The question of salvation between logos and poiesis: elements to a sapiential soteriology

Abstract

The aim of this work is to point out elements for a sapiential soteriology or a soteriology with focus in a form of wisdom that can be meaningful to contemporary issues, surpassing an intolerant and domineering religion’s vision. The theme of salvation appears since very early in the western attempt to compose a semantics of Mystery. However, this kind of sapiential soteriology present in the poets suffers a semantic displacement from the Platonic philosophy that impacts on a political salvation by the logos that rejects the role of soteriology themed by the poets. In Christianity, this results in an excessive eschatological emphasis on soteriology, which loses its link with reality. This question has been severely criticized because of the social and political consequences and also because of an excessive emphasis on a mathematically objective knowledge. The present work aims to point out some elements for the soteriology resignification in its wise aspect. Such a task had beginning with the confrontation of the Kantian transcendental question, by Karl Rahner, of thinking an inductive theological method. This reversal thinking, critical to the thought of representation, allows the focus on the theme of Alterity, approached by Emmanuel Lévinas and Jacques Lacan. The conversion of these three authors takes place exactly in the role that literature has in contemporaneity, especially due to the relevance of the subjectivation processes. Thus, thinking religion as an alternative culture, surpassing totalitarian pretensions and colonizers, implies readdressing the question of the dialogue of Christianity with classical culture, and in this sense to regain the deeper sense of soteriology, that of saving life from the absurd.