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The Singular Event of Jesus' Death in Early Christianity

Kuhlin, Joel LU orcid (2018) In Svensk Teologisk Kvartalskrift 94(3). p.123-143
Abstract
This article looks to the philosophy of Gilles Deleuze in order to theorize the crucifixion of Jesus as event in early Christian literature. A Deleuzian view on the event is primarily articulated with the distinction between a sequential and a serial understanding of happenings, where the latter forms the basis for singular events. It is argued that Jesus' death is best considered a singular event in early Christianity, meaning that it displays a particular, distinct force in early Christian theologies that is irreducible to other happenings, such as the resurrection. The article's first section investigates the difference between a sequential and serial view on Jesus' death, by comparing a... (More)
This article looks to the philosophy of Gilles Deleuze in order to theorize the crucifixion of Jesus as event in early Christian literature. A Deleuzian view on the event is primarily articulated with the distinction between a sequential and a serial understanding of happenings, where the latter forms the basis for singular events. It is argued that Jesus' death is best considered a singular event in early Christianity, meaning that it displays a particular, distinct force in early Christian theologies that is irreducible to other happenings, such as the resurrection. The article's first section investigates the difference between a sequential and serial view on Jesus' death, by comparing a Pauline view of Jesus' death and resurrection, on the one hand, with the function of Jesus' death in a selection of Christian texts from the first to the fourth century, on the other. In the last section, the singularity of Jesus' death in early Christian texts is explored further, by turning to the Gospel of Mark. Returning to the Deleuzian theory of events, Jesus' peculiar death in the Gospel is described with the eventive traits of paradox and obscurity. It is argued that the Markan portrayal of the death of Christ – as a singular event – invites embodiment of Jesus' enigmatic death, in the lives of the Gospel's audience. (Less)
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author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Jesus' death, Gilles Deleuze, Early Christianity, Paulinism, Event, Crucifixion
in
Svensk Teologisk Kvartalskrift
volume
94
issue
3
pages
20 pages
publisher
Gleerups Utbildning AB
external identifiers
  • scopus:85068438944
ISSN
0039-6761
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
4af519e6-c42d-4ae6-80ea-91c35bebcbc7
alternative location
https://journals.lub.lu.se/STK/article/view/19572/17704
date added to LUP
2019-04-20 13:26:39
date last changed
2023-04-09 09:18:48
@article{4af519e6-c42d-4ae6-80ea-91c35bebcbc7,
  abstract     = {{This article looks to the philosophy of Gilles Deleuze in order to theorize the crucifixion of Jesus as event in early Christian literature. A Deleuzian view  on  the  event  is  primarily  articulated  with  the  distinction  between  a  sequential  and  a  serial  understanding  of  happenings,  where  the  latter  forms  the  basis  for  singular  events.  It  is  argued  that  Jesus'  death  is  best  considered a singular event in early Christianity, meaning that it displays a particular, distinct force in early Christian theologies that is irreducible to  other  happenings,  such  as  the  resurrection.  The  article's  first  section  investigates the difference between a sequential and serial view on Jesus' death, by comparing a Pauline view of Jesus' death and resurrection, on the one hand, with the function of Jesus' death in a selection of Christian texts from the first to the fourth century, on the other. In the last section, the singularity of Jesus' death in early Christian texts is explored further, by turning to the Gospel of Mark. Returning to the Deleuzian theory of events, Jesus' peculiar death in the Gospel is described with the eventive traits of paradox and obscurity. It is argued that the Markan portrayal of the death of Christ – as a singular event – invites embodiment of Jesus' enigmatic death, in the lives of the Gospel's audience.}},
  author       = {{Kuhlin, Joel}},
  issn         = {{0039-6761}},
  keywords     = {{Jesus' death; Gilles Deleuze; Early Christianity; Paulinism; Event; Crucifixion}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{123--143}},
  publisher    = {{Gleerups Utbildning AB}},
  series       = {{Svensk Teologisk Kvartalskrift}},
  title        = {{The Singular Event of Jesus' Death in Early Christianity}},
  url          = {{https://journals.lub.lu.se/STK/article/view/19572/17704}},
  volume       = {{94}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}