Anamnesis, or remembrance, is a key Christian concept which I believe can be successfully translated from a religious to a secular context. Anamnesis is important because of the need to remember all past actions of all humans. Similarly we need to anticipate the remembrance of all future human actions. For me this notion of remembrance is directly linked to the fundamental belief that all humans reside in a universal fellowship.
Christianity and communicative rationality share this pivotal value. From the Christian perspective people are not seen as isolated units in the eyes of God. Instead, they are seen as part of Christ’s Kingdom. They share in God’s grace as would a family with God as the father. This connection is an individualistic vertical link of each person to God. It is also a horizontal connection of all to each other. The Kingdom of God therefore creates a universal fellowship between the believers.
Key Features of Anamnesis
- through anamnesis we maintain a common bond with all those that have gone before us – our ancestors
- similarly we are connected to the future we create for, and with, our successors
- anamnesis embraces all the pain of humanity. Our connection to all suffering through time helps us offer a loving response to everyone in the human fellowship
- within a secular context the universality of human fellowship comes not from a transcendent God. Rather it comes from the universal features of communication and rationality
- anamnesis generates a paradox. How can any generation feel free whilst remembering that this freedom was based on the suffering of our ancestors?
- it is possible to generate hope and meaning without resorting to orthodox religious solutions to this paradox
- through psychological transformation it is possible to overcome negative inheritance from our ancestors
- through remembrance, and our actions, we can fulfil the intentions of our predecessors
- I can live my life such that it anticipates that my successors will engage in acts of remembrance for me. If I do it for my ancestors, then surely my successors will do the same for me? We could live a life in the rational expectation that our successors would do their best to remedy the negative impact of our legacy
- we have, therefore, a sound basis that provides a meaning to life and a source of hope and redemption
For a fuller discussion on this subject please see the article Anamnesis and Universal Fellowship. You may also wish to refer to Sin and Redemption.
