Political Theology and Discernment: Theological Reflection beyond Abstract Labor

Universities present themselves as spaces of both professionalization and critical reflection. The institutionalized objective of critical reflection is always a product of struggle; yet, in advanced capitalist societies where the activity of critical reflection in the university has been hitched to...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Drexler-Dreis, Joseph (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Peeters 2022
In: Louvain studies
Year: 2022, Volume: 45, Issue: 1, Pages: 16-33
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B University / Capitalism / Political theology / Critical thinking
IxTheo Classification:CF Christianity and Science
FD Contextual theology
NCE Business ethics
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Summary:Universities present themselves as spaces of both professionalization and critical reflection. The institutionalized objective of critical reflection is always a product of struggle; yet, in advanced capitalist societies where the activity of critical reflection in the university has been hitched to the productive process, the reality of this struggle is often obfuscated. How can we clarify this struggle and how can theological reflection intervene in this struggle? Coupling political theology and discernment can be part of the political and intellectual praxis of defecting from the productive process such that critical and creative activity can cultivate and respond to structures of meaning and value outside the market. To explain a tactic of critiquing capitalist structures of meaning, value, and legitimacy (i.e., political theology) and unearthing another possible structure of meaning (i.e., discernment), this article first addresses the possibilities of critical and creative activity within the neoliberal university. Second, it asks how political theology and discernment can respond to the abstraction of critical and creative activity. Third, it proposes how political theology and discernment can be part of a struggle for the relative autonomy of critical reflection from the productive process.
ISSN:1783-161X
Contains:Enthalten in: Louvain studies
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.2143/LS.45.1.3290305