The Idea
Arkoun criticizes later forms of religiosity because they obscure the historicity of texts and then reuse them outside their original circumstances. In this view, the text no longer remains tied to the context in which it arose; instead, it becomes material that can be used in any time or place without examination. The result is the concealment of the text’s history rather than its disclosure, and the prioritization of instrumental use over understanding.
Condensed Formulation
Later religiosity: based on obscuring the historicity of texts and reusing them outside their contexts
Its Place in the Book’s Argument
This claim appears at the heart of the book’s argument because the critique here is directed at a common way of dealing with foundational texts. The book shows that the problem is not the existence of the text, but rather severing it from its context and then reintroducing it into new uses as if it had no history. Thus, this claim explains how rigidity arises when understanding is replaced by instrumental use.
Why It Matters
Its importance lies in showing how the text becomes a ready-made authority when its original conditions are erased. This explains much of the repetition in religious discourse when texts are reactivated without scrutiny. Accordingly, this claim helps explain the essence of Arkoun’s critique of non-historical instrumentalization.
Brief Evidence
It affirms that much later religiosity has been based on obscuring the historicity of texts and reusing them. The text no longer remains tied to the context in which it arose, but becomes material available for use in any time and place without examination. The result is the concealment of the text’s history rather than its disclosure, and the prioritization of instrumental use over understanding.
Reading Questions
- What is the difference between reading a text in its context and reusing it outside its context?
- Is every invocation of a text beyond its own time an obscuring of its history, or does the matter depend on the way it is read?
Level of Documentation
High: the claim appears in a clear location within the book’s material.