I Am My Body: A Theology of Embodiment

by Elisabeth Moltmann-Wendel

Our predominant experience is that we have a body, with which we work, eat, dance, make love, have pleasure. But sometimes when we are sick, tired, or in pain, our perception changes; then we experience that we are our bodies. That is the experience which Elisabeth Moltmann-Wendel explores in this unique book.

Genres: Theology, Bodies, Religion, Nonfiction

128 pages, Paperback

Published January 2, 1995

Reviews

[Ida]

Det som var bra:
- hur bibelberättelserna användes på ett levande sätt
- skarpa iakttagelser om hur det kan bli fel när kroppen inte blir medtagen eller blir sedd som mindre viktigt än ande (eller intellekt)
- historisk kunskap

Det som var mindre bra:
- det fanns en hel del kritik mot dualism genom boken. Och jag uppskattar hur hon beskrev den och jag lärde mig en hel del. Samtidigt framställde författaren (speciellt på slutet) beskrivningar om manliga och kvinnliga ”kunskaper” som jag tyckte hade ett ganska starkt stråk av dualism. Det är väl i slutändan väldigt svårt att inte bli dualistisk? Kanske kan man skylla på att språket gör oss begränsade när vi vill beskriva saker? Men jag blev lite besviken på att det ändå kändes som att författaren inte var helt konsekvent med sin argumentation.

[Elizabeth Payne · Rating 4 out of 5]

dated, but an important early feminist take on embodied theology. a bit woo-woo at times for me, a lot on biology as well which I’m not sure really helped advance the thesis

brilliant critique of western christian theology and worship that neglects the body (by which she means our theology often doesn’t have the incarnation as a starting point and our worship doesn’t engage all the senses), some helpful suggestions for a path forward (i was particularly challenged by what it means to be in our bodies all the time—esp when we are sick. i am my body even when i am my sick body…i may not “feel like myself” but i am still myself. how then to integrate that experience…)

“disembodiment is lovelessness”

“the beginning and end of all God’s work is embodiment”

[Sølvi Goard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the chromosome stuff and explorations of gender and queerness are a bit dated but the central thesis holds up really well, embodiment as a means of connecting with the spiritual, not a barrier to it. Big shit for a trans person who's up with a very anti-embodiment Christianity.

[Niamh]

Some of it is quite dated. She mentioned stuff saying there hasn't been much research on x but there has been since. It has some interesting ideas but the book is quite short.