Analysis of the Possibility of Application of Deconstructive Strategy in Theological Studies

The article attempts to analyze the possibility of applying deconstructive strategy in theological research. For this purpose, the author firstly defines the specificity of the deconstructive strategy of thinking, which consists in the researcher’s aspiration to catch the trace left by the author in the original unwritten proto-text by means of revealing oppositions and their loosening, up to their complete splitting, contributing to the disclosure of new meanings in the text. Then, on the basis of the analysis of modern Russian studies concerning the critical comprehension of Jacques Derrida’s theory of deconstruction, a systematization of very contradictory remarks and objections is carried out, as a result of which three critically minded groups are revealed: researchers of Postmodernism and Poststructuralism, accusing deconstruction of debunking stable notions; the scholars of neo-Marxist direction, emphasizing its excessive Theology; theologians of various branches of Christian thought, revealing an atheological and even atheistic character in the deconstructive thinking strategy. The author of the paper further analyses the work of an Arabian scholar ‘Ali Zawwari Ahmad on the criticism of Arab modernists who use western deconstructive methodology in dealing with religious texts, thus revealing that in the contemporary Muslim world there are two opposing views on the use of deconstructive strategies in theological studies, which are according to the traditional Muslim community, faithfully defend the inviolability of religious traditions, including in the field of Theological Methodology.

1. Derrida Zh. Pis’mo japonskomu drugu [Letter to a Japanese friend]. Garaji A. (tr.). Questions of Philosophy. 1992;4:53–57. (In Russian)

2. Derrida Zh. O grammatologii [On Grammatology]. Avtonomova N.S. (tr. from French, with an intr.). Moscow: Ad Marginem Press; 2000. 512 p. (In Russian)

3. Vdovina A.V. Zhak Derrida o dvojstvennosti filosofskih tekstov i jetike dekonstrukcii [Jacques Derrida on the duality of philosophical texts and the ethics of deconstruction]. Diskussiya [Discussion]. 2012;1:12–14. (In Russian)

4. Konacheva S.A. Bog posle Boga. Filosofskaja teologija v postmetafizicheskuju jepohu [The God after the God. Philosophical Theology in the post-metaphysical era]. Belokon I.A. (ed.) Moscow: Russian State University for the Humanities; 2019. 242 p. (In Russian)

5. Skorodumov D.A. Dialektika i dekonstrukcija kak ostov radikal’noj teologii [Dialectics and deconstruction as the core of radical Theology]. Tsifrovoy uchenyy: laboratoriya filosofa [Digital Scientist: Philosopher’s Laboratory]. 2018;1(2):121– 137. (In Russian)

6. Martynov V.I. Konets vremeni kompozitorov [The end of the composers’ time]. Afterwords by T. Cherednichenko. Moscow: Russkiy Put’ Press; 2002. 296 p. (In Russian)

7. Iglton T. Teorija literatury: Vvedenie [Theory of Literature: Introduction]. Buchkina E. (tr.), Mayatsky M., Subbotin D. (ed.). Moscow: Territory of the Future Publishing House; 2010. 296 p. (In Russian)

8. Vdovina A.V. Jetika dekonstrukcii – osobaja strategija interpretacii [Ethics of deconstruction – a special strategy of interpretation]. Nauchnye vedomosti belgorodskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Seriya: Filosofiya. Sotsiologiya. Pravo [Scientific Bulletin of the Belgorod State University. Series: Philosophy. Sociology. Right]. 2011;20(115):254–258. (In Russian)

9. Khaydegger M. Raboty i razmyshleniya raznykh let [Works and reflections from different years]. Moscow: Gnozis Press; 1993. 464 p. (In Russian)

10. Dzhemal’ G.D. Novaja teologija. Izbrannye lekcii. Serija Mudrost’ islama [New Theology. Selected lectures. The Wisdom of Islam series]. Moscow: Eksmo Press; 2020. 718 p. (In Russian)

11. Melent’eva N. Geĭdar Dzhemal’: tvorit’ nebyvaloe [Heydar Jamal: to create the unprecedented]. Po tu storonu neba bez zvezd: pamjati Gejdara Dzhemalja [On the other side of the sky without stars: in memory of Heydar Jamal]. Zhigalkin S.A. (comp.). Moscow: Languages of Slavic Сultures Publishing House: Moscow: Gnozis Press; 2022. PP. 68–138. (In Russian)

12. 2–oe poslanie k Korinfyanam ap. Pavla. Glava 3, stikh 3. [The 2nd Epistle to the Corinthians by Apostol Paul. 3:3]. Ekzeget. Bibliya i tolkovaniya [Electronic source]. Available at: https://ekzeget.ru/bible/2oe-poslaniek-korinfanam-ap-pavla/glava-3/stih-3/ (Accessed: 22.03.2023).

