Theologian Paul Tillich - Coursework Example

Course Title] [Professor’s Name] [Date] Theologian Paul Tillich Introduction Paul Tillich was a great man. Several have viewed him as a unique theologian due to the fact that he was very much comfortable with philosophical discussion just like he was in the pulpit and he was also greatly involved with art and politics like he was with the life-work as a professional theologian. He used to be much happy to attend an assembly of artists just like he was enthusiastic about addressing church events. Tillich can be called a teacher of unusual influence. However, he was more committed toward the production of his theological system. He was extremely knowledgeable but never really talked about his erudition, and this led to his learners joking about them following his lectures on Reformers for learning about Tillich instead of the topic at hand (Friedman 11). He was greatly concerned about his authority and standing and thus he did not take any critical opinions concerning him lightly. Nevertheless, the man was not vain and not insensitive. He greatly endeavoured on behalf of other refugees and this was a great achievement on his part (James 11). Biography It was on the 20th of August in the year 1886 that Tillich was born. His birthplace was a village near Berlin. His father, Johannes Oskar was the pastor of the Evangelical Church of Prussia in that village, and it was him who had baptized Tillich after the latter managed to survive subsequent to a month of greatly striving between life and death (Friedman 15). Tillich’s early life can be called as rural. He played in the garden or park and had a happy childhood. Later his family shifted to Schonfliess and it was there Tillich first went to school. He had a happy school life too. Nevertheless, it was not a totally unworried life due to there being tension owing to Tillich’s relatively advantaged situation. Being the son of a parson he had to be friends with boys from a higher class. However, he preferred to spend time with boys from the local school. In 1889 Tillich’s family shifted to Berlin. He continued his schooling in Konigsberg and from there he went to the Friedrich Wilhelm Gymnasium in Berlin in 1901. In 1904 Tillich joined the University of Berlin for pursuing theological studies. By 1911 he had obtained a Doctorate of Philosophy degree and the next year a Licentiate of Theology degree (James 22). In 1914 Tillich married Grethi. However, the marriage ended in a divorce in five years later. He had a second marriage in 1924, with Hannah. During this time (1919 to 1924) he was a Privadozent of Theology and after that a Professor of Theology for ten years at different universities (Friedman 18). Later Tillich moved to America where he was a Professor for some years. He also published a series of books. Due to his works Tillich was appointed at Harvard Divinity School and was among the five highest ranking professors at Harvard. However, in 1962 he ended his career and transferred to the University of Chicago. In 1965 Tillich suffered a heart attack and ten days later he passed away. Tillich as a Theologist All of the theologies that have been presented by Tillich are based on the key idea of method of correlation. This is the main method that has been used by Tillich. This is the method by which insights from the Christian revelation can be correlated with the issues in these days that are based on existing philosophical analysis. This is the method that is being worked upon in the case of systematic theology (Thomas 22). There are many questions in human existence that are to be implied and this is done in theology and the answers that are formulated by theology are implied in divine self-manifestation manner. This is the main point where man is driven to the point where questions and the answers are not in the separate forms (Friedman 20). The Christian revelation has been chosen for the fact that the Christian message provides answers to an appropriate manner to the existence of man. The answers that are required are contained within revelatory events that have happened in Christian revelation in the past. In this case the answers are taken by systematic theology for different sources and from the mediums under different norms (Thomas 25). Tillich Contributions in Fascist World Tillich inhabited the fascist world of both the Germans as well as the Americans and this was the time when people in this era were questioning their inherited religions. Tillich realised that these were the questioning that need answers in a theological manner as well as the philosophical manner. Many of Tillich acquaintance had entered into the newer religion that was chosen on the basis of their fascist egos and attitudes. It had been noticed by Tillich in that time that the new religion that was formed was a product of nationalism or its aim was to exploit the under privileged people in an economic sense. In this situation the concept of religion was developed by Tillich in which the main emphasizing point that was made by Tillich was that religion is present where culture is present (Thomas 20). Critical Analysis of Tillich’s Work Tillich in many of his works seems to argue that an ontological argument cannot be regarded and perceived as an argument moreover the ontological argument does not explain or it does not attempt to explain the existence of God. Tillich in most of his works has added theological and ontological thought that has been given by Anslem. Tillich adds that according to the statement that has been made by Anslem is that the existence of God is there and that God is a necessary thought is a statement that carries a subjective as well as an objective. Moreover, Tillich has added to the analysis of the statement that subjectivity of the statement is valid as far as the thinking is concerned where thinking in its nature has an element that goes far beyond objectivity and subjectivity. If a critical analysis of the thoughts and the perspectives of Tillich is carried out it has to be seen that are these assertions implying any possible paradoxical positions (Thomas 50). Tillich called his social thought “faithful realism”. Thus, he