Baudrillard and Theology

Jean Baudrillard was one of the foremost intellectual figures of the late twentieth century and his work is currently reaching a new prominence in the English-speaking world. Known as the "high priest of postmodernity", Baudrillard never directly addressed theological concerns. However, his provocative analysis of the changing nature of reality, subjectivity and agency is of increasing importance to contemporary theology. Furthermore, his mode of cultural analysis (which he himself describes as "mystical") provides fruitful possibilities for theological reasoning in the post-idealist world he describes. James Walters provides the context of Baudrillard's writing and identifies key influences. He then sets out his core ideas, drawing in theological responses and relating them to theological concerns. Finally, he highlights some areas of his work of particular theological interest.

Introduction: Overcoming the Real \ Part I \ Signs, Systems and '68 \ Simulation and the Hyperreal \ Exchange: Economic and Symbolic \ Life after God \ Part II \ Sacraments and Simulacra \ Eschatology, Terrorism and Death \ Beyond Good and Evil \ Barred Bodies \ Fragments in the Desert \ Radical Otherness