13. Franc M.-L. fon. Arhetipicheskie patterny v volshebnyh skazkah [Archetypal patterns in fairy tales]. Moscow: Nezavisimaya firma Klass Publ.; 2007. 256 p. (In Russian)

14. Bart R. Udovol’stvie ot teksta [Pleasure from the text]. Izbrannye raboty: Semiotika. Pojetika [Selected Works: Semiotics. Poetics]. Moscow: Progress Press; 1989, pp. 462–518. (In Russian)

15. Skorodumov D.A. Radikal’naja teologija i dekonstrukcija: mezhdu konechnym i nevyrazimym [Radical Theology and Deconstruction: Between the Finite and the Inexpressible]. Philosophical thought. 2017;8:86–92. (In Russian)

16. Bonheffer D. Soprotivlenie i pokornost’ [Resistance and obedience]. Grigoriev A.B. (tr. from German). Moscow: Progress Press; 1994. 344 p. (In Russian)

17. Derrida Zh. Pozicii [Positions]. Bibikhin V.V. (tr. from French). Moscow: Academic project Publ.; 2007. 160 p. (In Russian)

18. Kolesnikov S.A. Missija teologa v dialekticheskoj filosofii religii Karla Barta [The mission of the theologian in the Dialectical Philosophy of religion by Karl Barth]. Nauchnye vedomosti Belgorodskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Seriya: Filosofiya. Sotsiologiya. Pravo [Belgorod State University Bulletin. Series: Philosophy. Sociology. Law]. 2019;44(2):244–251. DOI: 10.18413/2075-4566-2019-44-2-244-251 (In Russian)

19. Derrida Zh. Jesse ob imeni [Essay on the name]. Shmatko N.A. (tr. from French). St. Petersburg: Aletheia Press; 2015. 192 p. (In Russian)

20. Konacheva S.A., Kyrlezhev A.I. Puti postmetafizicheskogo myshlenija o Boge [Ways of post-metaphysical thinking about God]. Voprosy teologii [Problems of Theology]. 2020;2(1):177–198. (In Russian)

21. Kochaneva S.A. “Bog bez suvereniteta” i “Svyashchennaya anarkhiya tsarstva: “slabaya” teologiya kak teopoliticheskiy proekt [“God without Sovereignty” and “The Sacred Anarchy of the Kingdom: “Weak” Theology as a Theopolitical Project]. Sotsiologicheskoe obozrenie. 2022;21.2:214–229. (In Russian)

22. Sorokoletov N.V. Radikal’naya teologiya Dzhona Kaputo: Bog kak sobytie [John Caputo’s Radical Theology: God as an event]. Voprosy bogosloviya. 2021;1(5):133–146. (In Russian)

23. Al’tjusser L. Protivorechie i sverhdeterminacija (Zametki k issledovaniju) [Contradiction and overdetermination (Research notes)]. Za Marksa [For Marx]. Denezhkin A.V. (tr.). Moscow: Praksis Press; 2006, pp. 127–186. (In Russian)

24. Derrida Zh. Ostav’ jeto imja (Postskriptum) [Leave this name (the Postscript)]. Dekonstrukcija: teksty i interpretacija [Deconstruction: texts and interpretation]. Gurko E. (com. and tr. from French). Minsk: Ekonompress; 2001, pp. 251–316. (In Russian)

25. Sidorov A.M. Dekonstrukcija i teologija [Deconstruction and Theology]. Vestnik Sankt-Peterburgskogo universiteta. Seriya 6. Filosofiya. Kul’turologiya. Politologiya. Pravo. Mezhdunarodnye otnosheniya [Bulletin of St. Petersburg University. Series 6. Philosophy. Culturology. Political science. Law. International relations]. 2009;3:128–132. (In Russian)

26. Bauman Z. Filosofija i postmodernistskaja sociologija [Philosophy and postmodern Sociology]. Voprosy filosofii [Problems of Philosophy]. 1993;3:46–61. (In Russian)

27. Hart D. Krasota beskonechnogo: Jestetika hristianskoj istiny [Beauty of the Infinite: Aesthetics of Christian Truth]. Lukyanov A. (tr. from English). Moscow: St. Andrew’s Bible and Theological Institute Press; 2022. 673 p. (In Russian)

28. ‘Ali Zawwari Ahmad. Al-Hadathiyyun al-‘arab wa tafkik al-nass al-dini: al-falsafah wa-l-ab‘ad [Arab Modernists and the Deconstruction of the Religious Text: Philosophy and Measurements]. Al-Qari li-l-dirasat al-adabiyyah wa-lnaqdiyyah wa-l-lughawiyyah. (June 2018);1(2):1–17. (In Arabic)

29. Dzhemal’ G.D. Logika monoteizma: izbrannye lekcii [The Logic of Monotheism: Selected Lectures]. Moscow: Eksmo Press; 2021. 544 p. (In Russian)

30. Razin Ju.A. Tesej s mechom i klubkom nitok v setjah Ariadny (zametki na poljah p’esy V. Pelevina) [Theseus with a sword and a ball of thread in the nets of Ariadne (notes on the margins of the play by V. Pelevin)]. Vestnik samarskoy gumanitarnoy akademii. Seriya: Filosofiya. Filologiya [Samara Humanitarian Academy Bulletin. Series: Philosophy. Philology]. 2008;2(4):54–65. (In Russian)

31. Koran. Perevod obrazov s arabskogo yazyka s podstrochnikom i transkriptsiey [Quran. Translation of images from Arabic with interlinear and transcription]. Bakhtiyarov A.R. (ed.). In 2 vol. Vol. 1. Моscow: Veche Press; 2013. Kazan, 2022. 1060 p. (In Russian)