God after Metaphysics: A Theological Aesthetic

by John Panteleimon Manoussakis

Overview

While philosophy believes it is impossible to have an experience of God without the senses, theology claims that such an experience is possible, though potentially idolatrous. In this engagingly creative book, John Panteleimon Manoussakis ends the impasse by proposing an aesthetic allowing for a sensuous experience of God that is not subordinated to imposed categories or concepts. Manoussakis draws upon the theological traditions of the Eastern Church, including patristic and liturgical resources, to build a theological aesthetic founded on the inverted gaze of icons, the augmented language of hymns, and the reciprocity of touch. Manoussakis explores how a relational interpretation of being develops a fuller and more meaningful view of the phenomenology of religious experience beyond metaphysics and onto-theology.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780253348807
Publisher:	Indiana University Press
Publication date:	05/23/2007
Series:	Philosophy of Religion
Pages:	232
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

John Panteleimon Manoussakis teaches at Boston College and the American College in Athens, Greece. He has edited (with Drew Hyland) Heidegger and the Greeks (IUP, 2006) and published a translation of Heidegger's Sojourns.

Table of Contents

Contents
Acknowledgments
List of Abbreviations
Introduction
Part One. Seeing
Allegory 1
1. The Metaphysical Chiasm
2. The Existential Chiasm
3. The Aesthetical Chiasm
Part Two. Hearing
Allegory 2
4. Figures of Silence: Prelude
5. Language beyond Difference and Otherness: Interlude
6. The Interrupted Self: Postlude
Part Three. Touching
Allegory 3
7. Touch Me, Touch Me Not
8. The Sabbath of Experience
Notes
Bibliography
Index

What People are Saying About This

University of Notre Dame - Kevin Hart

"Elegant and incisive, God after Metaphysics engages the 'theological turn' of contemporary phenomenology at a deeper, richer, and more satisfying level than many recent books. Manoussakis is entirely right to stress the importance of what it means to be 'in relations with God' and to see this as essential to theology today. Well grounded in patristics, Manoussakis shows us that the future of theology and its past are not in contradiction, and must be thought together."

Luc Marion

I have not seen anything in breadth, importance, and intensity like [Manoussakis's] conception of God after metaphysics in all the years I have been teaching at the Sorbonne and the Universityof Chicago! —Jea

Universityof Notre Dame - Kevin Hart

Elegant and incisive, God after Metaphysics engages the 'theological turn' of contemporary phenomenology at a deeper, richer, and more satisfying level than many recent books. Manoussakis is entirely right to stress the importance of what it means to be 'in relations with God' and to see this as essential to theology today. Well grounded in patristics, Manoussakis shows us that the future of theology and its past are not in contradiction, and must be thought together.

Editorial Reviews

"Manoussakis makes a solid contribution to the growing literature in continental philosophy of religion. Like most works in the field, it is really more of an essay than a scholarly monograph. While the author offers a creative and provocative riff on the conditions of possibility for an "experience" of God, the discussion is neither located within nor accountable to existing secondary literature on the problem (glaringly absent is any engagement with David Bentley Hart's 2003 book, The Beauty of the Infinite). As a result, he sometimes repeats moves that have already been made by others (the "incarnational" move has been made by Jean-Luc Marion, myself, and others), or fails to respond to challenges to his model in the existing literature (e.g., regarding the persistent binary logic he assumes). However, Manoussakis, like Marion before him, helpfully engages the substantive claims of patristic resources, particularly the Eastern fathers. But he continues to be haunted by a penchant for supposed philosophical neutrality insofar as he seeks to unhook these theological resources from "their doctrinal authority"—as if philosophy doesn't admit all kinds of other extra-philosophical "authorities." Nevertheless, the book repays careful, critical reading."—church and postmodern culture, 6/9/10

