C’est un fait, les théologiens français font le plus souvent abstraction dans leurs travaux, des oeuvres littéraires. La situation est particulièrement préoccupante pour les écrivains contemporains agnostiques, témoins de notre temps, qui interrogent radicalement, au nom de la complexité, nos catégories habituelles d’analyse. Les romans de Claude Simon se prêtent-ils à une réception théologique ? On pourrait a priori en douter, mais doit-on s’interdire d’interroger une oeuvre novatrice, distinguée par un prix Nobel pour sa force d’interpellation ? Nous assumons ce risque, conscient des difficultés théologiques qu’il faudra expliciter. Dans une première partie (« parcours exploratoires ») l’introduction à la lecture passe par un inventaire du contexte culturel et des expériences artistiques vécues par l’écrivain. Nous engageons cette recherche à partir de trois romans qui peuvent jalonner son parcours évolutif : Le palace (1962), pour la « période baroque », Les corps conducteurs (1971), pour la période dite « formaliste », Le jardin des plantes (1997), pour la période « post-moderne ». La deuxième partie (« vers une ouverture éthique et théologique ») construit progressivement la lecture d’un roman métisse à l’imaginaire grotesque qui comporte une dimension satirique, sensible, mystique sans mystère. La troisième partie (« du non sens proclamé du monde à l’insensé de Dieu ») s’intéresse aux articulations et limites du grotesque dans le « théodrame » du Crucifié-Ressuscité, face aux interrogations sans réponse des victimes de l’histoire et à l’angoissante question de la « déréliction » de l’homme. / Claude Simon in theology ? It is a fact. French theologians, more often than not, do not take literary works into account in their own studies. This is especially worrying for contemporary, agnostic and innovatory writers, critical observers of the age in which we live, vho, in the name of complexity, radically call into question our usual categories of analysis. Do Claude Simon’s novels lend themselves to consideration in a theological context ? A priori it is doubtful, but should such an innovatory work, rewarded by a Nobel prize for its strength of interrogation, NOT be subject to close scrutiny ? We accept this risk, being at the same time conscious of the theological difficulties which need to be clarified. In a first part (« the exploratory route ») the reader is introduced to the suject via an inventory of the cultural context and of the artistic experiences lived through by the writer. We embark on this research with three novels which can be considered to mark out his evolutionary journey : Le palace (1962), covering his « baroque period », Les corps conducteurs (1971) for his so-called « formalist period », Le jardin des Plantes for his « postmodern « period. The second part (« towards an ethical and theological development » ) progressively moves the reader towards a hybrid / mongrel novel, grotesquely make-believe, within which can be discerned a satirical, sensitive and mystical but not mysterious dimension. The third part (‘from the meaningless to the dementia of God ») examines the links and limits of the grotesque within the « theodrama » of the Risen-Crucified, set against the unanswered questioning by history’s victims and against the harrowing question of the « dereliction » of man.

The thesis concerns an aspect of poetic imagination in the works of 17th century metaphysical poets and examines the way these poets were influenced by the Church of England. In addition, it identifies elements of Anglican spirituality in their works. The first section analyzes the concept of Christian spirituality and the specifics of Anglican spirituality. Anglican spirituality is closely linked with the historical origins and development of the Anglican Church. In the second section, there is a description of poetic imagination and the relationship between poetics and spirituality. The thesis describes the concept of so-called metaphysical poets. The works of three selected authors are examined to identify poetic expressions of general, theological issues. Theological themes emphasized in Anglican spirituality are compared with those expressed in metaphysical poetic imagination. The aim of this thesis is to find the role of poetics in general, theological discourse.

In modern day American Protestant churches, both conservative and liberal ministers, pastors, theologians and lay leadership struggle over how to arrange and conduct worship services (liturgy) and how to integrate contemporary or traditional hymns. Many characterize this struggle as ?Worship Wars?. This dissertation concerns the poetic imagination of the Trinity Hymnal (1990), the hymnal of conservative Presbyterian churches that was originally published as a reaction to the liberal stream of Presbyterianism. Thus, the dissertation presents the Anglo-American debate in poetic theology, focusing on the poetic imagination of Presbyterian spirituality and its development to the Czech environment. The first section concerns the concept of Poetic theology focusing on the Protestant poetic theology as defined by W. A. Dyrness. The Presbyterian spirituality is then characterized by McGrath typology. His Theological foundations for spiritualiy are first determined by the teaching of Presbyterianism (especially Calvinism and the Westminster Confession of Faith), and then examined in the poetic imagination of hymns found in the Trinity Hymnal. The poetic imagination of the hymns, which is based primarily on the poetic imagination of Scripture and the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, demonstrates the intermingling of the Christian traditions of the songs and suggests the theological value of poetic language. This dissertation presents and analyzes the issue of Presbyterian search for adequate expression of hymns in worship. The method applied here offers a new basis for further exploration of current trends in the American worship tradition of Presbyterianism. In this respect it concerns a unique exploration of the interconnection of the poetic language of Presbyterian hymns with the Anglican liturgy. It also presents the research of poetic imagination of spiritual hymns and linking of the traditions as a topic to enrich ecumenical discussion.