Phenomenologist Michael Henry's Faith Journey

Michael Henry (1922-2002) was a French Phenomenologist in the twentieth century. Founded by German philosophers Husserl and Heidegger that emphasizes what appears (phenomenon) rather than what is being-in-itself (noumena), such as idea or form, which Plato talked about in his Phaedo. Phenomenology was transported into France and influenced Emmanuel Levinas, Jaques Derrida, Satire, After obtaining his doctorate degree from University of Paris, École Normale Supérieure,  he chose to teach at University of Montpellier instead of Sorbonne.
During World War II, he participated in the Resistance movement and fought for France’s independence. His thought and life’s outlook was shaped during the period when he encountered communism in first hand. After the War, he wrote about how Marxism betrayed the true teaching of Karl Marx. His answer was Marx 1, 2: Une philosphie de la realité and Une philosophie de l’économie (1976). By now he was disillusioned with Phenomenology’s rejection of metaphysics and personal uniqueness, he parted with a traditional Phenomenology and began his pursuit of seeking faith and God. Result was his trilogy: C’est Moi la Verite and Incarnation: Une philosphie de a chair (2002) and paroles du Christ (2002).
In it, Henry tried to show how faith and God must come into humankind's life experience. Like Levinas's insistence upon face-to-face’s importance, Henry pushes for beyond phenomenon and reaches for a realm of faith and God. He acknowledges modern Phenomenologists’ contribution to the area of human existence, but he disagrees with them in leaving God out in their pursuit. He sees the importance of the Bible and its revelation and apocalyptic outlook. He tried to incorporate the Bible into human life experience subjectively.
He binds both phenomenology and Bible’s revelation and manifestation. Henry sees human experience through the lens of pathos or suffering. The world tries to wipe out human infirmity and strive for its perfection, while the Bible mentions how humankind is broken and shattered, and they need comforter and healer and ultimately the Savior. Meanwhile, the world tries to sort things out by using and adopting science and technologies. Henry sees that it will not solve the human problem instead it will be made humans more miserable and alienated from each other. Humans will become more fragmented and less human who are deprived of culture and what it means to be a real human. Henry starts out that life is all about suffering and pains. Seeing Christ is participating and sharing in his suffering. One comes not into the world but one born into the world to have life: what kind of life is up to us to make a decision. Why God became a man and suffered? Because of God’s love for His creatures. He died so that he can provide a way to be saved and mend the brokenness of human experience. Christ’s mission of redemption was to give life to many who comes to him. Henry’s life’s journey came to full circle. He was born in Haiphong, Vietnam, where he considered not a distant place but in mind only. He travelled around the world to give speeches, lectures and presentations, including Australia, Japan and USA.
He died in Albi, France his parent's homeland. It is very interesting that Albi is the place where during the Middle Ages Albigensians were persecuted and purged due to their dualistic faith. It occured in a region of Languedoc, the area known for language of Occitanie (lenga d’òc). (Its capital is Toulouse.) Henry died where much of the blood were flowed and spilled due to religious differences. His search for what it means to be a human has been discovered in Jesus Christ, Who is the True man: “Behold the Man.” (Ecce Homo) (John 19: 5) It is interesting that the confession was made not by the apostles but by the mouth of a gentile. A sign that Christianity is for all nations and peoples.