"Elegant and incisive, God after Metaphysics engages the 'theological turn' of contemporary phenomenology at a deeper, richer, and more satisfying level than many recent books. Manoussakis is entirely right to stress the importance of what it means to be 'n relations with God' and to see this as essential to theology today. Well grounded in patristics, Manoussakis shows us that the future of theology and its past are not in contradiction, and must be thought together."—Kevin Hart, University of Notre Dame

". . . [a] combined ability to revitalize traditional sources and to make everyday phenomena glimmer under its examination, God after Metaphysics is sure to provoke both debate and wonder for those interested in continental philosophy of religion.vol. 9 no. 3 (Fall 2008)"—Wilson Dickinson, Dept Religion at SyracuseUniversity

". . . Manoussakis's book frames some interesting questions for philosophical theology. His use of Eastern theology as a complement to continental philosophy of religion is adroit and adds to his unique argument.Vol. 34, 4 Nov, 2008"—Forrest Clingerman, Ohio Northern University

". . . for those whose research engages continental philosophy, Manoussakis's book frames some interesting questions for philosophical theology. His use of Eastern theology as a complement to continental philosophy of religion is adroit and adds to his unique argument.Vol. 34, 4, December 2008"—Forrest Clingerman, Ohio Northern University

". . . [A] solid contribution to the growing literature in continental philosophy of religion. . . . Recommended."—Choice

"Manoussakis offers brilliant examples of how phenomenology fosters a deeper understanding of the essentially interpersonal dimension of human existence and an encounter with the divine. . . . the reader will find it hard to deny that phenomenology, insofar as neatly compliments classical metaphysics, is a welcome companion on the theological journey.Vol. 16, 1 December 2008"—Daniel B. Gallagher, Sacred Heart Major Seminary

"Elegant and incisive, God after Metaphysics engages the 'theological turn' of contemporary phenomenology at a deeper, richer, and more satisfying level than many recent books. Manoussakis is entirely right to stress the importance of what it means to be 'in relations with God' and to see this as essential to theology today. Well grounded in patristics, Manoussakis shows us that the future of theology and its past are not in contradiction, and must be thought together."—Kevin Hart, University of Notre Dame

"I have not seen anything in breadth, importance, and intensity like [Manoussakis's] conception of God after metaphysics in all the years I have been teaching at the Sorbonne and the University of Chicago! —Jea"—Luc Marion

From the Publisher

Manoussakis makes a solid contribution to the growing literature in continental philosophy of religion. Like most works in the field, it is really more of an essay than a scholarly monograph. While the author offers a creative and provocative riff on the conditions of possibility for an "experience" of God, the discussion is neither located within nor accountable to existing secondary literature on the problem (glaringly absent is any engagement with David Bentley Hart's 2003 book, The Beauty of the Infinite). As a result, he sometimes repeats moves that have already been made by others (the "incarnational" move has been made by Jean-Luc Marion, myself, and others), or fails to respond to challenges to his model in the existing literature (e.g., regarding the persistent binary logic he assumes). However, Manoussakis, like Marion before him, helpfully engages the substantive claims of patristic resources, particularly the Eastern fathers. But he continues to be haunted by a penchant for supposed philosophical neutrality insofar as he seeks to unhook these theological resources from "their doctrinal authority"—as if philosophy doesn't admit all kinds of other extra-philosophical "authorities." Nevertheless, the book repays careful, critical reading.

church and postmodern culture

Elegant and incisive, God after Metaphysics engages the 'theological turn' of contemporary phenomenology at a deeper, richer, and more satisfying level than many recent books. Manoussakis is entirely right to stress the importance of what it means to be 'n relations with God' and to see this as essential to theology today. Well grounded in patristics, Manoussakis shows us that the future of theology and its past are not in contradiction, and must be thought together.

