JohannBaptistMetzâs Memoria
Passionis andthePossibilityofPolitical Forgiveness
JoasAdiprasetya
ConstructiveTheology,JakartaTheologicalSeminary,Jakarta,Indonesia
Theideaof memoriapassionis promotedbyJohannBaptistMetzprovidesa strongbasisforcorrelatingtheChristiancreedofthedeathandresurrection ofJesusChristandourpoliticalengagementinatrocioussituations. However,Metzâsideaofmemoryandrememberingisnotsufficientaswe attempttoconstructajustandpeacefulsocietybasedontheChristian notionofforgiveness.ThisarticleattemptstomakeuseofMetzâs memoria passionis,whileatthesametimeproposingthenecessityofpoliticalforgivenessasanintrinsicaspectofsuchamemorativefaith.Insuchaproposal,forgivingandrememberingmustbetwounavoidableandintertwined dimensionsof memoriapassionisJesuChristi
KEYWORDS JohannBaptistMetz, memoriapassionis,forgiveness,remembering, dangerousmemory
Thestoryofacellist
Sarajevo,May27,1992.VedranSmailovic,acellistoftheSarajevoOperaOrchestra,stoodathiswindowandwatchedalonglineofhungrypeoplestandingina breadline.Unexpectedly,amortarshellscreameddownfromthesky.Twenty-two men,women,andchildrenwereimmediatelykilled.ItwasthedayafterthatbreadlinemassacrewhenSmailovic startedtoplayAlbinoniâsmelancholy âAdagioin G.Minor.â Everydayatexactly4:00p.m.foratotaloftwenty-twodays one tohonoreachofthevictims heplayedthesamemusic,rememberingtheinnocent victims.Manywonderifhechosethismusicknowingitwasreconstructedfroma pieceofmusicfoundintheruinsofDresdenaftertheSecondWorldWar.Albinoniâs musicsurvivedthebombing,asifithadwaitedtobeusedasaremembranceof Sarajevoâstragedy.1
1 PaulR.Bartrop,Smailovic,Vedran.In:Abiographicalencyclopediaofcontemporarygenocideportraitsofeviland good(SantaBarbara,CA:ABC-CLIO;2012). politicaltheology,Vol.18No.3,May,2017,233â248
Thememoryofsufferingisundoubtedlybitter,butnoonecanescapeit.Theonly waytodealwiththatbittermemoryistoacceptandcreativelyallowittobecomea âdangerousmemory.â ThistermispopularizedbyJohannBaptistMetz,whoconstructshisowntheologythroughthememoryofhispersonalstory.
TowardstheendoftheSecondWorldWar,attheageofsixteen,Iwassnatchedoutof schoolandconscriptedintothearmy.AfterahastytraininginthebarracksatWĂźzburgI arrivedatthefront,whichbythattimehadalreadyadvancedovertheRhineinto Bavaria.Mycompanyconsistedsolelyofyoungpeople,welloverahundredofthem. Oneeveningthecompanycommandersentmewithamessagetobattalionheadquarters.Iwanderedduringthenightthroughshattered,burningvillagesandfarmsteads, andwhennextmorningIreturnedtomycompanyIfoundonlythedead:dead bodies,overwhelmedbyacombinedfighter-bomberandtankattack.Icouldonly lookintothestill,deadfacesofallthosewithwhomonthepreviousdaysIhad sharedtheanxietiesofchildhoodandthejoysofyouth. Icannotrememberanything butasilentcry.Icanstillseemyselftheretoday,andmychildhooddreamshavecollapsedbeforethatmemory. 2
Inthislight,IwillexploreMetzâs memoriapassionis asatheologicalstartingpointfortakingthesideofthevictims.However,itisevidentfromtheoutsetthat Metzdoesnotprovideasufficientbasefor âpoliticalforgiveness, â ashefocuses histheologyontheliberatingpowerof memoriapassionis thatsimplydrawsa strictdemarcationbetweentheoppressedandtheoppressor.Giventhisfact,Iwill havetogobeyondMetzindiscussingthepossibilityofthepoliticalforgiveness forthevictimizers.
Politicaltheologyaspracticalfundamentaltheology
JohannBaptistMetzbeganhisearlyworkwithwritingtwodissertations(oneunder CorethonHeideggerandanotherunderRahneronThomasAquinas).3 Theseextensivestudiesledhimtostress âmanâsabilitytomediatebetweenBeingandentities (betweenGodandworld)becausemansharesthecharacteristicsofboth[âŚ]He viewsmanâs apriori constitutionintermsofsharedbeinginasharedworld.â4 Thesepropositionsinfluencedhiswholetheologylater,especiallyashecoinedthe term âpoliticaltheology.â
Metzâsunderstandingof âasharedworldâ iscentralinhisbook, Theologyofthe World (1971),andcharacterizesthefirststageofhiswork.Here,heevaluatessecularizationasapositivemanifestationofGodâsdominioninhistory.
Thesecularityoftheworld,asithasemergedinthemodernprocessofsecularizationand asweseeittodayinagloballyheightenedform,hasfundamentally,thoughnotinits individualhistoricalforms,arisennotagainstChristianitybutthroughit.Itisoriginally
2 JohannB.Metz,JohannBaptistMetz.In:JĂźrgenMoltmann,editor.HowIhavechanged:reflectionsonthirtyyearsof theology,(Harrisburg,PA:TrinityPressInternational;1997),p.31;emphasismine.
3 RogerD.JohnsprovidesanexcellentanalysisoftheinfluenceofHeidegger,Coreth,Rahner,andThomasinMetzâs theology.SeeRogerD.Johns,editor,Manintheworld:thepoliticaltheologyofJohannesBaptistMetz(Missoula, MT:ScholarsPress;1976).pp.61â8.
