1. Theology in the Flesh: Religious Experience and the Embodied Soul James A. Van Slyke March 21, 2004

2. Hierarchy of the Soul Rational powers Will Understanding Mind Irrational powers Memory Sense-perception Appetites Emotions Desires Body Control Exerted downward

3. The Inward Turn Self Self Private, Inner Private, Inner Walks through spacious rooms, palace of sorts Walks through spacious rooms, palace of sorts The Confessions refers to ‘spacious palaces of my memory’ The Confessions refers to ‘spacious palaces of my memory’ Rationality Rationality Reason is the contemplation of the world of forms Reason is the contemplation of the world of forms It is an inward turn toward the objects of god’s creation It is an inward turn toward the objects of god’s creation separated from the created world separated from the created world

4. Inward Turn Religious Experience Religious Experience God is found inside the person and above the soul God is found inside the person and above the soul Soul is the part of the person most like God, and therefore most able to commune with him Soul is the part of the person most like God, and therefore most able to commune with him Body Body Secondary in all aspects Secondary in all aspects Body is mutable, lower on the hierarchy and thus more prone to corruption Body is mutable, lower on the hierarchy and thus more prone to corruption

5. Consequences of this view The Inner Self The Inner Self Directs attention to something that doesn’t exist Directs attention to something that doesn’t exist Promotes an individualist understanding of religious experience Promotes an individualist understanding of religious experience Disconnected from the body Disconnected from the body Body is at best secondary to the soul Body is at best secondary to the soul Religious experience disconnected from the community Religious experience disconnected from the community

6. Consequences of this View More emphasis on individual human experiences rather than communal More emphasis on individual human experiences rather than communal Taking care of the poor Taking care of the poor Emphasizing the kingdom of god now rather than later Emphasizing the kingdom of god now rather than later Relationship with God seen as the community of Christ in relationship with god rather than separate individuals Relationship with God seen as the community of Christ in relationship with god rather than separate individuals

7. The Embodied Soul Nonreductive physicalism Nonreductive physicalism Soul is embodied the physicality of the human person Soul is embodied the physicality of the human person Not an immaterial property Not an immaterial property Soul is an aspect of the person rather than a part Soul is an aspect of the person rather than a part Develops through the emergence of personal relatedness with others and God Develops through the emergence of personal relatedness with others and God

8. Importance of the Body Rationality and Religious experience are developed through embodiment Rationality and Religious experience are developed through embodiment Our bodies help to inform and give life to our abstract thoughts and conceptions Our bodies help to inform and give life to our abstract thoughts and conceptions Examples Examples “Warmth” as a description of a positive relationship “Warmth” as a description of a positive relationship “Important is big” “Important is big”

9. Bodily Metaphors Theory of Conflation Theory of Conflation During early development, sensorimotor experiences and subjective judgments are interconnected During early development, sensorimotor experiences and subjective judgments are interconnected “warmth” connected to physical closeness “warmth” connected to physical closeness ‘Important is big’ connected to parental figures ‘Important is big’ connected to parental figures Over time these two domains are differentiated but never completely separated Over time these two domains are differentiated but never completely separated

10. Primary Metaphors There are certain metaphors that we use due to our embodiment There are certain metaphors that we use due to our embodiment Control is Up Control is Up Knowing is Seeing Knowing is Seeing An Augustinian example An Augustinian example The Confessions The Confessions

11. Religiosity in the Body Feminist Theory and the body Feminist Theory and the body Women have historically been connected more with the body Women have historically been connected more with the body More connected with material existence More connected with material existence Spiritual experiences not as valued Spiritual experiences not as valued Women’s bodily experiences were seen as inferior Women’s bodily experiences were seen as inferior

12. Religiosity in the Body Sacraments Sacraments What women do naturally What women do naturally Give birth, feed, comfort Give birth, feed, comfort Bodily experiences in the physical world Bodily experiences in the physical world Sacraments spiritualized Sacraments spiritualized Emphasis on the ‘otherworldly’ nature of the sacraments Emphasis on the ‘otherworldly’ nature of the sacraments Taking women’s experiences and spiritualizing them Taking women’s experiences and spiritualizing them

13. Body Theology Theology as embodied religious experiences Theology as embodied religious experiences The gendered person becomes the subject of theological reflection The gendered person becomes the subject of theological reflection Women’s experiences inform theology and are celebrated Women’s experiences inform theology and are celebrated Gendered language is accepted as part of the theological discussion Gendered language is accepted as part of the theological discussion

14. Conclusion – Theology in the Flesh Change in conceptualization Change in conceptualization Dualism to embodied soul Dualism to embodied soul Body informs religious experiences and concepts Body informs religious experiences and concepts Religious Experience Religious Experience Not an isolated individual experience Not an isolated individual experience Relational experience Relational experience Gendered experience Gendered experience