EMBODIMENT AND CULTURAL PHENOMENOLOGY : Thomas J.Csordas

The answer to the question ‘who am I?’ is of fundamental importance to being human. Answers to this question have traditionally been sought from various disciplines and sources, which include empirical sources, such as biology and sociology, and phenomenological sources, such as psychology and religion. Although the approaches are varied, they have the notion of foundational truth, whether from an objective or subjective perspective, in common. The question of human identity that is the subject of this paper is germinated from the title of a book by WITS academic, Ivor Chipkin, entitled, Do South Africans exist? Nationalism, democracy and the identity of ‘the people’ (2007). This paper does not discuss Chipkin’s thoughts on nationalism and democracy; however, it considered the matter of human identity that is raised by his question. The approach taken by this paper on the notion of identity was significantly influenced by Brian McLaren’s postmodernist approach to Christian doctrine as outlined in his book A generous orthodoxy (2004) – a term coined by Yale Theologian, Hans Frei. The inadequacies of traditional approaches to human identity and consciousness that are based upon ‘foundational knowledge’ were thus considered. Both subjective and objective approaches to identity were touched upon, showing the weaknesses of these approaches in dealing with the complex nature of true human identity. The paper then presented an integrative framework for individual consciousness that is not static or ultimately quantifiable, but rather formulated in the process of mutual discovery that arises from a shared journey. The approach presented here drew strongly upon the groundbreaking work of Ken Wilber and Eugene de Quincey and related their ontological systems to the intersubjective approach to identity that can be found in the African philosophy and theology of ‘ubuntu’. This paper focused on how the ethics and theology of this indigenous knowledge system can contribute toward overcoming the impasse of validating individual identity in contemporary academic debates on human consciousness.

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A generous ontology: Identity as a process of intersubjective discovery – An African theological contribution

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The theophostic prayer ministry (TPM) : an exploration of its practices and healing possibilities

The religiosity of the book of Song of Songs in context

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African challenges: Unfolding identities

As we are approaching the end of the century, many ideas, systems, and certainties, previously taken for granted, seem to be questioned, altered and rejected. One of these is the notion of truth, which pervades the very fibre of Western thinking. Rejecting the relevant critique as simply a postmodem fad, this article proceeds to give attention to the questions regarding the end of religious, scientific, and metaphysical truth. Truth and power are dealt with, as well as the narrative nature of truth. The article concludes with reference to the functioning of truth in the South African context as manifested in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

https://repository.up.ac.za/dspace/bitstream/handle/2263/18182/DuToit_End(1997).pdf;sequence=1

The end of truth

This article introduces ideas originating from different sciences of mind and the challenge they present to religion. In spite of overcoming the mind-body dualism, it seems that the mind-brain dualism still prevails. The mind-brain relation is discussed in the light of some models. Special attention is given to supervenient theories of mind. In light of this information the article investigates how the impact of these theories on religious experience. D’Aquili and Newberg’s explanation of extraordinary religious experience is discussed. It is concluded that the phenomenon of religion and religious experience are more than mere brain functions. The place of religion and the continued importance of religion and religious experience are confirmed.

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The metaphysical mind in its physical environment: Religious implications of neuroscience

It would appear that the epistemological tradition of the West is culminating in the present science-religion debate. The evolutionary model is being used increasingly in different disciplines as a guideline to understand humans and their action in the world. The struggle for explaining the action of God has shifted from the world of history and texts to the invisible level of quantum physics and molecular biology. It seems that levels of indeterminacy in quantum mechanics and autopoietic systems offer space to explain the action of God. On the human level integrity is sought by linking the highest level of consciousness and rationality to the very basic level of molecular and genetic structures. These issues are dealt with and specific attention is given to autopoietic systems and the biological roots of rationality.

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Evolutionary biology as a link between religion and knowledge

Extracted from text ... Polkinghorne, J R 2000 - Traffic in truth: Exchanges between science and theology 
Publisher: Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress. 54 Pages. Price: US$6.00 
Reviewer: Prof C W Du Toit (University of South Africa) 
This 54 page book popularises main issues in the science-religion interaction. Although nothing new is said as far as the informed reader is concerned, it remains a gratifying read. The metaphor of trafficking is used to refer to the author's cross-border experiences. These cross-border encounters deal with two sets of truths - the religious and scientific - and the way in which they could meaningfully interact. This ..

Traffic in truth : Exchanges between science and theology, J.R. Polkinghorne : book review

In `n kulturele oorgang situasie, soos die waarin ons, ons  bevind, kom baie vrae na vore. Dit raak sake aan soos verontregting wat in die kultuur verlede teenoor ander kulture gepleeg is, die verheffing van eie kultuurwaardes as die enigste waarde, die wyse waarop in Afrika situasie die Europese kultuur ver inheems is, ens, die onsekerheid van `n nuwe situasie waarin `n verskeidenheid van kulture en waardes in neweskikking teenoor mekaar te staan kom, waar kulturele absolutes vervang word met `n veelheid van benaderingswyses en lewenstyle stel besondere eise aan die teologie. In hierdie artikel word onder meer die vraag aangeraak van Godsheid as kultuurmag, `n Christelike kultuuroorheersing, die vraag na interkulturele norme, kulturele relativisme, kulturele pluraliteit, die moontlikheid van transkulturele dialoog en die skepping van nuwe kulturele simbole. Christianity is now put before the accusing Scilla of her own history of domination and the inviting Charibdis of religious plurality.  Even though Christian cultural domination has rationally been bidden farewell, it is still going to take a longtime for the implications of this to be fully realised.  The question is if all beliefs are equal in the religious ‘post-imperialistic era’.  What must be allowed when non-Christian cultures inculturate Christianity? What are the implications of a detente of faith? What implications does an anti-fundamentalist, post-metaphysical and pluralist religious era have for the message of Christ?  These questions converge in the matter of cultural co-existence.  For cultural co-existence, friendship and harmony between different cultures and religions, as are inherent in these cultures, are essential.  This paper is an attempt to reflect on some facets of cultural domination and the challenges of plurality.

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C.W. Du Toit

Papers

The end of truth

The metaphysical mind in its physical environment: Religious implications of neuroscience

Evolutionary biology as a link between religion and knowledge

Traffic in truth : Exchanges between science and theology, J.R. Polkinghorne : book review

Christianity against cultural domination and cultural plurality