God in Search of Man

1. Rediscovering the Questions: The Essence of Religious Philosophy

The primary task of philosophy of religion is to rediscover the questions to which religion is an answer.

Relevance through Inquiry. Religion's decline often stems from its failure to address contemporary questions, not from intellectual refutation. The core task of religious philosophy is to revive these fundamental inquiries, delving into human consciousness and religious traditions to find the questions that make religion relevant.

Philosophy vs. Theology. Philosophy, unlike theology, begins with problems rather than dogmas, emphasizing the art of asking the right questions. While theology describes and codifies religious teachings, philosophy explores the underlying issues, recognizing that the awareness of the problem often outlives any solution.

Personalizing the Universal. Philosophy treats problems as universal issues, while religion frames them as personal challenges. This distinction highlights religion's focus on the individual's experience and relationship with the divine, contrasting with philosophy's broader, more abstract approach.

2. Situational Thinking: Engaging with Existence, Not Just Concepts

Situational thinking is necessary when we are engaged in an effort to understand issues on which we stake our very existence.

Beyond Detachment. Situational thinking contrasts with conceptual thinking by emphasizing involvement and concern over detachment. It requires acknowledging the awe, fear, and responsibility inherent in existential issues, integrating these emotions into the process of understanding.

Personal Problems. Creative thinking is fueled by personal problems rather than vicarious issues. Situational thinking begins not with doubt but with amazement and involvement, making the philosopher a witness rather than an accountant.

Love and Understanding. To truly understand an issue, one must be personally involved, much like understanding love requires having experienced it. This involvement transforms abstract problems into immediate, pressing concerns that demand deeper exploration.

3. Radical Self-Understanding: Exploring the Depths of Faith

Radical self-understanding must embrace not only the fruits of thinking, namely the concepts and symbols, but also the root of thinking, the depth of insight, the moments of immediacy in the communion of the self with reality.

Thinking about Thinking. Radical self-understanding involves analyzing the act of thinking itself, not just the content of thought. This introspection examines the intellectual self in action, considering both insights and their translation into concepts and symbols.

Faith and Creed. The study of religion requires understanding both the act of believing and the content of belief. This involves exploring the source of faith and the concrete situations that give rise to religious conceptions, rather than merely analyzing abstract ideas.

Philosophy of Concrete Events. Religion is more than a creed or ideology; it is a series of concrete events, acts, and insights. Understanding religion requires examining these moments of profound concern and commitment, where trivialities are suspended and the soul is shaken.

4. The Sublime: Finding God in Grandeur and Mystery

The sublime is that which we see and are unable to convey.

Beyond Usefulness and Beauty. The sublime is an aspect of nature that transcends mere usefulness or beauty, prompting us to look beyond the physical world. It is through sensing mystery and grandeur that we are called to seek something greater than ourselves.

Biblical Poetry. Biblical poetry celebrates the sublime aspects of nature, focusing on grandeur rather than charm or beauty. This emphasis encourages reverence and wonder, qualities often lacking in modern education, which tends to prioritize exploitation and utility.

The Silent Allusion. The sublime is the silent allusion of things to a meaning greater than themselves, something our words and categories can never fully capture. This sense of the sublime is the root of creative activities in art, thought, and noble living.

5. Wonder: The Prerequisite for Authentic Awareness

The beginning of our happiness lies in the understanding that life without wonder is not worth living.

Combating Indifference. A legacy of wonder is essential for religious tradition, as indifference to the sublime wonder of living is the root of sin. Overcoming the tendency to take things for granted is crucial for understanding God and the importance of worship.

Beyond Scientific Inquiry. Unlike scientific wonder, which seeks explanations and ceases upon discovery, religious wonder is an ongoing attitude that transcends knowledge. It is a perpetual surprise at the existence of facts at all, an amazement that never ends.

Maladjustment to Notions. Radical amazement, or the state of maladjustment to conventional notions, is a prerequisite for authentic awareness. This involves suspending life-stifling trivialities and foregone conclusions to perceive the total situation of man.

6. Mystery: Embracing the Limits of Human Comprehension

That which is, is far off and deep, exceedingly deep. Who can find it out?

Being is Mysterious. The Book of Ecclesiastes suggests that being itself is mysterious, exceeding our ability to fully understand it. This perspective shifts our focus from seeking complete answers to embracing the inherent enigma of existence.

The Hidden in the Apparent. The Biblical man is stirred not by the hidden or apparent alone, but by the hidden within the apparent. This involves recognizing that the known is merely the obvious aspect of the unknown, and that mystery reigns even within reasoning and perception.

