Humanism, education and spirituality: Approaching psychosis with levinas

The article investigates the recent turn towards Emmanuel Levinas’ writings in the philosophy of Education. Engaging this turn, the article sets out to develop an ethical, personal and contemplative approach towards understanding and responding to psychosis. By imagining a Levinasian horizon for understanding the experience of psychosis in the Teaching-Learning environment, Levinas’ thought gives hope to take on the work of justice and offer a gift of friendship especially when faced with students experiencing psychosis. The approach towards people suffering the moods and difficulties of psychosis, the article argues, parallels the very spiritual practice of contemplation

Book Review: David Matzko McCarthy and M Therese Lysaught, \u3cem\u3eGathered for the Journey: An Introduction to Catholic Moral Theology\u3c/em\u3e, London, SCM Press, 2007

Catholic moral theology is central to understanding the Christian life and its practice in the family, church and society. We are always in the midst of the challenge of finding a way to clearly speak of moral thinking. Gathered for the Journey: An Introduction to Catholic Moral Theology answers this challenge in a remarkably coherent way. It is remarkable because it brings together a number of theologians with expertise in a variety or areas. Embracing the wisdom and riches of the Catholic theological tradition, the authors address our contemporary issues and experiences, producing a horizon of Catholic moral praxis for students of theology to deepen their Christian life and faith. Particularly, the contributors set out to articulate Catholic moral theology in the light of Scripture, the Trinity, the crucified and risen Christ, the liturgy (and in particular the Eucharist), the theologies of Aquinas and Pope John Paul II as well as post-conciliar writings

Phenomenology, theology and psychosis: Towards compassion

The article argues for a phenomenological and theological perspective of psychosis. It draws especially upon Levinas’ philosophy as a way of looking at psychosis and responding with compassion. It aims to show that the world of psychosis parallels the Levinas’ negative characterisation of both ontology and the categories of objectivity, presence and Being. This suggests that the language of ontology itself holds insights into the experience of psychosis and perhaps further that the language of alterity (otherness) could be a possible response to it. Psychosis should not be understood as a ‘psychological problem’, but rather as an altered state of existence dominated by idolisation, ethical escapism, and terrifying and enthralling transcendence. Fear, horror, confusion with the good and the impossibility of death are the dominant emotions and experiences. As a result, the self, consumed by the idol of fear, must not only seek out and deceive the good, but transcend the possibility of death and thus ever deny its reality in life. If the word of God is to be heard in the face of an Other with psychosis, then there must be a compassionate response that might even one day take the form of friendship and solidarity. Like Christ entering into the depths of loneliness on Holy Saturday, so too we are called to enter into a space and time to bring both life and death together, a reality in which the Other’s fear of death and grief might be encountered and transformed into an existence of hope and grace

The Triune Drama of the Resurrection Levinas\u27 Non-Phenomenology

The article aims to develop the philosophy of Emmanuel Levinas as a valuable new perspective in understanding the triune drama of the Resurrection. Firstly, the juxtaposition of Levinas’ thought and Christian theology will be argued for, followed by a development of von Balthasar’s Trinitarian theology of the Resurrection. Especially, Levinas’ non-phenomenological notion of “otherness” will be used to offer an understanding of the Risen Christ’s “Otherness” as communicating the non-phenomenality of Holy Saturday to the disciples. As a result, we discover significant theological openings towards a vision of a Biblical God free from the constraints of ontological thinking and phenomenal experience

I Love People So Terribly : Approaching affectivity with Levinas, Hillesum, and Christian theology

Through engaging the writings of two Jewish thinkers, Emmanuel Levinas and Etty Hillesum, this essay sets out to develop a Christian theological approach to affectivity. It begins by introducing Levinas and Hillesum to develop a context for dialogue between Jewish thought and Christian theology. Initiating a phenomenological foundation, the essay suggests that affectivity resonates through the human condition of loneliness and otherness. Building on this perspective and aided by Levinas’s thought and the practical expression of Hillesum’s affectivity of talking to God, the focus turns to introduce and develop the notions of spontaneity, melancholy, and vigilance. Hence, it suggests the central elements of a theological approach to human affectivity in Christian living. Accordingly, by seeking to be poor in spirit and offering friendship to the poor, affectivity becomes a way for the Christian community to live in unity, signifying the resilience to embrace the turbulence of conversion, the shock of encountering the other’s suffering, and the joy of loving others “so terribly.

Disturbing deacons: Upstanders through moral resistance

In this article, I wish to explore the history and vocation of the deacon to highlight the hope for a new Golden Age of possessing a “thinking heart” of a martyr to inspire trust, truth and the evidence of love for the Church. Accordingly, deacons are called to be upstanders in Christ even to the point of demonstrating the disturbing resistance and counterforce of disobedience that will in time be seen and understood as the ethical action and ministry of speaking frankly in the name of those who are most vulnerable within the Church