“Hell is Not Something that Awaits Us”: Inverse Theology and Critical Theory
Abstract
This article argues that an analysis of Theodor Adorno’s “inverse theology” helps account for his totalizing critique of capitalist society and his persistent belief in the objective possibility of its end. I argue that this theological impulse must be rooted in his distinctive understanding of Karl Marx’s critique of political economy. Ultimately, I hope to elucidate how and why Adorno’s distinct theological account of capitalist society as irredeemably wrong and hellish might nonetheless work in service of its revolutionary end, and the resurrection of a transfigured social reality that remembers its wounds. I also hope to encourage further engagement between readers interested in critical theory, Marx, and theology.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Critical Theory and Philosophy
Marxism and Critical Theory
Political Theology and Sovereignty
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Political Theology
- Volume
- 27
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 454–472
- Publication date
- 30 January 2026
- Language
- EN