Original Research
Reading ‘blackface’: A (narrative) introduction to Richard Kearney’s notion of carnal hermeneutics
Submitted: 21 July 2015 | Published: 31 May 2016
About the author(s)
Helgard Pretorius, Faculty of Theology, Vrije Universiteit, the Netherlands; Faculty of Theology, Stellenbosch University, South Africa, South AfricaAbstract
Prominent Irish philosopher Richard Kearney’s notion of ‘carnal hermeneutics’ is introduced by applying it to a case study of a recent event that took place at one of South Africa’s university campuses. The narrative assists in illuminating some of the core principles of carnal hermeneutics and illustrates the applicability of carnal hermeneutics as a ‘diagnostic caring for lived existence’. In the process, an analysis is also given of the event in question, which is connected to what has widely been labelled as ‘blackface’. In conclusion, the contextual, philosophical, ethical, and theological implications of carnal hermeneutics are explored with an eye on theological praxes in South Africa today.
Keywords: Carnal Hermeneutics; Hermeneutics; Flesh; Body; Richard Kearney; Merleau-Ponty; Ricoeur; Blackface
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