Confessions of the Flesh
This volume studies early Christian practices of truth, confession, virginity and marriage. It continues the inquiry into subject formation within traditions and institutions distinct from the volumes on pagan antiquity.
Understanding the text
Edited by Frédéric Gros and published in 2018 from a manuscript left by Foucault, it is posthumous. Its editorial status rules out presenting it as a book personally published and completed in 1984.
Key points
- 01
Confession
Techniques of truth connect speech, spiritual direction and self-examination.
- 02
Virginity
Bodily practices and institutions define new forms of experience.
- 03
Editing
Publishing a manuscript requires decisions about its state and textual variants.
How to read it
Read the editorial note before comparing this manuscript with the two volumes published during Foucault’s lifetime.
Editions & sources
Summaries and key points are original editorial interpretations. They accompany reading the work and do not replace an edition of the text. Editorial method ↗