Passionate Theology - Desire, Passion and Politics in the Theology of J B Metz1 - Part I H Murray Hofmeyr (University of Pretoria) ABSTRACT Passionate Theology. Desire, Passion and Politics in the Theology of J B Metz The author argues that a theory of concupiscence (desire), the subject of much of Metz’s early work (during his “transcendental phase”) implicitly plays a decisive role in his Political Theology. The implied concept of concupiscence is explicated with the aid of the major categories of a theory of reification as developed by Lukács, Benjamin and Adorno. The main categories of Metz’s Political Theology (notably asceticism, theodicy, negative theology and praxis) are linked to the (implied) central concept of concupiscence, eventually described as the might of what is. As this might seems to be absolute, the problem of the praxis of the believer becomes acute. Metz calls for a theology that integrates into its concepts societal, historical and cultural contexts. His notion of praxis as privation is interpreted in terms of longing and resistance. 1
INTRODUCTION
In his contribution to Stichworte zur “Geistige Situation der Zeit”, edited by Jürgen Habermas in 1979, Metz complains about the subjectless concepts of the contemporary philosophical and theological dialogue, and the resultant high level of abstraction. He takes issue, by implication, with Habermas’ project of communicative action: Metz’s idea of inter-subjectivity does not know much of the ideal communication situation. To him the “other” is the victim, and the important thing is to be able to see and judge oneself through the eyes of the other (Metz 1979:534). His language reminds of Adorno when he advocates solidarity with and partiality for damaged life (Metz 1979:535; cf. Adorno 1986). As for the idea of a new culture of solidarity in political life that will bring to fulfilment the project Modernity, Metz (1979:537) asks: whence the power for resistance against a mode of solidarity characterised by hate for the other? The answer: Christian religion has a heritage 1
This article is based on research done for a dissertation entitled “’n Teologie van die verlange. Concupiscentia in die Politieke Teologie van Johann Baptist Metz” that has been accepted by the Faculty of Theology at the University of Pretoria with professor C J Wethmar of the Department of Dogmatics and Christian Ethics as promoter. 92
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of concepts that do not fit the contemporary discourse, concepts that are, as it were, productively outdated, and accordingly have the potential of indicating the contours of a praxis that would change the world. Metz (1979:536-537) specifically refers to the concepts asceticism, sin and conversion, sacrifice and grace. Metz’s implicit critique of Habermas, and option for Adorno, should be interpreted in terms of the following words from Deleuze and Guattari (1994:108): “We do not lack communication. On the contrary, we have too much of it. We lack creation. We lack resistance to the present”. The above list of theological concepts that Metz tries to “recreate”, or to rescue, by using them “politically”, that means de-internalised and de-privatised, by implication includes the concept concupiscence. I will argue that this concept in its political interpretation implicitly plays a decisive role in Metz’s Political Theology. The young Metz, in his “transcendental phase”, which is the phase of his close association with Karl Rahner, his mentor and life-long friend, was well on his way to write a book on concupiscentia, or concupiscence, but the project was abandoned before completion (Metz 1962: 28 note 5). A number of articles on the topic and related issues from his pen were published in the late 1950s and early 1960s (see Metz 1958a-c; 1961a-c; 1962c-f; 1963a-b; 1964). According to Metz his research in this regard has supplied him with one of the central axioms of his Political Theology: the inability to abolish something does not imply an inability to change it (Interview, Münster, 2.7.1987). This axiom is intended to open up a middle position between a conservative reading of Heidegger (thrownness), and classical historical materialism. It is a space shared by the Frankfurters, notably Adorno, as Metz soon found out. Traditionally concupiscence is placed within the doctrine of original sin. Historically this doctrine has been used in conservative political theologies to defend a particular status quo. Metz, in developing his “new” Political Theology, had to clarify the concept of concupiscence. And yet, after making the switch from transcendental theology to Political Theology (alternatively after transforming transcendental theology into Political Theology), Metz hardly ever uses the concept and nowhere explicitly develops an adequate reformulation. The most important pointers are given in his treatment of the concept during the transitional phase, when he first came to interpret the category “world” in terms of history, and eventually in terms of history and society (see Metz 1968). But Metz has not yet provided an explicitly developed conceptualisation of concupiscence as the foundation of the new Political Theology. I propose to explicate this “hidden”, implied concept of concupiscence, with the help of the major categories of a theory of reification as developed by George Lukács, Walter Benjamin, and Adorno. I will try to ISSN 1609-9982 = VERBUM ET ECCLESIA JRG 23 (1) 2002
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