did not agree on ignoring the actualities of the brokenness of the world or even the actuality of the moral reasons of the world. The other important point that needs not be seen is that an analysis of the validity needs to be carried out on method of correlation. There are many grounds on which the theory can be rejected by the many theologists. However, one string ground that makes the rejection of the theory possible is the fact that a reason for adopting the theory does not exist. Here Tillich claims that the systems and related theological methods are interdependent of each other. Moreover the approach that is more methodological cannot be adopted as the method is being determined by many factors while the factors also include the system and objects of theology (Friedman 55). Tillich has added that the present day situation can be quoted as “New Being in Jesus as the Christ as our Ultimate Concern”. This is because of the fact that the present question in relation to the religion relates to estrangement and even this is the question that has been answered by Tillich by naming it as the “New Being”. However, it is known that Christianity is the religion that answers the question of estrangement by saying that the “Jesus as the Christ” thereby the norms tell us that the New Being can be found in the Jesus as the Christ (James 25). The work by Tillich has accused the deliberate egoism that is displayed by the economy. This is the social order that makes one person an enemy to the other and therefore it can be seen that changes are thoroughly noticed by Tillich and he realises that changes are needed in the social order. This is the work of Tillich that reflects his social passion that urges him to stand out among the other theologists and make the message spread out that social order changes are needed. Tillich’s analysis of the social situation and social order became had been seen to get more sophisticated after he joined the discussion with the Kairos Circle and the friends of his (Friedman 60). According to Tillich, if the question has been through the several formulations than no formulations can be able to contradict the theological answer. More needs to be added for the analysis of Tillich in his writings. In the book “The spirit of Christian love” Tillich has made a reference to the social order that is built upon the egoism that is in turn based on politics and it is the order that constantly demands the formation of a new order. This order is the one that needs changes in the sense of feeling of the community to be introduced. Conclusion The contribution to the norms is made by the many sources that are used by theology and these are the sources that afterwards are defined as the criteria by which the sources and the experiences are judged properly. The most important contribution that can be made by the theologians of the modern days can be by following the examples of the theologists of Tillich’s time as he has been the one who truly believed that the existence questions of the existence can be answered by combining the philosophy as well as theology. Secondly the most important ideology that needs to be followed is the way Tillich has talked against the self proclaimed religions in the historic times. The modern day theologists also need to make the theory of correlation as the basis of solving many of the issues as the rationale that the theory has used had been practical in the times when needed. This is the theory that helped not only Tillich but the people of that era to get the answers for the existence as well as the issue of religions that they are having as more and more religions were being made up on the basis of egoism and politics. Here the main thing that needs to be taken into consideration is the reason as to why Christianity was taken as the symbol for correlation and for the purpose of answering of the questions of existence. Tillich Contribution to Theology: Salient Points Tillich was born on the 20th of August in the year 1886 in a village near Berlin. Tillich’s childhood can be called as a happy childhood as well as the rural childhood as he used to spend most of the time in the gardens or the parks. After moving to Berlin the schooling of Tillich continued in Berlin. In the University of Berlin he started to learn theology. By the year of 1911 was the doctorate in theology and the next year, Tillich held a Licentiate of Theology degree. He used to teach theology in different universities as the Professor of Theology. As a professor he served in some of the American universities as well. The contributions that have been made by Tillich in theology are enormous. The philosophers, as has been discussed by Tillich deal in the questions that are related to the human existence. The answers that are to be given are in the need to be correlated to the theology. It should be kept in mind that the philosopher makes the questions and the theologist is the one who answers the questions. In addition to this the main point that needs to be considered is the fact that the theologist for this factor has to be a philosopher. Tillich is known for many of the books that he has published and owing to the services that he provided in the field of theology he was appointed at the highest ranked schools in Harvard, Harvard Divinity School. Tillich has a notion of faith that says can also be known as the ultimate concerns that allows to necessitate that the theological answers that have been given in regards to the human existence must be in correlation to as well as compatible to the ontological question that has been asked. Thus according to Tillich one side of the correlation has the ontological analysis to be made and on the other side is the Christian message that has been presented. The presentation of the Christian message that has been made is in response to the existence dilemma. Work Cited Friedman, Jacob, Lawrence. Identity's Architect: A Biography of Erik H. Erikson. Harvard University Press, 2000 James, B. Robison. Tillich and world religions: encountering other faiths today. Mercer University Press, 2003 Thomas, Heywood, John. Tillich. Continuum International Publishing Group, 2000 Read More

