approaches to the study of religion
TRANSCRIPT
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
1/40
1 | P a g e
App r oaches to th e Stu dy of Rel igionBS Project
By: M uzaf far A l i ,
Muzaf fara l [email protected]
In ter nat ional I slam ic Univer si ty , Islam abad
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
2/40
2 | P a g e
ContentsChapter No; 1; Buddist concept of Nothingness and God and concept of God ................ 5
Nothingness and Unknowing ....................................................................................... 7
Similarity in Nothingness ............................................................................................ 7
The Desert of The Godhead And "Christocentric" Nothingness ................................... 8
God is as one and three ................................................................................................ 9
Recovery Of Form And Return To Premodern Forms ................................................ 10
What Modernity Provides For the Naming Of God .................................................... 11
Recovery Of Form And Return To Premodern Forms ................................................ 13
Postmodernity, Naming and Thinking God ................................................................ 14
Anselm Classical Theology Of God ........................................................................... 14
Chapter; No, 2: Prayers and Morality............................................................................. 15
Responsibility And Moral Theory .............................................................................. 15
The Copernican Revolution In Religion ..................................................................... 16
The Moral "Spirit" Of Transcendental Prayer ............................................................ 16
The Paradoxical "Letter" Of Empirical Prayer ........................................................... 16Framework for Assessing Prayer ............................................................................... 17
Holy Feast and Holy Fast ........................................................................................... 17
Hadewijch's Central Theme (About Misticis) ............................................................. 18
Meister Eckhart ......................................................................................................... 18
Greek and Roman Conceptions of Prayer................................................................... 18
The Lords prayer ....................................................................................................... 19
Chapter; No, 3: Human life Global Ethic and Religion .................................................. 19
The Prophetic Theologies of Postmodernity............................................................... 19
Parliament's Declaration "Towards a Global Ethics" .................................................. 20
The gap Between Religious Ethics And International Law......................................... 20
Reasons for Engagement ............................................................................................ 21
Global Ethic and International Law: Converging Content .......................................... 22
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
3/40
3 | P a g e
International Law as an Aid to Religious Retrieval and Renewal ............................... 22
Equal regard .............................................................................................................. 22
Connection between Equal Regard and Special Relation ..................................... 23
Disagreement Recovering the Affections ................................................................... 23
Further Considerations of Special Relations ........................................................... 24
Legitimate "Near-Neighbor Preference" .................................................................... 24
The Moral Principle of Religion ................................................................................ 25
Preliminaries .............................................................................................................. 25
The Narrativist Thesis ................................................................................................ 26
Problems for a Narrativist Account Of Morality ........................................................ 26
Agency and the Moral Self ........................................................................................ 26
Narratives, Religion, and Morality ............................................................................. 27
Ethics and the Narration of Life ................................................................................. 27
The Stumbling Block (Stein Des Anstosses) Of All Empiricists ................................ 28
Schleiermacher's Compatibilist Proposal ................................................................... 28
Kant or Schleiermacher? ............................................................................................ 28Eric Voegelin's Understanding Of Personalism .......................................................... 29
Israel's Movement Toward Personalism ..................................................................... 29
Emmanuel Levinas's Ethics Of Responsibility As "First Philosophy" ........................ 30
Dostoevsky's Confessional Faith ................................................................................ 31
The Primary Will To Power ....................................................................................... 31
The Over man and Extraordinary Man ....................................................................... 32
Irreconcilable Ideals................................................................................................... 33
Four Principal Forms of Mystical Theologies ............................................................ 34
Chapter No, 4: concept of Hell and Historian ................................................................ 34
Theologian or Historian Approach the Topic of Hell ................................................. 34
Outline of Anselm's Aesthetics Of Salvation.............................................................. 35
Anselm's Dialogue with His Fellow Monk ................................................................. 36
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
4/40
4 | P a g e
History ....................................................................................................................... 36
In Punishment God's Specific Purposes ..................................................................... 37
Two Anselm's Arguments .......................................................................................... 38
The Idea Of Anselm About Hell ................................................................................ 38
Anselm's Entire Discussion ........................................................................................ 38
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
5/40
5 | P a g e
Introduction
All the praises for Allah Almighty, and Salat and Salam for his beloved Nabbi
(Sala Allah Wa alah w sallam)
This Assignment is a major Assignment on the topic Christian Characteristic
According the Views of Artcals given by rule of department (Comparative Religion)
from Lecturer Mr. Khurshid Ahmed in the period of Approaches to the Study of
Religion.
In this project I tried to express Christian Characteristic in the light of somearticles. This project includes on four chapters and under four chapters different parts. In
this project I marked in first chapter, Buddhist Christian and meaning the Buddhist
Christian and Christian concept about God. And in second chapter I marked, Christian
Moralities responsibilities and prayers. And in third chapter I marked, Christianity about
Human life and their Global Ethics and Religion. And in fourth chapter I marked, in
Christianity concept of hell and historians comments and some history books.
I tried to under stand articles and I success as my level and collect some thing as
my understanding. I thank full for my teacher who every time try to create abilities in us,
by some hard working (also he himself hard work for us) and by some thinking way.
Allah bless on him. Ameen
Methodology
This project includes on collection of articles and then summaries some of them.
This work is very difficult but our beloved teachers effort and our some tries make itsome easy. This projects first step was collection of articles and then classification of
articles after that, was choice of subject form those articles. This all process remain
continuo with the help of our teacher without him I think this work was impossible for
student especially for me.
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
6/40
6 | P a g e
In this project Descriptive method and some critique method, and also analyses the
things.
Muzaffar Ali
Reg# 201Fu/MS/S09
Department of Comparative Religion
International Islamic University Islamabad Pakistan
Cell # +923337507456
Email [email protected]
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
7/40
7 | P a g e
Chapter No. 1
Buddist concept of Nothingness and God and concept of GodNothingness and Unknowing
From the tile of Article appears that this article written about Buddhism
nothingness but there is another thing this article talking about Christian Buddhism,
because of connection between them.
Nothingness and unknowing in from Eckhart mysticism, this first category which
discussed, it refer the act of knowing and applies to the negativity of knowing.
In Eckhart thoughts nothingness consciousness is libration from metaphysic, even
this is directed to the God. He1 want to give idea about lets be from this appear that he
want to show way of God not to show God itself.
Unfortunately, the scope cannot address this very strong area of comparative study
between Eckhart's mystical confusion and postmodern explain at this time. Nonetheless,
it is possible to reach on result that it is the Meister's seminal insight into the relationship
between nothingness and metaphysics that is directly correlated to both the dialectical
paradoxes in his thought and the negativity of the intellect.2
Similarity in Nothingness
This second category of nothingness it is mostly found in Zen Christianity. The
pragmatic nothingness in Eckharts point of view a remarkable similarity to the Buddhist
expression of sunyata.
In having to confront reality, not from the Buddhist side of its ultimate
nothingness, but from the side of its absolute presence, Eckhart's task is decidedly
different, but not unrelated, to the Buddhist. For Eckhart, as a Christian, the metaphysics
of being and the death of Christ on the cross with its ontological implications are of
central concern. Following in the foot- steps of his Christian former, the Eckhart is
concerned with a fundamental soteriological difficulty at the heart of Christian thought.
1 Eckhart
2 Three Categories of Nothingness in Eckhart Beverly J. Lanzetta I Villanova University p.253
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
8/40
8 | P a g e
To use Buddhist language, we might say that Eckhart is concerned with what makes
conditioned reality ultimate Openness.
