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94th out of 101 books
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6 voters
The Courage to Be
In this classic and deeply insightful book, one of the world's most eminent philosophers describes the dilemma of modern man and points a way to the conquest of the problem of anxiety. This edition includes a new introduction by Peter J. Gomes that reflects on the impact of this book in the years since it was written.
Paperback, Second Edition, 200 pages
Published
July 11th 2000
by Yale University Press
(first published 1952)
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Tillich is brave in the face of the void, but faith ultimately offers no more than knowledge or will (Nietzsche). The ultimate question requires a new wisdom-before-death, some true seeing through the veil, something religious and supernatural. What is the spirit that seeks what is not known without skepticism?
Inspired by Heidegger, Tillich takes a great run at it with this classical book, and achieves a new high-water mark for 1952. Regrettably for those of ultimate concern, the new wisdom is...more
Inspired by Heidegger, Tillich takes a great run at it with this classical book, and achieves a new high-water mark for 1952. Regrettably for those of ultimate concern, the new wisdom is...more
The first and most important task for Tillich is to render courage ontologically, over and against an ethical concept. Courage as a productive, creative and energetic response to non-being is being-itself, and thus provides the ground for our own courage to be. Of course, Tillich’s book does not offer a reason for the courage to be; if the courage to be was founded on a reason, an intellectual process, it would be ultimately foundationless and as meaningless as that which it should overtake. Yet...more
This book has two overarching themes that Tillich ties together. First, the modern age is plagued with anxiety, which is an awareness of our potential for "non-being." The three threats to "being" are death, emptiness and loss of meaning, and self-condemnation about not fulfilling our destiny. The result, despair, can be addressed only by an affirmation of our essence, our true self, which is our reason that allows us to participate in universal reason and the cosmic logos. Taking that affirmati...more
Paul Tillich examines anxiety. Fear is different from anxiety in that fear is directed at a specific object whereas anxiety is not. Anxiety is not directed at a specific object because it comes from the thereat of nonbeing. Our nonbeing exists at three levels the ontic, spiritual and moral. Ontic anxiety is experienced as anxiety of fate and ultimately of death. Spiritual anxiety is experienced as emptiness and ultimately as meaninglessness. Moral anxiety is experienced as rejection and ultimate...more
i particularly enjoyed Tillich's analysis of pathological and existential anxiety
Pathological anxiety, in relation to the anxiety of fate and death, produces an unrealistic security; in relation to the anxiety of guilt and condemnation, an unrealistic perfection; in relation to the anxiety of doubt and meaninglessness, and unrealistic certitude
This literary piece is brilliant and abundant in illustration. Certainly recommended :) !!
Pathological anxiety, in relation to the anxiety of fate and death, produces an unrealistic security; in relation to the anxiety of guilt and condemnation, an unrealistic perfection; in relation to the anxiety of doubt and meaninglessness, and unrealistic certitude
This literary piece is brilliant and abundant in illustration. Certainly recommended :) !!
Could talk about this for a long time. It changed how I think about the world and also how I think about therapy and how best to live. Looks at the central question of, how do we hold our faith in God in a world where the symbols and forms of the past have lost their meaning?
"Doubt is not the opposite of faith; it is one element of faith."
"Faith consists in being vitally concerned with that ultimate reality to which I give the symbolical name of God. Whoever reflects earnestly on the meaning of...more
"Doubt is not the opposite of faith; it is one element of faith."
"Faith consists in being vitally concerned with that ultimate reality to which I give the symbolical name of God. Whoever reflects earnestly on the meaning of...more
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Although Tillich's writing can seem frustratingly academic, the ideas he presents are extremely relevant. He provides a historical framework on the philosophy of courage from Plato to Spinoza and then uses that platform to posit his own reasoning as a religious philosophic. Give this some time to sink in. It's worth it.
Do not read this unless you have some momentum going already.
Do not read this unless you have some momentum going already.
In this amazing book, Tillich describes the challenge we all face - to find meaning in life in the midst of all the uncertainty that characterizes our existence. The anxiety that is a product of our existence can be diffused by the courage that comes with a determination to affirm our place in the world, despite the "threats" that come with death and the idea of "non-being." The strength to affirm meaning in our existence thus emanates from the courage to pursue our existence in the face of all...more
I put this book in league with Dennis Brutus (who I also adore) and his poem "Stubborn Hope." Tillich is easy to read, even when he is doing the background philosophy work. I read Tillich when I feel discouraged or disheartened. He makes me feel like the mundane struggles of life have meaning.
This book was absolutely brilliant. I have to admit, about halfway through the book I still wasn't sure if I was going to like it. But in the last 3 chapters he really pulled it together. I guess that kind of makes sense because the first 3 were really the ground work for the concept and after that point you could really take it or leave it. It's in the second half of the book where he really proves his point.