4 Johns,Manintheworld,p.80.
aChristianeventandhencetestifiesinourworldsituationtothepowerofthe âhourof Christâ atworkwithinhistory.5
Thepositiveappropriationofsecularizationisbuttressedwithatleastthreefundamentalconcepts.First,theincarnationofGodbecomestheframeworkofsecularization,astheincarnationappears âwhollyas âflesh,â asearth,assecular world,andGod[âŚ]nowbecomesoperativeintheeconomyofthemovementof history.â6 Second,hecontinueshisincarnationalargumentwithacorrectionof theunderstandingoftheworld,movingfromcosmocentricGreekphilosophyto anthropocentricHebrewandChristiantheology.7 âToseetheworldnotasa cosmos,notasnatureinterpretingitself,butashistory,toseeitinitsrelationto man,asmediatedbyhim,meanstointerprettheworldinitsformal anthropocentricity.â8 ThisanthropocentricityleadsMetztocomprehendtheworldasbeing hominized,meaningbothpluralisticanddehumanized.9 Third,Metzcharacterizes thesecularityoftheworld,withitsorientationtowardsthefuture,asbasedonthe biblicalbeliefinthepromisesofGod.RogerD.JohnsarguesthatinordertodifferentiatehiseschatologyfromBlochâsphilosophyofhope,Metzproposeswhathe callsGodâs âeschatologicalproviso,â whichprovidesthedialecticaltension betweenthefutureandpresentsituation,aswellasthebasisfortheexistencefor thechurch.10 Consequently,everypresentoccurrenceshouldbeseenaspartial untilitisfulfilledinthefuture.
Systematically,thesethreereflectionsleadMetztopronouncehispoliticaltheology,whichhedefinesas,
[âŚ]acriticalcorrectionofpresent-daytheologyinasmuchasthistheologyshowsan extremeprivatizingtendency(atendency,thatis,tocenterupontheprivateperson ratherthan âpublic,ââpoliticalâ society).Atthesametime,Iunderstandthispolitical theologytobeapositiveattempttoformulatetheeschatologicalmessageundertheconditionofourpresentsociety.11
However,wecannotfindinhis TheologyoftheWorld anyfurtherexplanationor explorationofwhathemeansbythiskindoftheology.Inotherwords,thisbookis onlyapreliminaryintroductiontothediscussionofpoliticaltheology,foundinhis magnumopus, FaithinHistoryandSociety (1980),whichalsocharacterizesthe secondstageofhiswork.
Inthisbook,Metzbroadenshisearlierdefinitionofpoliticaltheologyasapracticalfundamentaltheology.Likeanellipse,thispracticalfundamentaltheologyhas twofixedfoci:theprimaryof praxis,andthestruggleforthe subject. âItisa
5 JohannB.Metz,Theologyoftheworld(London:Burns&Oates/NewYork:HerderandHerder;1971).pp.19â20.
6 Metz,Theologyoftheworld,p.32.
7 ForMetz,ChristianityisnotthemixtureofHebrewfaithandGreeklogic.HisavoidanceoftheGreekinterpretationof Christiantheologyislargelyanantecedent,notaconsequence,ofhisattentiononAuschwitzandJudaism,especially withhis memoriapassionis.SeeGasparMartinez,Confrontingthemysteryofgod:political,liberation,andpublictheologies(NewYork:Continuum;2001).p.77.
8 Metz,Theologyoftheworld,p.54.
9 Ibid.,pp.70â7.
10 Johns,Manintheworld,107â08;cf.RebeccaS.Chopp.Thepraxisofsuffering:aninterpretationofliberationand politicaltheologies(Maryknoll,NY:OrbisBooks;1986).p.40.
11 Metz,Theologyoftheworld,p.107.
theologythatoperatessubjecttotheprimacyofpraxis.â12 Thepracticalfocusofthis politicaltheologyispreciselyusedtomovebeyondRahnerâstranscendentaltheology andeventofleshoutRahnerâsthesiswithconcretehistoricalandsocialevidence.13 NotonlydoesMetzunderstandpraxisasmorality,buthealsorelatesittosocial engagement.Inthislight,praxiscannotbe âsociallyneutralandpolitically innocent.â14
Theseconcernsrelatetothesecondfocusofhiswork,thestruggleforthesubject. Ashedoesin TheologyoftheWorld,Metzwarnsagainstthedangerofprivatized theologiessuchastheexistentialtheologyofdemythologization,personaltheology, andtranscendentaltheology.Althoughthosetheologiesarealsoconsidered âtheologiesofthesubject,â theydonotplacethehumanpersonwithinasocialandpoliticalcontext.Humanpersons,inthosetheologies,areviewedabstractlyasisolated fromtheircommunityandfromhistory.Incontrast,thepoliticaltheologyofthe subjectlocateshumanpersonsinhumaninterrelationship notonlyco-existence aswellasinGodâspresence.15 Onlyuponthisbasiscanpoliticaltheologybea âpracticalcriticismofacultureofhatredandacultureofapathy.â16 Theexperience oftheHebrewpeoplethroughtheExodus,accordingtoMetz,isanexample par excellence ofbecomingsubjects.
Incontrasttothefirststage,Metzâssecondstageworkisnowcriticalofworld history.Secularization,whichwaspraisedinthefirststageofhiswork,isnow seenbyMetzashavinga âtragicflaw,â thevictimizationoftheweak,whichisto beconfrontedwithconcretepraxis.Hiscriticalstandofsecularizationtoagreat extentappearsashediscussestheconnectionbetweenthechurchand âbourgeoisâ society.Heseesthreeimagesofthechurch,whichareincompetitionwitheach other: âaprebourgeoispaternalisticchurch,abourgeoissupply orservices church,andapost-bourgeoisinitiative-takingchurch.â17 Thefirstimageofthe church,Metzargues,belongstothepast,withitsconcentrationontakingcareof thepeoplepaternalistically.Thismodelmanifestsitselfinclergyresignationtothe dangerposedbybourgeoissocietyanditsinfluenceonthechurch.Rather,the clergyreactstobourgeoissocietywithalegalisticattitudethat,ironically, âoffers norealhelpforthegrassrootscommunitiesattheparishlevel.â18
Thesecondimageisthebourgeoischurch,whichtosomeextentreflectsthelarger bourgeoissociety.Thebourgeoischurchischaracterizedwithindividualismthatis farfromMetzâsproposalofthetheologyofthesubject;for âthebourgeoissubject [âŚ]isestablishedwithhisownself-interestandhisownfuture.â19 Insucha church,themessianiccharacterofatruechurchisweakenedanddistorted.Itproclaimshopewithoutexpectationandjoy,lovewithoutsolidarity,andspirituality withoutdiscipleship.Thishappens,accordingtoMetz,simplybecause âreligion
