EVENT: Lecture

This is one of a series of six lectures on various aspects of religious studies and theology being offered jointly by the UWA Religion and Globalisation Initiative, Murdoch University (Theology) and the University of Notre Dame Australia (Philosophy and Theology).

Synopsis: Our focus is to develop a phenomenology of Paul’s encounter with the Risen Christ. His conversion, calling and testimony reveal a "resurrection effect" upon his life and being. In the passivity and otherness of the gift of the Risen Christ’s being upon his life, something extraordinary has transfigured Paul’s consciousness. Martin Heidegger was the first to study Paul’s experience, developing a phenomenology of Religious Life. Taking up Heidegger’s development, the lecture will introduce a phenomenological perspective inspired by the ethical metaphysics of the French Jewish Philosopher and Talmudic Scholar, Emmanuel Levinas. Moving from Heideggerian notions of temporality, experience and the singularity of the I, we will draw out the Levinasian notions of otherness and passivity. Our hope will be to journey to uncover a little of the hidden realities resonating Paul’s encounter with the Risen Christ. Particularly, we will be interested to study the question: How did the bodiliness and forgiveness attached to Christ’s word to Paul (Saul) help to transform his life leading to conversion and the call to be an Apostle of Christ?