The reality of Zen is clear from the fact that it speaks of nothingness pure and
simple, while Eckhart speaks of the nothingness of the godhead. For Eckhart to say that
God is in his essence nothingness (as I mention in previous part)3
is to treat nothingness
as the summary of all negative expressions for the purity of the essence of God.4
These two similarities I mention by Eckhart because he produced the idea of
nothingness in Christianity and this thing tell us that there is some similarity; similarity is
in only about God but after that Eckhart feel some problems in Christian Buddhist ideas.
We can observe it in above given similarities.
The Desert of the Godhead and "Christocentric" Nothingness
In this part want to discuss on answer of a Question, what is the relationship
between theistic metaphysics and nothingness in Eckhart's thought?
It has been said that the central theme of Eckhart is actually a radical apophasis
so radical, in fact, that it borders on a-theism5.
He maintains that dynamic reciprocity between the Trinity and the desert is at theheart of Christian salvation. The nothingness, or super essential appearance of divine
darkness, is not the culminating moment for Eckhart. It is the nothingness that trans-
forms and re-forms existence and thus metaphysics, ontology, the spiritual journey, and
so forth. True salvation for the Meister is not complete in climbing the mystical ladder of
ascent because the soul comes to an "end" in a known (Trinitarian) or unknown
(Dionysian darkness) God. For Eckhart, liberation entails a moment of true nothingness,
when reality is "neither this nor that." To retain the sense of radical uncertainty the soul
encounters as true freedom, Eckhart applies the insights of the desert to the language of
3 Nothingness and unknowing
4 Ibid pragmatic nothingness this is mention lot of other similarities start form the pp.# 253
5 Three Categories of Nothingness in Eckhart Beverly J. Lanzetta I Villanova University p.257
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
9/40
9 | P a g e
Christian metaphysics and shows the "how" of breakthrough a feat he accomplishes by
the soul's movement beyond the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit into the naked Godhead.
God is as one and three
In this part Eckhart try to understand the concept of indistinction and distinction, 6
he explain it in to two part A and B, (a) the distinction within the Persons is the
indistinction based on the inner divine bullitio, or self-birth from the womb of
nothingness; (b) the distinction that takes place in the flowing out of creation from its
Principle/Logos is reversed by the path of indistinction that occurs in the absolute self-
emptying of Christ on the cross7. Also Eckhart some ideas share which is helpful for
understand the concept of God is one and three (1) the soul mystically reply the
twofold emptiness; (2) the soul mystically gives birth to the Son and, therefore, in its
ground is beyond the distinction of transcendent and immanent, (3) the moment of
kenosis, which in Eckhartian language is "radical detachment," is an absolute one and,
therefore, cannot be assigned predicates.
This is the series and endless debit on the correctism, the correct set of theoretical
propositions which name and think of God. in modernation there is some terms, InModerns characteristically name God and think God, modern formulation of an ism:
deism, theism, pantheism, atheism, agnosticism, panentheism. The supremacy of these
isms is what mostly interests modern thinkers. Each ism, moreover, is rendered through a
modern form of argument and so names God through a modern form of abstract
propositions.
Author of this guess that the major candidate for the modern naming of God is still
deism. The official churches and synagogues8
continue to preach theism, whether it is
what a modern will name "classical theism" or some more modernized form of theism.
The official positions of Communist parties as well as many modern intellectuals of an
6 God is one and three
7 Three Categories of Nothingness in Eckhart Beverly J. Lanzetta I Villanova University p.261
8 Jewish temple called
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
10/40
10 | P a g e
older generation preach modern atheism as the only rational position on God. Many
reflective intellectuals, both religious and secular, have become atheist, which, on the
issue of naming and thinking God, serves as a kind of halfway house to some form of
postmodernity. As the environmental spirit encompasses more and more persons
responsive to the destruction of nature, new modern forms of pantheism will continue to
occur with new power.9
This new modern naming allows for several signal moves. First, it maintains the
highest standards of modern rationality from the scientific revolution of the nineteenth
century forward. Second, panentheism allows for the move that premodern thought.
Third, on this reading the central Christian metaphor, "God is Love", can be rendered
coherent by articulating in panentheistic terms the basically relational character of the
Divine reality as indeed of all reality. Fourth, the traditional confusions on Divine
impassibility can be resolved in favor of an understanding of "God's suffering." Any
panentheistic understanding of the suffering of God resonates, but with modern religious
sensibilities, as instanced by Bonhoeffer's famous cry that "only a suffering God can
help." Modernity's naming and thinking God, in addition, could end with an amazingnaming not present in clear form to premodern theology.10
Recovery Of Form And Return To Premodern Forms
In our period there are two most important ways to thinking and naming of God,
both attempt to think through once more some great unthought-of reality in modernity's
self-understanding. In the first instance, from the early Romantics through the
existentialists to the new narrativists, both the analysis and the mixture have focused on
the reality of form. What drives several new forms of naming and thinking God in our
pluralistic and confusing present is what drove the great Romantics. The kind of
theoretical form produced by that kind of argument is the only form of reasoning
9 Literary Theory And Return Of The Forms For Naming And Thinking God In Theology
David Tracy / University Of Chicago p.307
10 Love Divine, All Loves Excelling: Balthasar's Negative Theology of Revelation, Author(s): Steffen Lsel and
Mark D. Jordan Pp. 589
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
11/40
11 | P a g e
approved by modernity. Kantian move elicited the high Romantic rediscovery of the
fullness of symbol in a hundred new ways and thus forms as the modern age wavered in
its initial self-confidence. Regardless of modernity's belief, there is no set of abstract
propositions, no rational clear and individual ideas, no a larger concept, no rational
propositional doctrinein and no word ism-that is ever adequate for naming and thinking
of God.11
It is more surprising that two classic second-order theological languages for
thinking God in relationship to the naming of the different narratives should occur
already in the New Testament: first, the meditative analogical language of John for the
naming of God as Love. and second, the dialectical language of Paul centered on the
unthinkable thought of a Christ crucified. Paul's dialectical language is echoing to the
radically interruptive, non continuous character of Mark's narrative of suffering. Luther
and Calvin, however they may have missed the profoundly Jewish reality of Paul, were
hermeneutically correct in sensing the affinity of their dialectical insights with Paul's way
of naming God in and through the paradoxical form of the cross of the Crucified One.
Two classic theological languages of analogy and dialectic of Johan and Paul asthe naming of God, these two classic theologies creat the two greatest Christian namings
of God, the Hidden Revealed God of Paul and the Comprehensible Incomprehensible
God of John. Yet there is another form of formlessness which is neither modern nor
premodern and which want a better term, we continue to name with the inadequate name
of postmodern.12
What Modernity Provides For the Naming Of God
This is the series and endless debit on the correctism, the correct set of theoretical
propositions which name and think of God. in modernation there is some terms, In
Moderns characteristically name God and think God, modern formulation of an ism:
11 Literary Theory And Return Of The Forms For Naming And Thinking God In Theology
David Tracy / University Of Chicago pp. 308
12 Ibid p. 312
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
12/40
12 | P a g e
deism, theism, pantheism, atheism, agnosticism, panentheism. The supremacy of these
isms is what mostly interests modern thinkers. Each ism, moreover, is rendered through a
modern form of argument and so names God through a modern form of abstract
propositions.
Author of this guess that the major candidate for the modern naming of God is still
deism. The official churches and synagogues13 continue to preach theism, whether it be
what a modern will name "classical theism" or some more modernized form of theism.
The official positions of Communist parties as well as many modern intellectuals of an
older generation preach modern atheism as the only rational position on God. Many
reflective intellectuals, both religious and secular, have become atheist, which, on the
issue of naming and thinking God, serves as a kind of halfway house to some form of
postmodernity. As the environmental spirit encompasses more and more persons
responsive to the destruction of nature, new modern forms of pantheism will continue to
occur with new power.14
This new modern naming allows for several signal moves. First, it maintains the
highest standards of modern rationality from the scientific revolution of the nineteenthcentury forward. Second, panentheism allows for the move that premodern thought.
