没有宗教的宗教——论詹姆斯·鲍德温对宗教的解构与回归

Religion without Religion——A Study of James Baldwin's Deconstruction of Religion and His Return

美国黑人作家詹姆斯·鲍德温的宗教情感经历了从信仰到背叛再到回归的过程,其宗教观与德里达"没有宗教的宗教"有异曲同工之妙。从解构主义角度出发,分析鲍德温以《向苍天呼吁》和《阿门角》为代表的宗教主题作品对上帝中心主义的消解,解读其没有宗教的宗教观。鲍德温在解构和批判伪善、狭隘的现实上帝的同时,极力塑造公正、博爱的民间上帝,从而实现对宗教的回归。他对上帝爱恨交加的矛盾情感,是由其社会历史背景、个人心理发展,以及20世纪美国黑人文学走出自然主义抗议文学窠臼、走向以黑人文化为基础的新型现代黑人文学的发展趋势所决定的。

James Baldwin, a famous African--American writer, has experienced three stages on the view of black religion： from believing in God, to leaving the church, and then returning to write about it. His religious view bears great similarity to Derrida＇s ＂Religion without Religion＂. With decon- structionist guidance, this paper analyzes Baldwin＇s deconstruction of traditional religion and his view on religion, Religion without Religion, based on an intensive reading of his religious writings represented by Go Tell it on the Mountain and The Amen Corner. While deconstructing and criticizing the hypocritical and incompetent God in the fundamental church, Baldwin tries to reconstruct a just and loving secular God, thus to realize his return to religion. His love and hate for God, contradictory but reasonable, is related to his social and historical background, personal psychological development and the trend of African--American literature in 20th century from the naturalist protest literature to modem literature based on the African--American culture.