Gryningen nalkas : En komparativ studie av Johannes av Korsets och Hartmut Rosas förståelse av vägen mot ett gott förhållande till världen

This study presents a comparative analysis of Hartmut Rosa and St John of the Cross and their respective view of the way towards a good relationship to the world. Using Rosa’s theory of acceleration, alienation and resonance as a frame of reference, a discursive analysis of modern texts on the thoughts of St John is performed to explore how the thoughts of St John can be enriched by Rosa. Thereby the aim is to widen the conversation on how Christians and the church might speak of a good relationship to the world in the present day. The analysis shows that several key elements from Rosa’s theory of resonance can be found in the thoughts of St John of the Cross, thus highlighting both the potential of reading John of the Cross in a modern setting and Rosa’s enriching contributions. They also agree in their emphasis on giving up the desire to control as a necessity in establishing a good relationship to the world. However, the transcendent, mystical reality of St John enables him to go furthert han Rosa with regards to for example the length to which a person should give up control or on how suffering is an essential part of the transformation. The study nevertheless shows that Rosa’s description of modern society can aid putting the thoughts of St John into the present, and that Rosa’s theories of structural change based on a new relationship to the world can widen the conversation on how the church might apply the mystical thoughts of St John today