Abstract:
Fossils and tombs in museums fascinate us and haunt us with their secrets. The discovery of
the remains of Homo naledi, found, as argued by some, in an ancient burial chamber, promises
to reveal secrets of an unremembered past, thus offering clues concerning our present-day
humans and maybe influence our human future. The paper will not engage directly with what
Homo naledi might contribute to the various science-religion and/or theology conversations
but rather engage with the grammars of these conversations, by asking the question, why do
tombs and fossils haunt us? This article will bring into the conversation Derrida’s interpretation
on tombs and fossils, his hauntology, as well as the fascination with secrets. It will not offer an
interpretation of Naledi, but rather ask the question why she inspires (haunts) the belief that
she has something to offer the science-religion conversation (which I believe she does), or why
she inspires the belief that such discoveries make no difference to the religious views on
creation, for example. Whichever way, the dead, and specifically those dead to human memory,
when ‘recalled’, haunt us and disturb us with their secrets.
Description:
This research is part of the
project, ‘Towards a practical
postfoundational theology as
public theology in response
to the challenges of lived
religion in contemporary
Southern Africa’, directed
by Prof. Dr Johann Meylahn,
Department Practical
Theology, Faculty of
Theology, University of
Pretoria, South Africa.
