The Religious and the Aesthetic Attitude
Publication Type |
Journal Article |
Year of Publication |
2004 |
Author |
|
Journal |
Literature and Theology |
Volume |
18 |
Number |
2 |
Pages |
174-186 |
Work Type |
Art Religious Studies Philosophy |
Language |
English |
Keywords |
attention |
Annotation |
Van Niewenhove argues in opposition to the divide many philosophers and theologians see between the religious and the aesthetic attitude, maintaining there is, in fact, a deep congruity between them. He develops his argument by looking at the notion of disinterestedness, primarily in Kant, tying it to epistemology by saying it is only the disinterested attitude that allows us to see reality and have a true engagement with beauty. He then moves on to discuss detachment and involvement drawing on the thought of Meister Eckhart and St. John of the Cross. He then looks at these ideas in Weil’s work arguing, for her, “detachment does not imply renunciation of the world but a radical involvement with it” (p. 181). Finally, he turns to Weil’s notion of attention as presented in her work “The Right Use of School Studies with a View to the Love of God” to conclude his argument, claiming her notion of attention as presented in this work, arises naturally from a recognition of the importance of disinterestedness |