Third, on this reading the central Christian metaphor, "God is Love", can be rendered
coherent by articulating in panentheistic terms the basically relational character of the
Divine reality as indeed of all reality. Fourth, the traditional confusions on Divine
impassibility can be resolved in favor of an understanding of "God's suffering." Any
panentheistic understanding of the suffering of God resonates, but with modern religious
sensibilities, as instanced by Bonhoeffer's famous cry that "only a suffering God can
help." Modernity's naming and thinking God, in addition, could end with an amazing
naming not present in clear form to premodern theology.
13 Jewish temple called
14 Literary Theory And Return Of The Forms For Naming And Thinking God In Theology
David Tracy / University Of Chicago p.307
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
13/40
13 | P a g e
Recovery of Form and Return To Premodern Forms
In our period there are two most important ways to thinking and naming of God,
both attempt to think through once more some great unthought-of reality in modernity's
self-understanding. In the first instance, from the early Romantics through the
existentialists to the new narrativists, both the analysis and the mixture have focused on
the reality of form. What drives several new forms of naming and thinking God in our
pluralistic and confusing present is what drove the great Romantics. The kind of
theoretical form produced by that kind of argument is the only form of reasoning
approved by modernity. Kantian move elicited the high Romantic rediscovery of the
fullness of symbol in a hundred new ways and thus forms as the modern age wavered in
its initial self-confidence. regardless of modernity's belief, there is no set of abstract
propositions, no rational clear and individual ideas, no a larger concept, no rational
propositional doctrinein and no word ism-that is ever adequate for naming and thinking
of God.15
It is more surprising that two classic second-order theological languages for
thinking God in relationship to the naming of the different narratives should occuralready in the New Testament: first, the meditative analogical language of John for the
naming of God as Love. and second, the dialectical language of Paul centered on the
unthinkable thought of a Christ crucified. Paul's dialectical language is echoing to the
radically interruptive, non continuous character of Mark's narrative of suffering. Luther
and Calvin, however they may have missed the profoundly Jewish reality of Paul, were
hermeneutically correct in sensing the affinity of their dialectical insights with Paul's way
of naming God in and through the paradoxical form of the cross of the Crucified One.
Two classic theological languages of analogy and dialectic of Johan and Paul as
the naming of God, these two classic theologies creat the two greatest Christian namings
of God, the Hidden Revealed God of Paul and the Comprehensible Incomprehensible
God of John. Yet there is another form of formlessness which is neither modern nor
15 Ibid pp. 308
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
14/40
14 | P a g e
premodern and which want a better term, we continue to name with the inadequate name
of postmodern.16
Postmodernity, Naming and Thinking God
Postmodern thinkers have intoduced new ways, once radically new and curiously
ancient, for naming and thinking God. In the new namings with new forms, postmodern
thought has also cast doubt on any overconfidence in traditional premodern forms17 for
naming God.
Different as the postmodern on the basis of some question of form, however, from
the new narrativists, postmodern theologians are not concerned with premodernity but
concerned with what they recognize as self-visions of modernity. In fact, a great deal of
postmodern thought is directed toward exposing two illusions of modernity.
Postmodern has acts, the best acts are act of resistance to the excitement of a
complacent, humanist self-image, resistance to a concept of the present bearing only the
illusion of pure presence, resistance to an alinguistic and ahistorical consciousness,
resistance to the onto-theological complacency in all the modern isms, including theism,
resistance above all, to what Foucault
18
nicely names more of the same.
19
Anselm Classical Theology of God
Anselm's belief that the God who redeem is aim on rightness in the created order,
down to the most small detail. It seems clear, moreover that an important aspect of the
desired rightness is aesthetic.
Anselm's classical argument was based on two principals and the two most
involved in this is Anselm of Canterbury and Rene Descartes.
The ontological argument argues that if you understand what it means to talk
about God, you will see His existence is necessarily true. Anselm defined God as 'that
16 Ibid p. 312
17 narrative, symbol, drama
18 He mostly writer of history of presents
19 Literary Theory And Return Of The Forms For Naming And Thinking God In Theology
David Tracy / University Of Chicago p. 314
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
15/40
15 | P a g e
than which nothing greater can be conceived', then God must exist. Anselm also believed
that even atheist had a definition for God even just to disregard his existence; hence God
exists in the mind. Anselm said this is so because that which exists in reality is greater
than that which exists purely in the mind.20
Chapter; No. 2
Prayers and Morality
Responsibility and Moral Theory
Also there is given some books related above topic,
1. APEL, KARL-OTTO. Diskurs und Verantwortung: Das Problem desUbergangs zur postkonventionellen Moral. Frankfurt: Suhrkamp, 1990. This is
a collection of essays and addresses that explicates Apel's version of
"communication ethics." Apel links this ethics to the theory of moral
development found in the work of Kohlberg. Apel also gives direct attention to
the task of practical reasoning.
2. BOFF, CLODOVIS. Theology and Praxis: Epistemological Foundations.Translated by ROBERT R. BARR. Maryknoll, N.Y.: Orbis Books, 1987.
Boff's book is a helpful contribution to the methodological discussion within
theologies of liberation.
3. BURI, FRITZ. Verantwortung iibernehmen. Edited by G. HAUFF. Bern: PaulHaupot, 1987. Buri has long been a proponent of the recentrality of
"responsibility" in theological discourse. This is a collection of essays that
undertake reflection on, speech about, and dialogues over responsi- bility.
Especially interesting is Buri's discussion of Hans Jonas's Imperative of
Responsibility (Chicago, 1984).21
20 The Beauty Of Hell: Anselm On God's Eternal Design byFrank Burch Brown pp. 336
21 The Editors' Bookshelf: Selected Works In Theological Ethics And Moral Philosophy: History And Responsibility
And Moral Theory pp.418
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
16/40
16 | P a g e
The Copernican Revolution in Religion
In this article Copernican Revolution described in prayer prospective. And in this
article defended to the Kants philosophy, first of all we will know the Kants philosophy
of prayer, Kant's view of prayer against the background of his overall theory of religion.
His "Copernican revolution" in philosophy applies just as much to his theory of
religion as it does to his epistemology. This revolution is the hypothesis that, the subject
plays the active role in shaping our knowledge, while the object plays a passive role.
Kant's applications of the Copernican revolution, including its application to religion. The
Copernican revolution implies that the philosopher's abstract formulation of pure
rational religion and will provide at one and same time necessary condition for the
possibility of genuine observed religion.22
The Moral "Spirit" Of Transcendental Prayer
In this Transcendent Kant has three critiques Kant's decision not to spend the very
term that best characterizes his philosophical approach.23 Probably it is his desire his that
make Religion tasty to the general readers. Kants Various characteristics of true religion
make up by virtue of their organization with pure religion the official basics of aCritical standpoint on religion. He gives more attention to prayer than to any of the other
three examples of standard.
Kant defines the spirit of prayer as the heart-felt wish to be well-pleasing to God
in our every act and abstention, or in other words, the disposition, accompanying all our
actions.24
The Paradoxical "Letter" Of Empirical Prayer
Kant's complaint against prayer as it is commonly practiced is that an importance
on the letter can often lead a person to hold the false belief that the completing of such
words is, in itself pleasing to God. He says: If [a prayer] is to be heard, it must be made
22Kant's Critical Hermeneutic Of Prayer Stephen R. Palmquist / Hong Kong Baptist University pp.584
23 the so-called transcendental philosophy
24 Kant's Critical Hermeneutic Of Prayer Stephen R. Palmquist / Hong Kong Baptist University pp.588
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
17/40
17 | P a g e
in faith. For if the practitioner has faith, he does not need to ask for it; but if he does not
have faith, his petition cannot be heard.
