Emmanuel Levinas' Conceptual Affinities with Liberation Theology

The Author: Alain Mayama teaches at Philosophat Spiritain International Daniel Brottier, where he is the rector, and at Grand Séminaire Saint Augustin in Libreville, Gabon, Central Africa. He received his Ph.D. in systematic theology from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His research interests include philosophy of religion, phenomenology, soteriology, christology, and liberation theology.

«The importance of Emmanuel Levinas' ethics of responsibility for theology in general, and liberation theology in particular, cannot be overstated. By placing Levinas' thought in dialogue with liberation theologians, as well as prominent Christian thinkers who are well versed in the phenomenological tradition and its implications for the status of metaphysics, Alain Mayama demonstrates that the Levinasian 'turn to the other' belongs at the heart of contemporary theological anthropology. What is more, Mayama argues convincingly that Levinas' transcendental ethics has a significant degree of applicability in the real time of sub-Saharan political, social, and ethnic conflicts.» (Marie L. Baird, Associate Professor of Theology, Duquesne University; Author of 'On the Side of the Angels: Ethics and Post-Holocaust Spirituality')
«Phenomenology is the current currency of theology. Writers as diverse as Dussel and Marion have sought to exploit the theological significance of phenomenology, not only methodologically but on account of its ethical intent. Levinas has been a key interlocutor in drawing attention to the ethical basis of theology. All talk of God is already inscribed in the face of the other person, but deciphering and liberating the trace of God in the face of the other person is both an onerous and honorable task. This book is a welcome addition to the expanding theological reflection on Levinas' theological appropriation and is to be commended. Having read this, one will want to read and think more.» (Michael Purcell, Senior Lecturer in Systematic Theology, University of Edinburgh)