Flannery O’Connor’s theology of friendship: Blasphemer and pagan landlady

Friendship in Flannery O’Connor’s world is scarce. Enmity prevails. Yet, in Wise Blood, O’Connor’s adversaries heal each other, as a self-mortifying blasphemer and covetous pagan woman forge a tie that opens a way to God. Drawing on monastic theology, this article traces their relationship from attraction, through intention, to a fruition that participates in divine life. The zeal of their bond further answers the often-heard charges that Wise Blood depicts a fraudulent Christianity that ignores the gospel call to ethical responsibility.