TY - JOUR
T1 - A Deconstructionist Theology of the Shoah by Hélène Cixous in Light of Derrida and Levinas
T2 - Theodicy, Job and Exile in From Osnabrück to Jerusalem
AU - Feldmann-Kaye, Miriam
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s). Modern Theology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - The primary objective of this study is to offer an original interpretation in two fields of research: the first, of contemporary Jewish philosophy, and the second, to the continental and specifically deconstructionist method. I wish to achieve this by analysing a new deconstructionist text of the French, Jewish, post-structuralist, feminist contemporary thinker—Hélène Cixous, which has thus far received little scholarly attention at all, and even less in its contributions to deconstructionism and Jewish philosophical thought. Focusing on this text, I concentrate on its Jewish and philosophical aspects—Gare d'Osnabrück à Jérusalem—The Osnabrück Station in/to Jerusalem. This study will centre on Cixous’ treatment of theodicy—the theological problem of evil and suffering—contextualising her position in the thought of the post-war French cultural milieu of Emmanuel Levinas and Jacques Derrida. I will examine the position Cixous develops on theodicy—which is to resist it, and move towards a position of anti-theodicy. I show how she develops this position, which is through a deconstructionist and hermeneutical reading of the biblical figure of Job. I then trace further theological issues arising from her anti-theodicy, of the roles of exile and return in this text—especially in Cixous’ positioning of Osnabrück as ‘Jerusalem’. The study is set alongside the ‘Hauntology’ theory of Jacques Derrida. I claim that Cixous’ work can be enhanced through a hauntological reading, but that she ultimately re-defines this position to advance her own thinking. This study offers questions beyond this particular text: first, relating to the role of deconstructionism in portraying theological issues, especially theodicy, and second, of the contributions, complex as they may be, to contemporary Jewish philosophical discourse.
AB - The primary objective of this study is to offer an original interpretation in two fields of research: the first, of contemporary Jewish philosophy, and the second, to the continental and specifically deconstructionist method. I wish to achieve this by analysing a new deconstructionist text of the French, Jewish, post-structuralist, feminist contemporary thinker—Hélène Cixous, which has thus far received little scholarly attention at all, and even less in its contributions to deconstructionism and Jewish philosophical thought. Focusing on this text, I concentrate on its Jewish and philosophical aspects—Gare d'Osnabrück à Jérusalem—The Osnabrück Station in/to Jerusalem. This study will centre on Cixous’ treatment of theodicy—the theological problem of evil and suffering—contextualising her position in the thought of the post-war French cultural milieu of Emmanuel Levinas and Jacques Derrida. I will examine the position Cixous develops on theodicy—which is to resist it, and move towards a position of anti-theodicy. I show how she develops this position, which is through a deconstructionist and hermeneutical reading of the biblical figure of Job. I then trace further theological issues arising from her anti-theodicy, of the roles of exile and return in this text—especially in Cixous’ positioning of Osnabrück as ‘Jerusalem’. The study is set alongside the ‘Hauntology’ theory of Jacques Derrida. I claim that Cixous’ work can be enhanced through a hauntological reading, but that she ultimately re-defines this position to advance her own thinking. This study offers questions beyond this particular text: first, relating to the role of deconstructionism in portraying theological issues, especially theodicy, and second, of the contributions, complex as they may be, to contemporary Jewish philosophical discourse.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85208017162&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1111/moth.12964
DO - https://doi.org/10.1111/moth.12964
M3 - مقالة
SN - 0266-7177
JO - Modern Theology
JF - Modern Theology
ER -