Cloud of the Impossible: Negative Theology and Planetary Entanglement (Insurrections: Critical Studies in Religion, Politics, and Culture)

The experience of the impossible churns up in our epoch whenever a collective dream turns to trauma: politically, sexually, economically, and with a certain ultimacy, ecologically. Out of an ancient theological lineage, the figure of the cloud comes to convey possibility in the face of the impossible. An old mystical nonknowing of God now hosts a current knowledge of uncertainty, of indeterminate and interdependent outcomes, possibly catastrophic. Yet the connectivity and collectivity of social movements, of the fragile, unlikely webs of an alternative notion of existence, keep materializing--a haunting hope, densely entangled, suggesting a more convivial, relational world. Catherine Keller brings process, feminist, and ecopolitical theologies into transdisciplinary conversation with continental philosophy, the quantum entanglements of a "participatory universe," and the writings of Nicholas of Cusa, Walt Whitman, A. N. Whitehead, Gilles Deleuze, and Judith Butler, to develop a "theopoetics of nonseparable difference." Global movements, personal embroilments, religious diversity, the inextricable relations of humans and nonhumans--these phenomena, in their unsettling togetherness, are exceeding our capacity to know and manage. By staging a series of encounters between the nonseparable and the nonknowable, Keller shows what can be born from our cloudiest entanglement. The Experience Of The Impossible Churns Up In Our Epoch Whenever A Collective Dream Turns To Trauma: Politically, Sexually, Economically, And With A Certain Ultimacy, Ecologically. Out Of An Ancient Theological Lineage, The Figure Of The Cloud Comes To Convey Possibility In The Face Of The Impossible. An Old Mystical Nonknowing Of God Now Hosts A Current Knowledge Of Uncertainty, Of Indeterminate And Interdependent Outcomes, Possibly Catastrophic. Yet The Connectivity And Collectivity Of Social Movements, Of The Fragile, Unlikely Webs Of An Alternative Notion Of Existence, Keep Materializing--a Haunting Hope, Densely Entangled, Suggesting A More Convivial, Relational World. Catherine Keller Brings Process, Feminist, And Ecopolitical Theologies Into Transdisciplinary Conversation With Continental Philosophy, The Quantum Entanglements Of A Participatory Universe, And The Writings Of Nicholas Of Cusa, Walt Whitman, A. N. Whitehead, Gilles Deleuze, And Judith Butlerto Develop A Theopoetics Of Nonseparable Difference. Global Movements, Personal Embroilments, Religious Diversity, The Inextricable Relations Of Humans And Nonhumans--these Phenomena, In Their Unsettling Togetherness, Are Exceeding Our Capacity To Know And Manage. By Staging A Series Of Encounters Between The Nonseparable And The Nonknowable, Keller Shows What Can Be Born From Our Cloudiest Entanglement. (publisher). Complications -- Explications -- Implications. Catherine Keller. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. What generates the cloud of the impossible is what becomes possible in the very face of what appears to be impossible, whether it be radical democracy or the reversal of climate change. The experience of the impossible peaked at the end of the last centurypolitically, sexually, economically, and ecologically. The dream of progress became the trauma of reality, and confidence in better outcomes waned. Yet the connectivity and collectivity of social movements, of the fragile, unlikely webs of an alternative notion of existence, keep materializinga haunting hope, dense in relationships, suggesting a more convivial, relational world. Catherine Keller brings process, feminist, and ecological theologies into conversation with continental philosophy, the quantum entanglements of a participatory universe, and the writings of Walt Whitman, Alfred North Whitehead, and Judith Butler to develop a theopoetics for all relations. Global movements, personal embroilments, and the inextricable relationship of humans and nonhumansthese phenomena, in their unsettling togetherness, are exceeding our capacities to know, grasp, and manage. By staging a series of encounters between the relational and the apophatic, the inseparable and the nonknowable, Keller shows what can be born from negative entanglement. -from (http://cup.columbia.edu/book/978-0-231-17114-4/cloud-of-the-impossible) Columbia University Press Table of Contents 6 Before 10 Part 1: Complications 22 1. The Dark Nuance of Beginning 24 2. Cloud-Writing: A Genealogy of the Luminous Dark 59 3. Enfolding and Unfolding God: Cusanic Complicatio 96 Part 2: Explications 134 4. Spooky Entanglements: The Physics of Nonseparability 136 5. The Fold in Process: Deleuze and Whitehead 177 6. “Unfolded Out of the Folds”: Walt Whitman and the Apophatic Sex of the Earth 205 7. Unsaying and Undoing: Judith Butler and the Ethics of Relational Ontology 224 Part 3: Implications 246 8. Crusade, Capital, and Cosmopolis: Ambiguous Entanglements 248 9. Broken Touch: Ecology of the Im/possible 275 10. In Questionable Love 294 After: Theopoetics of the Cloud 315 Notes 326 Acknowledments 382 Index 384 What generates the cloud of the impossible is what becomes possible in the very face of what appears to be impossible, whether it be radical democracy or the reversal of climate change. The experience of the impossible peaked at the end of the last century#x97;politically, sexually, economically, and ecologically. The dream of progress became the trauma of reality, and confidence in better outcomes waned. Yet the connectivity and collectivity of social movements, of the fragile, unlikely webs of an alternative notion of existence, keep materializing#x97;a haunting hope, dense in relationships, suggest A progressive reading of the history of the unknown that projects a hopeful future.