peter. "Enduring Love: Tales From the Lonely Forest", Retrieved on 10 July 2019.
- ^ Rollins, Peter. "IMDB", Retrieved on 10 July 2019.
- ^ Rollins, Peter The Idolatry of God (Howard, 2012), p5; see also Marti and Ganiel, The Deconstructed Church
- ^ Rollins, Peter Insurrection (Howard, 2011), pp19-39
- ^ Rollins, Peter Insurrection (Howard, 2011), ppxi-xv
- ^ Moody, Katharine "How to Eat Well in Church: Saying 'Yes' to the Other and Becoming Nothing in Derrida, Paul and Emerging Church Discourse" Presented at "Attending to the Other: Critical Theory and Spiritual Practice," International Society for Religion, Literature and Culture biennial conference, St. Catherine's College, University of Oxford, 23–26 September 2010
- ^ Rollins, Peter The Idolatry of God (Howard, 2012), pp22-23
- ^ Rollins, Peter Insurrection (Howard, 2011), pp164-171
- ^ Keefe-Perry, Callid Way to Water: A theopoetics Primer (Cascade Books, 2014), Loc 2192
- ^ Keefe-Perry, Callid Way to Water: A theopoetics Primer (Cascade Books, 2014), loc2192
- ^ "The only church that illuminates is a burning church – Opinion – ABC Religion & Ethics (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". Abc.net.au. 8 August 2011. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
- ^ Keefe-Perry, Callid Way to Water: A theopoetics Primer (Cascade Books, 2014), loc2178-2289
- ^ Rollins, Peter The Idolatry of God (Howard, 2012), pp9-16
- ^ Rollins, Peter The Idolatry of God (Howard, 2012), p22-24
- ^ Rollins, Peter The Idolatry of God (Howard, 2012), pp56-58
- ^ Rollins, Peter The Idolatry of God (Howard, 2012), p58
- ^ Rollins, Peter The Idolatry of God (Howard, 2012), pp66-68
- ^ Rollins, Peter The Idolatry of God (Howard, 2012), p72
- ^ Rollins, Peter The Idolatry of God (Howard, 2012), p24
- ^ "The Church is Fundamentalist on my Behalf". peterrollins.net. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
- ^ Rollins, Peter Insurrection (Howard, 2011), pp50-52
- ^ Keefe-Perry, Callid Way to Water: A theopoetics Primer (Cascade Books, 2014), loc2232
- ^ Rollins, Peter Idolatry of God (Howard, 2012), pp9-24
- ^ Schendzielos, Erin Ed It Spooks: Living in Response to an Unheard Call (Shelter50, 2015), pp75-76
- ^ "A Church of Non-Christians By Peter Rollins". Huffington Post. 19 March 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2015.
- ^ Rollins, Peter Idolatry of God (Howard, 2012), p207
- ^ DeLay, Tad God is Unconscious: Psychoanalysis and Theology (Wife and Stock, 2015), ppix-xi
- ^ Rollins, Peter Idolatry of God (Howard, 2012), pp162-202
- ^ For instance he has worked extensively with poet and singer/songwriter Pádraig Ó Tuama and the artist Jonny McEwen
- ^ https://idolatryofgod.eventbrite.com/
- ^ James S. Bielo (2011). Emerging Evangelicals: Faith, Modernity, And The Desire For Authenticity. NYU Press. pp. 56–7. ISBN 978-0-8147-8954-4.
- ^ Rollins, Peter. "IMDB", Retrieved on 10 July 2019.
- ^ Rollins, Peter. "IMDB", Retrieved on 10 July 2019.
- ^ Rollins, Peter. "IMDB", Retrieved on 10 July 2019.
- ^ Rollins, Peter. "IMDB", Retrieved on 10 July 2019.
- ^ Rollins, Peter. "IMDB", Retrieved on 10 July 2019.
Further reading[edit]
- What Would Jesus Deconstruct: The Good News of Postmodernism for the Church By John Caputo (Baker Academic, 2007)
- Toward A Hopeful Future: Why the Emergent Church Is Good News for Mainline Congregations By Phil Snider and Emily Bowen (Pilgrim Press, 2010)
- Curating Worship By Jonny Baker (Seabury Books, 2011)
- Preaching After God: Derrida, Caputo, and the Language of Postmodern Homiletics By Phil Snider (Cascade Books, 2012)
- Churches in Exile: Alternative Models of Church for Ireland in the 21st Century By Cathy Higgins (Columbia Press, 2013)
- The Deconstructed Church: Understanding Emerging Christianity By Gerardo Marti and Gladys Ganiel (Oxford University Press, 2014)
- Way to Water: A Theopoetics Primer By L. Callid Keefe-Perry (Cascade Books, 2014)
- Post-Secular Theology and the Church: A New Kind of Christian is A New Kind of Atheist By Katharine Sarah Moody (Cascade, Wipf and Stock, 2015)
- Radical Theology and Emerging Christianity: Deconstruction, Materialism and Religious Practice By Katharine Sarah Moody (Ashgate, 2015)
External links
John D. Caputo
John D. Caputo | |
|---|---|
| Born | John David Caputo October 26, 1940 (age 81) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US |
| Alma mater | |
| Era | 20th-century philosophy |
| Region | Western philosophy |
| School | |
| Institutions | |
| Doctoral students | James K. A. Smith |
| Other notable students | Theodore George |
Main interests | |
Notable ideas | |
show Influences | |
show Influenced | |
John David Caputo (born October 26, 1940) is an American philosopher who is the Thomas J. Watson Professor of Religion Emeritus at Syracuse University and the David R. Cook Professor of Philosophy Emeritus at Villanova University.[1] Caputo is a major figure associated with postmodern Christianity[2] and continental philosophy of religion, as well as the founder of the theological movement known as weak theology.[3] Much of Caputo's work focuses on hermeneutics, phenomenology, deconstruction and theology.