The paradox is heightened by Kant's claim that only a prayer prayed in the moral
spirit of prayer can be prayed with faith. Paradox has some terms I will give here only
these terms names.
1. THESIS. The verbal expression of prayer is necessary.2. ANTITHESIS. The verbal expression of prayer is unnecessary.25
Framework for Assessing Prayer
This conclusion, does not commit us to the claim that the mature Kant actually
busy in oral prayer on a regular basis. For this he seems to be thinking of himself in the
various passages we have considered, where he says philosophers (and others accustomed
to working with ideas and dispositions) can totally distribute with verbal prayer. Kant's
own bad childhood experiences with forced prayer in a religious school could have had
something to do with his preference for a more contemplative.26
Holy Feast and Holy Fast
This part is from Caroline Bynum's landmark study; she considers fasting andhunger within the wider background of the religious and gendered meanings of food and
eating. She describes a threefold pattern in the lives and writings of medieval women:
Women fast, women feed others, and women eat (but never ordinary food) Women
feed and their bodies become an image of suffering poured out for others. Women eat-
and whether they devour the filth of sick bodies or the blood and flesh of the eucharist,
the foods are Christ's suffering and Christ's humanity with which one must join before
approaching triumph, glory, or divinity.27
25 Ibid pp. 596
26 Ibid .p. 598
27 The Hungers Of Hadewijch And Eckhart* Donald E Duclow p. 421
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
18/40
18 | P a g e
Hadewijch's Central Theme (About Misticis)
Hadewijch's work includes on lot of writing work but her writings central theme is
love. Some time she takes the role of the knight practicing Lady. After some time she
identifies Love with Christ as male and herself as the lover/bride. Civil themes also cause
difficulties Hadewijch's account of love in other ways. In particular, love from afar
intensifies the pattern of Love's alternating presence in ecstatic union and devastating
withdrawal.28
She has two more themes they are (1) Poem in Couplets 16(2) Stanzaic Poem 3329
Meister Eckhart
Eckhart shows nothing of the strong physicality that Bynum finds in medieval
women's spirituality. Nor does he share Hadewijch's visionary experience of the
Eucharist. He takes up the descriptions of food and hunger in novel and powerful ways
which will be now mention only (1) Sermon 20b, convenient starting point found in
Eckhart's German sermon on Luke 14:16, A man had made a great supper and an
evening feast.30(2) Lecture on Ecclesiasticus 24:29 Eckhart discuss hunger in a
remarkable Latin lecture on Ecclesiasticus 24:29, "Qui edunt me, adhuc esuriunt" (Theythat eat me, shall yet hunger.31
Now in the end we see that what is difference between these tow ways of
Hadewijch and Eckhart, they look at the symbolics of food and hunger in similar ways.
Greek and Roman Conceptions of Prayer
Greek philosophers sought to reinterpret the practice of prayer by way of critique.
One of the central problems with religion said the philosophers, was prayer's
misperception as an ordinary business transaction. Roman Philosophers found prayer to
be too materialistic in orientation.
28 Ibid p. 422
29 Ibid pp. 424
30 Ibid p. 430
31 Ibid p. 636
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
19/40
19 | P a g e
Author said that one of the most interesting prayers I find from ancient times
comes from Spain. It reads in part, Goddess ... by your majesty, I ask, pray, and beg that
you avenge the theft that has been done to me. Who- ever has changed, stolen, pilfered
from me the things that are noted be low.32
T h e L o r d s p r ayer
The Lord's Prayer envisages a God whose activity is not unilateral but relational. The
activity of God through natural forces provides for the possibility of obtaining bread. This
activity is a product of divine omnibenevolence. However, the attainment of bread is
dependent upon more than just this initial divine activity. God must also be "reminded" to
influence the activity of the human beings involved in the production and distribution of
bread, including the human being making the request, so that the process can reach its
desired conclusion.33
Chapter No. 3
Human life Global Ethic and Religion
The Prophetic Theologies of Postmodernity
Prophetic theologies find the revelation of God's reality in the voice of God's.
These theologies34
become, not merely by desire, but by action and mode of thought. For
every people is confident to find further ways to express their theological experience of
God as God disclosed in weakness, in the cross, in history as concrete struggle and
survival. These theologies like African American theology.
New prophetic postmodern theologies not find only ethical and political practices
but also find the naming of God's very reality in the Revelation of the hiddenness of God
as vulnerability and weakness in the cross of the past and present. The prophetic
32 "Panem Nostrum": The Problem of Petition And The Lord's Prayer* Michael Joseph BrownGreek And Roman
Conceptions Of Praye p.598
33 Ibid pp.601
34 weakness and conflict of the oppressed of all history
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
20/40
20 | P a g e
theologies of postmodernity also find mystical roots as well in their further reflections on
God's reality for example, the popular religion of the people. mystical theologies of
postmodernity find that they need to understand God's reality in relational, as ethical-
political, prophetic terms.35
Parliament's Declaration "Towards a Global Ethics"
By such article author of article dont want to critic of the parliament but he wants
to define some steps of parliament to the religion. One of the more important meeting36
of
the Parliament of the World's Religions its declaration Towards a Global Ethic. This
parliaments declarations document, drafted by theologian Hans Kung and signed by
religious leaders such as the Dalai Lama and Chicago's Joseph Cardinal Bernardin.
Release of these documents during the meeting of the parliament, the declaration has
received mixed reviews. Some commentators, while sympathetic to the parliament's
effort, view the declaration as problematic on several counts. At least one scholar of
religion, writing in a polemical mode. Thus, a unified response on the part of the world's
religions, such as the declaration urges, would seem to be appropriate.37
The gap Between Religious Ethics And International LawIn this part there is some problems for religion from law and attacked, blamed by
international law so that there is gap between Religious ethic and IL, there is some
comments of author.38 David Kennedys attitude toward religion and theology prevalent
in the international legal community when he stated: We39 know what is most important
religion is something we used to have.40 This situation is quite different from the era of
early founders of international law as Francisco de Vitoria (1485-1546), Francisco
Suarez (1548-1617), or Hugo Grotius (1583-1645). Given the fact that international law
35 Ibid p. 318
36 Held in 1993
37 Looking For A Global Ethic? Try International Law* William P. George / Rosary College p.360
38Author article of Looking For A Global Ethic? Try International Law
39 international lawyers
40 Looking For A Global Ethic? Try International Law* William P. George / Rosary College p.361
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
21/40
21 | P a g e
is often understood to have developed in part as a response to European wars of religion
and the breakdown of an integrated social order, it is little wonder today that, in the
international globe at least.
International lawyers are beginning to look for bridges leading forward to religion.
And of course, careful attention to international law has never been completely absent
from the side of religious ethics, especially in the areas of human rights and war and
peace. It must be said, however, that the precise relationship of religion and religious
ethics to international law is not often, if ever a direct topic of discussion at profession
meetings or in scholarly journals devoted to religion or theology.41
Reasons for Engagement42
Global ethicists might refuse to accept the concept that they have much to get from
international law. They might assume that an ethic, however it might be defined, that is
not reducible to law especially international law.
Hans Kung in his commentary point out on the declaration, that desired ethic
cannot be simply a repeat of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights dressed up in
religious clothe, for an ethic is more than rights. Kung explains, an ethic is primarilyconcerned with the inner kingdom of a person43.
