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Religion as a dimension in man's spiritual lifeCome to think of it, this article makes a lot of sense. You can disregard whatever mumblings I had about atheism and agnosticism; I'm slowly finding my way toward a better understanding of life, but I'm getting there.
Summary
Creative element of human spirit vs divine revelation. Lasting quality of human spirit vs effect of conditions.
irrational and compulsive affirmations or negations
religion != element of man's spiritual life? gift. cannot seek out god.
diversity of religions. creation of human spirit
religion - relation to divine beings. beings - external. god - thing beside other things?
dimension of depth in all of its functions
religion is not a separate area
tragic separation depth in the totality of the human spiritpoints to the ultimate, infinite, unconditional
this is what you are willing to die for passionate longing for ultimate reality science
we can, however, reject the _symbols_
narrower sense of religion
estrangement myth, cult, symbols secular/profane splitdepth, usually covered
awe inspiring. ultimate meaning. self forgettingUltimate concern
Validity of depth
We speak of the gravity of situations.
Weight
God is personal
... but the images merely point to the
I find
References
Ultimate concern
Religion as a dimension in man's spiritual life
| B | X | Decide which article I want to reflect on (2002.08.19) |
| B | X | Summarize article (2002.08.31) |
| B | X | Review of related literature (2002.08.24) |
| B | _ | Write atheist's point of view - page 2 (2002.08.31) |
| B | _ | Write believer's point of view - page 3 (2002.08.31) |
| B | _ | Write atheist's counterview - page 4 (2002.09.02) |
| B | _ | Format references - page 5 (2002.09.04) |
| B | _ | Revise paper (2002.09.05) |
| B | _ | Print reflection paper (2002.09.05) |
I think I'm going to focus on Robinson's article, "Can a truly contemporary person not be an atheist?" I find it more understandable - more true to my own experience. And perhaps it can give me some hope.
John A. T. Robinson is the author of Honest to God. Wrote The New Reformation? with a chapter titled "Can A Truly Contemporary Person Not Be An Atheist?"
"Atheism In Our Time", Robert J. McCracken
Theology Today. Vol 23, No. 3. October 1966. http://theologytoday.ptsem.edu/oct1966/v23-3-article1.htm:McCracken Last visited: August 23, 2002More radical Christian thinkers: Paul van Buren, William Hamilton, Thomas J. J. Altizer.
Vatican II Rufus Jones once wrote a book which he called The Church's Debt to Heretics.
"In what sense is he alive for us?"
They deny the existence of God but nothing is plainer from their writings that they are obsessed by him, as we are not.
Practical atheism
Theoretical atheism
Doubt doubt before you doubt faith.
"Exploring faith in a changed world", Radical Faith
http://homepages.which.net/~radical.faith/subjects/atheism.htm Last visited: August 22, 2002Atheists' arguments are on no weaker ground than believers' are.
If it's your experience that God exists, I must acknowledge the validity of your inner truth.
Emil Fackenheim: Faith in this sense can "never be destroyed by tragedy, but only tested by it." Paul Tillich and Bishop John Robinson. Established by Paul Tillich. God is the "Ground an epth of Being" who is "out there" as the sustaining basis of the universe and "in here" as a divine personal presence. Radically transcendent, versus inner experience
Honest to God
Our images of God are interpretations we make, an we must take full responsibility for them anthropomorphism
Robert Funk (Honest to Jesus)
Martin Buber, I and Thou
D. Z. Phillips in Faith After Foundationalism (Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1995), pp. 102-106 raises specific objections to Van Til's a
Bertrand Russell, Why I am Not a Christian
Don Cupitt
Robinson draws heavily upon Tillich
depth
What do I believe?
What don't I believe?
How does that relate to Robinson's article?
Depth
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