12 JohannB.Metz,Faithinhistoryandsociety:towardapracticalfundamentaltheology(NewYork:SeaburyPress; 1980).p.50.
13 Martinez,Confrontingthemysteryofgod,p.58;cf.Metz,Faithinhistoryandsociety,p.84.
14 Metz,Faithinhistoryandsociety,p.54.
15 Ibid.,p.61.
16 Ibid.,p.62.
17 JohannB.Metz,Theemergentchurch:thefutureofChristianityinapostbourgeoisworld(NewYork:Crossroad; 1981),p.86.
18 Metz,Emergentchurch,p.6.
19 Ibid.,p.5.
doesnotlayclaimtothebourgeois;instead,thebourgeoislaysclaimtoreligion. Religiondoesnottransformsociety;rather,bourgeoissocietydoesnotrestuntilreligionfitsinwithitselfandwithwhatitconsiderreasonable.â20
Inordertogobeyondthetwoimagesofchurch,Metzproposesthethirdimage, thatis,thepostbourgeoisinitiative-takingchurch,whichhefindmostcloselyinthe LatinAmericanbasecommunities.Thisnewchurchcanonlyberealizedifthe churchbecomesculturallypolycentric.Thisnewmodel,Metzbelieves,enablesthe churchtorecognizehermembersassubjectsthroughitsefforttobea âcommunity ofmemory.â
Memoriapassionis asadangerousmemory
AsapracticalhermeneuticofChristianity,politicaltheologymustbea ânarrative theology.â Inregardtonarrativeasatheologicalcategory,Metzmaintains, âthe beginningandtheendcanonlybediscussedinnarrativeform.â21 Iassumethat Metzemploysthiscategorytoemphasizethetemporalaspectofhistheology,as wellastointroducethelinkagebetween memoriapassionis andtheeschatological hopethatliesbetweenthe arche andthe telos.WhileheshareswithMoltmann thepoliticaldimensionofChristianhopeandeschatology,hedevelopshisown âturningtothepastâ usinganarrativebridge.Here,wefindthesecondcategory inMetzâstheology,memory.
Therelationshipbetweennarrativeandmemoryiscentralinhis FaithinHistory andSociety.Yet,thesecategorieshavetobelinkedwithChristianredemptionand emancipation.HisthesisisthatChristiansoteriologyis âafundamentallymemorativeandnarrativesoteriology.IttriestokeeptheChristianmemoryofredemption aliveinnarrativeformasadangerousandliberatingmemoryofredeemed freedomandtodefenditbyargumentinthesystemsofourso-calledemancipative world.â22
Becauseofthenotionofemancipation,then,politicaltheologianscannotunderstandChristianredemptionasmerelyanabstractsoteriologicalconcept.Herethe historyofredemptionisalsoahistoryoffreedomfromsufferinginitsmostconcrete sense.
Fromthisperspective,MetzreinterpretstheclassiccredoofChristianfaith: memoriapassionis, mortisetresurrectionisJesuChristi. 23 Forhim,this memoria JesusChristi isdouble-sidedintermsofitstemporality.Ontheonehand, âitanticipatesthefutureasafutureofthosewhoareoppressed,withouthopeand doomed.â24 Ontheother,itintroducestherememberedfreedomofJesusintocontemporarysociety.Onlybymaintainingthisdouble-sidednessofChristianremembrancecanthechurchdrawitsstrengthtocriticizealloppressiveideologiesand
20 Ibid.,p.83.
21 Metz,Faithinhistoryandsociety,p.206.
22 Ibid.,p.133.
23 Therearefourphrasesthatheemploysalongwiththeterm âdangerousmemoryâ;allofthesearealmostinterchangeablealthoughtheyhavetheirownspecificemphasis:memoryofthedeadandvanquished;concretememoryofsuffering andfreedom;memoryaseschatologicalhope;memoryofthesuffering,deathandresurrectionofJesusChristor memoriapassionis, mortisetresurrectionisJesusChristi
24 Metz,Faithinhistoryandsociety,p.90.
systems.Therefore,this memoriapassionis isadangerousmemory,becauseitunites Jesusâ narrative mortisetresurrectionisJesuChristi withinthenarrativeofthe victimsâ sufferinginhistoryanddrawsfromitliberatingstrength.Itisalsoasubversivememory,inthatitacknowledges âanactivepresenceinhistoryofGodâsinterruptiveactofsalvationattheendofhistory,whenGodwillrescuethosewhom historyhasdestroyedandforgotten.â25 TheEucharist,whichtraditionallyhas hadonlyritualmeaning,nowhasitssocio-politicalmeaningthroughthememory ofthevictimsinhistory.26
Moreover, passionisetresurrectionisJesuChristi mustbemaintainedinbalance. Martinezrightlywarnsthedangersofseparatingbothmemorialevents.
If memoriaresurrectionis canbecomeadangerouslyvictoriousideologywithout memoriapassionis,thelattercanbecomecompletelydefeatistandhopelesswithout theformer.Thosetwobelongintrinsicallytogether.27
Memoriapassionis alsogivesChristianpraxisaspecialpathos,sinceitisgrounded inpassionaswellaspracticalaction.ItisthepassionthatleadsMetztocompletehis politicaltheologywithhisthirdcategory,thatis,solidarity.Hemaintains,
Itisinthissolidaritythatmemoryandnarrative(ofsalvation)acquiretheirspecificmysticalandpoliticalpraxis.Withoutsolidarity,memoryandnarrativecannotbecomepracticalcategoriesoftheology.Inthesameway,withoutmemoryandnarrative,solidarity cannotexpressitspracticalhumanizingform.Itisonlywhentheyco-existthatmemory, narrativeandsolidaritycaneffectivelybecategoriesofapracticalfundamental theology.28
Thereisanotherissuetodiscusshere,thatis,theologyastheodicy.If memoria passionis expressesGodâsinterruptioninhistorytorescuethosewhosuffer,then whyaresufferingandinjusticesooverwhelming?ForMetz,thistheodicyquestion, Theodizeefrage ,isthecentralprobleminChristiantheology afterAuschwitz. Notuntil1973didMetzbeginhisseriouslyreflectiveworkonAuschwitzand Holocaust,whenheworkedonthefirstdraftoftheGermansynodaldocument, âOurHopeâ (UnsereHoffnung).29 Heconfesseshonestlyhishesitation, âSlowly,muchtooslowly,Ibecameaware andtherealizationofhowlongI hadhesitatedmademeevenmoreuncomfortable! thatthesituationinwhich Iamatheologian,thatis,trytotalkaboutGod,isthesituation after Auschwitz. â30
AccordingtoMetz,thetheodicyproblembringstherelationshipbetweenChristianityandJudaismintoanewform.Auschwitz,inthislight,isbothanendanda
25 Martinez,Confrontingthemysteryofgod,p.66.
26 Ononehand,MetzcriticizesthesacramentalismandritualismintheCatholicchurchthatdistorttheimportanceof graceasfreedom;ontheotherhand,hearguesthatthe anamnesis ofChristianEucharististobeincorporatedwithinthe frameworkofanarrativeactionsothatwecan ârelatethesacramentalactionmorecloselytostoriesoflifeandsuffering and[ ]revealitasasavingnarrative.â SeeMetz,Faithinhistoryandsociety,p.208;cf.Metz,Emergentchurch,p.56.
