Abstract
In this essay I present the postmodern phenomenological approach of Levinas, Derrida, and Marion to the problem of naming the unnameable God. For Levinas, God is never experienced directly but only as a third person whose infinity is testified to in the infinity of responsibility to the hungry. For Derrida, God remains the unnameable “wholly other” accessible only as the indeterminate term of pure reference in prayer. For Marion, God remains the object of “de-nomination” through praise. In all three, the problem of naming the unnameable God is necessarily linked to how we relate to fellow human beings, to the hungry in Levinas, justice in Derrida, and charity in Marion. I also reflect on the merits and adequacy of phenomenology as such for speaking of divine transcendence.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Blond P. (Eds) (1998). Post-secular philosophy: Between philosophy and theology. London, Routledge
Caputo J.D. (1999). Apostles of the impossible: On God and the gift in Derrida and Marion. In: Caputo J.D., Scanlon M.J. (Eds), God, the gift, and postmodernism. Bloomington, Indiana University Press, pp. 185–222
Coward H., Foshay T. (Eds). (1992). Derrida and negative theology. Albany NY, State University of New York Press
Derrida J. (1995). On the name. Stanford CA, Stanford Press
Horner R. (2001). Rethinking God as gift: Marion, Derrida, and the limits of phenomenology. New York, Fordham University Press
Levinas E. (1998). Of God who comes to mind, trans. Bettina Bergo. Stanford CA, Stanford Press
Levinas E. (2000). God, death, and time, trans Bettina Bergo. Stanford CA, Stanford University Press
Marion J.-L. (1991). God without being: Hors-Texte, trans Thomas A. Carlson Chicago, University of Chicago Press
Marion J.-L. (1999a). In the name: How to avoid speaking of ‘negative theology. In: Caputo J.D., Scanlon M.J. (Eds), God, the gift, and postmodernism. Bloomington, Indiana University Press, p. 23
Marion J.-L. (1999b). On the gift: A discussion between Jacques Derrida and Jean-Luc Marion. In: Caputo J.D., Scanlon M.J. (Eds), God, the gift, and postmodernism. Bloomington, Indiana University Press, p. 69
Marion J.-L. (2001). The idol and distrance: Five studies, trans Thomas A Carlson. New York, Fordham University Press, p. 140
Min A.K. (2004). The solidarity of others in a divided world: A postmodern theology after postmodernism. New York, T & T Clark International
Min A.K. (2005). Paths to the triune God: An encounter between Aquinas and recent theologies. Notre Dame IN, University of Notre Dame Press, pp. 307–337
Min, A. K. (2007). Speaking of the unspeakable God: The dilemmas of the Christian discourse about God. In D. Z. Phillips (Ed.), Whose God? Which tradition? London: Ashgate.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Min, A.K. Naming the Unnameable God: Levinas, Derrida, and Marion. Int J Philos Relig 60, 99–116 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11153-006-0010-9
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11153-006-0010-9