Desacralizing political theology: Dionysius the Areopagite and Giorgio Agamben

Journal article

Newheiser, David. (2020). Desacralizing political theology: Dionysius the Areopagite and Giorgio Agamben. Modern Theology. 36(1), pp. 76 - 89. https://doi.org/10.1111/moth.12506
AuthorsNewheiser, David
Abstract

Giorgio Agamben argues that Christian thought provides the paradigm of modern governmental power, which reinforces mundane government by investing it with glory. Agamben claims that Dionysius the Areopagite exemplifies this structure; in his view, Dionysian negative theology serves to sacralize ecclesiastical power. In response, I argue that Dionysius desacralizes every authority, affirming that some things are sacred even as he subjects that affirmation to thoroughgoing critique. Against both dogmatic adherence and pure profanation, Dionysius models a politics that draws on the power of the sacred while holding it open to unpredictable development.

Year2020
JournalModern Theology
Journal citation36 (1), pp. 76 - 89
PublisherWiley-Blackwell
ISSN1468-0025
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1111/moth.12506
Page range76 - 89
Research GroupInstitute for Religion and Critical Inquiry
Publisher's version
File Access Level
Controlled
Place of publicationUnited Kingdom
Permalink -

https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/86411/desacralizing-political-theology-dionysius-the-areopagite-and-giorgio-agamben

Log in to edit

Restricted files

Publisher's version

  • 112
    total views
  • 0
    total downloads
  • 3
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month
These values are for the period from 19th October 2020, when this repository was created.

Export as

Related outputs

How place shapes the aspirations of hope : The allegory of the privileged and the underprivileged
Counted, Victor and Newheiser, David. (2023). How place shapes the aspirations of hope : The allegory of the privileged and the underprivileged. The Journal of Positive Psychology. pp. 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2023.2257654
Hope in turbulent times : Derrida on messianism and rupture
Newheiser, David. (2022). Hope in turbulent times : Derrida on messianism and rupture. Critical Research on Religion. 10(3), pp. 363-368. https://doi.org/10.1177/20503032221124550
The genealogy of atheism
Newheiser, David. (2022). The genealogy of atheism. In In Newheiser, David (Ed.). The varieties of atheism : Connecting religion and its critics pp. 1-18 University of Chicago Press. https://doi.org/10.7208/chicago/9780226822686-001
How hope becomes concrete
Newheiser, David Andrew. (2021). How hope becomes concrete. Critical Research on Religion. 9(3), pp. 349-352. https://doi.org/10.1177/20503032211044432
Introduction to Jacques Derrida’s “Christianity and Secularization”
Newheiser, David. (2020). Introduction to Jacques Derrida’s “Christianity and Secularization”. Critical Inquiry. 47, pp. 136-137. https://doi.org/10.1086/710911
COVID-19 and religious ethics
Alimi, Toni, Antus, Elizabeth L., Balthrop-Lewis, Alda, Childress, James F., Dunn, Shannon, Green, Ronald M., Gregory, Eric, Herdt, Jennifer A., Jenkins, Willis, Cathleen Kaveny, M., Lloyd, Vincent W., Lo, Ping-cheung, Malesic, Jonathan, Newheiser, David, Oh, Irene and Stalnaker, Aaron. (2020). COVID-19 and religious ethics. Journal of Religious Ethics. 48(3), pp. 349-387. https://doi.org/10.1111/jore.12328
Why the world needs negative political theology
Newheiser, David. (2020). Why the world needs negative political theology. Modern Theology. 36(1), pp. 5 - 12. https://doi.org/10.1111/moth.12579
Hope in a secular age: Deconstruction, negative theology, and the future of faith
Newheiser, David. (2019). Hope in a secular age: Deconstruction, negative theology, and the future of faith Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108595100
Normative Political Theology as Intensified Critique
David Newheiser. (2018). Normative Political Theology as Intensified Critique. Political Theology. 19(8), pp. 669-674. https://doi.org/10.1080/1462317X.2018.1520800
"Religion" and Its Other: A Response to Gregg Lambert, Return Statements
Newheiser, David. (2018). "Religion" and Its Other: A Response to Gregg Lambert, Return Statements. Philosophy Today. 62(4), pp. 1277-1282. https://doi.org/10.5840/philtoday2018624250
Derrida and the danger of religion
Newheiser, David. (2018). Derrida and the danger of religion. Journal of the American Academy of Religion. 86(1), pp. 42 - 61. https://doi.org/10.1093/jaarel/lfx026
Foucault, Gary Becker and the critique of neoliberalism
Newheiser, David Andrew. (2016). Foucault, Gary Becker and the critique of neoliberalism. Theory, Culture and Society. 33(5), pp. 3 - 21. https://doi.org/10.1177/0263276415619997
Eckhart, Derrida and the Gift of Love
Newheiser, David. (2015). Eckhart, Derrida and the Gift of Love. In In D Newheiser and E Bugyis (Ed.). Desire, Faith and the Darkness of God pp. 430 - 456 University of Notre Dame Press.
Sexuality and Christian Tradition: Innovation and Fidelity, Ancient and Modern
Newheiser, David. (2015). Sexuality and Christian Tradition: Innovation and Fidelity, Ancient and Modern. Journal of Religious Ethics. 43(1), pp. 122 - 145. https://doi.org/10.1111/jore.12088
Conceiving Transformaton without Triumphalism : Joachim of Fiore Against Gianni Vattimo
Newheiser, David Andrew. (2014). Conceiving Transformaton without Triumphalism : Joachim of Fiore Against Gianni Vattimo. The Heythrop Journal: a bi-monthly review of philosophy and theology. 55(4), pp. 650 - 662. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2265.2011.00690.x
Conceiving Transformaton without Triumphalism: Joachim of Fiore Against Gianni Vattimo
Newheiser, David. (2014). Conceiving Transformaton without Triumphalism: Joachim of Fiore Against Gianni Vattimo. The Heythrop Journal: a bi-monthly review of philosophy and theology. 55(4), pp. 650 - 662. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2265.2011.00690.x
Foucault and the practice of patristics
Newheiser, David. (2013). Foucault and the practice of patristics. In In M. Vinzent (Ed.). The genres of late antique literature: Foucault and the practice of patristics ; Patristic studies in Latin America ; Historica pp. 81 - 87 Leuven Peeters.
Eschatology and the Areopagite: Interpreting the Dionysian hierarchies in terms of time
Newheiser, David. (2013). Eschatology and the Areopagite: Interpreting the Dionysian hierarchies in terms of time. In In M Vincent (Ed.). Studia Patristica LXVIII pp. 215 - 221 Peeters Publishing.
Eckhart, Derrida and the Gift of Love
Newheiser, David. (2012). Eckhart, Derrida and the Gift of Love. The Heythrop Journal: a bi-monthly review of philosophy and theology. 56(6), pp. 1010 - 1021. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2265.2012.00754.x
Time and the responsibilities of reading: Revisiting Derrida and the Dionysius
Newheiser, David. (2011). Time and the responsibilities of reading: Revisiting Derrida and the Dionysius. In In S. Douglass and M. Ludlow (Ed.). Reading the Church Fathers pp. 23 - 43 T&T Clark International.
Ambivalence in Dionysius the Areopagite : The Limitations of a Liturgical Reading
Newheiser, David Andrew. (2010). Ambivalence in Dionysius the Areopagite : The Limitations of a Liturgical Reading. In In F Young, M Edwards and P Parvis (Ed.). Studia Patristica XLVIII pp. 211 - 216 Peeters Publishing.