Talking about God: Exploring the Meaning of Religious Life with Kierkegaard, Buber, Tillich and Heschel

by Daniel F. Polish Ph.D.

Overview

Challenge Yourself to Delve into a Deeper Interfaith Dialogue

"To wrestle with the ideas these thinkers present is to find ourselves challenged to look at our own religious lives in new ways; and to appreciate the spiritual endeavors of others, whatever form their religious expression may take. To engage with these thinkers can leave us enlarged in our perception of human religiousness and deepened in our appreciation of it."
—from the Conclusion

The modern age of religion is characterized by dialogue. Jews and Christians together explore the realities and meaning of living in proximity to one another. Yet for all the good will and sincerity of intention, too often such discussions fail to progress beyond well-intentioned pleasantries to the challenging content that can truly deepen our understanding of each other.

This fascinating and accessible introduction to the theologies of four modern religious thinkers will help you break through the superficial generalities to plumb the depths of religious differences and embrace the commonalities. Examining the lives and works of Søren Kierkegaard, Martin Buber, Paul Tillich and Abraham Joshua Heschel through the lens of their treatment of the Bible and the biblical patriarch Abraham, you will take part in a discussion of the very phenomenon of religion and what part it plays in living a fully engaged human life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781594732300
Publisher:	TURNER PUB CO
Publication date:	09/01/2007
Pages:	160
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Daniel F. Polish, PhD, frequently teaches interfaith audiences at the Center for Religious Inquiry at St. Bartholomew's Church in New York City. He is author of Talking about God: Exploring the Meaning of Religious Life with Kierkegaard, Buber, Tillich and Heschel (SkyLight Paths); Bringing the Psalms to Life: How to Understand and Use the Book of Psalms and Keeping Faith with the Psalms: Deepen Your Relationship with God Using the Book of Psalms (both Jewish Lights), and has been a congregational rabbi for over thirty years.

Daniel F. Polish is available to speak on the following topics:

• Jewish-Christian Relations: Accomplishments and Challenge
• How to Make the Psalms Work for You
• What Can Four Great Modern Theologians Tell Us About Our Religious Lives?
• Jewish Religion and the Traditions of the East
• Abraham, the Father of Three Faiths

Click here to contact the author.

Table of Contents

Preface: Living in an Age of Dialogue ix
Acknowledgments xvii
Introduction: Thinking Religiously 1

1 Søren Kierkegaard
The Knight of Faith 21

2 Martin Buber
The Human-Divine Conversation: Religion as Relationship 49

3 Paul Tillich
The Quest for "The God Above God" 77

4 Abraham Joshua Heschel
God's Need for Man: Faith as a Call to Action 97

Conclusion: Naming the Unnameable:
Four Paths to Religious Understanding 125
Suggestions for Further Reading 129
Credits 133

Editorial Reviews

"Illumines the significance of four of the most profound Jewish and Christian thinkers of the modern period … offers a way of understanding religion as a stimulus for the common good."
—Sr. Mary C. Boys, Skinner and McAlpin Professor of Practical Theology, Union Theological Seminary; coauthor, Christians and Jews in Dialogue: Learning in the Presence of the Other

“Intimate, subjective, profound … an urgently needed model for interfaith sharing. Warmly and accessibly written.”
—Dr. Beatrice Bruteau, author, Jesus Through Jewish Eyes and What We Can Learn from the East

“Provocative.… Will speak to all of us who strive to make sense of our shared human experience. Will be particularly indispensable for those engaged in serious interfaith education. A notable accomplishment.”
—Dr. Neil Gillman, professor of Jewish philosophy, The Jewish Theological Seminary of America; author, The Jewish Approach to God: A Brief Introduction for Christians

“An insightful and highly readable introduction to four religious giants whose thought continues to inform our philosophical and theological conversations today.”
—Ron Miller, professor of religion, Lake Forest College; author, Healing the Jewish-Christian Rift: Growing Beyond Our Wounded History

“A fascinating dialogue with four of the greatest thinkers of modernity that prepares the groundwork for an enhanced conversation between Christians and Jews. Kierkegaard, Buber, Tillich and Heschel come alive and speak to us and to each other across all that divides human beings.”
—Dr. Norman J. Cohen, author, Moses and the Journey to Leadership and The Way Into Torah

From the Publisher