Two Kinds of Ignorance. There are two types of ignorance: one dull and complacent, the other keen and penetrating. The latter leads to humility and a deeper understanding of our limitations, fostering a sense of awe and wonder.

7. Awe: The Beginning of Wisdom and a Path to God

The beginning of wisdom is awe.

Awe as Understanding. Awe is not merely an emotion but a way of understanding, an act of insight into a meaning greater than ourselves. It is an intuition for the creaturely dignity of all things and their preciousness to God.

Beyond Ego and Earth. Awe enables us to perceive intimations of the divine, sensing infinite significance in small things and the eternal in the passing. It helps us transcend the perspectives of ego, group, earth, and age.

Humility and Exaltation. Sublimity evokes humility rather than crushing the soul. In radical amazement, the Biblical man faces the great and unsearchable, the wondrous things without number, responding with exaltation and praise.

8. Glory: Experiencing the Living Presence of the Ineffable

The whole earth is full of His glory.

The Glory is the Presence. The glory is not a thing or quality but a happening, an act of God, a marvel. It is the living presence of God, an effulgence that is sensed rather than seen, and it is never an ultimate aspect of reality but a way in which things react to God's presence.

Beyond Esthetics. The sublime is not necessarily related to the vast or overwhelming in size but may be sensed in every grain of sand or drop of water. It is revealed not only in grand phenomena but also in the pebbles on the road.

From Horror to Exaltation. The feeling caused by the sublime is not horror but astonishment, which carries the Biblical man away with eagerness to exalt and praise the Maker of the world. This contrasts with the esthetic experience of the sublime, which often involves a sense of terror.

9. Revelation: God's Initiative and the Prophetic Understatement

In Thy behalf my heart hath said: 'Seek ye My face'.

God in Search of Man. The Bible speaks not only of man's search for God but also of God's search for man. Faith in God is a response to God's question, a call that is a still, small echo of a still, small voice.

The Prophetic Understatement. The language of the prophets, though seemingly grand, is often an understatement, a modest expression of profound experiences. Their words are indicative rather than descriptive, alluding to a reality that surpasses human comprehension.

The Voice According to Man. Revelation is not a monologue but a dialogue, with the voice of God tailored to the capacity of the individual. This ensures that the message is both divine and accessible, reflecting a partnership between God and humanity.

10. Response: The Science of Deeds and the Art of Being

The deed is the risk.

A Science of Deeds. Judaism emphasizes a science of deeds, a meta-ethical approach that focuses on action as a leap of faith. This involves a partnership between God and man, where deeds are not just laws but ways of doing what He is.

More than Inwardness. Judaism rejects the dichotomy between inwardness and outward action, emphasizing that spirituality is not the way but a spiritual order. The law is not merely a set of rules but a spiritual order that guides and shapes our lives.

The Art of Being. Deeds alone are not enough; there is a cry for creativity, a need to engage the heart. God asks for the heart, and kavanah (attentiveness) is essential for transforming deeds into acts of being, making us present in our actions.

11. The Problem of Evil: Finding an Ally in the Face of Suffering

God and man have a task in common.

A Palace in Flames. The problem of evil challenges our understanding of God's role in a world filled with suffering. Religion is not a luxury but a necessity, a means of finding an ally in the face of confusion and chaos.

The Atonement for the Holy. Religion is not only about atonement for sins but also about atonement for the holy, acknowledging the confusion of good and evil in the world. This requires a supreme distinction between the two and a commitment to finding an ally in the struggle.

The Ability to Fulfill. Despite the presence of evil, God and man have a task in common, an ability to fulfill. This involves recognizing our need for redemption and striving to fulfill our potential for goodness, even in the face of overwhelming challenges.

12. The People Israel: A Spiritual Order and a Testament to Faith

Thinking compatible with our destiny.

The Meaning of Jewish Existence. Jewish existence is not merely a matter of feeling or experience but a reality, a drama within history. It involves thinking in ways that are compatible with our destiny, recognizing Israel as a spiritual order.

Israel as Evidence. The Bible and the world are intertwined, with Israel serving as evidence of God's presence in history. Sharing the certainty of Israel involves understanding the Bible not because of proof but because of faith.

The Art of Surpassing Civilization. The spirit of Judaism involves the art of surpassing civilization, a continuous effort to refine and elevate human existence. This requires a commitment to thinking and acting in ways that honor the dignity of Israel and its spiritual order.

Last updated: April 3, 2025