The Convergence of Sacred and Secular Spaces in Three Selected Contemporary Novels

Abstract

This article focuses on the return and revitalisation of traditional Christian themes, such as sacrifice, guilt, sin and redemption, and the manifestation of supernatural phenomena, such as visions, faith healing and stigmata in three selected contemporary postmodern novels (Atonement by Ian McEwan, Keeping Faith by Jodi Picoult and Mariëtte in Ecstasy by Ron Hansen). It offers an examination of how these themes materialise in novels written by certain writers who are not explicitly religious, or in novels which do not have an overtly religious focus. There is a co-existence of belief and unbelief, or religion and science in all the novels under discussion. The theories of Jean François Lyotard and specifically his notion of “incredulity towards metanarratives” as well as his notion that narrative and scientific knowledge are both subject to legitimisation are relevant to this article. Gianteresio Vattimo’s ideas on the role of religion in contemporary life and the possible convergences of postmodernity and the Christian faith also come into play. He advocates weak thought as opposed to strong thought and sees caritas as essential in a postmodern society. Readers find themselves either on the side of the believing or unbelieving camp in the novels discussed. However, many readers may hover in the liminal space between belief and unbelief. Interpretation depends on many factors that constitute the world view of the readers.

Opsomming

Hierdie artikel fokus op die terugkeer en hernuwing van Christelike temas, naamlik opoffering, skuld en bevryding, asook die verskyning van bonatuurlike verskynsels naamlik visioene, geloofsgenesings en die wondertekens van Christus in drie geselekteerde kontemporêre postmoderne werke (Atonement deur Ian McEwan, Keeping Faith deur Jodi Picoult en Mariëtte in Ecstasy deur Ron Hansen). Die artikel het ten doel om te bepaal hoe hierdie temas realiseer in tekste wat geskryf is deur sommige skrywers wat nie eksplisiet gelowig is nie of in tekste wat nie ʼn openlike godsdienstige fokus het nie. Die gelyktydige verskyning van geloof en ongeloof of die religieuse en wetenskap is duidelik in al die tekste wat bespreek word. Die teorieë van Jean François Lyotard en spesifiek sy begrip van ongeloof teenoor metaverhale asook sy begrip dat narratiewe en wetenskaplike kennis beide aan geldigverklaring onderwerp is, is relevant vir hierdie artikel. Gianteresio Vattimo se idees oor die rol van godsdiens in die kontemporêre lewe en die moontlike saamloop van post-modernisme en die Christelike geloof is ook van belang. Hy bepleit swak denke in teenstelling met sterk denke en sien caritas as noodsaaklik in ʼn postmoderne samelewing. Lesers bevind hulle óf aan die kant van die gelowiges óf aan die kant van die ongelowiges in die bespreekte romans. Baie lesers weifel egter in die liminale ruimte tussen geloof en ongeloof. Interpretasie berus op baie faktore wat die wêreldbeskouing van die leser vorm, vandaar die talryke interpretasies.