Exercises in New Creation from Paul to Kierkegaard (Radical Theologies and Philosophies)

Back cover: This book unfolds a vision for philosophical theology centered on the practices of the care of the self, the city, and creation. Rooted in Paul's articulation of the wisdom of the cross, and in conversation with ecological, radical, and political theologies; continental philosophy; and political ecology, it addresses the challenge of injustice and ecological catastrophe. Part one reads 1 Corinthians as an exercise in reading and writing that shapes and changes relationships and capabilities. Part two follows this alternative path for theology through Derrida and Kierkegaard, and neglected trajectories in Origen, Augustine, and Luther. Along the way, reading and writing are explored as exercises that transform selves, communities, and even habitats. They are creaturely acts that can scandalize the dominant orders of consumption and competition for the ends of love and justice. This is a philosophical theology engaged with political ecology, exercises that help cultivate new creation Acknowledgements 7 Contents 9 Chapter 1 Introduction: Care of the Self, the City, and Creation 11 Reading and Writing for New Creation 11 Paul, the Hermeneut—Turning the World Around 14 From Cross to New Creation 17 Political Ecology and the Care of Self, City, and Creation 21 The Cross Wise Path of This Book 27 Part I The Wisdom of the Cross 37 Chapter 2 Reading Paul in Radical, Late Ancient, and Prophetic Perspective 38 The Foolishness of the Cross 39 Pauline Exercises in Transformative Reading 41 Paul’s Prophetic Call to Care for Creation 45 Chapter 3 Wisdom: Paul’s Exercises of Care for a Commercialized Corinth 53 The Apology of Paul 55 The Care of the Called in Corinth 60 Disciplines of Knowledge and Formative Disciplines 64 A Transformed Way of Life 67 Chapter 4 The Cross: The Slow Violence of Gentlemen and the Wisdom of Self-Giving Love 77 Jesus Christ, Executed Insurrectionist 78 The Crucified and the Gentlemen 84 The Slow Violence of Learned Gentlemen 88 The Cross as a Way of Strife and New Life 95 Chapter 5 Exercises: Paul’s Practices of Reading and Writing for Social Transformation 103 The Constitutive Exercises of an Academic Way of Life 105 Paul’s Exercises of Reading and Writing 108 Reading and Writing as Institutional Acts 111 Chapter 6 New Creation: Pauline Social Experiments for an Ethos of Love and Justice 121 Traveling Crosswise to a New Creation 122 An Ethos of Love and Transformation 127 Social Experiments to Care for Creation 132 Crossing Ancient Wisdom and Contemporary Cares for New Creation 136 Part II The Wisdom of Crossings 142 Chapter 7 Pauline Resonances in Luther, Derrida, and Kierkegaard 143 The Folly and Wisdom of Luther as a Reader of Paul 144 Deconstruction and Writing for Justice 149 Kierkegaard’s Lutheran Exercises of Reading and Writing 153 Crossing into New Creation 155 Chapter 8 The Writing of Creatures: The Environmentality of Confessions in Derrida and Augustine 164 Learning to Live More Justly 167 The Writing of Creatures 168 A Writer’s Life and Technologies of Communication 171 Converting the Pedagogical Scenes of Reading 175 Reading and Writing for New Creation 180 Confessing for Other Creatures 184 Chapter 9 The Caregiver of Copenhagen: Kierkegaard’s Reeducation of the Age of Information 194 The Scandal of Copenhagen 197 Formation and Transformation 202 Problems and Professors in Fear and Trembling 205 Cautionary Tales and Misguided Readers in Fear and Trembling 209 The Crucified Caregiver 213 Chapter 10 Caring for Creatures: Kierkegaard’s Exercises for a Simple Way of Life 227 Upbuilding Exercises for Self, City, and Creation 229 Transforming Copenhagen 232 Neighbor Love and Love Cloistered in the Neighborhood 238 The Wisdom of Mortal Creatures 240 The Pedagogy of Creatures—Discourses on the Lilies and the Birds 243 The Administration of Dress and Work 248 Daily Bread—‘Tis a Gift to Be Simple 250 Chapter 11 Conclusion: Reading and Writing for Sustainability 261 Continued Correspondence with Corinth 261 The Abilities to Sustain Who, What, and Where? 265 The Wisdom of the Cross for Commercialized Selves, Cities, and Creation 269 Index 274 Front Matter ....Pages i-x Introduction: Care of the Self, the City, and Creation (T. Wilson Dickinson)....Pages 1-26 Front Matter ....Pages 27-27 Reading Paul in Radical, Late Ancient, and Prophetic Perspective (T. Wilson Dickinson)....Pages 29-43 Wisdom: Paul’s Exercises of Care for a Commercialized Corinth (T. Wilson Dickinson)....Pages 45-68 The Cross: The Slow Violence of Gentlemen and the Wisdom of Self-Giving Love (T. Wilson Dickinson)....Pages 69-94 Exercises: Paul’s Practices of Reading and Writing for Social Transformation (T. Wilson Dickinson)....Pages 95-112 New Creation: Pauline Social Experiments for an Ethos of Love and Justice (T. Wilson Dickinson)....Pages 113-133 Front Matter ....Pages 135-135 Pauline Resonances in Luther, Derrida, and Kierkegaard (T. Wilson Dickinson)....Pages 137-157 The Writing of Creatures: The Environmentality of Confessions in Derrida and Augustine (T. Wilson Dickinson)....Pages 159-188 The Caregiver of Copenhagen: Kierkegaard’s Reeducation of the Age of Information (T. Wilson Dickinson)....Pages 189-221 Caring for Creatures: Kierkegaard’s Exercises for a Simple Way of Life (T. Wilson Dickinson)....Pages 223-256 Conclusion: Reading and Writing for Sustainability (T. Wilson Dickinson)....Pages 257-269 Back Matter ....Pages 271-276