The Postmodern Saints of France: Refiguring 'the Holy' in Contemporary French Philosophy

Description

From the mid to the late 20th century various French thinkers have at times toyed wth the label of 'the saint', applying it to friends, colleagues, the revered nd even the worshipped such as Genet, Sartre, Camus or Foucault. Despite this profaning of the term, however, here are many subtle truths which emerge from its usage among such writers. This volume is devoted to exploring certain varied notions of 'the saint' in recent French philosophical and literary thought from within a theological context, offering insights and valuable contributions toward how we understand sainthood in cultural, philosophical and religious terms. Each essay focuses on the convergence of a particular author's work and their various (re)formulations of 'saintliness' in their writings, whether this concept is directly expressed in their writings or not. In general, the aim of the volume is to develop a critical engagement between each authors' philosophical worldview and historical notions of sainthood, such that we are capable of providing new understandings of what a 'saint' could be said to be in our world today.

Colby Dickinson is a post-doctoral researcher in the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies (KULeuven, Belgium).

An interesting and valuable collection of essays...[covering] a range of approaches. -- John Reader * Modern Believing * A sustained reflection on postmodernism's theological turn. The volume's main contribution is an insight into some of the main ways in which contemporary French philosophers have not only grappled with religious phenomena and categories, but have also probed the porous boundary between the sacred and the secular [...] It offers an impressive panorama of the multiples ways in which religious and theological traditions have been grappled with by an important group of modern thinkers. -- Michael C. Behrent, Appalachian State University. * H-France Review Vol.14 * This volume can serve as an expansive introduction to contemporary French thought. -- Thomas A Graves, Cedarville University, US * Theological Book Review *