Eschatology and the event : the messianic in John D. Caputo's radical theology

Abstract

In this study I search for a non-essentialist conception of liberation by searching for a non-essentialist eschatology in the work of John D. Caputo and staging a critical encounter between it and the eschatology of South African black theology. I do this by following the shift from Caputo’s primary engagement with Heidegger, to his primary engagement Derrida (radical hermeneutics), and then a shift in focus from Derrida to God (radical theology). Then I focus on the eschatological nature of this radical theology by emphasizing the messianic, and then reflect on how this occasions a deconstructive reading, not just of eschatology in general, but of the eschatology of South African black theology in particular. The result is an undermining of teleological conceptions of eschatology that reduce the complexity of life to one essential point that can be met with a definite future solution. This is a shift to eschatological thinking without a telos; an eschatology that abandons the search for ‘the solution’ in favor of eschatology as difficult glory.

Koluphando, ndikhangela ingcamango ngenkululeko engathintelawanga sisiseko. Oku ndikwenza ngokukhangela ingcamango ngemihla yokugqibela kwingqiqo buThixo kaJohn D. Caputo; ndithi ndakugqiba ndiyimise lengcamango, ijongane nengcamango yemihla yokugqibela yengqiqo buThixo engqale kwinkululeko yabantu abamnyama baseMzantsi Afrika. Xa ndisenza oku, ndiqala ndiqwalasele impembelelo kaMartin Heidegger kuCaputo. Ndithi ndakugqiba, ndiqondisise ukuphuma kwakhe phantsi kwempembelelo kaHeidegger, ngokuthi ajike abephansti kwempembelelo kaJacques Derrida. Olutshintsho luvelisa lento athi xa eyibiza uCaputo, yiRadical Hermeneutics (uphando olugqoboza ngaphaya kwesiseko, lujongane nalonto yenza ukuba kubekho isiseko endaweni yokuqala). Ukususela apho, ndiqwalasela indlela iRadical Hermeneutics eyiphembelela ngayo ingqiqo buThixo yakhe (iRadical Theology). Ndiye ndiqaphele indlela ingqiqo buThixo kaCaputo eye igqobhoze ngayo ngaphaya kwesiseko seemfundiso ngemihla yokugqibela, nangokukodwa, iimfundiso ngexesha lesiphelo zengqiqo buThixo engqale ngqo kwinkululeko yabantu abamnyama baseMzantsi Afrika. Oku kusungula indlela yokucinga ngesiphelo engqamelana nokuntsokotha kobomi, endaweni yengqiqo engakuniki ngqalelo okokuntsokotha, isuke ibeke phambili imfezeko yexesha elizayo. Ngentetho evakalayo, ndiyasuka kwindlela yokucinga egxile kwisisombululo esinye sekamva, ndikhangele indlela yokucinga ngesiphelo eyazanayo nokuntsonkotha kobomi.

In hierdie studie soek ek na 'n nie-essensialistiese verstaan van bevryding deur te soek na 'n nie-essensialistiese eskatologie in die werk van John D. Caputo en deur 'n kritiese ontmoeting tussen Caputo en die eskatologie van Suid-Afrikaanse swart teologie. Ek doen dit deur die verskuiwing van Caputo se primêre betrokkenheid by Heidegger, na sy primêre betrokkenheid Derrida (radikale hermeneutiek), en dan 'n fokusverskuiwing van Derrida na God (radikale teologie) te ondersoek. Verder fokus ek op die eskatologiese aard van hierdie radikale teologie deur ‘n beklemtoning van die messiaanse, en besin hoe dit tot 'n dekonstruktiewe verstaan lei, nie net van eskatologie in die algemeen nie, maar van die eskatologie van Suid-Afrikaanse swart teologie in die besonder. Die gevolg is 'n bevraagtekening van teleologiese opvattings van eskatologie wat die kompleksiteit van die lewe reduseer tot een noodsaaklike punt wat 'n definitiewe toekomstige oplossing het. Dit is 'n verskuiwing na eskatologiese denke sonder 'n telos; 'n eskatologie wat die soeke na 'die oplossing' laat vaar ten gunste van eskatologie as ‘n uitdagende heerlikheid