Abstract
The reign of neoliberalism and the corporatization of institutions, including the Academy and religiously affiliated institutions of higher education, create urgent challenges for theology and spirituality and for teaching in the corporatized context. Mindful of the kairos and telos of which Jesus speaks, this presentation problematizes the competing “economies of desire” to which theology and spirituality are called to attend. The paper includes the following elements: 1. kairos and telos as lens and context for on-going work; 2. the political and economic ascendancy of neoliberalism; 3. the ontology and anthropology of neoliberalism and its construction and manipulation of human desire in contrast to biblical and Christian understandings; 4. “invisible hands” at cross-purposes; 5. what’s at stake? what time is it? and what is the way forward?
For a copy of the paper, contact Dr Calef at scalef@creighton.edu