To Do the Theopoetic

[derr...@gmail.com]

Among the challenges to us in the theopoetic community is to begin a
process of positioning the theopoetic as discipline and methodology in
the wider world.So much of our work is the defining of what the
theopoetic IS that very few works have been created that are
theopoetic: that which speaks of humanity, of God and of our desire in
language, art and idea (for my own work this means the novel and the
'academic beat poem').

To the community i present this question: What doest that sort of work
look like and where do we identify it in the world today?

[Travis Poling]

I think there are plenty of texts out there that are already theopoetic, otherwise this conversation would not be happening. I don't see theopoetics as a new invention, but as the exploration of already existing theopoetic texts. One could argue that any literary work is a work of theopoetics, since art and spirit are so intertwined. Literature shows us who we are and what our world is like in no uncertain terms, and that is profuoundly theopoetic. Perhaps I see it this way because my approach to theopoetics has been more on the end of literary critique than actually seeing my creative work, mostly poetry, as theological texts. If the poet sets out to write a theological poem, the project ultimately fails. Discussion of the divine, or of anything else, becomes contrived rather than authentic if it is imposed on artistic work. But I recognize that my poetry is theological, but only after the fact.

On the other hand, I think there are some texts that could be explored more explicitly in terms of their theopoetic value, such as the prison writings--especially poems--of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. I recently looked at these texts in a paper for a course on Bonhoeffer: Logopoetics: A Theopoetics of Meaning from Prisoners of the Holocaust: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Viktor Frankl

I'll write more if I think of more. Thanks for this topic. It's a great one!

Travis Poling
Student at Bethany Theological Seminary
Richmond, IN

[derr...@gmail.com]

Travis

Let me start by saying im very jealouse of the Earlham crew! To have
classes directly relating to the Theopoetic is a priveledge. Here at
VST people sort of say 'oh...right...theopoetics'. I guess what im
asking for is taht we begin to identify works that work in theopoetic
manner. By doing so we are able to expand the conversation and make
sure that artist are being invited to the table to participate in the
conversation and not just academics. So much 'theopoetic work' are
scholars defining the field. Im more interested in what a work that
is, in its nature, theopoetic looks like.

I would also disagree on your notion of the poet not being deliberate
in their addressing of ideas. Look at TS Elliot, the structure of his
work or Allan Ginsbergs amazing critigue of 1950's america.
Additionally look at Jan Zwicky, a canadian philosopher at the
University of ictoria in Victoria, BC who publishes primarily in
poetry.

Jason

On Jun 3, 4:23 am, "Travis Poling" <poling.tra...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I think there are plenty of texts out there that are already theopoetic,
> otherwise this conversation would not be happening. I don't see theopoetics
> as a new invention, but as the exploration of already existing theopoetic
> texts. One could argue that any literary work is a work of theopoetics,
> since art and spirit are so intertwined. Literature shows us who we are and
> what our world is like in no uncertain terms, and that is profuoundly
> theopoetic. Perhaps I see it this way because my approach to theopoetics has
> been more on the end of literary critique than actually seeing my creative
> work, mostly poetry, as theological texts. If the poet sets out to write a
> theological poem, the project ultimately fails. Discussion of the divine, or
> of anything else, becomes contrived rather than authentic if it is imposed
> on artistic work. But I recognize that my poetry is theological, but only
> after the fact.
>
> On the other hand, I think there are some texts that could be explored more
> explicitly in terms of their theopoetic value, such as the prison
> writings--especially poems--of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. I recently looked at
> these texts in a paper for a course on Bonhoeffer: Logopoetics: A
> Theopoetics of Meaning from Prisoners of the Holocaust: Dietrich Bonhoeffer

> and Viktor Frankl <http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=ddtjdcn3_175z8h47mdx>

>
> I'll write more if I think of more. Thanks for this topic. It's a great one!
>
> Travis Poling
> Student at Bethany Theological Seminary
> Richmond, IN
>

[Yewtree]

Hi

Stephen Moore, Robin Hawley-Gorsline and Marcella Althaus-Reid look
very much like "poetic theologians" to me... not sure if that is the
same as doing theopoetics, though. I also find the Poetry Chaikhana
website and blog a wonderful source of poems about our relationship
with the divine.

Yvonne