A Fruitful Crisis of Belief: Hans Jonas on a Proper Mode of Faith within the Context of Modernity

The philosopher Hans Jonas penned several essays illustrating how modern thought represents a revolutionary overturning of previously held religious beliefs. The new paradigms of thought toppled prior worldviews of Christianity. Thus, modernity represents a crisis for religious belief. Yet, Jonas co...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Pietropaoli, Matthew (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: [2017]
In: Proceedings of the American Catholic Philosophical Association
Year: 2017, Volume: 91, Pages: 115-126
RelBib Classification:KAJ Church history 1914-; recent history
NBC Doctrine of God
VA Philosophy
Further subjects:B BELIEF & doubt
B Modernity
B PHYSICAL cosmology
B Faith
B Crises
Online Access: Volltext (doi)
Description
Summary:The philosopher Hans Jonas penned several essays illustrating how modern thought represents a revolutionary overturning of previously held religious beliefs. The new paradigms of thought toppled prior worldviews of Christianity. Thus, modernity represents a crisis for religious belief. Yet, Jonas contends that modern thought may paradoxically provide the occasion for a deeper encounter with God. This paper will examine Jonas's discussions on both the challenge and opportunity which modern thought presents to Christianity. First, I will address Jonas's understanding of how modern science transformed the Christian, God-centered view of the universe, showing, instead, a world following from impersonal laws. Second, I look briefly at Jonas's understanding of how Rudolph Bultmann responded to this crisis by attempting to "de-mythologize" belief. Third, I will show how Jonas argues that the challenge of modern science to Christian cosmology allows the believer the opportunity for a closer connection to God, moving beyond beliefs and into relationship.
ISSN:2153-7925
Contains:Enthalten in: American Catholic Philosophical Association, Proceedings of the American Catholic Philosophical Association
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.5840/acpaproc201991288