{"id":1661,"date":"2018-03-13T11:04:20","date_gmt":"2018-03-13T16:04:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/my.vanderbilt.edu\/williamfranke\/?page_id=1661"},"modified":"2020-04-29T00:01:57","modified_gmt":"2020-04-29T05:01:57","slug":"poetry-and-apocalypse-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/my.vanderbilt.edu\/williamfranke\/poetry-and-apocalypse-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Poetry and Apocalypse"},"content":{"rendered":"

Poetry and Apocalypse<\/a><\/h2>\n

Poetry and Apocalypse: Theological Disclosures of Poetic Language<\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Poetry<\/p>\n

Stanford University Press<\/a>, 2009
\nreviews, excerpts, etc.<\/a>
\nselections at: Google Books<\/a><\/p>\n

Poetry and Apocalypse offers an interdisciplinary synthesis, combining a philosophical theory of dialogue, a literary-critical interpretation of poetic language in the apocalyptic tradition, and a negative theology that renews certain fundamental impulses and insights of revealed religion.\u00a0 It is concerned with finding the premises for dialogue between cultures, especially between religious fundamentalisms, like the Islamic, and modern Western secularism.\u00a0The thesis is that dialogue in general, in order to be genuinely open, needs to be able to open up to such a possibility as religious apocalypse in ways that can be understood best through the experience of poetry.\u00a0 The book interprets the Christian epic and prophetic tradition as a secularization of religious revelation that nevertheless preserves an understanding of the essentially apocalyptic character of truth and its disclosure in history.\u00a0The usually neglected negative theology that undergirds this apocalyptic tradition provides the key to a radically new and open understanding of apocalypse as inextricably religious and poetic at the same time.
\nReviewed by:<\/p>\n

Joel Harter, Journal of Religion<\/a> 90 (2010): 104-106 (pdf version<\/a>)\u00a0 online version<\/a>
\nDorothy Z. Baker, Comparative Literature Studies 46\/4 (2009)<\/a>: 674-676
\nLee A. Jacobus, James Joyce Quarterly<\/a> 46\/3-4 (2009): 624-627\u00a0 In Project Muse<\/a>
\nLarry D. Bouchard, Religion and Literature<\/a> 43\/3 (2011): 249-52\u00a0 (pdf)<\/a>
\nJ. H. Sims, CHOICE: <\/em><\/strong>Current Reviews for Academic Libraries<\/em> <\/a><\/em>46.9 (May 2009): p1679.
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThe book\u2019s stated objective is \u2018a postmodern negative theology of poetic language\u2019 (ix) that is both theoretical and practical, contributing to both literary theory and theology and promoting peace through radical openness to dialogue, and it is to Franke\u2019s credit that the result is both challenging and accessible.\u201d\u2014Joel Harter, The Journal of Religion<\/em><\/p>\n

“Poetry and Apocalypse: Theological Disclosures of Poetic Language is a profound and radical study that holds many surprises . . . [W]e have long been convinced of the relevance of studies in religious thought, philosophy, and anthropology to literary scholarship. Poetry and Apocalypse gives evidence of the importance of literature and literary hermeneutics to religion, philosophy, and anthropology.”\u2014Dorothy Z. Baker, Comparative Literature Studies<\/p>\n

” . . .\u00a0 a performed negative theology. At such wakes and festivals, it is the praxis of recursive conversations\u2014Poetry and Apocalypse being an excellent example\u2014that disclose, indirectly, possibilities of transcendent openness.”\u2014Larry D. Bouchard, Religion and Literature<\/em><\/p>\n

“Poetry and Apocalypse will appeal to critics who credit a Christian interpretation of Joyce’s texts in part because its premises are carefully argued and theoretically balanced.” \u2014Lee A. Jacobus, James Joyce Quarterly<\/p>\n

“The importance of Poetry and Apocalypse<\/i> resides in the clarity of Franke’s views of the necessary relations between literature and theology as well as the authority that these views have by dint of being grounded in his deep knowledge of canonical sacred and secular literature over the centuries. I should also say that Franke is his own man; he does not represent a ‘school’ or even a fashion, and his book marks an original contribution to the growing field of religion and literature.”\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u2014Kevin Hart, Monash University and University of Notre Dame<\/p>\n

“This is an ambitious book. It takes on big topics, difficult writers, and a range of discourses. Authors who venture into topics like ‘poetry and apocalypse’ are usually comfortable with big ideas and forays into theoretic discourse that shy away from concrete literary analysis. Among Franke’s virtues is his ability to do both in a prose that is graceful and accessible.”\u00a0\u00a0 \u2014Peter Hawkins, Boston University<\/p>\n

“Franke’s theory of poetic language as negative theology is persuasive and helpful in illuminating the complex relationship between religion and literature.”\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u2014Joel Harter, The Journal of Religion<\/i><\/p>\n