Education
Caputo received his BA in 1962 from La Salle University, his MA in 1964 from Villanova University, and his PhD in philosophy in 1968 from Bryn Mawr College.
Work
Caputo is a specialist in contemporary continental philosophy, with a particular expertise in phenomenology, hermeneutics, and deconstruction. Over the years, he has developed a deconstructive hermeneutics that he calls radical hermeneutics, which is highly influenced by the thought of the French philosopher, Jacques Derrida. Additionally, Caputo has developed a distinctive approach to religion that he calls weak theology. Recently, his most important work has been to rebut the charges of relativism made against deconstruction by showing that deconstruction is organized around the affirmation of certain unconditional ethical and political claims.
Caputo has a special interest in continental approaches to the philosophy of religion. Some of the ideas Caputo investigates in his work include the "religion without religion" of Jacques Derrida; the "theological turn" taken in recent French phenomenology by Jean-Luc Marion and others; the critique of ontotheology; the dialogue of contemporary philosophy with Augustine of Hippo and Paul of Tarsus; and medieval metaphysics and mysticism. In the past, Caputo has taught courses on Søren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche, Edmund Husserl, Martin Heidegger, Emmanuel Levinas, Gilles Deleuze, and Jacques Derrida.
Positions held
Caputo taught philosophy at Villanova University from 1968 to 2004. He was appointed the David R. Cook Professor of Philosophy at Villanova University in 1993. Caputo was the Thomas J. Watson Professor of Religion at Syracuse University, where he taught in both the departments of philosophy and religion from 2004 until his retirement in 2011. He is emeritus professor at both Villanova University and Syracuse University and continues to write and lecture in both the United States and Europe. He is active in the American Philosophical Association, the American Academy of Religion, the Society for Phenomenology and Existential Philosophy and he chairs the board of editors for the Journal for Cultural and Religious Theory.
Notable former students of Caputo
- Theodore George
- Michael Brogan
- James K. A. Smith, professor, philosopher and theologian
- Nythamar de Oliveira, professor, philosopher and theologian
Bibliography
- (1978) The Mystical Element in Heidegger's Thought (Ohio University Press)
- (1982) Heidegger and Aquinas (Fordham University Press)
- (1986) The Mystical Element in Heidegger's Thought (Fordham University Press paperback with a new "Introduction")
- (1987) Radical Hermeneutics: Repetition, Deconstruction and the Hermeneutic Project (Indiana University Press)
- (1993) Against Ethics - Contributions to a Poetics of Obligation with Constant Reference to Deconstruction (Indiana University Press)
- (1993) Demythologizing Heidegger (Indiana University Press)
- (1997) The Prayers and Tears of Jacques Derrida (Indiana University Press)
- (1997) Deconstruction in a Nutshell: A Conversation with Jacques Derrida, ed./auth. (Fordham University Press)
- (2000) More Radical Hermeneutics: On Not Knowing Who We Are (Indiana University Press)
- (2001) On Religion (Routledge Press)
- (2006) Philosophy and Theology (Abingdon Press)
- (2006) The Weakness of God (Indiana University Press)
- (2007) After the Death of God, with Gianni Vattimo (Columbia University Press)
- (2007) How to Read Kierkegaard (Granta; Norton, 2008)
- (2007) What Would Jesus Deconstruct?: The Good News of Postmodernism for the Church (Baker Academic)
- (2013) The Insistence of God: A Theology of Perhaps (Indiana University Press)
- (2014) Truth [Philosophy in Transit] (Penguin)
- (2015) Hoping Against Hope: Confessions of a Postmodern Pilgrim (Fortress Press)
- (2015) The Folly of God: A Theology of the Unconditional (Polebridge Press)
- (2018) Hermeneutics: Facts and Interpretation in the Age of Information (Pelican)
- (2019) Cross and Cosmos: A Theology of Difficult Glory (Indiana University Press)
- (2020) In Search of Radical Theology: Expositions, Explorations, Exhortations (Fordham University Press)
- (2021) The Collected Philosophical and Theological Papers, Volume 3: The Return of Religion (John D. Caputo Archives)
See also
References
- ^ "John D. Caputo". Westar Institute. Retrieved 2021-03-17.
- ^ Camilleri, René (October 18, 2009). "Reinvent the Church". Times of Malta. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ "John D.Caputo". College of Arts & Sciences at Syracuse University. Retrieved 2021-03-17.
External links
Online writings
- John D. Caputo at philpapers.org
- "After Jacques Derrida Comes the Future" at the Wayback Machine (archived September 27, 2007), by John D. Caputo
- "For Love of the Things Themselves: Derrida’s Hyper-Realism" at the Wayback Machine (archived September 27, 2007), by John D. Caputo
- "Jacques Derrida (1930–2004)" (pdf), by John D. Caputo
- "Scripture: A Prologue" (pdf), by John D. Caputo
- "Without Sovereignty, Without Being: Unconditionality, the Coming God and Derrida's Democracy to Come" (pdf), by John D. Caputo
- "Theopoetic/theopolitic" (pdf) John D. Caputo and Catherine Keller
'Cross Currents; Winter 2007; V. 57, No. 1'
Interviews
- Interview with Carl Raschke
- Interview at The Modern World
- After Atheism: New Perspectives on God and Religion, Part 2 by David Cayley, Ideas, broadcast 1 May 2012
