Albert Camus, Simone Weil and the Absurd

Publication Type

Journal Article

Year of Publication

2005

Author

Van Nieuwenhove, Rik

Journal

Irish Theological Quarterly

Volume

70

Number

4

Pages

343-354

Language

English

Keywords

absurd
affliction (malheur)
Camus, Albert
incarnation
necessity
trinity

Annotation

Van Nieuwenhove looks at the notion of the absurd and what it means in the work of Albert Camus and Simone Weil. He argues against Camus’ contention that the Christian doctrine of the incarnation and the trinity does away with the notion of the absurd and thus denies humans the only meaningful action they have in the face of it; to revolt. Through her notion of affliction and her understanding of incarnation, Weil, Van Niewenhove argues, offers a theology of incarnation and relation that still allows recognition of the absurd while offering a theology of reconciliation in response to it.