Christine Jordis Examines the Temptation of the Absolute in the Desert

Christine Jordis's latest book, "L'aventure du désert," published by Éditions Gallimard in the "L'infini" collection, explores the concept of the temptation of the absolute and the desert. The author does not claim to have the answer but instead delves into the subject with clarity, drawing on her previous essays on English literature. She avoids psycho-biographical explanations and instead references Georges Bataille to indicate a more exhilarating direction. The book draws a parallel between two figures: Father Charles de Foucauld, driven by a Christian faith that moves mountains, and Colonel T.E. Lawrence, who hid a "profound incompatibility with the world" behind vaguely political intentions. Jordis describes Lawrence, author of "The Seven Pillars of Wisdom," as "prey to his inner war," furiously seeking downward what the "high" could not provide: to be less than oneself. In contrast, Foucauld's "slope towards excess" is guided by a "fundamental impulse of being," leading him outward in the direction indicated by Christ the Savior. The desert serves as a vast and empty stage for their destinies.