Hope in a Secular Age

‘Joining into God's breath’: travail of the negative as a connection between mysticism and political activism

“…As Newheiser states, 'Dionysius describes a communal enterprise in which every authority is questionable.' 63 A negative travail suggests a similar motion, yet emphasises the importance of the specific embodiment and expression of negation and recreation, in which communal life solidarity and service can be redefined. 64 This approach resonates with Agamben's concept of a 'coming community', i.e., a community formed of singularities which are not represented by overarching state structures.…”

Why hope?

“…His critique is substantiated by a careful reading of Dionysius Areopagita in chapter 2, emphasizing ambivalent readings of Dionysius and negative theology in various texts by Derrida, in contrast to readings undertaken by Caputo and Marion (ch. 4) (Newheiser 2020, 85-107). Caputo argues that Derrida can accommodate apophatic negativity but not the affirmation of a particular tradition.…”

“…Newheiser rejects both readings and argues that none of them has discovered the truly radical and destabilizing potential characteristic of both Dionysius and Derrida. He contends that the key term apophasis juxtaposes negation and affirmation, even when it comes to the most basic propositions, in order to indicate that “neither mode of speech is adequate to the divine.” (Newheiser 2020, 96) Applied to the concept of God, this means that neither existence nor goodness or divinity is ascribed to God, although Dionysius clearly affirms belief in God as rational within the Christian tradition.…”

“…The discussion of hope as a common denominator between Derrida and Dionysius, between deconstruction and negative theology, therefore becomes rather puzzling. Newheiser claims that they share a hope that is “identical in kind, though not in content.” (Newheiser 2020, 14 et passim ) He is obviously concerned with the lack of hope in contemporary politics, but is this really a concern of the texts he analyzes? Is he able to identify a new definition of hope there, or even analyse the ethical discipline of hope, in terms that are convincing?…”

“…Newheiser answers this with an example and an ethical imperative: “Dionysius and Derrida show that it is possible to keep faith in the dark through the discipline of hope.” (Newheiser 2020, 11) Hence, we ought to practice the “discipline” of hope. I disagree with Newheiser at this point, but the point of disagreement needs further clarification.…”