Simone Weil and “the Supernatural Use of Suffering”
Publication Type |
Journal Article |
Year of Publication |
1999 |
Author |
|
Journal |
Epworth Review |
Volume |
26 |
Number |
4 |
Pages |
23-35 |
Language |
English |
Publish Dates |
October |
Keywords |
affliction (malheur) |
Annotation |
This article explores Weil’s claim there is a supernatural use for suffering, a claim the author says, that makes him very uneasy. Arguing that in order to understand Weil’s claim, it is necessary to understand her ideas of necessity and decreation, Plant goes on to offer a brief overview of both. He then presents Weil’s notion of affliction, identifying five uses to which she puts it. The final part of the paper consists of Plant’s critical reflection on these ideas, paying particular attention to what makes him uneasy about them. He identifies a number of things including Weil’s tendency towards masochism and her dualism, something he argues that arises from her Platonic views. Most troubling to him, is Weil’s focus on the cross to the almost complete exclusion of the resurrection. Although appreciative of Weil’s views, the many unanswered questions in her work diminishes, Plant claims, its value as theology. |