“In order to understand, Heidegger says, one must see phenomenologically. He thus invites us to the first exercise of phenomenological “kindergarten.” To tear apart [zer-reissen] means: to tear into two parts, to separate: to make two out of one. If a sock is torn, then the sock is no longer present-at-hand—but note: precisely not as … (Part 1) My thoughts on Derrida’s “Interpretations at War Kant, the Jew, the German”

1 Philosophy and Mysticism There is a profound connection between Heidegger and Christian mysticism. Heidegger stresses the passivity and receptivity of thought with the “Es gibt.” For example, we may struggle in futility all night when suddenly the solution “comes to us.” Likewise, we may struggle for days trying to remember a favorite song when … My Thoughts on Derrida’s Des Tours de Babel  (In French, 1980; in English, 1985)

If Heidegger is playful, creating puzzles for his readers such as introducing concepts that are not clarified until hundreds of pages later or in other texts entirely, Derrida is one of the most tangential, deferring writers you will meet.  I imagine the late Derrida reincarnated as a watchdog distracted and chasing a squirrel into a … My Thoughts on Derrida’s Faith and Knowledge The Two Sources of “Religion” at the Limits of Reason Alone

I’ve done two main blog series on Derrida so far: Landing Page for Posts on Martin Heidegger and Jacques Derrida on the Philosophy of Death and (INDEX) My Blog Series on the Anthology by and About John Caputo: Cross and Khora Now I’m moving on to his anthology “Acts of Religion.” Religious is an interesting … Announcing New Blog Series: Jacques Derrida’s Acts of Religion

What is Postmodern Philosophy?  Postmodernism is what you get when you deconstruct the modern-Cartesian foundation of truth as certainty, free from doubt, to see it is not absolute but receives its privilege from Christianity from Thomas to Luther, because what had to be certain as free from doubt in that context was the salvation of … Reflections on my now Completed Caputo Blog Series: Jesus and Postmodern Philosophy

THE POSTS There are many different paths in the Jesus tradition, and so we have Jesus on the cross in Mark begging God to save him but keeping trust in God’s plan and faithfulness. By contrast, in Luke-Acts we have the condemned Jesus and Stephen, not begging God to send a legion of angels to … (INDEX) My Blog Series on the Anthology by and About John Caputo: Cross and Khora

If we look to the story of the prodigal son, we see both a case against substitutionary atonement, and a case for it.  On the one hand, we have a remorseful prodigal and a father who forgives without punishment, but at the same time we still have the offended protests of the good brother who … Conclusion: Encountering Caputo’s Cross and Khora

I am coming to the end of the anthology on and by Philosopher John Caputo. The key emphasis seems to be beyond substitutionary atonement to focus on loving widow, orphan. stranger and enemy as more important than self, and so in Luke-Acts Jesus and Stephen not only end their wrongful deaths with prayers for themselves … Religion and Phenomenology with Buckley and Caputo

We often wonder to what extent punishment is vengeance rather than justice.  Glazebrook suggests Yet punishment cannot undo harm. A jail sentence does not unrape the victim. A better world is not one wherein all crimes are paid for, but one in which harm-generating activities like crime are no longer one’s best option. The impossible, … Caputo and Glazebrook on Trying to Appease God’s Wrath vs Focus on Love of Undesirables