on the border of phenomenology and theologyin Le tournant théologique de la phénoménologie français, Janicaud describes,
with a certain noble simplicity, as “our new theologians” (nos nouveaux
théologiens).^9 Often, Jean-François Courtine and Didier Franck are
considered as closely related thinkers to Marion.^10 Finally, the late
Michel Henry deserves to be mentioned with a special emphasis. His
example is unique and incomparable. Assuredly, from the early 1960s
on, he adhered unswervingly to his special phenomenology of life, but,
at the same time, endeavored to get into touch with other currents of
thought. It is certainly a sign of the change of the times, that he chose
as his main partner in dialogue Marxism in the 1970s, psychoanalysis
in the 1980s, and Christian religion in the 1990s.^11
However, more is meant by the notion of a theological turn in
French phenomenology than just a diagnostic description of a recent
change in the intellectual climate of our age. Retrospectively, in his
book on La phénoménologie éclatée, Janicaud remarks that, in his
pamphlet of 1991, he should have put the epithet “theological” in
quotation-marks in order to prevent his readers from possible
misunderstandings, since he had utilized it ironiquement et presque par
prétérition (ironically and almost only allusively), without intending to
indicate any veritable return to a theologia rationalis or to sacra doctrina.^12
As he now points out, the core of his whole enterprise resided in an
attempt to show how the later Merleau-Ponty, Levinas, Henry,
Marion, and Chrétien had found themselves compelled to transcend
the limits of the apparent. Janicaud recognized in this specific
compulsion towards transcendence a phenomenologically motivated
tendency leading up, under the particular circumstances of the 1980s
Janicaud, Le tournant théologique de la phénoménologie française, 84.
See Jean-Francois Courtine,. See Jean-Francois Courtine, Jean-Francois Courtine, Courtine, , Heidegger et la phénoménologie, Paris: Vrin, 1990;
cf. Jean-Francois Courtine, (ed.), Phénoménologie et théologie, Paris: Critérion, 1992.
See also Didier Franck, Chair et corps. Sur la phénoménologie de Husserl, Paris: Minuit,
1981; Heidegger et le problème de l’espace, Paris: Minuit, 1986; Nietzsche et l’ombre de
Dieu, Paris: PUF, 1998; La dramatique des phénomènes, Paris: PUF, 2001; Heidegger
et le christianisme. L’explication silencieuse, Paris: PUF, 2004.
Recent works written by Michel Henry are:. Recent works written by Michel Henry are: C’est moi la vérité. Pour une philoso-
phie du christianisme, Paris: Seuil, 1996; Incarnation. Une philosophie de la chair, Paris:
Seuil, 2000; Paroles du Christ, Paris: Seuil, 2002.
Janicaud,. Janicaud, La phénoménologie éclatée, 9.