Authentic subjectivity and social transformation

HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies

 
 
Field Value
 
Title Authentic subjectivity and social transformation
 
Creator O'Sullivan, Michael
 
Subject Spirituality authenticity
Description Holiness in the Christian tradition has often been understood in a way that devalues embodiment and practical engagement with the world of one’s time. The latter understanding, for example, led to Marx’s critique and repudiation of Christianity. Both interpretations of holiness can be understood as mistaken efforts to express the dynamism for authenticity in contextualised human subjectivity. Vatican 2 opposed both views by addressing itself to all people of good will, declaring that everyone was called to holiness, and that authentic Christian identity involved solidarity with the world of one’s time, especially those who are poor. Vatican 2, therefore, provided an authoritative faith foundation for holiness expressed through social commitment and for viewing social commitment on the part of people of good will in whatever state of life as a form of holiness. This vision was also the conviction of leading spirituality writers of the period, like Thomas Merton, and inspired liberation theologians and the Latin American Catholic bishops at their conference in Medellín a few years after the Council. The argument of this article is that the emergence and development of a non-dualist Christian spirituality is grounded methodologically in the correct appropriation of the common innate dynamism for authenticity in concrete human persons and lived spiritual experiences consistent with and capable of enhancing this dynamism.
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor
Date 2016-10-24
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — Historical Inquiry, spirituality, philosophy
Format text/html application/octet-stream text/xml application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/hts.v72i4.3452
 
Source HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies; Vol 72, No 4 (2016); 7 pages 2072-8050 0259-9422
 
Language eng
 
Relation
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:

https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/3452/8515 https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/3452/8514 https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/3452/8516 https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/view/3452/8487
 
Coverage worldwide — —
Rights Copyright (c) 2016 Michael O'Sullivan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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