A Deconstructionist Theology of the Shoah by Hélène Cixous in Light of Derrida and Levinas: Theodicy, Job and Exile in From Osnabrück to Jerusalem
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 Fr...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
2025
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| In: |
Modern theology
Year: 2025, Volume: 41, Issue: 2, Pages: 229-248 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Cixous, Hélène 1937-, Gare d'Osnabrück à Jérusalem
/ Jews
/ Theodicy
/ Job
/ Deconstruction
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| IxTheo Classification: | AG Religious life; material religion BH Judaism HB Old Testament NBC Doctrine of God TK Recent history VA Philosophy |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (kostenfrei) Volltext (kostenfrei) |
| Summary: | 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. |
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| ISSN: | 1468-0025 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Modern theology
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1111/moth.12964 |