Slavoj Zizek, Radical Theology, and the Materialist Defense of Christianity

This thesis explores the theological assertions of the philosopher Slavoj Žižek. Žižek, an atheist and a materialist, has produced a rather substantial body of work concerning Christianity in general and Christian theology specifically. My aim here is several. First, to provide an intellectual portrait of the dominant themes and ideas that emerge from Žižek’s earliest writings to his most recent. Second, to show how certain tensions which emerged in these earlier writings provided the impetus for his later interest to Christian theology. As well, I will argue that Žižek’s specific form of Christian theology echoes the themes and tensions announced by Radical theology, I shall show this via a study of the dominant themes that are prevalent in Thomas Altizer’s Death of God Theology. Finally, in my analysis of Žižek’s various theological claims I set out to describe the actual form of Christianity which surfaces from Žižek’s encounter with Christianity, by asking: what is the image of Christ that emerges from Žižek’s analysis? Why did Christ incarnate in flesh and have to die according to Žižek’s theology? And what does it mean to be a Christian, transformed by Christ, resulting from the interaction between Žižek and Christian theology?

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts (MA)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Religious Studies

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Graduate Studies

Year dc:date.issued

2016

Author dc:creator

• Fishley, Daniel

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Ruparell, Tinu

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Ruparell, Tinu
• Joy, Morny
• Moran, Brendan

• Philosophy
• Religion
• Religion--Philosophy of
• Theology

Statement dc:rights

• University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.

Language dc:language.iso

eng

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/27800

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ucalgary.scholaris.ca:11023/3226