Transcendence and the secular : reading Jon Fosse through a theological Lens

Hrabovecký, Pavol (author), Sidor, Monika (author)

Secularism is one of those contemporary phenomena to which there are contradictory theological responses in the West: from negative and critical to positive and accepting. Writer Jon Fosse in his literary works describes the secular world as in need of transcendence. Thus, his literature offers at least the possibility of a dialogue between the secular and the transcendent. Fosse’s works resonate theologian John Milbank’s vision of secularism as a theological heresy. This study explores the shared principles of theological and literary perspectives of Fosse and Milbank and argues that literature is important contemporary locus theologicus and a common ground for dialogue between religion and the secular.

• Language: English
• Keywords: transcendent, literature, contemporary theology, dialogue, secular, critique
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: TEOF - Theological Faculty
• Publication status: In print
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 29.12.2025
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: Str. 999-1014
• Numbering: Letn. 85, [št.] 4
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-177686
• UDC: 141:82
• ISSN on article: 0006-5722
• DOI: doi.org/10.34291/BV2025/04/Hrabovecky
• COBISS.SI-ID: 263149059
• Publication date in RUL: 31.12.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Bogoslovni vestnik
• Shortened title: Bogosl. vestn.
• Publisher: Bogoslovna akademija, Bogoslovna akademija, Teološka fakulteta v Ljubljani, Teološka fakulteta Univerze v Ljubljani, Založba Univerze v Ljubljani
• ISSN: 0006-5722
• COBISS.SI-ID: 8745472

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Transcendenca in sekularno : branje Jona Fosseja skozi teološko prizmo

Abstract

Sekularizem je eden od sodobnih pojavov, na katerega v zahodnem svetu obstajajo protislovni teološki odzivi: od negativnih in kritičnih do pozitivnih in razumevajočih. Pisatelj Jon Fosse v svojih literarnih delih sekularni svet opisuje kot svet, ki potrebuje transcendenco – njegova literatura ponuja vsaj možnost dialoga med sekularnim in transcendentnim. Fossejeva dela odražajo vizijo teologa Johna Milbanka, da je sekularizem teološka herezija. Prispevek tako raziskuje skupna načela teoloških in literarnih perspektiv Fosseja in Milbanka in trdi, da je literatura pomemben sodobni locus theologicus ter skupna podlaga za dialog med religijo in sekularizmom.

• Keywords: transcendentno, književnost, sodobna teologija, dialog, sekularizem, kritika