27 Martinez,Confrontingthemysteryofgod,p.67.
28 Metz,Faithinhistoryandsociety,p.230.
29 EkkehardSchuster etal.,Hopeagainsthope:JohannBaptistMetzandElieWieselspeakoutontheholocaust (NewYork:PaulistPress;1999),p.15.
30 JohannB.Metz,Apassionforgod:themystical-politicaldimensionofChristianity(NewYork:PaulistPress;1998), p.54.
turningpointforChristiantheology.MetzagreeswithElieWieselwhosays, âThe reflectiveChristianknowsthatitwasnottheJewishpeoplethatdiedinAuschwitz, butChristianity.â31 AuschwitzwasanendforChristianity.Inthesametime,itcan beaturningpointforChristiantheology,onlyifChristiansafterAuschwitz âunderstandtheiridentity[ ]inthefaceoftheJewsâ (notinthefaceofJudaism).32 Thisis tosaythatpoliticaltheologycannolongerbesituationlessandsubjectless.After Auschwitz,everytheologythatisunrelatedtorememberingconcretesubjects mustceasetoexist,becauseAuschwitzdoesnotonlypresentaquestionoftheodicy butalsoofanthropodicy.33 Here,again,hedeniestheahistoricalandsubjectlessPlatonicorGreekmodelofanamnesis.TheremembranceofthevictimsofAuschwitz shouldbereconstructedfrommysticalHebrew-Christiantradition,thatis, âamysticismofsufferingunto not âinââ Godâ (leidenanGott),asdemonstratedbyJob andJesus.34 Hismovetomystical(andnegative)radicalizessomewhathis âturnto thesubjectâ intowhatIwouldcalla âturndeepintotheinnercoreofthesubject.â If thisisso,hislackof âtheologicallywarrantedpracticalsteps,â ascriticizedby Ashley,isstillmoreserious.35
BeyondMetz:thelimitof memoriapassionis
Metzâstheology,especially âafterAuschwitz,â belongstothetraditionofnegative theology,inthesensethatitholdsthataspeculativegraspofGodisnotpossible. Nevertheless,histheologyisnotcompletelynegative.Rather,itspathoscomes fromaneschatologicalhopethatGodwillcomeandinterrupthistory,forthe livingandthedead.Myintentioninthissectionistorevealandexplorethe crucialomissionofMetzâstheology,thatis,forgiveness.RarelydoesMetzspeak aboutforgivenessasaninherentdimensionofChristianfaithrelatedtothecategoryofmemory.Onlyoncedoeshespeakofthechurchâsworkofreconciliation, whenhediscussestheecumenicalrelationshipbetween âthepoorchurchâ and âtherichchurch.â36 Despitehisinvitationto âaradicalprocessofrepentance,â histoneinthisarticleismuchsofterthaninwritingswherehespeaksaboutpoliticalatrocities.Forinstance,hesoftenstheradicaldisparitybetweenthe oppressedandtheoppressorsbysayingthattherichchurchescanbe âoppressed oppressors.â
ThislackofforgivenesslanguageisalsoobviouswhenMetzspeaksabout memoriapassionisJesuChristi,whichtraditionallyincludestheforgivingaspect ofGodâsgrace.Iamnotsuggestingthatwespiritualizethistheme;noramI arguingthatMetzhasover-politicizedthesuffering,deathandresurrectionof JesusChrist.Onthecontrary,thetruemeaningofGodâsactioninhumanhistory
31 Schuster etal.,Hopeagainsthope,p.17.
32 JohannB.Metz,FacingtheJews:ChristiantheologyafterAuschwitz.In:ElisabethSchĂźsslerFiorenzaandDavid Tracy,editors.TheHolocaustasinterruption(Edinburgh:T&TClark;1984),p.26.
33 Metz,Emergentchurch,pp.22,31.
34 Metz,Passionforgod,p.66.J.MatthewAshleyprovidesanextensiveanddeepanalysisontherelationshipbetween Metzâsmysticalspiritualityandhispoliticaltheology;JamesMatthewAshley.Interruptions:Mysticism,politics,and theologyintheworkofJohannBaptistMetz(NotreDame,IN:UniversityofNotreDamePress;1998).
35 Cf.Ashley,Interruptions,p.195.
36 JohannB.Metz,Messianicor âBourgeoisâ religion?OnthecrisisofthechurchinWestGermany.Concilium.1979;5 (125):68â70.
throughJesusChrististobelivedoutholistically:personallyandsocially;spiritually andpolitically;temporallyandtimelessly.Forgiveness,whichwasdeliberately omittedbyMetz,isasimportantanaspectofGodâsactinChristasGodâscritical judgmenttowardstheoppressor.Thereisalwaysthepossibilityofforgivingthe oppressor.Oneofthemostbeautifulimagesofthisdouble-sidedmeaningof soteria intheBibleisthatofferedbythePsalmist:
LetmehearwhatGodtheLordwillspeak, forhewillspeakpeacetohispeople, tohisfaithful,tothosewhoturntohimintheirhearts. Surelyhissalvationisathandforthosewhofearhim, thathisglorymaydwellinourland. Steadfastloveandfaithfulnesswillmeet; righteousnessandpeacewillkisseachother.
(Ps.5:8â10,NRSV)
Wehear truth and righteousness ascentralthemesinMetzâswritings,butwe rarelyhearhimspeakof mercy and peace.Again,inhiswritingontheBeatitudes (Matt.5.3â11),Metzonlyreflectsonselectsentencesthatfithispoliticalagenda.37 Metzâsselectivity,ontheonehand,isreasonablewithregardtoavoidingthe dangerof âpoliticalamnesiaâ andimpunity;justiceshouldbeupheld!Perhapshe feltthatthesufferingoftheJewsatAuschwitzwassooverwhelmingthatmercy andforgivenessforthevictimizerswereimpossible;theywerejustunforgivable! Nonetheless,hedoesinjusticenotonlytotheoppressors âassubjectsâ butalsoto thewholenessoftheChristianmessage.Inthissense, memoriapassionis canbe dangerousifitisusedselectively.ThesituationinthemodernBalkansprovides anexampleofthedangerofselectivememory.
