Introduction

In the Christian tradition, desire exhibits an ontological and eschatological dimension since only a final goal of infinite rest (quies) can do justice to what is longed for, filling completely the void people feel, alleviating the sense of restlessness and frustration they experience as finite creatures. The cultural, social and political context in which the myriad forms of desire now takes place is clearly startingly different to pre-modern times where religious and spiritual practices were deeply embedded within social norms and customs and were an indelible part of the fabric of cultural life. The practice of religion/philosophy was seen as a way of social living, the sine non qua of leading a fulfilled life. Much Biblical and theological literature focuses on how humanity has responded, both positively and negatively, to this first, divine initiative and on how the incarnation plays a vital role in this.