The Humiliation of the Word

Product Description
“Western people no longer hear; everything is grasped by sight. They no longer speak; they show.” -- Jacques Ellul
Well-known for his many books on sociology and theology, Jacques Ellul creatively braids these two strands together in this provocative examination of how reality (which is visual) has superseded truth (which is verbal) in modern times. Ellul explores biblical texts for distinguishing visual cultural forms from the communicative (divine and human) Word, then
examines how this distinction plays out with the rise of audiovisual media in the 20th-century West. Even in human speech, visual forms dominate contemporary life and devalue the word; this insight informs discussion of the image/word clash in religion, politics, and art. After a scathing critique of present-day idolatry, Ellul places his hope for nonviolent community in the fragile spoken word. Ultimately, Ellul sees the Bible as presenting a hopeful vision of reconciliation—between visual reality and spoken truth.
A new afterword by Jacob Marques Rollison contextualizes Ellul’s stance within French postmodern thought, illuminating
Humiliation of the Word as an outspokenly “Protestant communication ethic” in contemporary philosophical and theological discussions of language.
Review
"Anyone interested in promoting or communicating the truth in our frantic society will be challenged and assisted by The Humiliation of the Word. The translation and preface by Joyce Hanks are a superb contribution from an expert in Ellul's thought as well as the French language."
-- David W. Gill, President of the International Jacques Ellul Society
"In this prescient book, Ellul saw what today is a challenge for all of us--coping with the detachment of the word from the world. And he told us what we need: a language that is open to the claims of the Word of God."
-- Albert Borgmann, University of Montana, Missoula
About the Author
Jacques Ellul (1912-94) was a French law professor, social theorist, and lay theologian, teaching at the University of Bordeaux, France. Among his 58 published books, his best-known works include The Technological Society, Propaganda, and Presence in the Modern World.