Article
Contact Rhetoric: Bodies and Love in Deus Caritas Est
Rhetoric and Public Affairs
(2012)
Abstract
A close textual analysis of Pope Benedict XVI’s inaugural encyclical Deus Caritas Est—God is Love is offered from the perspective of Platonic and contemporary rhetorical theory. An acclaimed inspirational success, this letter proposes loving “encounter” and “response” as the fundamental dynamic of Christian communication; God is “felt” and made manifest in concrete love-of-neighbor. Benedict’s “contact” orientation has significant implications for contemporary theory—humanity becomes ontologically contiguous, subjects are holistically embodied, Truth is grounded in co-felt exchange, and discourse is decentered by direct public engagement. Deus Caritas Est draws attention to ethical limits in Dramatism and Logology and advances embodied, invitational, and theological perspectives on rhetorical theory by showing how genuine love initiates and feeds a divine dynamic that can transcend divisions and unite humanity.
Keywords
- Contact Rhetoric,
- Love and Rhetoric,
- Embodied Communication,
- Papal Encyclicals,
- Benedict XVI
Disciplines
- Arts and Humanities,
- Other Arts and Humanities,
- Religion,
- Catholic Studies,
- Christianity,
- Ethics in Religion,
- Other Religion,
- Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion,
- Rhetoric and Composition,
- Other Rhetoric and Composition,
- Rhetoric,
- Social and Behavioral Sciences,
- Communication,
- Critical and Cultural Studies,
- Other Communication,
- Speech and Rhetorical Studies and
- Other Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration
Publication Date
Spring 2012
Citation Information
Jon P. Radwan. "Contact Rhetoric: Bodies and Love in Deus Caritas Est" Rhetoric and Public Affairs Vol. 15 Iss. 1 (2012) p. 41 - 94 Available at: http://works.bepress.com/jon_radwan/43/
Creative Commons license
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons CC_BY International License.