In1989theSerbianleaderSlobodanMilosevicheadedthecelebrationscommemorating the600th anniversaryoftheBattleoftheKosovoin1389,whenSerbshadfoughtagainst thetroopsoftheemergingOttomanEmpireandlost.Theirdefeatsealedhundredsofthe yearsofsubordinationtothesultansofConstantinople.Rememberingthisbattle becametheinterpretativekeyfortheformationoftheidentityoftheSerbianpeople. TheyhadfoughttodefendthevaluesofChristianEuropeagainsttheTurkishinfidels. Yetsincethissacrificehadneverbeenappreciated,Serbscametoseethemselvesasthe heroicvictims[ ]Itbecamethekeytoreadingtheirhistory,enablingthemnotonly tocreateandnurturetheirownself-imagebutalsotoidentifytheirenemiesandtogeneratepatternsofsuspicionandhatred.38
PerhapsMetzâsmostimportantarticlediscussingtheplaceofthevictimizersas subjectsintheprocessofrememberingis âInthePluralismofReligiousandCultural Worlds.â39 Here,hefollowsPaulF.Knitter,suggestingthattheinterfaithencounter
37 Metz,Passionforgod,pp.157â63.
38 GeikoMĂźller-Fahrenholz,Theartofforgiveness:theologicalreflectionsonhealingandreconciliation(Geneva:WCC Publications;1997),p.46.Thetechniqueof âchosentraumaâ wasalsoemployedbySoehartoâsregimeagainsttheCommunistsinthe1960s.Theoppressedcouldbemoreoppressivethantheirpreviousoppressorscould.Inthiscase,memory istheobstaclefortruepeaceandreconciliation.
39 JohannB.Metz,Inthepluralismofreligiousandculturalworlds:notestowardatheologicalandpoliticalprogram. CrossCurrents.1999;49(2).
TABLE1
RELATIONSHIPBETWEENREMEMBERANDSANCTION. Sanction YesNo
RememberYesProsecutingForgiving NoRevengeForgetting
hasitscommonalitynotina âsubjectlessâ and âsituationlessâ (Metzâsterm) commongroundbutincommonsuffering.40 Relatedtothisissue,Metzalso arguesthat âthestruggleforjusticecangenerateauniversalhorizononlybyits ânegativemediation,â onlybyresistingunjustsuffering.â41
MetzusestheformerYugoslaviaasacasetoshowthattheir âpurelyselfregarding memoriapassionis, â ortheirselectiveremembrance, âbecamenotan organofunderstandingandpeace,butasourceofhostility,hatred,andviolence.â42 Onthecontrary,hepraisestheencounterbetweenRabinandArafatas âtheywant tolooknotonlyattheirownsuffering,butalsotorememberthesufferingofothers, thesufferingoftheir formerenemies. â43 Whatdoeshemeanby âformerenemiesâ? Aretheynowreconciled?Isreconciliation,therefore,thepreconditionoftreating enemiesassubjects?Ifitisso,then,westillhaveaproblemwithMetzâsunderstandingofforgiveness.Isitpossibletoforgivetheenemieswhiletheystillremainour enemies?
Thefollowingsectionswilldiscussthepossibilityofforgivinginrelationto remembering.Onlybyemployingbothcreativelyarereconciliationandtrue peaceattainable.Morethanthat,forgivenessalsoopensthepossibilityofmaintainingourfaithinGod,whohasbeen Deusabsconditus (theabsentGod)duringand afterAuschwitz.Inshort,forgivenessinthelightofremembranceistheonlywayto acceptGodas Deusabsconditus and Deusrevelatus.
Forgivingmemoryandmemorativeforgiveness
Inhis âThePhilosophyandPracticeofDealingwiththePast,â TuomasForsberg providesausefultabletoshowtherelationshipbetweenrememberingandgiving politicalsanction44 (Table 1).
However,IwillreviseForsbergâstabletomakeitfitthethemeofthisessay.The issueofreconciliationisnotonlydealingwiththequestionofwhethertogivesanctionornot,butalso,andprimarily,withthechoicetoforgiveornot.Forthis purpose,Isuggestforgivenessasthefourthcategoryofa ânewâ politicaltheology, alongwiththethreeothercategoriesMetzprovides(memory,narrative,and
40 PaulF.Knitter,Oneearth,manyreligions:multifaithdialogueandglobalresponsibility(Maryknoll,NY:OrbisBooks; 1995),pp.56â7.
41 Metz,Pluralismofreligiousandculturalworlds,p.233.
42 Ibid.,p.233.
43 Ibid.,p. 233;emphasismine.
44 TuomasForsberg,Thephilosophyandpracticeofdealingwiththepast:someconceptualandnormativeissues.In: NigelBiggar,editor.Buryingthepast:makingpeaceanddoingjusticeaftercivilconflict.(Washington,DC:Georgetown UniversityPress;2001),p.61.
TABLE2
RELATIONSHIPBETWEENREMEMBERANDFORGIVENESS.
solidarity). 45 IhereuseDesmondTutuâsdefinitionofforgivenessas âabandoning yourrighttopaybacktheperpetratorinhisowncoin,butitisalossthatliberates thevictim.â46 TutuâsdefinitionofforgivenessobviouslyreflectshispersonalexperienceandinvolvementinthereconciliationprocessinSouthAfrica.Itisalsovery importanttoemphasizeTutuâsdistinctionbetweenforgivingandforgettingasit willalsobeusedinthispaper.Tutuisoftheopinion, âInforgiving,peopleare notbeingaskedtoforget.Onthecontrary,itisimportanttoremember,sothat weshouldnotletsuchatrocitieshappenagainâ47 (Table 2).
Thelimitof memoriapassionis wehavediscussedabovedoesnotmakeitinsignificantasaconditionforapeacefulreconciliation.Onthecontrary,itprovides thefirststepofanyreconciliatoryprocess.Rememberingisanecessarycondition, butnotasufficientcondition,ofreconciliation.Wecannothavereconciliation withoutremembrance,norwithremembrancealone.Thevalueofrememberingis alsoevident,sinceitpreventsusfromanyefforttoassociatereconciliationandpoliticalforgivenesswithpoliticalimpunity(remember-yes/forgive-no).
