In abandonment of the parable: an Agambenian interpretation of Simone Weil’s ‘Hesitations Concerning Baptism’

Arthur Willemse*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

In this essay, I trace the motif of abandonment that runs through the ethics of Simone Weil. In doing so, as a conceptual lens, I make use of Giorgio Agamben’s concept of abandonment. Taking my cue from Weil’s hesitations concerning baptism, I examine her stance as a case of either sacrifice or exception, of ambiguity or indifference. Subsequently, I use Weil’s hesitations to examine an interconnected sequence of soteriology and metaphysics, following Church and potentiality, World and actuality, and The Kingdom and contingency. This allows me to explore the themes of writing and life. A crucial role is reserved for the Parable of the Sower, and how it discriminates between the saved and the damned.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)105-121
Number of pages16
JournalInternational Journal of Philosophy and Theology
Volume79
Issue number1-2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2018
Externally publishedYes

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