Christian Flesh

Encountering Traditions

by Paul J. Griffiths

A sustained and systematic theological reflection on the idea that being a Christian is, first and last, a matter of the flesh, Christian Flesh shows us what being a Christian means for fleshly existence. Depicting and analyzing what the Christian tradition has to say about the flesh of Christians in relation to that of Christ, the book shows that some kinds of fleshly activity conform well to being a Christian, while others are in tension with it. But to lead a Christian life is to be unconstrained by ordinary ethical norms. Arguing that no particular case of fleshly activity is forbidden, Paul J. Griffiths illustrates his message through extended case studies of what it is for Christians to eat, to clothe themselves, and to engage in physical intimacy.

Genres: Theology, Philosophy

176 pages, Paperback

Published September 25, 2018

Reviews

[Chelsie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this for a small-group study with my church. I’m not a philosophy scholar, and maybe that’s the problem, but I found the writing style to be pretentious and sesquipedalian (Griffiths would like that word, right?). I found that in itself pretty off-putting at times…after all, well-written work in plain and clear language never hurt anyone.

Also most likely because I’m not a philosophy scholar, the way he builds his arguments is not the most natural route for my mind to take to arrive at the same conclusions, but in most of the chapters I did get to the end and at least mostly agree with him. The major exception would be some of the points in the last chapter on “Caress”…I can’t quite get where he’s going on some of that, and I found some of the chapter kind of triggering after having been in a sexually abusive marital relationship (which is not the author’s fault, obviously, but having had those experiences colors my views on sexuality in pretty powerful ways).

Griffiths is clearly intelligent and thorough in his processes of logic, and as I stated above, I did agree with the bulk of his points. I appreciated looking at the many facets of what being embodied in Christian flesh means and how we are to live as we are cleaved to Christ. There were some thought-provoking, challenging, and beautiful parts to the text.

One other thing I have to say is that some of his examples throughout the book are super weird (e.g. the Ugolino story from The Inferno…let’s not advocate for eating our kids, okay?).

In the end, the style of this text is definitely not my cup of tea, but it made me think and brought about some good discussions in my group, and I don’t regret reading it.

[Graham Hoppstock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Griffith’s thinking is always delightfully provocative in its theological speculation. I may demur at points, but I am always glad to have Griffith’s keen analytic eye to dialogue with when it happens he writes. I think Griffith’s work here will be of great import in current debates on the flesh and its uses.

[Micah · Rating 5 out of 5]

My goodness my goodness. What insight, what lucidity! I don’t agree with everything Griffiths says here (regarding both form and content), but you cannot deny that this is a work of genius. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.