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Without Negative Theology: Deconstruction and the Politics of Negative Theology
Author(s) -
Bradley Arthur
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
the heythrop journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.127
H-Index - 10
eISSN - 1468-2265
pISSN - 0018-1196
DOI - 10.1111/1468-2265.00166
Subject(s) - deconstruction (building) , politics , reading (process) , context (archaeology) , political theology , philosophy , epistemology , theology , post structuralism , sociology , law , political science , history , linguistics , ecology , archaeology , biology
This article explores Derrida's reading of negative theology and, in particular, his dramatic claim that there would be no politics ‘without’ negative theology. It begins by summarising the general thrust of Derrida's critique of negative theology. It then focuses upon the complex history of the term ‘without’ in Derrida's texts on Pseudo‐Dionysius, Angelus Silesius and others. Finally, the article places this reading of negative theology in the context of the so‐called ‘political turn’ in Derrida's texts in recent years. The concept of the ‘without’, it argues, belongs with, and helps to clarify, comparatively more famous Derridaean political themes like the decision, the impossible and religion without religion. In conclusion, the article argues that a better understanding of Derrida's claim that there would be no politics ‘without’ negative theology might also lead to a better understanding of the politics of deconstruction.