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Abandoning Theology for Theory : Stephen D. Moore, Gilles Deleuze, and the Secularization of Biblical Studies

Kuhlin, Joel LU orcid (2026) In Svensk Exegetisk Årsbok (SEÅ) 90(1). p.103-125
Abstract
It has been a century since the birth of philosopher Gilles Deleuze (1925-95). At his friend’s expense, Michel Foucault once joked, saying that un jour ce siecle sera peut-etre deleuzien: “perhaps one day this century will be known as Deleuzian?” Is there truth to the notion that the present moment expresses something of a “Deleuzian aeon” for the humanities, and what are its ramifications for biblical studies? In this article, a leading voice of theory in exegesis, Stephen D. Moore and The Bible after Deleuze: Affects, Assemblages, Bodies without Organs functions as a screen for issues afflicting “high theory” and theorists of continental philosophy. Through a careful review of Bible after Deleuze and its main contributions, Moore’s study... (More)
It has been a century since the birth of philosopher Gilles Deleuze (1925-95). At his friend’s expense, Michel Foucault once joked, saying that un jour ce siecle sera peut-etre deleuzien: “perhaps one day this century will be known as Deleuzian?” Is there truth to the notion that the present moment expresses something of a “Deleuzian aeon” for the humanities, and what are its ramifications for biblical studies? In this article, a leading voice of theory in exegesis, Stephen D. Moore and The Bible after Deleuze: Affects, Assemblages, Bodies without Organs functions as a screen for issues afflicting “high theory” and theorists of continental philosophy. Through a careful review of Bible after Deleuze and its main contributions, Moore’s study addresses the broad difficulties of combining certain aspects of theory with exegesis in Scandinavia, I argue. Specifically, Bible after Deleuze is interesting in the symptomatic role of theory to replace questions of “theology” in relation to the critical study of the Bible. With this in mind, I ask “What challenges can be found to underlie the task of implementing high theory to a methodologically driven discipline, such as biblical studies?” In the end, Bible after Deleuze is to be applauded for its actualization of contemporary continental philosophy for biblical studies. Acting as a secularizing force in biblical studies however, Bible after Deleuze also diagnoses a tendency of “theory” to replace the historical connection of exegesis and theology. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Gilles Deleuze, New Testament, Theory, Anton Fridrichsen, Stephen D. Moore, Theology, Theological Faculties, Scandinavia, Secularization, Method
in
Svensk Exegetisk Årsbok (SEÅ)
volume
90
issue
1
pages
23 pages
publisher
Svenska exegetiska sällskapet
ISSN
1100-2298
DOI
10.58546/se.v90i1.47926
project
Scripture and Secularism: Mapping the Impact of the Bible on Conceptualizations of Europe
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Annorlunda title på tidskriftens hemsida: 'Superseding Theology with Theory: Stephen D. Moore’s The Bible after Deleuze and Exegesis after a Deleuzian Aeon?'
id
50bbbd64-d6f3-40bc-8c10-ef7751a0ed39
alternative location
https://publicera.kb.se/sea/article/view/47926
date added to LUP
2025-11-12 14:30:09
date last changed
2026-01-14 13:21:00
@article{50bbbd64-d6f3-40bc-8c10-ef7751a0ed39,
  abstract     = {{It has been a century since the birth of philosopher Gilles Deleuze (1925-95). At his friend’s expense, Michel Foucault once joked, saying that un jour ce siecle sera peut-etre deleuzien: “perhaps one day this century will be known as Deleuzian?” Is there truth to the notion that the present moment expresses something of a “Deleuzian aeon” for the humanities, and what are its ramifications for biblical studies? In this article, a leading voice of theory in exegesis, Stephen D. Moore and The Bible after Deleuze: Affects, Assemblages, Bodies without Organs functions as a screen for issues afflicting “high theory” and theorists of continental philosophy. Through a careful review of Bible after Deleuze and its main contributions, Moore’s study addresses the broad difficulties of combining certain aspects of theory with exegesis in Scandinavia, I argue. Specifically, Bible after Deleuze is interesting in the symptomatic role of theory to replace questions of “theology” in relation to the critical study of the Bible. With this in mind, I ask “What challenges can be found to underlie the task of implementing high theory to a methodologically driven discipline, such as biblical studies?” In the end, Bible after Deleuze is to be applauded for its actualization of contemporary continental philosophy for biblical studies. Acting as a secularizing force in biblical studies however, Bible after Deleuze also diagnoses a tendency of “theory” to replace the historical connection of exegesis and theology.}},
  author       = {{Kuhlin, Joel}},
  issn         = {{1100-2298}},
  keywords     = {{Gilles Deleuze; New Testament; Theory; Anton Fridrichsen; Stephen D. Moore; Theology; Theological Faculties; Scandinavia; Secularization; Method}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{01}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{103--125}},
  publisher    = {{Svenska exegetiska sällskapet}},
  series       = {{Svensk Exegetisk Årsbok (SEÅ)}},
  title        = {{Abandoning Theology for Theory : Stephen D. Moore, Gilles Deleuze, and the Secularization of Biblical Studies}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/238627004/Kuhlin_-_Abandoning_Theology_for_Theory-_Stephen_D._Moore_Gilles_Deleuze_and_the_Secularization_of_Biblical_Studies.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.58546/se.v90i1.47926}},
  volume       = {{90}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}