The Corrigan Literary Review:<\/a><\/p>\n

Just as intense a vision of the religious and postsecular function of poetic form comes through in William Franke\u2019s discussion of \u201capocalypse,\u201d a religious term meaning revealing<\/em> in the original Greek. \u201cIf apocalypse really takes place,\u201d he writes, \u201cthen, it does so not in language at all. Apocalypse is the moment when language at its limits shatters and all beings are speechlessly present and open to one another, the moment when all articulable differences are surpassed.\u201d He has the \u201cconviction\u201d that such a \u201c\u2018moment\u2019 outside of and before speech\u201d pushes back against our world\u2019s imperialistic tendencies. But \u201csuch a speechless openness cannot be engineered by any logical process or protocol, but rather can be induced through the agency of poetry that bears language to its point of rupture.\u201d Therefore, \u201cwe need to see how poetry by its<\/em> nature opens toward what lies beyond the grasp of our language.\u201d For Franke, the religious power of poetic form, beyond words and concepts and content, pushes us toward what can basically be described as a postsecular vision, a place where \u201cunderstanding and tolerance among human beings committed to radically disparate belief systems can be fostered\u201d (x-xi).<\/p>\n

Paul T. Corrigan, \u201cThe Postsecular and Literature: A Review of Scholarship,\u201d <\/a>https:\/\/corriganliteraryreview.wordpress.com\/2015\/05\/17\/the-postsecular-and-literature\/<\/a> Accessed 4\/28\/2020.<\/p>\n

 
\nColby Dickinson, “Are the Only True Atheists Actually Theologians?” Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Translation into German by Michael Sonntag and Ursula Liebing:<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dichtung und Apokalypse: <\/a>
\nTheologische Erschliessungen der dichterischen Sprache<\/a><\/p>\n

Publishers Webpage<\/a><\/p>\n

Aus dem Amerikanischen von Ursula Liebing und Michael Sonntag
\nSalzburger Theologische Studien Band 39<\/a>
\nUniversity of Salzburg Studies in Theology, vol.\u00a039 (Intercultural 6)
\nInsbruck: Tyrolia Press, 2011
\nISBN 978-3-7022-3050-0
\n(216 pages)
\nDichtung und Apokalypse sucht nach den Pr\u00e4missen eines Dialogs zwischen den Kulturen, insbesondere zwischen religi\u00f6s-fundamentalistischen und modern-s\u00e4kularistischen Haltungen. Die These ist, dass Dialog generell, um wirklich offen zu sein, sich f\u00fcr die M\u00f6glichkeit der religi\u00f6sen Apokalypse \u00f6ffnen muss. Eine solche M\u00f6glichkeit l\u00e4sst sich am besten \u00fcber die dichterische Erfahrung verstehen. In diesem Sinne wird die christliche Epik in die Tradition der prophetischen \u00dcberlieferung eingebunden und als eine S\u00e4kularisierung der theologischen Offenbarung ausgelegt. Ihre Sichtweise besteht dennoch auf dem wesentlich apokalyptischen Charakter von Wahrheit und ihrer Erschlie\u00dfung im Laufe der Geschichte. Die oft vernachl\u00e4ssigte Negative Theologie, die dieser apokalyptischen \u00dcberlieferung zu Grunde liegt, bietet den Schl\u00fcssel f\u00fcr ein neues und offenes Verst\u00e4ndnis von Apokalypse in ihrer stets zugleich dichterischen wie religi\u00f6sen Natur.<\/p>\n

WILLIAM FRANKE ist Professor f\u00fcr Vergleichende Literaturwissenschaft und f\u00fcr Religionswissenschaften an der Vanderbilt University in Tenessee \/ USA. Nach abgeschlossenen Magisterstudien in Philosophie und Theologie an der Oxford University und einem Doktorat in Komparatistik an der Stanford University war er Alexander von Humboldt-Stipendiat an der Universit\u00e4t Potsdam und Gastprofessor f\u00fcr Vergleichende Literaturwissenschaft an der University of Hong Kong, sowie zuletzt Fulbright Professor am Zentrum Theologie Interkulturell und Studium der Religionen an der Universit\u00e4t Salzburg (2008). Zu seinen Publikationen z\u00e4hlen philosophische Betrachtungen \u00fcber Dante und verschiedene Dichter und Denker von den Griechen (z.B. Homer, Damascius) bis zur Postmoderne (Derrida, Celan etc.), sowie als bisherige Monographien Dante\u2019s Interpretive Journey (University of Chicago Press, 1996) und On What Cannot Be Said: Apophatic Discourses in Philosophy, Religion, Literature and the Arts (University of Notre Dame Press, 2007).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Poetry and Apocalypse Poetry and Apocalypse: Theological Disclosures of Poetic Language   Stanford University Press, 2009 reviews, excerpts, etc. selections at: Google Books Poetry and Apocalypse offers an interdisciplinary synthesis, combining a philosophical theory of dialogue, a literary-critical interpretation of poetic language in the apocalyptic tradition, and a negative theology that renews certain fundamental impulses…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":615,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1661","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/my.vanderbilt.edu\/williamfranke\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1661","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/my.vanderbilt.edu\/williamfranke\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/my.vanderbilt.edu\/williamfranke\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my.vanderbilt.edu\/williamfranke\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/615"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my.vanderbilt.edu\/williamfranke\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1661"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/my.vanderbilt.edu\/williamfranke\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1661\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3090,"href":"https:\/\/my.vanderbilt.edu\/williamfranke\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1661\/revisions\/3090"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/my.vanderbilt.edu\/williamfranke\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1661"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my.vanderbilt.edu\/williamfranke\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1661"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}