Dynamics of Faith
By Paul Tillich
4/5
()
Currently unavailable
Currently unavailable
About this ebook
One of the greatest books ever written on the subject, Dynamics of Faithis a primer in the philosophy of religion. Paul Tillich, a leading theologian of the twentieth century, explores the idea of faith in all its dimensions, while defining the concept in the process.
This graceful and accessible volume contains a new introduction by Marion Pauck, Tillich's biographer.
Paul Tillich
Paul Tillich (1886-1965), one of the great theologians of the twentieth century, taught at Union Theological Seminary, New York, and then at the University of Chicago and Harvard University.
Read more from Paul Tillich
Dynamics of Faith Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Courage to Be Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Systematic Theology: Volume Two Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Systematic Theology, Volume 3 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Systematic Theology, Volume 1 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Biblical Religion and the Search for Ultimate Reality Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related to Dynamics of Faith
Related ebooks
On Religion (Barnes & Noble Digital Library): Speeches to Its Cultured Despisers Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Crucified God Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Biblical Religion and the Search for Ultimate Reality Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Crucified God - 40th Anniversary Edition Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Weakness of God: A Theology of the Event Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsExistential Theology: An Introduction Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGod Is Unconscious: Psychoanalysis and Theology Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Insistence of God: A Theology of Perhaps Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Slavery of Death Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Mimetic Theory and Biblical Interpretation: Reclaiming the Good News of the Gospel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5God Being Nothing: Toward a Theogony Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Essential Caputo: Selected Writings Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSchleiermacher in Plain English Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Future of Continental Philosophy of Religion Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Nature and Destiny of Man Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEvangelical Theology: An Introduction Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Anatheism: Returning to God After God Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Heideggerian Theologies: The Pathmarks of John Macquarrie, Rudolf Bultmann, Paul Tillich, and Karl Rahner Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Varieties of Religious Experience Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsKierkegaard: A Single Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Idolatry of God: Breaking Our Addiction to Certainty and Satisfaction Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Christianity and Evolution: Reflections on Science and Religion Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Insurrection: To Believe Is Human To Doubt, Divine Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Kierkegaard's Writings, XVI, Volume 16: Works of Love Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Paul Tillich and His System of Paradoxical Correlation: Forging a New Way for Science and Theology Relations Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Essential Karl Barth: A Reader and Commentary Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Jesus’ Life in Dying: Friedrich Schleiermacher’s Pre-Easter Reflections to the Community of the Redeemer Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsElements of Christian Thought: A Basic Course in Christianese Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Reviews for Dynamics of Faith
98 ratings3 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5When I read Tillich in the 1980s and this book in particular, I found his thought brilliant and exciting. This was one of the books that focused my thoughts on spirituality in general and Christianity in particular.As I am rereading it now, I find it much more difficult and suspect that I am reading it at a much deeper level.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Faith is a big word which points towards an even bigger concept. In the New Testament, faith stands for a deep trust and belief. In Dynamics of Faith, Tillich offers his take on this concept. Put succinctly:"Faith is the state of being ultimately concerned" (1).This, of course, is an expansion on the New Testament's idea of deep trust and belief in a person—Tillich's faith comes from a philosophical viewpoint which engages all religions. While Christian faith in the person of Jesus Christ falls under his definition of "being ultimately concerned," so do many other faiths, even secular and national faiths.Dynamics of Faith is a very thoughtful book which deserves a careful reading. There are elements on every page to evaluate theologically.Tillich does a fine job at clearing away some of the misunderstandings of faith. Faith is no mere "act of knowledge that has a low degree of evidence" (31), nor is it "the feeling of unconditional dependence" (38) à la Schleiermacher.Another strength of this book is Tillich's acceptance of doubt as part of faith. Consider this argument (that has been picked up today by Peter Rollins):"If faith is understood as belief that something is true, doubt is incompatible with the act of faith. If faith is understood as being ultimately concerned, doubt is a necessary element in it. It as a consequence of the risk of faith" (18).What a powerfully pastoral idea! Doubt could actually be part of faith rather than an enemy of it.My biggest problem with Tillich's argument came with his separation between the ultimate and other fields of study. When explaining potential conflicts between faith and science, history, and philosophy, he strongly asserted the need to keep these realms separate:"Science has no right and no power to interfere with faith and faith has no power to interfere with science. One dimension of meaning is not able to interfere with another dimension" (81-2).Of course, if you understand the incarnation as the hypostatic union between God and humanity, then dimensional interference is precisely what happened!Dynamics of Faith was published in 1957. Now, over 50 years later, it is still a good way to spark meaningful theological discussion and thought on one of the biggest theological categories in scripture.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Interesting book. A little hard to engage and follow. Tillich presents a very straight-forward approach to what faith is and what it is not.