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Is there anything for political progressives in the Christian message? Slavoj Žižek recognizes the potential of Christianity to embody moral and political revolt. John Milbank believes theology is the only foundation upon which knowledge, politics and ethics can stand. They have co-authored The Monstrosity of Christ and tonight discuss Christian theology’s emancipatory potential. Chair: Giles Fraser, vicar of Putney.
See also:
The Monstrosity of Christ: Paradox or Dialectic?
Slavoj Žižek – The Monstrosity of Christ
Slavoj Žižek – Why Only an Atheist Can Believe: Politics Between Fear and Trembling
Slavoj Žižek – Notes Towards a Definition of Communist Culture Masterclass (took place in the same week, the debate is mentioned there)
18. June 2009 6:45 pm, Institute of Contemporary Arts
MIT Press | Amazon | Download
In this corner, philosopher Slavoj Žižek, who represents the critical-materialist stance against religion’s illusions; in the other corner, “radical orthodox” theologian John Milbank, an influential and provocative thinker who argues that theology is the only foundation upon which knowledge, politics, and ethics can stand. In The Monstrosity of Christ, Žižek and Milbank go head to head for three rounds, employing an impressive arsenal of moves to advance their positions and press their respective advantages. By the closing bell, they have proven themselves worthy adversaries–and have also shown that faith and reason are not simply and intractably opposed.
See also:
Objet petit a (personal blog of the book’s editor)
The Monstrosity of Christ (lecture)
Slavoj Žižek with John Milbank – The Return of Christ (debate)
Materialism and Theology
Why Only an Atheist Can Believe: Politics Between Fear and Trembling
The Puppet and the Dwarf: The Perverse Core of Christianity
The Fragile Absolute: Or, Why is the Christian Legacy Worth Fighting For?
The Death of God: A Continuing Currency?
Short Circuits Series
Duke University Press | Amazon
The essays in Theology and the Political—written by some of the world’s foremost theologians, philosophers, and literary critics—analyze the ethics and consequences of human action. They explore the spiritual dimensions of ontology, considering the relationship between ontology and the political in light of the thought of figures ranging from Plato to Marx, Levinas to Derrida, and Augustine to Lacan. Together, the contributors challenge the belief that meaningful action is simply the successful assertion of will, that politics is ultimately reducible to “might makes right.” From a variety of perspectives, they suggest that grounding human action and politics in materialist critique offers revolutionary possibilities that transcend the nihilism inherent in both contemporary liberal democratic theory and neoconservative ideology.
Contributors: Anthony Baker, Daniel M. Bell Jr., Phillip Blond, Simon Critchley, Conor Cunningham, Creston Davis, William Desmond, Hent de Vries, Terry Eagleton, Rocco Gangle, Philip Goodchild, Karl Hefty, Eleanor Kaufman, Tom McCarthy, John Milbank, Antonio Negri, Catherine Pickstock, Patrick Aaron Riches, Mary-Jane Rubenstein, Regina Mara Schwartz, Kenneth Surin, Graham Ward, Rowan Williams, Slavoj Žižek
See also:
[sic] series