June OConnor said laws designed by human beings that support apartheid, arrest
with- out recourse, slavery, extermination, racism, sexism, classism, and other forms of
discrimination are called before the moral court of justice, fair- ness, and decency in ...
movements for change.44
International law, which not include only principles and norms but also custom
and conventions are included, several steps removed from an ethic at least an ethic as
understood by the parliament. Further- more, those who assign to the parliament's ethic
attest that as religious and spiritual persons [they] base [their] lives on an Ultimate
41 Ibid p. 362
42 Religious Ethics and International Law
43 Looking For A Global Ethic? Try International Law* William P. George / Rosary College p.363
44 Ibid p. 364
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
22/40
22 | P a g e
Reality, and draw spiritual power and hope therefrom (these are authors word in his
article putted as they are).45 International law seen to little remove from Global ethicists
world.
Global Ethic and International Law: Converging Content
The first reason why global ethicists should attend to international law is fairly
easy: international law is a particular condition for the very themes, basic principles, and
directives the parliament's declaration espouses. The declaration is based on the
fundamental principle that human beings are to be treated humanely, a principle that
may be expressed in various formulations of the Golden Rul. There is four basic principle
issues and final directives. (1) commitment to a culture of nonviolence and respect for
life, (2) commitment to a culture of solidarity and a just economic order, (3) commitment
to a culture of tolerance and a life of truthfulness, and (4) commitment to a culture of
equal rights and partnership between men and women.46
International Law as an Aid to Religious Retrieval and Renewal
Before that author try to define religion or theological roots of modern
international Law. Now he wants to provide basis for judgment he described one base,namely the historical process of secularization itself. Reviewing this process offers
religious traditions an opportunity to trace the roots of concepts, and doctrines as they
have burst the limits of a particular tradition, that is, as they have been globalized. Since a
global ethic is that which global ethicists seek, such investigation should prove especially
fruitful.47
Equal regard
In this article based love of human being and relation with another. The meaning
of equal regard summarized by John Whittaker that: One loves another as oneself when
one's love is not conditioned by changeable circumstances or dependent on accidental
45 Ibid p.364
46 Ibid p. 365
47 Ibid p. 374
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
23/40
23 | P a g e
features which the other might or might not possess. That is what ensures the equality of
love's regard. This means that the believer values other people simply as human
beings, treating them as individuals whose worth is established by their common status as
creatures of God. 48Agape and this is one of its absolutely crucial features is unilateral,
meaning in part that it is not dependent on a return of affection or regard.49
Connection between Equal Regard and Special Relation
Equal regard, it is claimed, fails to put up the moral value of the kind of love
developed in marriage, family, and other kinds of friendship that in fact form the central
context for the everyday lives. "Special relations" are founded exactly on the kinds of
"differences" about which Outka mentioned, Kierkegaard, has such deep reservations. If
equal regard really "removes distinctions," (as Kierkegaard argued), then nothing
normative is left of "special relations"-at least from the point of view of equal regard.
One of the greatest values of equal regard is no doubt its heightened attention to
the moral dangers of only just confined "special relations" and the resulting need for them
to be related to more universal concern. Equal regard seems most suited to a social
context characterized by the wearing away of social bonds rooted in traditional socialinstitutions.50
Disagreement Recovering the Affections
In this part authors aim is to appear the some affections of Equal regard and
Special relation and he tries to define this affections and said; those who find equal
regard not enough, however, argues hat it very weak the intensity and affective depth of
genuinely human love. Stephen G. Post giving example, who interprets amazed in terms
of affections, compassion, care, and kindness.
48 "Equal Regard" Versus "Special Relations"? Reaffirming The Inclusiveness Of Agape Stephenj. Pope / Boston
College pp. 354
49 Ibid p. 355
50 Ibid p. 357
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
24/40
24 | P a g e
Special relations are central rather than marginal to Post's view of Christian
love, first and principal because they provide the emotional origins of love and the
psychological context for the formation of Christian character.
Post define his theological support form familial love from the doctrine of
creation. He define on the work of James M. Gustafson, according to whom, The divine
empowering and ordering of Human beings participate in the divine ordering of the
world, and "special relations" are a central part of this divine ordering.51
Further Considerations of Special Relations
Author said that on this famous topic there is lot of work for most famous scholars
one of them which works on this topic recently who is Outakam, his recently works is
"Universal Love and Impartiality," relates to "special relations" to theocentrically (God as
a central focus) grounded universal love and objectivity.
Outka and advocates of equal regard argue for the proper value of "special
relations" by deciding between how an individual matters to the agent and how he or she
matters to God52. These considerations are developed by Outka and others in the course
of arguing for the legitimacy of near-neighbor preference.
53
Legitimate "Near-Neighbor Preference"
In this topic also author describing the Affections but way is change and he said
about Special relations problems: special relations are problematic because by their very
nature they include people who "matter more" to the agent than do others. Also he there
is Outkss argument that the universal scope of divine love also warrants certain
"asymmetries" between one's relation to oneself and self-other relations.
51 Ibid p. 359
52 "objectively matters," in Outka's terminology
53 "Equal Regard" Versus "Special Relations"? Reaffirming The Inclusiveness Of Agape Stephenj. pp. 360
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
25/40
25 | P a g e
Also there are some other legitimates which are under the affections for
understanding I put one of them, in affections describing Outka put his role and author
mostly come with outkas examples and comments.54
The Moral Principle of Religion
In this part author want to tell moral principle of Religion opposed religious
illusion, and he want to prove some proofs about it. There in all article defense of Kants
Philosophy.
He said that a fancied man is can do well pleasant to God it is mere religious
illusion and pseudo-service of God. He say, what man believes that he can do; for here it
is not without that beyond all that we can do there may be something in the mysteries of
the highest wisdom that God alone can do to transform us into men well-pleasing to Him.
According to the standard, reductionist method of interpreting Kant's philosophy of
religion, this principle is construed to be yet one more attempt on Kant's part to depict
religion as nothing but good conduct in cover.55
Preliminaries
In this part author said that by Ethics we fined in our lives changing and he wantto explain by some evidences that how these changing have come in life.
The ethicist's principled argument, as a blame of war, lights in comparison to the
stories brought to life in Erich Maria Remarque's novel All Quiet on the Western Front
(1929), Peter Weir's film Gallipoli (1981), or even Pablo Picasso's painting Guernica
(1937). Each of these thinkers has thought it important to explore the ways in which we
interact with stories of various sorts. For the approaches to ethics they support all build
on insights into morality like to those provided by the literary arts. Their work attends to
the narrative dimension of morality.56
54 Ibid p. 362
55 Kant's Critical Hermeneutic Of Prayer Stephen R. Palmquist / Hong Kong Baptist University pp.587
56 Ethics and the Narrated Life* W Illiam A. Barbieri, Jr. p. 361
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
26/40
26 | P a g e
The Narrativist Thesis
Author of this article said that term of Narrative connected with morality. He
started his topic by approaching with reference to the problem in ethics with which it has
commonly been linked. Like the not-unrelated focus on "community" in contemporary
discussions of justice and liberalism. And from the Narrative, has appeared primarily as a
critical response to common ways of thinking about morality. There are some related
problems but in this article three problems are mentioned.57
One problem has been the shortcomings of ethical models that focus almost
exclusively on morally binding principles and rules.
A second source of controversy has been the tendency of modern moral theory to
portray the agent in terms of a detached, purely rational will.
A third charge leveled against modern ethics and moral philosophy.58
Problems for a Narrativist Account of Morality
In Narrative form we take hold of our moral experience that shape and are in turn
shaped by our prior stories, personal and common. Our identities, our character appear
from these stories, and our actions are in a sense, determined by these stories. This is atroubling picture for many ethical theorists, and it is not hard to see why.59
Agency and the Moral Self
About this topic author said that this is deeplyNarrative and morality and he add
some comment of scholars firstly Paul Nelson expresses the concern that narrativist
views be likely to lead us to regard ourselves as more bound than free in our
appropriation of stories perhaps even to the point where we are grateful to discard the
notion of agency altogether. Nelson is worried that a narrativist perspective might so
overemphasize our dependence on stories that it becomes impossible to support any
notion of moral responsibility.
