Theology After Deleuze

Deleuze's relationship with theology is a complex one. Indeed, there seem to be many possible objections to such an 'assemblage' taking place. In the first book of its kind to engage with this seemingly problematic dialogue, Kristien Justaert shows the ways in which Deleuze's thought can in fact advance issues in political and liberation theology in particular, while also exploring the important theological and spiritual aspirations contained in Deleuze's philosophy itself, as part of his lifelong quest for the 'Absolute'. Justaert examines the theological components in Deleuze's writings, investigating the theological potential of four notions that circle around the central Deleuzian concept of 'Life': immanence, spirituality, creativity and politics. The book goes on to connect Deleuze with both established theologies and possible theologies for the future, identifying areas in which Deleuze can contribute to the dynamics of contemporary theology, and argues that aspects of Deleuze's philosophy can enable theology to become more meaningful in a globalised world. This is the ideal introduction to Deleuzian theologies, and Deleuze's own theology, for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students.

The debate between faith and reason has been a dominant feature of Western thought for more than two millennia. This book takes up the problem of the relation between philosophy and theology and proposes that this relation can be reconceived if both philosophy and theology are seen as different ways of organising affects. Brent Adkins and Paul R. Hinlicky break new ground in this timely debate in two ways. Firstly, they lay bare the contemporary dependence on Kant and propose that our Kantian inheritance leaves us with an insuperable dualism. Secondly, the authors argue that the philosophy of Gilles Deleuze provides a way of resolving the debate between faith and reason that does justice to philosophy and theology by reconceiving of both as assemblages. Deleuze's philosophy differentiates domains of thought in terms of what they create. This seems like a particularly fruitful way to pursue the problem of the relations among philosophy and theology because it allows their distinction without at the same time placing them in opposition to one another.

An exploration of the thought of Gilles Deleuze and its relevance to theology.

Deleuze's relationship with theology is a complex one. Indeed, there seem to be many possible objections to such an 'assemblage' taking place. In the first book of its kind to engage with this seemingly problematic dialogue, Kristien Justaert shows the ways in which Deleuze's thought can in fact advance issues in political and liberation theology in particular, while also exploring the important theological and spiritual aspirations contained in Deleuze's philosophy itself, as part of his lifelong quest for the 'Absolute'. Justaert examines the theological components in Deleuze's writings, investigating the theological potential of four notions that circle around the central Deleuzian concept of 'Life': immanence, spirituality, creativity and politics. The book goes on to connect Deleuze with both established theologies and possible theologies for the future, identifying areas in which Deleuze can contribute to the dynamics of contemporary theology, and argues that aspects of Deleuze's philosophy can enable theology to become more meaningful in a globalised world. This is the ideal introduction to Deleuzian theologies, and Deleuze's own theology, for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students.

"Deleuze's relationship with theology is a complex one. Indeed, there seem to be many possible objections to such an 'assemblage' taking place. In the first book of its kind to engage with this seemingly problematic dialogue, Kristien Justaert shows the ways in which Deleuze's thought can in fact advance issues in political and liberation theology in particular, while also exploring the important theological and spiritual aspirations contained in Deleuze's philosophy itself, as part of his lifelong quest for the 'Absolute'. Justaert examines the theological components in Deleuze's writings, investigating the theological potential of four notions that circle around the central Deleuzian concept of 'Life': immanence, spirituality, creativity and politics. The book goes on to connect Deleuze with both established theologies and possible theologies for the future, identifying areas in which Deleuze can contribute to the dynamics of contemporary theology, and argues that aspects of Deleuze's philosophy can enable theology to become more meaningful in a globalised world. This is the ideal introduction to Deleuzian theologies, and Deleuze's own theology, for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students"--Abstract

This volume brings together some of the leading voices in the field of Deleuze studies to explore – and practice – a variety of approaches to the schizoanalysis of religion. The authors share an enthusiasm for applying Deleuze and Guattari's schizoanalytic project to “religion,” but they display significantly different ways of carrying out its creative and destructive tasks. As a whole, the book addresses the relevance of Deleuze for contemporary developments in political theology, liberation theology, Christian doctrine, and the recent growth of interest in spirituality and atheism. Opening up new lines of flight for Deleuze studies, Deleuze and the Schizoanalysis of Religion makes rhizomic connections that will be of interest to scholars in other fields including theology, psychology of religion, philosophy of religion and the history and practice of Western esotericism.

Deleuze and the Naming of God addresses the intersection between Deleuze's thought and the notion of religion to proposes an alliance between immanence and the act of naming God. In doing so, Barber gives us a way out of the paralysing debate between reli

What can a theologian do with Deleuze? While using philosophy as a resource for theology is nothing new, Gilles Deleuze (1925-1995) presents a kind of limit-case for such a theological appropriation of philosophy: a thoroughly "modern" philosophy that would seem to be fundamentally hostile to Christian theology-a philosophy of atheistic immanence with an essentially chaotic vision of the world. Nonetheless, Deleuze's philosophy can generate many potential intersections with theology opening onto a field of configurations: a fractious middle between radical Deleuzian theologies that would think through theology and reinterpret it from the perspective of some version of Deleuzian philosophy and other theologies that would seek to learn from and respond to Deleuze from the perspective of confessional theology-to take from the encounter with Deleuze an opportunity to clarify and reform an orthodox Christian self-understanding.