Performing Christianities, Christofascism and Becoming-Palestinian : Gianni Vattimo's concept of Kenosis

Kurzfassung/Abstract

Christianity ought to be pluralized, at least whenever we leave narrow theological debates about the essence of what it means to follow Christ as a praxis. This contribution is an attempt to provide a sociological analysis of an internal opposition within currently existing Christianities that cuts across all known denominations. In the words of Tim Noble (in this edited book), this opposition could be referred to as between the “gospel of entitlement” and “the gospel of liberation”. This internal opposition between Christianities has immense consequences for the way the planet might be able to deal with the immanent challenges it currently faces. The challenge this contribution focuses on, is probably the most acute one: the resurgence of fascism and its love affair with Christian Nationalism. This sociological analysis will particularly focus on how the gospel of entitlement has contributed to the cultivation of narcissistic impotence as a cultural epidemic and seeks to justify itself through practicing denegation. In the face of this, the undoing of Christofascism has to be the top priority not just for the whole of humanity, but for the sake of the entire planet. The concept of kenosis as a very particular performativity of the gospel of liberation may provide a radically subversive alternative to the (meta-)physical violence one might normally assume with opposing fascism. As derived from Gianni Vattimo’s critique of the violence of metaphysics, kenosis is a prime modality of weak thought and by the performative opposition to all forms of identity politics. Through kenosis, we may be able to embrace the notion of “becoming-Palestinian” as that which opposes the colonial mind-set, which dominates the current geopolitical order and justifies genocide and planetary destruction.