Wehaveamnesty(remember-no/forgive-yes)insofarasthecrimesofthevictimizersinthepastareforgivennotbythevictims,butbythethird-partyagent(government,forinstance).Novictimsareinvolvedwithintheprocess,eitherbecausethey aredeadorbecausetheyavoidforgivingtheiroppressors.Yet,theworstamnesty happenswhenforgivenessisgivenwithoutprimarilyrememberingthesufferingof theoppressed.Inthiscase,amnestyistheformalexpressionofamnesia.
Anothersolutionisrevenge(remember-no /forgive-no),whenthereisnowillingnessonthepartofthevictimseithertoremembertheirownsufferingorto forgivetheirvictimizers.Theonlywaythatmakessensetothemistodototheir oppressorswhatwasdonetothem.48
Bothamnestyandrevengeareformsofforgettingthe memoriapassionis.Forgetting,therefore,isthefirstoppositeofremembering(ana-mnesis).Forgetting (a-mnesia)isanactofcuttingoneselfofffromoneâsownhistory,anerasingof memory.However,forgettinggetsitsexistentialemphasisthroughthesecond
45 Metz,infact,mentionsmanyothercategoriesthatareincludedinhisthreecategories,suchaslove,interaction,work, suffering,struggle,sorrow,reason,language,timeandsoon.SeeMetz,Faithinhistoryandsociety,p.183.J.Matthew Ashley,oneofthemostprominentinterpretersofMetzâswork,inourpersonalcorrespondence,expresseshisdisagreementwithmysuggestiontomake âforgivenessâ afundamentalanthropologicalcategoryinthesamewayastheother three.However,Iwouldarguethatthisispossible,becausethiscategoryhasbeendiscussedwidelyinmanydisciplines: theologically,psychologically,philosophicallyaswellasanthropologically.
46 DesmondM.Tutu,Nofuturewithoutforgiveness(NewYork:Doubleday;1999),p.272.
47 Ibid.,p.271.
48 DonaldShriverhaslistedsevenformsofrevengethatcanpossiblybechosen,fromterrortopassivity:terror,vindictiveness,retaliation,punishment,restitution,protest,andpassivity.DonaldW.Shriver,Anethicforenemies:forgiveness inpolitics(NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress;1995),pp.30â1.
oppositeofremembering:dismemberingaction.Dismemberingseparatesoneâsidentityfromoneâscommunity,removesoneâssufferingfromthatofothers,inshort,alienatesthem.
Wehavediscussedthreeoptionsofhowwecandealwithrememberingandforgiving.Noneoftheseoptions,Ibelieve,isadequateforfacilitatingreconciliation.A trueandpeacefulreconciliationhappensonlyifrememberingandforgivingcome together;theyareliketwosidesofthesamecoinofreconciliation.Insum,anew politicaltheology,beyondMetz,shouldbebasedona âforgivingmemoryâ and âmemorativeforgiveness.â Inthissense,asPaulRicoeurargues, âforgiveness givesmemoryafuture.â49
Thethemeofpoliticalforgivenessnowiswidespreadaroundtheworld,especially sincethelateof1980s,whenoppressiveregimesinmanycountriesfell.Ithasdrawn attentionfromthinkersandpractitionersfrommanyfields;theologytoanthropology,philosophytopsychology.50 Theresultisthatthediscussionofthisthemehas evolvedinverycomplicatedways.Giventhissituation,Iexplorethreefundamental issuesrelevanttoChristianethicsofrememberingandforgiving.Yet,becauseofthe complexityofeachissue,myexplorationandreflectionwillbebriefanddeservingof furtherstudy.Forthispurpose,IemployMetzâsvaluablecontributionsaswellas explorepossibilitiestogobeyondhim.
Treatingtheoppressedandtheoppressorsassubjects Metziscorrectwhenheproposeshispoliticaltheologyofthe subject.Opposedto anysubjectlesstheology,hejoinshimselfwiththepostmodernspiritof âturning tothesubject.â Moreover,healsoarguesthatunlesswetreatenemiesassubjects, politicaltheologywilltendtobeoppressiveaswell.AlthoughMetzdoesnot speakmuchofforgiveness,hisemphasisonthe subject isstillusefulforourdiscussion.Ifrememberingshouldbecentralizedon thevictimsandthevictimizersasthe subjects,thenitisalsothecasewithforgiving.Weforgivesomeone(thedoer)instead ofsomething(thedeed).51 Thecentralityofsubjects boththevictimsandthevictimizers shouldalsofreeusfromtreatingeachsubjectaspurelyinnocentor purelyevil.Inmanycases,thevictimsbecomethevictimizersinanotheroccasion, andvice-versa.Evenmore,itisonlyinextremelyrarecasesthatthevictimsdo notcontributeinthesufferingthattheyhaveexperienced.Inthesametime,it wouldalsobeproblematic,boththeologicallyandmorally,tostigmatizethevictimizersasthepureevil,withoutrecognizingsomemoralgoodnessontheirpart.52 AJewishpoliticalphilosopher,HannahArendtradicalizesthenecessitytoview theoppressorsassubjectsinhernarrativereportonthetrialofNaziofficial AdolfEichmanninJerusalem.53 WithoutdiminishingEichmannâsresponsibility forcrimesagainsthumanity(hostisgenerishumani),shelocates âthelessonthat
49 QuotedinDavidM.Kaplan,ReadingRicoeur(Albany,NY:StateUniversityofNewYorkPress;2008),p.81.
50 Anextensivereviewofliteratureonforgivenessfrom1901to2001iswrittenbyNigelBiggar.Hisreviewincludes booksfromtheology,philosophy,politicalethics,aswellasempiricalstudies.NigelBiggar,Forgivenessinthetwentieth century:areviewofliterature,1901â2001.In:AlistairMcFadyenandMarcelSarot,editors,Forgivenessandtruth: explorationsincontemporarytheology(Edinburgh/NewYork:T&TClark;2001).
51 Cf.JacquesDerrida.Oncosmopolitanismandforgiveness(London/NewYork:Routledge;2002),p.38.
52 Inthiscontext,RoyBaumeisterâsrejectionof âthemythofpureevilâ isofimportancehere.Cf.RoyF.Baumeister.Evil: insidehumancrueltyandviolence(NewYork:W.H.Freeman;1997).
