Partial Faiths: Postsecular Fiction in the Age of Pynchon and Morrison

Spiritual conversions figure heavily in such novels as ThomasPynchon's Vineland, Toni Morrison's Paradise, andLouise Erdrich's Love Medicine. What c.
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McClure frames his incisive study with the illustrative case of Tony Kushner's play Angels in America , a map of the broader postsecular movements of our time, and an outline of several philosophical explanations of recent forms of religious resurgence.

In that Angels reveals a world "shot through" with supernatural energies and "mysterious agents," yet repudiates fundamentalism and articulates the religious with "progressive political projects," it "models the structures and themes" of the literary narratives with which McClure is primarily concerned 2.

While the novelistic turn to the religious ranges from a "cautious probing" to dramatic "ontological openings" 3 —wherein people are born again, the dead arise, and miracles and divine visitations occur—postsecular conversions are always "partial": It is this consistently provisional and selective religious character that makes McClure's interesting study worth reading for cultural literacy.

It is not only that his theoretical sweep and close readings alike are nuanced and convincing, it is that his portrait of postsecular fiction reflects so readily the contemporary American milieu. For not only in fiction, but in the recent historic US Presidential Inauguration to extend the example , were "scriptural traditions. In his inauguration speech President Obama said, "We know that our [End Page ] patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus, and non-believers.

McClure's dizzying and dense outline of several sociologists of religion and philosophers who essay to explain, in Gianni Vattimo's words, "the pervasive return of religion in contemporary culture," traces the logic of "partial belief" and provides the reader with a working vocabulary and a set of touchstones for the forthcoming analyses of the novels Contemporary literature, it turns out, is less marked by Vattimo's and Richard Rorty's "weak religion" 12 than by "religiously If you would like to authenticate using a different subscribed institution that supports Shibboleth authentication or have your own login and password to Project MUSE, click 'Authenticate'.

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Write a review Rate this item: Preview this item Preview this item. John A McClure Publisher: State or province government publication: English View all editions and formats Summary:. Find a copy online Links to this item Table of contents.

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Allow this favorite library to be seen by others Keep this favorite library private. Find a copy in the library Finding libraries that hold this item Criticism, interpretation, etc History Additional Physical Format: Government publication, State or province government publication, Internet resource Document Type: John A McClure Find more information about: Publisher Synopsis In the weakness, limit, and partiality of postsecular faith, John McClure has the courage to show us the residual supernaturalism and strength of religious life.

User-contributed reviews Add a review and share your thoughts with other readers. Add a review and share your thoughts with other readers. Similar Items Related Subjects: Religion and literature -- United States -- History -- 20th century. American fiction -- 21st century -- History and criticism -- Theory, etc. Religion and literature -- United States -- History -- 21st century. User lists with this item 1 Pynchon 14 items by ajpb updated Linked Data More info about Linked Data. Postsecular projects -- Ontological pluralism and preterite spiritualities: Thomas Pynchon -- Worldly vocations: Don Delillo -- Enclosures, enchantments, and the art of discernment: Toni Morrison -- Narratives of turning in Native American fiction: Michael Ondaatje -- Epilogue: The dream of open dwelling.

Partial faiths : postsecular fiction in the age of Pynchon and Morrison

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