08/30/2023 – Paul Tillich Theology of Culture

What’s the difference between signs and symbols? Why do people leave religions? Paul Tillich’s Theology of Culture talks about these issues and more. Check this out. This is TenOnReligion.

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Paul Tillich’s Theology of Culture is a series of 15 essays originally published in various journals between 1940 and 1957 and most of which were altered or updated by Tillich himself for inclusion in this book. The structure of the book contains four parts: Basic Considerations, Concrete Applications, Cultural Comparisons, and Conclusion. We’re going to highlight some main ideas from six of the chapters and then briefly mention the others. Let’s get into it.

The first chapter of Part One: Basic Considerations is titled “Religion as a Dimension in Man’s Spiritual Life.” Tillich describes two sides of looking at religion. The first is the theologian perspective which holds that religion is not a creative element of the human spirit, but divine revelation. The second is the secular scientist perspective which holds that religion is entirely mythological. It is characteristic of a special stage in human development and no longer has a place in the age we are living in because it’s no longer an essential quality of the human spirit. The trouble with both positions is that religion is defined as humans' relation to divine beings. If a divine being or beings are things then one can argue about their existence or non-existence. Tillich suggests a better way to understand the situation is that the religious aspect of humanity points to that which is ultimate, infinite, or unconditional in the spiritual life of humans. Religion is ultimate concern.

This relates to the second chapter, “The Two Types of Philosophy of Religion,” which are the ontological and the cosmological. The problem with focusing on the cosmological is that it entails a search for origins. Again, the ontological is the better route because in every cultural creation an ultimate concern is expressed, and this possesses, consciously or unconsciously, a religious character. The criterion of every concrete expression of our ultimate concern is the degree to which the concreteness of the concern is in unity with its ultimacy. There is always an inherent danger, however, in elevating something conditional to ultimacy such as a symbol, institution, community, or movement.

Part One: Basic Considerations also includes chapter 3, “The Struggle Between Time and Space,” and chapter 4, “Aspects of a Religious Analysis of Culture” which, the way, is a really good chapter.

Part Two: Concrete Applications begins with chapter 5, “The Nature of Religious Language” which has a lot of great stuff. Tillich explains the difference between signs and symbols, which both point to something beyond themselves. A sign is like a red traffic light. They do not participate in the reality to which they point. The color red really has nothing to do with the necessity of stopping and could easily be replaced with another color. Symbols, though not the reality themselves, participate in its meaning and power. Take the example of a king which can be both a symbol for power as well as a real king actually exercising that power. The main function of symbols is the opening up of levels of reality which otherwise are hidden and cannot be grasped in any other way. They are used when non-symbolic speaking or words are inadequate. Every symbol has a special function which is just it and cannot be replaced by more or less adequate symbols. Signs can be replaced but symbols cannot. Signs can be invented and removed. Symbols are born and die, but cannot be killed through outside means such as through the natural sciences or historical research. They die in the moment in which the inner situation of the human group to a symbol has ceased to exist. The symbol dies because the symbol does not “say” anything anymore. Lastly, idolatry is the absolutizing of symbols, making them identical to the reality itself, which in religion, is ultimacy. This is why religious adherents must be constantly reminded of the symbolic nature of what they worship. Chapter 5 was a good chapter.

Chapter 6 is “Protestantism and Artistic Style” and features Picasso’s “Guernica” in discussing works of art and style. “Guernica” was painted in 1937 and is a powerful anti-war painting.

Chapter 7 on “Existential Philosophy: Its Historical Meaning” is another great chapter explaining existentialism in European philosophical history. “Essence” has to do with “what” while “existence” has to do with “that.” The existentialists, or philosophers of existence, turned not to the thinking subject, like Descartes – “I think, therefore I am” – but to the existing object. Ontology is ultimately based on finitude because it is a limit on human thinking. Finitude leads to estrangement. Tillich opposes the rational system of thought and its implications because its end is a naturalistic mechanism which destroys individual freedom and organic community. When everything is transformed into an object of calculation, humans are cut off from the creative source and mystery of existence.

Chapter 8 is “The Theological Difference of Existentialism and Psychoanalysis” and chapter 9 is “Science and Theology: A Discussion with Einstein” which is a short essay based on a lecture from Einstein. Chapter 10 is “Moralisms and Morality: Theonomous Ethics.”

The last chapter of Part Two: Concrete Applications is titled “A Theology of Education.” Being a former professional educator myself, I really liked this essay. Tillich states that people who are inducted (more commonly referred to today as being indoctrinated) into the reality and symbols of a particular denomination or religious group normally come to a point at which they doubt, turn away from, and even attack the reality and symbols into which they were inducted. Why is this often the case? It has to do with the problems of induction. The first problem of induction gives answers to question which have never been asked. The true meaning of humanistic education is not induction or indoctrination into a set of practical and theoretical symbols, but the development of potentialities. The educator must find the existentially important questions. The second problem of induction has to do with the symbolic character and mythical form of language and especially religious statements. One must realize that the traditional symbols in religious myths were originally conceived as answers to existential questions. The educator must transform the previous literalism of religious symbols into a conceptual interpretation without destroying the power of the symbols. And this is not always an easy task mind you.

This takes us to Part Three: Cultural Comparisons which contains three essays. Chapter 12 is “The Conquest of Intellectual Provincialism: Europe and America.” Chapter 13 is “Religion in Two Societies: America and Russia.” And chapter 14 is “An Evaluation of Martin Buber: Protestant and Jewish Thought.” Some of the material in these essays are little bit dated so they’re kind of hard to evaluate.

Part Four: Conclusion contains the last essay which is Chapter 15, “Communicating the Christian Message: A Question to Christian Ministers and Teachers.” This essay again mentions the idea of questions and answers. Tillich mentions that the difficulty with non-Western or non-Christian cultures is not that they reject the Christian answer as answer, but rather that their human nature is formed in such a way that they do not ask the questions for which Christianity gives the answer. To them the Christian answer is no answer at all because they have not asked the question to which Christianity is supposed to give the answer. One must respond to their existential questions. This is why Tillich is described as a correlationist. Questions of existence are correlated with religious answers.

So that’s the four parts and 15 essays of Tillich’s Theology of Culture. If you’re already familiar with this book and I didn’t provide a good summary of one of more of your favorite chapters, I apologize for that, but there’s only so much one can do in a relatively short video. Of the ones I did describe, which did you find the most interesting? Leave a comment below and let me know what you think. In the next episode we’ve got some more pearls of wisdom coming your way. Until next time, stay curious. If you enjoyed this, support the channel in the link below, please like and share this video and subscribe to this channel. This is TenOnReligion.

Paul Tillich, Theology of Culture. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1959.