Deleuze and the Naming of God - (Plateaus - New Directions in Deleuze Studies) by Daniel Colucciello Barber (Paperback)

About the Book

Deleuze and the Naming of God addresses the intersection between Deleuze's thought and the notion of religion to proposes an alliance between immanence and the act of naming God. In doing so, Barber gives us a way out of the paralysing debate between religion and the secular.

Book Synopsis

Deleuze's philosophy of immanence, with its vigorous rejection of every appeal to the beyond, is often presumed to be indifferent to the concerns of religion. Daniel Barber shows that this is not the case. Addressing the intersection between Deleuze's thought and the notion of religion, he proposes an alliance between immanence and the act of naming God. In doing so, he gives us a way out of the paralysing debate between religion and the secular. What matters is not to take one side or the other, but to create the new in this world.

From the Back Cover

'Barber provides us with the definitive study of the significance of immanence for political theology. Refusing to give up on either naming God or responding to suffering, Barber opens up new ground that displaces the stale opposition between the religious and the secular. This is a work of exceptional sophistication and depth of thought which sets the agenda for advancing the Christian tradition into immanence.' Philip Goodchild, University of Nottingham 'Barber has made several interesting and much needed interventions on the topic of theology and immanence in recent years. This book is something of a summation of these important interventions, but more than that, it completely changes the terms of traditional debates on this issue.' Kenneth Surin, Duke University An intersection between Deleuze's philosophy and the question of religion Deleuze's philosophy of immanence vigorously rejects every appeal to the beyond. For this reason, it is often presumed to be indifferent to the concerns of religion. Daniel Colucciello Barber shows that this is not the case. Addressing the intersection between Deleuze's thought and the notion of religion, he shows how both are motivated by a demand to create novel modes of existence. It is therefore necessary to discard your presumption: the enemy of Deleuze's philosophy is not religion but the transcendent. Deleuze and the Naming of God shows how Deleuzian immanence is able both to oppose religious transcendence and to enter an alliance with immanent accounts of the name of God. In doing so, it shows a way out of the paralysing debate between religion and the secular. Daniel Colucciello Barber is a Fellow at the ICI Berlin Institute for Cultural Inquiry. He is the author of On Diaspora: Christianity, Religion, and Secularity (2011). Cover design: [EUP logo] www.euppublishing.com

Review Quotes

Daniel Colucciello Barber ... has offered his most incisive and challenging contribution to date in Deleuze and the Naming of God. While it is a strong contribution to the study of Deleuze's thought, the book is concerned with far more than the singular themes of Deleuze, immanence, or post-secularism ... It has consequences within and well beyond the fold of Deleuze studies.--Maxwell Kennel, University of Waterloo "PhaenEx"

Barber has made several interesting and much needed interventions on the topic of theology and immanence in recent years. This book is something of a summation of these important interventions, but more than that, it completely changes the terms of traditional debates on this issue.--Kenneth Surin, Duke University

Barber provides us with the definitive study of the significance of immanence for political theology. Refusing to give up on either naming God or responding to suffering, Barber opens up new ground that displaces the stale opposition between the religious and the secular. This is a work of exceptional sophistication and depth of thought which sets the agenda for advancing the Christian tradition into immanence.--Philip Goodchild, University of Nottingham

Daniel Colucciello Barber's book is an incisive return to core concepts in Deleuze's thought in order to interrogate and re-express them differently.--Joshua Ramey, Grinnell College "Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews"

About the Author

Daniel Colucciello Barber is Fellow at the The Berlin Institute for Cultural Inquiry. He is the author of On Diaspora: Christianity, Religion, and Secularity (Cascade, 2011).