53 HannahArendt,EichmanninJerusalem:areportonthebanalityofevil(NewYork:VikingPress;1963).
thislongcourseinhumanwickednesshadtaughtusâ as âthelessonofthefearsome, word-and-thought-defyingbanalityofevil.â54 WhileothersdepictEichmannasevil personified,Arendtexpresseshersurprisethat âthismanwasnota âmonster,â butit wasdifficultindeednottosuspectthathewasaclown.â55
ThedistinctionbetweendoeranddeedechoestheChristiandistinctionbetween thesinnerandthesin.Thisisnottosaythatthedoeris beyondthereachof justice,sinceasapersons/healsohasthemoralcapacitytoberesponsiblefor whats/hehasdone.Rather,thisistosaythatnoperpetratoris beyondthereach offorgiveness. 56 Yet,onemayarguethatthedoerandthedeed,whilefundamentally distinctive,cannotpracticallybeseparated.Werelatetoothersonlythroughtheir exteriorityanddeeds.Ifthisistrue,onemayalsoargue,therecouldbeacondition wherethedeedandthedoerareinexpiableandirreparable;inshort:unforgivable!
Tothis,JacquesDerridaagreesthatthepresenceoftheunforgivable(theinexpiableandtheirreparable)maybeverypossible,yetherejectsthenotionthatthatwe cannotforgiveanyoneanymore,since âforgivenessforgivesonlythe unforgivable.â57
Ifoneisonlypreparedtoforgivewhatappearsforgivable,whatthechurchcall âthe venialsinâ thentheveryideaofforgivenesswoulddisappear.Ifthereissomethingto forgive,itwouldbewhatinreligiouslanguageiscalledmortalsin,theworst,theunforgivablecrimeorharm.Fromwhichcomestheaporia,whichcanbedescribedinitsdry andimplacableformality,withoutmercy[âŚ]thereisonlyforgivenessifthereisany, wherethereistheunforgivable.Thatistosaythatforgivenessmustannounceitselfas impossibilityitself.Itcanonlybepossibleindoingtheimpossible.58
DerridaâsargumentundoubtedlydepictsaChristianspiritofforgiveness.Weare calledtoimitateGodâsactofforgivingthroughJesusChrist.Itisthecentralthemeof ChristiansoteriologythatGodforgivesusevenforour âunforgivableâ sins.Therefore,despiteitsawfulnessandugliness,GodhasdemonstratedGodâswillingnessto getintoJesusâ crucifixioninordertosolvetheparadoxoftruthandmercy,justice andforgiveness.Yet,theproblemremains:howweasthefollowersofChrist bridgethegapbetweenjusticeandpoliticalforgivenessinourownmoralsituations.
Justiceandpoliticalforgiveness
Digesermaintainsthat âtheideaofpoliticalforgivenesswillbestillbornifjusticeand forgivenessstandinoppositiontooneanotherandifthedemandofjusticetrumps allotherconcerns.â59 Heisabsolutelyright.However,wefaceacomplexproblem, sincejusticeistraditionallyassociatedwithrevenge(retributivejustice),orwitha neutraldistributionofrightsorresources(distributivejustice).Inthesecases, justicecertainlycannotbereconciledwithforgiveness;eitherbecausetheycontradict tooneanotherorbecausejusticedepreciatesthevalueofhumanlife.Inshort,both conceptsignoretheimportanceofthevictims.
54 Arendt,EichmanninJerusalem,p.231.
55 Ibid.,p.49.
56 Cf.PeterDigeser,Politicalforgiveness(Ithaca,NY:CornellUniversityPress;2001),p.63.
57 Derrida,Oncosmopolitanismandforgiveness,p.32.
58 Ibid.,pp.32â3.
59 Digeser,Politicalforgiveness,p.36.
Themostpromisingconceptofjustice,atleastuptonow,thatcanserveforthe reconciliatoryprocessisoneofrestorativejustice.Byrestorativejustice,Digeser meansaconceptthatseeks âtoremedythesedefectsbyrestoringtothevictim andtothecommunitythelossesthatresultfromcrime,byreconcilingthetransgressor,tothevictimandthecommunity,andbyachievingthesegoalsthroughtheactive participationofallpartiesinvolved.â60 Thefocusofrestorativejustice,therefore,is onrehabilitatingandhealingthedignityofthevictimandthevictimizer.61 Inthis light,thepossibilitiesofreconciliationandtheemergenceofanewcommunityis opened.
HowarewetoevaluateMetzâsunderstandingofthesubjectfromthisperspective? Obviously,thecentralityofhumanbeingsinrestorativejusticecanbereconciled withMetzâspoliticaltheologyofthesubject.However,suchaconceptofjusticeis stillproblematicifweconfrontitwith memoriapassionis thathasbeenforgotten foralongtime.Therealvictimsmayhavediedorthereconciliationprocessmay haveinvolvedathirdparty thedescendantsofthevictim,governmentorother parties onbehalfofthevictims.Inthiscase,restorativejusticecanonlybe employedsymbolically.62
Isforgivenessasubstituteforjustice?Onlyanamnesicforgiveness Iusethis oxymoronically cansubstituteforjustice,asitisnotatrueforgiveness.As MiroslavVolfputsit,
Forgivenessisnomeredischargeofavictimâsangryresentmentandnomereassuagingof aperpetratorâsremorsefulanguish,onethatdemandsnochangeoftheperpetratorand norightingofwrongs.Onthecontrary:everyactofforgivenessenthronesjustice;it drawsattentiontoitsviolationpreciselybyofferingtoforegoitsclaims[âŚ]Only thosewhoareforgivenandwhoarewillingtoforgivewillbecapableofrelentlesslypursuingjusticewithoutfallingintothetemptationtopervertitintoinjustice,wecould add.63
Historyandtheriskofforgiveness
TimeandhistoryarecentralinMetzâsunderstandingofpoliticaleschatology. However,wehaveseenthatAuschwitzmakestheconfidenceinGodâsactionin historymoreproblematic.Itdepictsthe âinterruptionofevil,â incontrastto GodâsinterruptioninMetzâsearliertheology.Inthislight,HannahArendtâsexplorationofforgivenessisuseful.Shemaintainsthattheconsequencesaswellasthe âfrustrationâ ofhumanactionaremarkedbyirreversibility,unpredictability,and anonymity.64 Thosethreeconsequencesarefrustratingpredicamentsforhuman life,buttheyarestillremediablethrough âthepotentialitiesofactionitself.â Whiletheonlywayoutofthepredicamentofirreversibilityistheactofforgiving,
60 Digeser.Politicalforgiveness,Ibid.,reconciliation(Geneva:WCCPublications;2000),p.44.
61 Tutu,Nofuturewithoutforgiveness,p.55.
62 Irealizethecomplexproblemofpoliticalforgivenessinrelationtoresponsibilityofthegovernmenttopunishcriminalsthatisextremelydifficulttosolve.However,theissueisnotmyfocusinthispaperandIsuggestaspecificresearch onthismatterinthefuture.
