THEOLOGY AFTER POSTMODERNITY This page intentionally left blank Theology after Postmodernity — Divining the Void A Lacanian Reading of Thomas Aquinas TINA BEATTIE 1 3 GreatClarendonStreet,Oxford,OX26DP, UnitedKingdom OxfordUniversityPressisadepartmentoftheUniversityofOxford. ItfurtherstheUniversity’sobjectiveofexcellenceinresearch,scholarship, andeducationbypublishingworldwide.Oxfordisaregisteredtrademarkof OxfordUniversityPressintheUKandincertainothercountries #TinaBeattie2013 Themoralrightsoftheauthorhavebeenasserted FirstEditionpublishedin2013 Impression:1 Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproduced,storedin aretrievalsystem,ortransmitted,inanyformorbyanymeans,withoutthe priorpermissioninwritingofOxfordUniversityPress,orasexpresslypermitted bylaw,bylicenceorundertermsagreedwiththeappropriatereprographics rightsorganization.Enquiriesconcerningreproductionoutsidethescopeofthe aboveshouldbesenttotheRightsDepartment,OxfordUniversityPress,atthe addressabove Youmustnotcirculatethisworkinanyotherform andyoumustimposethissameconditiononanyacquirer PublishedintheUnitedStatesofAmericabyOxfordUniversityPress 198MadisonAvenue,NewYork,NY10016,UnitedStatesofAmerica BritishLibraryCataloguinginPublicationData Dataavailable LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2013938326 ISBN 978–0–19–956607–5 Asprintedandboundby CPIGroup(UK)Ltd,Croydon,CR04YY LinkstothirdpartywebsitesareprovidedbyOxfordingoodfaithand forinformationonly.Oxforddisclaimsanyresponsibilityforthematerials containedinanythirdpartywebsitereferencedinthiswork. For Dave My soul yearns and pines For the courts of the LORD. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. (Psalm 84:3) This page intentionally left blank Contents Acknowledgements xi Introduction 1 Theendofdesire 1 SeekingGodinthelabyrinthsoflanguage 2 Settingthecontext 3 Mappingtheterrain 8 PartI—BeingandDesire 1. LanguageAbouttheAbyss 15 Thehumancondition—universality,desire,andreligion 16 ‘Shadowsofwhatisnot’—languageanddesire 19 Castrationandtheoedipalfather 23 Languageandtheemptinessofdesire 25 Loveandlack 29 Lacan’sunconsciousGod 30 Onnothavingitall 33 2. KnowingtheWorldinGod 35 ‘Metaphysicalamphibians’—theparadoxofthehumanspecies 36 ThomismandLacanianatheism 37 Reason,revelation,andwonder 39 Thefiveways 42 ThebeingofGod 43 ‘Atextisnotathingoftheworld’—thegrammarofcreation 45 Beinghuman—‘acrowdofhobbledangels’ 49 3. SpeakingofGodintheWorld 51 LanguageandtheunknowingofGod 52 Scripture,theology,andanalogy 57 ThegrammarofGod 61 ThematernalTrinity 66 4. DesiringGodintheWorld 71 Rationalanimals 71 Knowledge,truth,andlove 75 Desireintranslation 77 Pleasureanddelight 81 ThedesireoftheOther 82 viii Contents PartII—OrderingDesire 5. GreekPhilosophy,Theology,andGender 89 Philosophicalorigins 90 BeingandbecominginPlatoandAristotle 92 Genderingthecosmos 95 ReadingThomasthroughthelensesofgender 98 Maternalmatterandpaternalforms 100 WomanaccordingtoThomas 102 6. Fatherhood,Law,andSociety 108 LawaccordingtoThomas 109 Thepatriarchalorder 113 Fathers,mothers,andsons 115 Husbandsandwives 118 Women,language,andauthority 120 Thelegacyofscholasticism 121 7. Angels,Demons,andtheManofGod 125 Desire,imagination,anddamnation 125 Contemplation,embodiment,andthesoul 128 Solitude,love,andcontemplation 130 Rapture 132 SexualdualismandthephallicGod 136 Angelsanddemons 139 ‘SexyDevils’ 143 8. TheRiseoftheUniversities 147 Thequestfororder 148 Textsandmasters 150 Thebeginningof‘discourse’ 154 Gender,power,andknowledge 157 Womanandtheendofwisdom 159 PartIII—ConqueringDesire 9. TheMakingofModernity 167 Lutherandthedisgracingofnature 169 TheJanus-facedGod 173 Thedevilandallhisworks 176 Galileoandthedesexualizationofthecosmos 178 TheCartesiansubject 183 Thetriumphofscience 187 Contents ix 10. Kant,Ethics,andOtherness 191 Formandmatter—thegreatdivorce 192 Thedividedwill 194 Theethicalmiracleofbodilyacts 196 Thematernalsublime 201 Imaginationanddesire 204 Resurrectionandimmortality 207 11. TheSadeanViolenceoftheKantianOther 210 Atheismbeyondscience 211 Law,transgression,anddesire 217 TheFreudiandeathdrive 219 KantandSade 222 Violenceandpolitics 228 12. Love,Law,andTransgression 231 Loveofneighbour 232 Lawandtransgression 234 Evil,lack,andthedemonic 238 Theseconddeathandthehellofbeing 241 Heresy,punishment,andthelegitimacyofkilling 245 PartIV—SexingDesire 13. SexualMythologiesandtheMakingofModernity 253 Sexybodies—science,romance,andpornography 255 Sexualdifferenceaswholenessandlack 260 Theromanceandhorrorofthecourtlylover 262 Surplusjouissanceasthefomesofsin 264 Modernbodies 269 14. BeingBeyondPhilosophy 272 Lacan,religion,andbeing 273 BeingandGod 275 TheOtheroftheOne 279 ThomasbetweenAristotleandLacan 283 Sexualfantasiesandromanticmyths 285 15. SheWhoSpeaks 289 Thebody’struth 290 Reality,thereal,andthetrue 293 Theeternalbody 296 Theemptinessoflove 299