The Conundrums of Giorgio Agamben: A Commentary on A Commentary on the Letter to the Romans

Abstract

In offering a reading of Giorgio Agamben's The Time That Remains I focus on a series of problems for Agamben. Firstly, I wonder why he cites the pseudo-Pauline epistles in an effort to uncover Paul's thought on messianism? Further, I criticise Agamben's focus on Christology, since this has a host of problems. Then I find his idea of ”pre-law” problematic, since it is the key, for Agamben, to understanding Paul as a thinker of the Law. Finally, I wonder what has happened to grace in Agamben's interpretation. Despite himself he wants a theory of grace in order to overcome the trap of the Law.