God/Terror - Ethics and Aesthetics in Contexts of Conflict and Reconciliation - Volker Küster
4. The Powerlessness of Images
God/Terror - Ethics and Aesthetics in Contexts of Conflict and Reconciliation - Volker Küster
Volker Küster [+]
Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
Prof. Küster explores the interconfessional, intercultural and interreligious dimensions of Christian faith by employing methods such as hermeneutics, aesthetics, communication theory, postcolonial critic and globalization theory. Perspectives of culture, religion, race, class, gender and inclusion intersect in this multi-axial approach. His research in contextual and intercultural theology evolves along two lines: dialog, conflict and reconciliation and visual art and religion.
He is the author of: Theologie im Kontext. Zugleich ein Versuch über die Minjung-Theologie, 1995; Jesus und das Volk im Markusevangelium. Ein Beitrag zum interkulturellen Gespräch in der Exegese, 1996 (Korean 2006); The Many Faces of Jesus Christ, 2001 (German 1999; Dutch 2012; Indonesian 2014); God/Terreur. Een Tweeluik, 2008 (German 2009); A Protestant Theology of Passion. Korean Minjung Theology revisited, 2010; Einleitung in die Interkulturelle Theologie, 2011;Zwischen Pancasila und Fundamentalismus. Christliche Kunst in Indonesien, 2016. Series Editor: contact/zone. Explorations in Intercultural Theology (EVA Leipzig); Theologische Interventionen (Kohlhammer Stuttgart).
Description
The second section exposes the readers with the vulnerability of paintings and novels that deal with the consequences of terrorism by individuals and the state. The Baader- Meinhof cycle of Gerhard Richter enters a dialog with the wood-prints of the South Korean artist Hong Song-Dam that deal with the Kwangju massacre. The novels of Uwe Timm and Hwang Sok-Yong are read contrapuntally (Edward Said). These German-Korean passions are confronted with works of the South African artists Sue Williamson and Paul Stopforth that address the murder of Steve Biko. As literature Antjie Krog’s opus magnum “Country of my Skull” gets heard. The apocalypse did not take place, as is concluded already in the first chapter. Yet how do we deal with guilt in societal processes of transformation? Five themes that regularly reoccur can be identified: resistance against forgetting, the wish to understand what has happened, the expectation that the perpetrators show repentance, the question whether amnesty or mercy should be granted and the necessity of material reparation. Put in theological language this can lead to a conflict with God. The victims bring their laments in front of God. They even charge God. How can God allow their suffering? At the same time especially, the victims show an unbelievable readiness for forgiveness. They imitate in a certain sense the unconditional grace of God. The perpetrators are disturbed in their relationship with God and rely on the grace of God and the willingness of the victims to reconcile.