63 MiroslavVolf,Exclusionandembrace:atheologicalexplorationofidentity,otherness,andreconciliation(Nashville, TN:AbingdonPress;1996),p.123.
64 HannahArendt,Thehumancondition(Chicago:UniversityofChicagoPress;1958),p.220.
thepossiblesolutionofunpredictabilityiscontainedinthehumancapabilityto makeandkeeppromises.65
Sinceanactionissimplyirreversibleandimmediatelybelongstothepast,one cannotundowhatonehasdone.Whatremainsisthefactthatwearethevictims ofconsequencesforever.Forgivenessisanactionthatinterruptssucharecurrence ofconsequences.Incontrastwithrevengethatis âthenatural,automaticreaction totransgressionandwhich[âŚ]canbeexpectedandevencalculated,â theactofforgivenessisunexpectedandunconditioned âbytheactwhichprovokedit.â66 BelievingthatforgivenessisrediscoveredbyJesusofNazareth,Arendtmaintainsthat âonly love canforgivebecauseonlylove[is] willing toforgivehimwhateverhe mayhavedone.â67 Inher TheLifeoftheMind:Willing,Arendtalsoregardslove asthetransformationofwill;even, âtheWill[âŚ]canalsobedefinedasLove.â68 However,followingAugustine,Arendtarguesthatwillcannotbeseparatedfrom memoryandintellect,sincetheyareonemindandmutuallyrefertoeachother. âMemoryandIntellectarebothcontemplativeand,assuch,passive;itistheWill thatmakesthemfunction.â69 Inshort,accordingtoArendt,loveistheactivation ofwill,memory,andintellect;andoneoftheresultsofsuchmentalactivityisforgiveness.Herewefindagaintheconnectionbetweenmemoryandforgiveness. UsingArendtâsperspective,wecansaythatwithouttheforgivenessthatcomes fromthehumanwill,memorycannotbefruitfulandconstructive.
Asforgivenessisaremedyforirreversibility,theabilitytomakeandkeeppromisescanbearemedyfortheunpredictabilityofthefuture.Onceweforgivesomeone, thereisnocertaintythats/hewillnotrepeatthewrongthathasbeendonebefore. Theonlyreasonableactionistobelievethepromiseofthevictimizer.Inthislight, promiseis âisolatedislandsofcertaintyinanoceanofuncertainty,â70 thatcanbe misusedeasilybythosewhohavebeenforgiven.Althoughpromise-makingisa risk,theactofmakingandkeepingpromisescanacttoinstillasenseofhopeof reconciliationforthevictims.
Conclusion
IhavediscussedatlengthMetzâspoliticaltheologyofthesubjectandhisnotionof memoriapassionis asatheologicalcategory,throughwhichwecantakethesideof thevictims.Ialsohavedemonstratedthelimitofsucha memoriapassionis inthe lightofpoliticalforgiveness.Inthefinalsections,Ihaveexploredthreeimportant themesthatariseinMetzbutneedtobewidenedifweseepeaceandreconciliation asourultimategoals.
65 Ibid.,pp.236â7.
66 Ibid.,p.241.ItisalsoMiroslavVolf âsmainthesisthatforgivenessshouldbeunconditional(1996).Tendaysafter9/ 11,Volfsaysinhisinterviewfor ChristianityToday, â[ ]awilltoembraceandbereconciledwithourenemy[ ]is absolutelyunconditional.Thereisnoimaginabledeedthatshouldtakeapersonoutsideourwilltoembracehim, becausethereisnoimaginabledeedthatcantakeapersonoutofGodâswilltoembracehumanity.â TonyCarnes.To embracetheenemy:isreconciliationpossibleinthewakeofsuchevil?Aninterviewwithmiroslavvolf,Christianity today,September1,2001, http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2001/septemberweb-only/9-17-53.0.html.
67 Arendt,Humancondition,pp.242â3;emphasismine.
68 HannahArendt,Thelifeofthemind:vol.II:willing(NewYork:HarcourtBraceJovanovich;1978),p.102.
69 Arendt,Willing,p.99.
70 Ibid.,p.244.
Toconclude,Metzhasprovidedanecessaryandfundamentalbasisforlong journeytowardsreconciliation.However,Metzâsproposalisnotsufficienttobe theonlyanswerforourultimategoal.BytranscendingMetzâs memoriapassionis, wehaveprovedthathisproposalisreallyvaluable.Ialsohavepointedoutthat withoutwillingnesstomoveforwardbyemployingforgiveness,remembering couldbedangerousinitsnegativesense.
Ihavetriednottoeaseorromanticizeforgivenessandreconciliation,asiftheycan beeasilyreached.Onthecontrary,itismorepainfulforthevictimstostepoutfrom theirplaceandembracetheirtrespassers.Likememory,Ibelieve,forgivenessisalso dangerous.Byforgiving,thevictimsopenthemselvestoavulnerable,unpredictable, openfuture.Theyareinvitedtowalktowardthefuture,eitherwithorwithouttheir forgivenoppressors,howeverpainfulitmightbetothevictims,suppliedonlywith tenuouspromise.However,bydoingthis,thevictimsbecomethepriestsof âcivic sacrament, â71 presenting thecovenantalGodinChrist.Insuchnewsacrament, Godinterruptshistoryoncemore,afterhehasbeen absent inAuschwitz,Papua,Sarajevo,andmanyotheratrociousplaces.Reconciliationisnota utopia.Rather,itisa eutopia afterall!72
ORCID
JoasAdiprasetya http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2208-4407
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Notesoncontributor
JoasAdiprasetyaistheDeanofPublicRelationatJakartaTheologicalSeminaryin Jakarta,Indonesia,wherehealsoteachesconstructivetheologyandtheologyofreligions.HislatestbookisAnImaginativeGlimpse:TheTrinityandMultipleReligious Participations(2013).
Correspondenceto:JoasAdiprasetya,JakartaTheologicalSeminary,Indonesia. Email:j.adiprasetya@sttjakarta.ac.id
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