57 Ibid pp. 363
58 Ibid p. 364
59 Ibid p. 369
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
27/40
27 | P a g e
Related this concern about agency is the question of the idea of self implied by a
narrativist view. Outka define two aspect of this issue, First, he questions whether a
narrativist view of agency Hauerwas's allows us to speak clearly of "an I who stands
outside any given story. Second, he voices concern that Hauerwas's account of the
person's essential sociality provider.60
Narratives, Religion, and Morality
A very instructive source on the epistemological, anthropological, and religious
roots of narrativist views is the work of Poteat. In this article he defines the miracle.
Poteat start to show that our own moral experience and sense of characteristics are
impossible to separate from deep beliefs myths concerning. In doing so, Poteat examines
several concepts that are basic to speaking of morality in terms of persons and actions.
Two of them concepts poteat work on them (1) in common usage action is a necessary
affiliate of person, and (2) an action which cannot be regarded from the standpoint of its
completion is not an action in the full sense. Poteat shows that our everyday moral
dialogue depends basically on the narrative coherence supplied by a understood account
of radical beginnings and endings.
61
Ethics and the Narration of Life
There is defined the Ethics and Narrative in human life in article said that
accepting the meaning of narration for morality create problems in finding the new way
for ethics. Ethics must, by definition, remain a rational detection, but as narrativist critics
of the reductionist tendencies in current moral theory claim, there is no reason why it
should be rationalistic. The attempt to widen the conception of reason undergirding
ethical inquiry so as better to reflect the narrative fundament of our moral life points now
we are in general directions.
He said that we must move in our conceptualization of morality away from the
abstraction of principles and toward the holism. In seeking to involved a common
60 Ibid pp.370
61 Ibid p. 381
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
28/40
28 | P a g e
morality, we must focus our consideration on what we can pick up of the ongoing and
largely initial human story.62
The Stumbling Block (Stein Des Anstosses) Of All Empiricists
In this article shown that how some of Schleiermacher's most important ideas on
ethics were shaped by his effort to deal with the problems which raised by Kant's
understanding of transcendental freedom. In his ethics Kant distinguishes between the
moral principle of discrimination and the moral principle of execution.
It best impression that in his fully critical ethics Kant came to the conclusion that a
moral law required all rational agents implies transcendental freedom. Kant himself was
aware of many of the difficulties that such a conception created and called it the
stumbling block [Stein des Anstosses] of all empiricists but the key to the most sublime
practical principles for critical moralists.63
Schleiermacher's Compatibilist Proposal
There is author want to say that how Schleiermacher thought or ideas close or
mixes with other proposals. Schleiermacher attempts to copy a middle position between
Kant's understanding of respect for the moral law and a theory of moral sensibility. Heproceeds to outline a theory of moral deep feeling where experience is a key section in
allowing us to determine which actions will bring us pleasure and which will bring us
pain.64
Kant or Schleiermacher?
In this part want to say that, which one idea are reasonable to accept and some
pointed out and suggest ourselves.
Ideas of Schleiermacher allow us to understand our psychological processes in
such a way that we can learn to steer the course of our desires, also it allows for the care
of the soul, that is, the nurturing of dispositions that in the future will bear moral fruit.
62 The Ethics of Belief: Descartes and the Augustinian Tradition, Author(s): Matthew C. Bagger pp.213
63 Schleiermacher on the Philosopher's Stone: The Shaping Of Schleiermacher's Early Ethics By The Kantian
Legacy Jacqueline Marina pp. 195
64 Ibid p. 201
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
29/40
29 | P a g e
Kant ideas exposition in the first Critique and then discuss its relevance to an
understanding of the antinomy of agency. Kant two states, that of an agent before the
initiation of an action and that of the agent initiating the action, could not be connected in
a law like method.
Antinomy of agency suggests that act attribution is subject to two conflicting
requirements. The first is that an act be explicable in terms of an agent's character; the
second is that an agent should be the initiator of an act if it is to be attributed to him or
her.65
Eric Voegelin's Understanding Of Personalism
In Eric views not in total reached, phenomenon in Israelite experience as
recounted in Israel and Revelation. The theme of personal adjustment to divine being is
also central to the development of Christian spiritual theology giving rise, with the
passage of the centuries, schools of spirituality make up in part, different styles by means
of which the soul's adjustment to and personal love of God is expressed through various
forms of spiritual belief and practices.66
Israel's Movement Toward PersonalismEric Voegelin tell us about some basic thing about the Israel Movement to ward
the personalism I will mention in this place only three movements one of them (1)
Framework of the Order of History in this topic he wan to express all-important
introduction to Israel and Revelation, clearly states the conceptual framework within
which his vision of the order of history is situated.67
Second one is (2)Israel and the Creation of Historical Form in this part he want
to express that Israels development of macroanthropic forms of symbolization fixed in a
65 Ibid pp. 210, 211..
66 Eric Voegelin's Vision Of Personalism And Emmanuel Levinas's Ethics Of Responsibility: Toward A Post-
Holocaust Spiritual Theology? Marie L. Baird p. 385
67 Ibid p. 386
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
30/40
30 | P a g e
collective adjustment to the revelation of divine being is responsible for the creation of
historical form.68
Third one is (3) The Clash between Pragmatic and Paradigmatic Order in this
part want to express that Israel has a political structure like its bordering nations. In the
result there is growing clash between the pragmatic political order under a king and the
paradigmatic order of the Chosen People under Yahweh.69
Emmanuel Levinas's Ethics Of Responsibility As "First Philosophy"
In this passage author want to express fundamental philosophical differences
between Voegelin's vision and Levinas's position.
Levina go up against a Voegelinian type, ontologically based vision of religious
experience which speaks of revelation in terms of the disclosure of being with the ethical
relation of responsibility to the other.
There is describe some main point about their differences I will mention only three
points.
1. The Absorption of Otherness within Intentional Consciousness, there isdescribed Levinas, critique of the connection between knowledge and being.
2. Why Ethics Is Better than Ontology, in this difference expressed, thatlegitimate ask why one would want to replace ontology with ethics in the first
place or, in a more properly Levinasian formulation of the question, why it is
that ethics is better than ontology.
3. Ethics and Temporality, in this difference want to express, That temporalstructure of the ethical relation as responsibility is perhaps one of the most
striking elements70
.
68 Ibid p. 387
69 Ibid p. 388
70 Ibid pp.395- 398
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
31/40
31 | P a g e
Dostoevsky's Confessional Faith
This is the true that Dostoevsky present the human nature very dark and sinister,
because the problem of evil and skepticism. And also he defined the Christian step
forward to Religion Mysticism. But the issue between Dostoevsky's belief and skepticism
is not simple. Henri De Lubac and George Panichas said that in Dostoevskys point of
existential situation is importance of dynamic and transformative religious experiences.
Also he has negative support for positive religious attitude.71
The Primary Will To Power
Primary will idea is essential environment to the extraordinary man and
Dostoevskys devil. Nietzsche thinks that the will is fundamental to all life. meaning of
will is miss leading to speak. it precedes and determines the idea of person, and,
theologians like to refer to God, will is the most proper symbol because the essential
being of this datum is active, always in a movement to control-by the "affect of
commanding." Will denotes power.
