Phenomenology and the Possibility of Religious Experience
Work in what has been known as the theological turn in French phenomenology describes the way in which human beings are always, already open to a religious encounter. This paper will focus on Levinas as a proper transcendental phenomenologist as would be characterized by parts of Husserl and Husserl...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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De Gruyter
2017-10-01
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| Series: | Open Theology |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1515/opth-2017-0039 |
| _version_ | 1818739736696586240 |
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| author | Mercer Ronald L. |
| author_facet | Mercer Ronald L. |
| author_sort | Mercer Ronald L. |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Work in what has been known as the theological turn in French phenomenology describes the way in which human beings are always, already open to a religious encounter. This paper will focus on Levinas as a proper transcendental phenomenologist as would be characterized by parts of Husserl and Husserl’s last assistant Eugen Fink. What Levinas does in his phenomenology of the face/other (which gets tied up in religious language) is to describe an absolute origin out of which the subject arises. This point of origin structures the self in such a way as to always, already be open to that which overflows experience and, thus, makes possible the very experience of an encounter with the numinous. Such an approach to religious experience for which I am arguing simply takes Levinas at his word when he declares “The idea of God is an idea that cannot clarify a human situation. It is the inverse that is true.” (“Transcendence and Height”) Understanding the structure of the subject as open to that which cannot be reduced/totalized/ encapsulated is to recognize that the human situation is ready for the possibility of religious experience. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T01:29:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4c312b8f40fd400fb95607344bc19c46 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2300-6579 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T01:29:35Z |
| publishDate | 2017-10-01 |
| publisher | De Gruyter |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Open Theology |
| spelling | doaj.art-4c312b8f40fd400fb95607344bc19c462022-12-21T21:25:39ZengDe GruyterOpen Theology2300-65792017-10-013151652810.1515/opth-2017-0039opth-2017-0039Phenomenology and the Possibility of Religious ExperienceMercer Ronald L.0Oakland City University, United States of AmericaWork in what has been known as the theological turn in French phenomenology describes the way in which human beings are always, already open to a religious encounter. This paper will focus on Levinas as a proper transcendental phenomenologist as would be characterized by parts of Husserl and Husserl’s last assistant Eugen Fink. What Levinas does in his phenomenology of the face/other (which gets tied up in religious language) is to describe an absolute origin out of which the subject arises. This point of origin structures the self in such a way as to always, already be open to that which overflows experience and, thus, makes possible the very experience of an encounter with the numinous. Such an approach to religious experience for which I am arguing simply takes Levinas at his word when he declares “The idea of God is an idea that cannot clarify a human situation. It is the inverse that is true.” (“Transcendence and Height”) Understanding the structure of the subject as open to that which cannot be reduced/totalized/ encapsulated is to recognize that the human situation is ready for the possibility of religious experience.https://doi.org/10.1515/opth-2017-0039emmanuel levinasedmund husserleugen finkdominique janicaudtheological turntranscendentalphenomenologyreligious experience |
| spellingShingle | Mercer Ronald L. Phenomenology and the Possibility of Religious Experience Open Theology emmanuel levinas edmund husserl eugen fink dominique janicaud theological turn transcendental phenomenology religious experience |
| title | Phenomenology and the Possibility of Religious Experience |
| title_full | Phenomenology and the Possibility of Religious Experience |
| title_fullStr | Phenomenology and the Possibility of Religious Experience |
| title_full_unstemmed | Phenomenology and the Possibility of Religious Experience |
| title_short | Phenomenology and the Possibility of Religious Experience |
| title_sort | phenomenology and the possibility of religious experience |
| topic | emmanuel levinas edmund husserl eugen fink dominique janicaud theological turn transcendental phenomenology religious experience |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1515/opth-2017-0039 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mercerronaldl phenomenologyandthepossibilityofreligiousexperience |