The Embodied Character of ‘Acknowledging God’: A Contribution to Understanding the Relationship between Transcendence and Embodiment on the Basis of Hosea

Abstract

In this article I follow Bornemark’s approach to clarify the embodied character of religion ‘via the text’ by turning to the book of Hosea. Hosea is especially suitable for studying the controversy over the body in religion because it has traditionally been interpreted as rejecting a religious cult of bodily fertility as opposed to the true ethical religion of Israel. I investigate different motives of embodiment in the text. Subsequently I deal with the critical question of whether the project of revaluating the bodily guarantees better understanding of Hosea and (biblical) religion. I explore the body-related notions of ‘dependence’ and ‘discernment’ as a more specific alternative, which also sheds light on current difficulties in understanding religion.