Fossils and tombs and how they haunt us

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Authors

Meylahn, Johann-Albrecht

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

AOSIS Open Journals

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.

Keywords

Museums, Secret, Science-religion, Fossils, Tombs

Sustainable Development Goals

Citation

Meylahn, J.-A., 2017, ‘Fossils and tombs and how they haunt us’, HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies 73(3), 4494. https://DOI.org/ 10.4102/hts.v73i3.4494.