Crossing the Rubicon: The Borderlands of Philosophy and Theology

by Emmanuel Falque, Reuben Shank (Translator), Matthew Farley (Introduction)

Overview

In France today, philosophy—phenomenology in particular—finds itself in a paradoxical relation to theology. Some debate a “theological turn.” Others disavow theological arguments as if such arguments would tarnish their philosophical integrity, while nevertheless carrying out theology in other venues. In Crossing the Rubicon, Emmanuel Falque seeks to end this face-off. Convinced that “the more one theologizes, the better one philosophizes,” he proposes a counterblow by theology against phenomenology. Instead of another philosophy of “the threshold” or “the leap”—and through a retrospective and forward-looking examination of his own method—he argues that an encounter between the two disciplines will reveal their mutual fruitfulness and their true distinctive borders. Falque shows that he has made the crossing between philosophy and theology and back again with audacity and perhaps a little recklessness, knowing full well that no one thinks without exposing himself to risk.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780823269891
Publisher:	Fordham University Press
Publication date:	06/01/2016
Series:	Perspectives in Continental Philosophy
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	216
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Emmanuel Falque is Honorary Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy at the Catholic University of Paris. His most recent book in English is The Wedding Feast of the Lamb: Eros, the Body, and the Eucharist.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction by Matthew Farley

Opening
1. A Breakthrough 2. A Crossing 3. An Experience

Part I: Interpreting
1. Is Hermeneutics Fundamental?
4. The Hermeneutical Relief 5. Confessional Hermeneutics 6. Toward a phenomenality of the text
2. For a Hermeneutic of the Body and the Voice
7. Aphonal Thought 8. The voice is the phenomenon 9. The voice that embodies

Part II: Deciding
3. Always Believing
10. A belief at the origin 11. The prejudice of the absence of prejudices 12. Faith and Non-Faith
4. Kerygma and Decision
13. Philosophy of the Decision 14 Theology of the Decision 15 Deciding Together

Part III: Crossing
5. "Tiling" and Conversion
16 The Horizon of Finitude 17. On "Tiling" or Overlaying 18. Of Conversion or Transformation
6. Finally Theology
19. From the Threshold to the Leap 20. The Principle of Proportionality 21 A Sigh of Relief

Epilogue: And Then . . .?
22 First to Live 23 The Afterwards of the Afterwards 24 With an Exposed Face

Notes
Index

Editorial Reviews

"Crossing the Rubicon is Emmanuel Falque's Discourse on Method: a pungent and polemic treatise on why we become better philosophers when we also do theology. Should we 'cross the Rubicon' and so trouble the distinction between philosophy and theology? Of course, Falque tells us! We have everything to gain, including something of great interest: a hermeneutic of the body and the voice."-Kevin Hart, University of Virginia

From the Publisher

Crossing the Rubicon is Emmanuel Falque's Discourse on Method: a pungent and polemic treatise on why we become better philosophers when we also do theology. Should we 'cross the Rubicon' and so trouble the distinction between philosophy and theology? Of course, Falque tells us! We have everything to gain, including something of great interest: a hermeneutic of the body and the voice.

University of Virginia - Kevin Hart