Later Tillich moved to America where he was a Professor for some years. He also published a series of books. Due to his works Tillich was appointed at Harvard Divinity School and was among the five highest ranking professors at Harvard. However, in 1962 he ended his career and transferred to the University of Chicago. In 1965 Tillich suffered a heart attack and ten days later he passed away. Tillich as a Theologist All of the theologies that have been presented by Tillich are based on the key idea of method of correlation.

This is the main method that has been used by Tillich. This is the method by which insights from the Christian revelation can be correlated with the issues in these days that are based on existing philosophical analysis. This is the method that is being worked upon in the case of systematic theology (Thomas 22). There are many questions in human existence that are to be implied and this is done in theology and the answers that are formulated by theology are implied in divine self-manifestation manner.

This is the main point where man is driven to the point where questions and the answers are not in the separate forms (Friedman 20). The Christian revelation has been chosen for the fact that the Christian message provides answers to an appropriate manner to the existence of man. The answers that are required are contained within revelatory events that have happened in Christian revelation in the past. In this case the answers are taken by systematic theology for different sources and from the mediums under different norms (Thomas 25).

Tillich Contributions in Fascist World Tillich inhabited the fascist world of both the Germans as well as the Americans and this was the time when people in this era were questioning their inherited religions. Tillich realised that these were the questioning that need answers in a theological manner as well as the philosophical manner. Many of Tillich acquaintance had entered into the newer religion that was chosen on the basis of their fascist egos and attitudes. It had been noticed by Tillich in that time that the new religion that was formed was a product of nationalism or its aim was to exploit the under privileged people in an economic sense.

In this situation the concept of religion was developed by Tillich in which the main emphasizing point that was made by Tillich was that religion is present where culture is present (Thomas 20). Critical Analysis of Tillich’s Work Tillich in many of his works seems to argue that an ontological argument cannot be regarded and perceived as an argument moreover the ontological argument does not explain or it does not attempt to explain the existence of God. Tillich in most of his works has added theological and ontological thought that has been given by Anslem.

Tillich adds that according to the statement that has been made by Anslem is that the existence of God is there and that God is a necessary thought is a statement that carries a subjective as well as an objective. Moreover, Tillich has added to the analysis of the statement that subjectivity of the statement is valid as far as the thinking is concerned where thinking in its nature has an element that goes far beyond objectivity and subjectivity. If a critical analysis of the thoughts and the perspectives of Tillich is carried out it has to be seen that are these assertions implying any possible paradoxical positions (Thomas 50).

Tillich called his social thought “faithful realism”. Thus, he did not agree on ignoring the actualities of the brokenness of the world or even the actuality of the moral reasons of the world. The other important point that needs not be seen is that an analysis of the validity needs to be carried out on method of correlation. There are many grounds on which the theory can be rejected by the many theologists. However, one string ground that makes the rejection of the theory possible is the fact that a reason for adopting the theory does not exist.

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