Universityof Notre Dame Kevin Hart

Manoussakis offers brilliant examples of how phenomenology fosters a deeper understanding of the essentially interpersonal dimension of human existence and an encounter with the divine. . . . the reader will find it hard to deny that phenomenology, insofar as neatly compliments classical metaphysics, is a welcome companion on the theological journey.Vol. 16, 1 December 2008

Sacred Heart Major Seminary - Daniel B. Gallagher

. . . [a] combined ability to revitalize traditional sources and to make everyday phenomena glimmer under its examination, God after Metaphysics is sure to provoke both debate and wonder for those interested in continental philosophy of religion.vol. 9 no. 3 (Fall 2008)

Dept Religion at SyracuseUniversity - Wilson Dickinson

. . . [A] solid contribution to the growing literature in continental philosophy of religion. . . . Recommended.

Choice

. . . Manoussakis's book frames some interesting questions for philosophical theology. His use of Eastern theology as a complement to continental philosophy of religion is adroit and adds to his unique argument.Vol. 34, 4 Nov, 2008

Ohio Northern University - Forrest Clingerman

Elegant and incisive, God after Metaphysics engages the 'theological turn' of contemporary phenomenology at a deeper, richer, and more satisfying level than many recent books. Manoussakis is entirely right to stress the importance of what it means to be 'n relations with God' and to see this as essential to theology today. Well grounded in patristics, Manoussakis shows us that the future of theology and its past are not in contradiction, and must be thought together.

University of Notre Dame Kevin Hart

"Elegant and incisive, God after Metaphysics engages the ‘theological turn’ of contemporary phenomenology at a deeper, richer, and more satisfying level than many recent books. Manoussakis is entirely right to stress the importance of what it means to be ‘in relations with God’ and to see this as essential to theology today. Well grounded in patristics, Manoussakis shows us that the future of theology and its past are not in contradiction, and must be thought together." —Kevin Hart, University of Notre Dame

Kevin Hart

Manoussakis makes a solid contribution to the growing literature in continental philosophy of religion. Like most works in the field, it is really more of an essay than a scholarly monograph. While the author offers a creative and provocative riff on the conditions of possibility for an "experience" of God, the discussion is neither located within nor accountable to existing secondary literature on the problem (glaringly absent is any engagement with David Bentley Hart's 2003 book, The Beauty of the Infinite). As a result, he sometimes repeats moves that have already been made by others (the "incarnational" move has been made by Jean-Luc Marion, myself, and others), or fails to respond to challenges to his model in the existing literature (e.g., regarding the persistent binary logic he assumes). However, Manoussakis, like Marion before him, helpfully engages the substantive claims of patristic resources, particularly the Eastern fathers. But he continues to be haunted by a penchant for supposed philosophical neutrality insofar as he seeks to unhook these theological resources from "their doctrinal authority"—as if philosophy doesn't admit all kinds of other extra-philosophical "authorities." Nevertheless, the book repays careful, critical reading.church and postmodern culture, 6/9/10

Church And Postmodern Culture

"Manoussakis offers brilliant examples of how phenomenology fosters a deeper understanding of the essentially interpersonal dimension of human existence and an encounter with the divine.... the reader will find it hard to deny that phenomenology, insofar as neatly compliments classical metaphysics, is a welcome companion on the theological journey." —Daniel B. Gallagher, Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Reviews in Religion and Theology, Vol. 16, 1 December 2008

— Daniel B. Gallagher, Sacred Heart Major Seminary

Reviews in Religion and Theology

"... Manoussakis's book frames some interesting questions for philosophical theology. His use of Eastern theology as a complement to continental philosophy of religion is adroit and adds to his unique argument." —Forrest Clingerman, Ohio Northern University, Religious Studies Review, Vol. 34, 4 Nov, 2008

— Forrest Clingerman, Ohio Northern University

Religious Studies Review

... [a] combined ability to revitalize traditional sources and to make everyday phenomena glimmer under its examination, God after Metaphysics is sure to provoke both debate and wonder for those interested in continental philosophy of religion.—Wilson Dickinson, Dept Religion at Syracuse University, Journal for Cultural and Religious Theory, vol. 9 no. 3 (Fall 2008)

— Wilson Dickinson, Dept Religion at SyracuseUniversity

Journal for Cultural and Religious Theory