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This contribution touches on the form of asceticism whose roots lie in the Christian concept of kenosis, to be distinguished from another form of asceticism which, although it also belongs to Christianity, consists in aiming at fleeing from the body, rather than inhabiting it. Two approaches are thus to be opposed : one is a jouissance that consists in leaving the body, the other is a Christological resort to God made flesh. Referring to Nietzsche and in the eyes of psychoanalysis, the author refers first to a type of ascetic Christian practices where renunciation operates as a denial of the body with, sometimes, extremely radical behaviors aiming at purity and perfection. Two revealing examples are discussed : that of holy anorexia and that of acedia. The author then articulates a possible link between asceticism and kenosis, a link that may actually question the atmosphere of our time.
CLIL theme: 4127 -- SCIENCES HUMAINES ET SOCIALES, LETTRES -- Philosophie -- Philosophie éthique et politique