A (Very) Critical Introduction to Zizek. Afterword by Slavoj Zizek

It has been the brilliance of Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Zizek (b. 1949) to uniquely weave theology, psychoanalysis, and politics together into stunning commentary on contemporary culture. Assuming little prior knowledge of this controversial (atheist, communist) philosopher, Marcus Pound provides the first comprehensive, systematic account of Zizek's work as it relates specifically to theology and religious studies.
Gerard Loughlin
- Durham University
"With clarity and humor, and in wonderfully short compass, Marcus Pound introduces the thought of not only Slavoj Zizek but also his guru, Jacques Lacan. Pound finds in these masters of inversion a profound anti-theology that only needs to become more theological - more orthodox - in order to work, to rid us of complacency. This is a book for those new to Zizek and for those who, knowing him already, want to know him newly - as the theologian he might almost be. It's as enjoyable as reading Zizek himself."

Matthew Sharpe
- author of Slavoj Zizek: A Little Piece of the Real
"Slavoj Zizek's work, always iconoclastic, has since 1997 embraced the seemingly scandalous project of a materialist theology. Marcus Pound's new book is a long-called-for response, from within the field of theology, that takes Zizek's theological turn seriously, testing it against its sources and situating it within wider theological debates. In doing so, Pound achieves a very searching examination of Zizek's oeuvre, significantly recasting the reception of Zizek's work. Pound's theological perspective also allows him to pose searching questions about what he provocatively calls Zizek's 'politics of abandonment' and about the wider situation of the post-Enlightenment Left today."
Abbreviations
Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. God, Dereliction, and Violence
2. Belief before Belief
3. Why the Political Act Must Necessarily Adopt the Form of the Religious Act
4. Sexual Difference and Non-All (Pas-tout)
5. Enjoy Your Religion
Afterword: The Counterbook of Christianity, by Slavoj Zizek
Bibliography
Index