Overview

Bringing Michel Henry and Emmanuel Falque into dialogue, Mark Novak explores how they both articulate a phenomenology of the body and flesh in relation to incarnation. As key proponents of the ‘theological turn’ in phenomenology, this volume illustrates how philosophical foundations inform Henry and Falque's theological views and uncovers the differences, and in some cases, surprising similarities between the two thinkers’ positions on this central Christian tenet. Beginning with a succinct overview of the origins of phenomenology and the shift towards embodiment, Novak surveys a number of different theories from Husserl’s foundational distinction between flesh (Leib) and body (Körper) to Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty and Dominique Janicaud. With this, focus turns to Henry and Falque. Methodically examining each thinker’s key texts on flesh and the body, Novak proposes that their views on incarnation are not as different as philosophers might think. Even despite Falque’s claim that Henry’s views on the incarnation neglect materiality by understanding the human being as flesh, Novak demonstrates how Falque’s critical response to Henry’s idea ironically mirrors it. By turning to material forces to better describe the body in his recent work, Falque recapitulates Henry’s understanding of flesh. Phenomenologies of Incarnation in Michel Henry and Emmanuel Falque provides a much-needed introduction to the phenomenology of embodiment and its important implications for philosophical theology.

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9781350421318

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Reviews

While the body has been among the topics of phenomenology from its inception, it is no exaggeration to say that it has become onre of its most prominent and fecund themes. In his nuanced and careful readings of classical as well as recent contributions, Novak offers a fresh take on urgent questions of the phenomenology of the body, particularly as those questions are entangled with theological issues. * Espen Dahl, Professor, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Norway * A detailed and balanced account of the thought of two central French phenomenologists. One of the first treatments to provide a thorough review of the important discussion of body and flesh in the major works of Michel Henry and Emmanuel Falque. * Crina Gschwandtner, Professor of Philosophy, Fordham University, USA * At a time when our bodies increasingly are becoming estranged from the realities of spirit, soul, world, and community, a return to not only what bodies are for, but also what bodies are about is timely. Synthesizing Falque and Henry´s work, the book takes phenomenology in a new direction. * Jason Alvis, International Seminary for Theology and Leadership, Switzerland *

While the body has been among the topics of phenomenology from its inception, it is no exaggeration to say that it has become onre of its most prominent and fecund themes. In his nuanced and careful readings of classical as well as recent contributions, Novak offers a fresh take on urgent questions of the phenomenology of the body, particularly as those questions are entangled with theological issues. * Espen Dahl, Professor, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Norway *

Author Information

Mark Novak is a Sessional instructor in Philosophy at St. Joseph's College, at the University of Alberta, Canada, and in Religious Studies at Mount Royal University, Canada.

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