The will corresponds to the idea of first cause. That which affects everything else
but derives from nothing does not act in terms of anything but itself it becomes the part ofeverything which derived from it. In medieval school terms, the will was linked together
as both are first and final causes. This correlates well with the idea that the will
fundamentally commands. Heidegger says, In the name will to power' the word power'
connotes nothing less than the essence of the way the will wills itself inasmuch as it is a
commanding.72Jacob Boehme said, Will is magical force, and desire that leads the
bottomless to foundation, and the nothing into something. Like Nietzsche, said Will is
misleading to speak of primary will as a substantive person because it is the fundamental
principle of all life. And he also rejects the Jacobs ideas.
Human will is desire grounded in a mysterious freedom. This desire can be
described as a strict attraction that is involved in a self creating elevating motion that
71 Dostoevsky's Devil: The Will To Power by Michael Stoeber / Catholic University Of Americap.27
72 Ibid p.29
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
32/40
32 | P a g e
draws itself into itself, and makes it pregnant. Like Nietzsche use same feminine and said
that You creators, you Higher Men! One is pregnant only with one's own child.
In the inner structure of desire working on itself there resides a fundamental
potential freedom. In this inside elevating dynamism of self-expansive passion there is a
mysterious freedom of will that chooses objects of desire. By her very magical nature,
desire impregnates herself, resulting in a labor of will, and in the out birth primary will
freely determines itself according to its object of imagination.73
Nietzsche said that will to power can be understood similarly as a process of
interdependent improvement and preservation. Will values imagine by way of these
conditions. There is an ongoing interrelated tension between a focus on space, security,
and stability and an expansive movement to change growth and originality. Will as
development requires preserving security, which in turn allows for the discharge of its
force in continued distension. This is the process basic to life, the movement of will, what
in fundamental nature of the human being does in commanding.74
The Over man and Extraordinary Man
Will to power is the primary information of the truth of nature, and preservationand enhancement are the natural rights of this existence. There is a strong centripetal
force on the globe that overrides the disenchantment brought on by the disorder and
horrors of the world. Quoting Pushkin and Ivans comments that; I have a longing for
life, and I go on living in spite of logic. Though I may not believe in the order of the
universe, yet I love the sticky little leaves as they open in spring. I love the blue sky, I
love some people, whom one loves you know sometimes without knowing why.
Nietzsche says, Only where life is, there is also will: not will to life, but so I teach you
will to power!75
73 Ibid p. 29
74 Ibid p. 30
75 Ibid p. 31
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
33/40
33 | P a g e
The practical outcome of the Nietzschean ideal is described by the devil in his
account of Ivan's atheistic goal.76 This ideal links the will to Dostoevsky's extraordinary
man and Nietzsche's overman.
The overman is a member of a very small group indeed. Such profound self-
overcoming is well beyond the means of the common group, whose worried thing with
preservation severely limits their degree of will enhancement. These are the signs of the
risk takers, the leaders these overmen or extraordinary men the truly great spirits of great
will whose potential achievements cannot be specifically defined because of the freedom
and creativity upset in the very notion of will to power.77
Corresponding to Nietzsche's overman, and Dostoevsky's extraordinary man.
Besides the Grand Inquisitor, there is the example of Raskolnikov in Crime and
Punishment. He provides the theoretical foundation for the plot of the novel in his
account of revolutionary figures of history.78
Irreconcilable Ideals
Nietzsche and Dostoevsky begin with the same ontological premise of a
fundamental will as the dynamic source of substantive existence, their ideals stand in
contrast. Nietzsche, The liberation espouses the happiness to be experienced in the
development of will to power and Dostoevsky thought about the self-overcoming of life
by to be nothing more than a self-deceiving daydream. This is Nietzsche's source of the
over- man that a major thrust of the Grand Inquisitor. The appropriate teleology is not
will to power but will to love. This goal is very much like that adopted by Boehme, one
of active love and compassion in a dynamic and creative divine life. In one passage he
advises his disciples to "Love a man even in his sin, for that is the shape of Divine Love
and is the highest love on earth.79
76 what the will makes of its power
77 Ibid p. 32
78 Ibid p. 36
79 Ibid p.42
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
34/40
34 | P a g e
The two ideals will to power or will to love stand against each other in stark
contrast. A Dostoevskian moral critique of the Nietzschean goal induces the reaction of
moral question begging: will to power is not any particular religious teleology. In a world
grounded in a primary will individual freedom and rights, personal self-dignity, and
moral teleology center on the belief in a religious ideal within which this will is
intertwined and might be spiritually transformed. Like Kant, Dostoevsky himself
recognizes that this kind of argument has no theoretical grounding in empirical reality.80
Four Principal Forms of Mystical Theologies
In the Christian tradition there are four principal forms of mystical theologies by
postmodern. Two of these love mysticisms and negative mysticism have proved
remarkably important for postmodern thought. There is little doubt of the importance of
love mysticism for many postmoderns: In every case, in however different a fashion, the
language of love as in the love mystics, along with their use of erotic and sometimes
violent, transgressive language, has attracted several quintessentially postmodern
thinkers, starting with Bataille.81
The first, mystical forms of postmodernity also find the Incomprehensible God in
the typically marginalized figures of our culture the mystics, the hysterics, fools, avant-
garde artists, and dissenters of all kinds.82
Chapter No. 4
Concept of Hell and Historian
Theologian or Historian Approach the Topic of Hell
Article author said that theologian and historian cannot approach to the topic of
hell, historical study is little bit in fear of hell Not only do we not know how to get there,
80 Ibid p. 43
81 Literary Theory And Return Of The Forms For Naming And Thinking God In Theology
David Tracy / University Of Chicago p. 315
82 Ibid p. 318
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
35/40
35 | P a g e
but it is no longer clear where hell is to be found.83
Jerry walls have a new book he write
in this by his observation the logic of hell and writes genuine concern about hell seems
to be lost in our past, along with powdered wigs and witch trials. Also there is
theologians discussion in Westminster Dictionary of Christian Theology they brief
discussion damnation with the assertion with the idea of damnation has not been much
in fashion in the theological writing of this century.84
A number of writers are themselves discussing hell even while according that few
people these days pay hell any attention. This suggests at least that hell has not been
completely extinguished. Certainly among the historian attraction with hell, and more
theologian take hell seriously. So that two books published from university press by
different ways, which discuss for the present viability of the doctrine of hell.
The present essay assumes, that for a variety of reasons hell is undergoing an
incipient revival and that this presents a distinct challenge to contemporary Christian
thought because most Christian theologians today are unaccustomed to thinking about
hell, although their symbolic element is metaphysical theology.
Outline of Anselm's Aesthetics Of SalvationAnselm theology of aesthetic fail to appear some of specific way to consider
reason about salvation and damnation, but Aesthetic is based on Greek and it is adopted
theory of beauty, art and test. Term "aesthetics" can be used most naturally to refer to
reflection on beauty, including beauty that is intellectual or spiritual. Before Anselm
theologian pointed out, beauty things give delight themselves. As Pseudo-Dionysius had
said, beauty also has brilliance. For such thinkers thinks God is the supreme beauty, or
beauty itself. By Anselm thought beautifully is often closely related to logic and rational.
Anselm always regards God's way of working as not only rational but also harmonious
and beautiful, which means that it should make sense partly for what we today would call
83 The Beauty Of Hell: Anselm On God's Eternal Design byFrank Burch Brown p.329
84 Ibid p.329
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
36/40
36 | P a g e
aesthetic reasons. Accordingly, what Anselm regards as necessary and fitting for
salvation itself has very much to do with God's nature and will as a lover of beauty.85
Anselm's Dialogue with His Fellow Monk
Among the discussing about beauty and creation of man for further explain the
topic now Anselm want to express it by dialogue which was with one of the monk friend
boso, for the pointing out that the substantial reasons, that why God man should be born
of a woman have now been "painted" well, so that they make pictures that can be seemed
at once very beautiful and reasonable.
