Routledge Michel Foucault and Theology: The Politics of Religious Experience

Whilst Foucault's work has become a major strand of postmodern theology, the wider relevance of his work for theology still remains largely unexamined. Foucault both engages the Christian tradition and critically challenges its disciplinary regime. Michel Foucault and Theology brings together a selection of essays by leading Foucault scholars on a variety of themes within the history, thought and practice of theology. Revealing the diverse ways that the work of Michel Foucault (1926-1984) has been employed to rethink theology in terms of power, discourse, sexuality and the politics of knowledge, the authors examine power and sexuality in the church in late antiquity, (Castelli, Clark, Schuld), raise questions about the relationship between theology and politics (Bernauer, Leezenberg, Caputo), consider new challenges to the nature of theological knowledge in terms of Foucault's critical project (Flynn, Cutrofello, Beadoin, Pinto) and rethink theology in terms of Foucault's work on the history of sexuality (Carrette, Jordan, Mahon). This book demonstrates, for the first time, the influence and growing importance of Foucault's work for contemporary theology. Review 'This book is timely, bringing to our attention an excellent range of essays from the past decade. Anyone interested in Foucault will find it a valuable resource. It explores the way in which the matrix of knowledge and power functions in Christian attitudes towards the body, marriage, sexuality, spirituality, theological knowledge and ecclesiastical authority.' Hugh Rayment-Pickard in The Church Times 'There's plenty here to provoke, delight and entertain. Evidently Foucault is of great relevance to theology, especially when theorizing power, truth and human identity.' Theology ’... succeeds as both an introduction to and a scholarly advancement of its subject-matter. Non-specialists will appreciate the inclusion of expository essays that provide jargon-free access not only to the religious relevant facets of Foucault's work, but also to the general contours and key terminology of his overall project... As for new developments, the volume pays welcome attention throughout [...] to the religious and political significance of the tradition of Christian asceticism, an often neglected facet of the Western theological heritage to which Foucault himself paid careful attention late in his career.’ Scottish Journal of Theology About the Author James Bernauer is Professor of Philosophy at Boston College, Massachusetts, USA; Jeremy Carrette is Lecturer in Religious Studies at the University of Stirling, UK