Savoring Theopoetics

While the notion of theopoetic is modern, the concept existed long before the term was coined by twentieth-century theologians. Chapter 1 introduces in detail John of the Cross’s notion of gustar a Dios (to savor God) and the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava concept of madhura bhakti rasa—“the sweet savor of divine love”—as analogous models of theopoetic. Each of these sixteenth-century theologians deploys the term “savoring” within his own context, and does so toward two ends: to describe the all-encompassing relationship between the person and the divine illustrated in the poetry; and to prescribe a mode of interpreting the verses that leads readers into a similar experience. In both cases, the poems’ commentaries not only explain the theological meaning of the poems but also recreate their metaphorical language. This use of poetry to communicate theological meaning is identified as the practice of theopoetic. The first chapter closes with an elucidation of the book’s methodology.