By the Anselm goal, beautiful theological picture on the basis of solid reasoning is
incomplete. Now he wants to express that who painted juses in this ugly form and also
stressing on justice and his beautiful theme and treat juses beautifully. And also he saying
that beauty is loving by God and created by God.
History
In this part author mention only some books with detail about Ethic and Moral
Philosophy, some of them mentioned below,
1.
CURRAN, CHARLES E. Tensions in Moral Theology. Notre Dame, Ind.:University of Notre Dame Press, 1988. 256 pp. $22.95 (cloth). Curran's recent
book considers issues ranging from sexual ethics to economics and the
morality of war. There are also helpful discussions on the relation of Catholic
faith and the American context.
2. ECKARDT, A. ROY. For Righteousness' Sake: Contemporary MoralPhilosophy. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1987. 365 pp. This
volume is a typological analysis of current ethics that draws from and modifies
H. Richard Niebuhr's work in Christ and Culture. The typology is specified
with reference to faith and history.
3. GALLAGHER, JOHN A. Time Past, Time Future: An Historical Study ofCatholic Moral Theology. New York: Paulist Press, 1990. In this help-ful
85 The Beauty Of Hell: Anselm On God's Eternal Design byFrank Burch Brown p.331
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
37/40
37 | P a g e
study, Gallagher traces the development and decay of the manualist tradition in
Roman Catholic moral theology.
4. JONSEN, ALBERT R., and TOULMIN, STEPHEN. The Abuse of Casuistry:A History of Moral Reasoning. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of
California Press, 1988. The volume is an examination of the history, criticism,
and reconstruction of casuistry. The current interest in practical reasoning and
"case method" will benefit by this historical study as well as the model of
reasoning proposed.
5. PINCKAERS, S. Les sources de la morale chretienne. Studien zur theologischeEthik 14. Freiburg86: Universitatsverlag, 1985. Pinckaers's book, one of many
in this excellent series, provides a historical account of the sources that make
up modern Roman Catholic ethics. Particularly helpful is his discussion of the
definition of moral theology and thus its main concerns and tasks.
6. PFURTNER, STEPHAN H., ET AL, eds. Ethik in der europaischenGeschichte. 2 Bands. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer87, 1988. This two volume history
of ethics in the West covers material from Greek thought to contemporarydiscussions of responsibility.
7. SIDGWICK, HENRY. Outlines of the History of Ethics. Indianapolis: Hackett,1988. This reissue of Sidgwick's history merits note. In this volume, Sidgwick
provides one of the best short histories of ethics in English.88
In Punishment God's Specific Purposes
It is maintained through the creature's punishment according to that same divine
force. If a human being or angel tries to escape the force that commands, he runs into the
power of the will that punishes. But how can a person be sinful and yet be governed by
God's force, first in one way and then in another? It only under the force permits, and
86 This name is in french
87 In Greek about ethics
88 The Editors' Bookshelf: Selected Works In Theological Ethics And Moral Philosophy: History And Responsibility
And Moral Theory pp.417
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
38/40
38 | P a g e
supreme wisdom redirects the very perversity of his will. God bring many ways out of
evil, and God hold his place to maintain the beauty of universe by its order. If divine did
not maintain this requirement there would be ugliness. Every sin is necessarily followed
either by satisfaction or by punishment89. For the safety of beauty and universe human
being will be punished.
Anselm said that from the punishment Gods main purpose is as well as general
principle of justice and beauty.
Two Anselm's Arguments
There is two argument of Anselm about punishment that would require the beauty
he suggests it must be personal if it is to be acceptable to God. The first argument is that
it would be meaning less for god talks for love and mercy. A God lover person his honor
has been hurtled is surely more easily satisfied than which is hate full.
Second Anselm's argument relating to punishment shows that unending
punishment in hell would need terrible loss, so that Gods force defacing the beauty of
universe. He said God will complete what he started; If we know that God made nothing
more precious than the rational nature, cre- ated to rejoice in him, it is certainlyincongruous for him to let any rational nature perish altogether."90 (done)
The Idea Of Anselm About Hell
Different to the ideas of Anselm and of most of the Christian tradition, hell is
involved in temporary sufferings. It has been our argument that this modification of
traditional views is necessary if larger Christian claims about God's goodness and mercy
are to be properly protected.
Anselm's Entire Discussion
Anselm's entire discussion Gods punishment and beauty assumes, that God is
away from time and suffering and. And Anselm think that He (God) create the human
being for blessedness, an God dont want to see that his plan is encouraged and he dont
89 The Beauty Of Hell: Anselm On God's Eternal Design byFrank Burch Brown p.337
90 Ibid p.345
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
39/40
39 | P a g e
want to thank about salvation that what is bring out. This is the wisdom that God never
permission us to reject the offer forever and to suffer in hell as a result. 91
Conclusion
Bibl iography
1. Three Categories of Nothingness in Eckhart, Author(s): Beverly J. Lanzetta,Published by: The University of Chicago Press
2. The Editors' Bookshelf: Selected Works in Theological Ethics and MoralPhilosophy: History and Responsibility and Moral Theory, Author(s): William
Schweiker, Published by: The University of Chicago Press
3. The Beauty of Hell: Anselm on God's Eternal Design, Author(s): Frank BurchBrown, Published by: The University of Chicago Press
4. Dostoevsky's Devil: The Will to Power, Author(s): Michael Stoeber, Published by:The University of Chicago Press
5. Literary Theory and Return of the Forms for Naming and Thinking God inTheology, Author(s): David Tracy, Published by: The University of Chicago
Press.
6.
Looking for a Global Ethic? Try International Law, Author(s): William P. George,Published by: The University of Chicago Press
7. "Equal Regard" versus "Special Relations"? Reaffirming the Inclusiveness ofAgape, Author(s): Stephen J. Pope, Published by: The University of Chicago Press
91 Ibid p. 348
-
7/30/2019 Approaches to the Study of Religion
40/40
40 | P a g e
8. Kant's Critical Hermeneutic of Prayer, Author(s): Stephen R. Palmquist, Publishedby: The University of Chicago Press
9. Ethics and the Narrated Life, Author(s): William A. Barbieri, Jr., Published by:The University of Chicago Press
10.Schleiermacher on the Philosopher's Stone: The Shaping of Schleiermacher's EarlyEthics by, the Kantian Legacy, Author(s): Jacqueline Maria, Published by: The
University of Chicago Press
11.Eric Voegelin's Vision of Personalism and Emmanuel Levinas's Ethics ofResponsibility: Toward a Post-Holocaust Spiritual Theology? Author(s): Marie L.
Baird, Published by: The University of Chicago Press
12.The Hungers of Hadewijch and Eckhart, Author(s): Donald F. Duclow, Publishedby: The University of Chicago Press
13."Panem Nostrum": The Problem of Petition and the Lord's Prayer, Author(s):Michael Joseph Brown, Published by: The University of Chicago Press
14.The Possibility of a Habituation Model of Moral Development in JonathanEdwards's Conception of the Will's Freedom, Author(s): Stephen A. Wilson,Published by: The University of Chicago Press
15.Time and Narrative in Augustine's "Confessions", Author(s): M. B. Pranger,Published by: The University of Chicago Press
16.Demons, Adversaries, Devils, Fishermen: The Asceticism of "AuthoritativeTeaching" (NHL,VI, 3) in the Context of Roman Asceticism, Author(s): Richard
Valantasis, Published by: The University of Chicago Press
17.The Ethics of Belief: Descartes and the Augustinian Tradition, Author(s):Matthew C. Bagger, Published by: The University of Chicago Press
18.Love Divine, All Loves Excelling: Balthasar's Negative Theology of Revelation,Author(s): Steffen Lsel and Mark D. Jordan, Published by: The University of
Chicago Press