Kenneth G. MacKendrick
Intersubjectivity and Religious Language:
Toward a Critique of Regressive Trends
in Thanatology^1
We are often informed that we are living and dying
in postmodern times. This claim is premised on the
idea that there are characteristic attitudes toward life
and death that can be distinguished and qualitatively
divided into historical epochs, however synchronic
or diachronic these epochs are conceived. Along these
lines thanatologist Tony Walter (1994) has developed
a topology that includes traditional, modern, and
postmodern variants in our attitudes and practices
accompanying dying and death. Walter argues that
studying attitudes and practices pertaining to dying,
death, and the disposal of the body are useful in
articulating the plausibility of such distinctions and
assist in policy decisions for caregivers and caregiv-
ing facilities. By way of a critical rejoinder to Walter ’s
analysis I argue that more attention should also be
given to the way in which such theoretical divisions
and practices may negatively influence the attitudes
and experiences of the people they are designed to
inform. To this end my essay has two aims. First, to
provide a sketch of traditional, modern, and post-
modern strains of religious thought and practice,(^1) Kenneth MacKendrick: [email protected]. I wish to thank Christopher
Brittain for reviewing an early draft of this manuscript and Warren Goldstein for addi-
tional valuable comments throughout the editing process.