This book is brilliant in and of itself, but I would suggest reading Peter Rollins (or...more
This book is brilliant in and of itself, but I would suggest reading Peter Rollins (or...more
Superb book, though challenging academically to read. A most insightful analysis of human anxiety and its two major root causes - the courage to be "me" and the courage to be"long". As humans, we are pulled between this dilemma of life - the fear to lose who we are vs the fear to be rejected by groups we care about. He resolves it all in the end with faith in Jesus, a resolution I accept. Remarkable in its lack of "religiosity" for a well-respected theologian. Worth reading for the seriously ref...more
I first started reading this book because I want answers to the existential angst that plagues me and others aware of the implications of post-modern ideas. I don’t mean to say that I wanted an alternative to post-modernism; I don’t believe that is any more realistic than saying that I want an alternative to turning 32, for that’s just wishful thinking. I’m not a post-modernist, for I am not merely a product of my culture, but I am influenced by my culture. If I’m being honest with myself, there...more
Tillich's takes his understanding of the Existentialist in despair when faced with meaninglessness and the threat of nonbeing and walks him through the Western Philosophical development of Existentialists thought and theology while always positing against despair when faced with meaninglessness, fate, death, and nonbeing the possibility of a "God above God" ; the power by which man, even in the depths of his despair can take nonbeing and anxiety and condemnation within himself and still find "T...more
A friend recomended this book... He told me it was one of the "easier" books by Tillich. I had to read it 3 times to get a superficial grasp of the concepts. I loved the book. Here are my notes from right after I read it....
Tillich is a theologists who philosophizes about theology. The whole "God above God" thing was hard to get the first pass thru the book. Why he coudln't use simpler words (God of theology is an idol created by man... the God above God is the God above that idol).
Tillich is a theologists who philosophizes about theology. The whole "God above God" thing was hard to get the first pass thru the book. Why he coudln't use simpler words (God of theology is an idol created by man... the God above God is the God above that idol).
I read this book for a class called Protestant Thought. Paul Tillich was our example of modern Protestant theology. The book was interesting in the context of the course, but I was also touched by it on a more personal level. As a person who has struggled with religious doubt, Tillich presents a compelling theological framework that includes the possibility of meaninglessness. I would recommend this book to anyone with a serious interest in theology.
This is a book that I will probably need to read a few times to even remotely begin to understand. However, what I got out of this first reading was good and interesting, and Tillich certainly gave me a lot to think about.
The book begins with a look at the historical understanding of being and courage. The next two chapters deal with anxiety and non-being. Tillich then looks at courage and participation (or the courage to be as a part) and courage and individualization (or the courage to be as o...more
The book begins with a look at the historical understanding of being and courage. The next two chapters deal with anxiety and non-being. Tillich then looks at courage and participation (or the courage to be as a part) and courage and individualization (or the courage to be as o...more
They call Tillich the apostle to the intellectuals because he showed intelligent people that they can have religious faith and still have an authentic confrontation with reality (for example, he didn't think science was a threat to religion).I thought the chapters on existential and pathological anxiety were the most useful. Tillich thinks there is an ontological distinction between normal existential anxiety (fear of death, feelings of spiritual meaninglessness, guilt) and pathological anxiety,...more
Interesting how as I read through more and more of the so called "great authors" I find an underlying pattern and message that is repeated over and over again. These are men and women who have journeyed deep into the darkness of the their own soul and have survived to tell the rest of us about it. To let us know that the alienation we feel is not our alone, but of all mankind when our cultural, religious, philosophical and societal safe-guards have all failed. When we stand naked and vulnerable...more
May 11, 2009
Edel
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone who does not mind wrestling with existential thoughts.
Did I understand even half of it? I doubt it. Even though, the bit I did understand was awesome! Yes, Tillich's writing is dense, is acadamic, is hard work to wrestle through -- but well worth the struggle. It can give you courage to be, acknowledging all the anxieties and doubts that are part of life and still be, positively be!
If I had read The Courage To Be years ago when I bought it, I would have given it five stars. It is cerebral and insightful and at the time I was into such books - I was reading Erich Fromm, Kierkegaard, et.al. But I have taken up Zen Buddhism since then and I found TCTB too abstract and cerebral for my present tastes. It is a fine book to occupy your mind, but it did not encourage my heart or transform my being.
This may have been the most difficult book I've ever read. It is not easily accessible. It is based on a series of Tillich's lectures from the 50s. And I think the key is reading him in the context in which he wrote. Many evangelicals throw a lot of disparaging labels about Tillich. There is a kernel of truth to many of them. At the same time, looking at the purpose of this work and how it connected to me was valuable enough for my time.
This is a great work of philosophical theology. Although I strongly disagree with Tillich's ultimate conclusion that the courage to be is found in belief in a "god beyond God" the analysis is employs to reach that conclusion is fascinating, challenging and surprisingly moving.
The description of the types of anxiety is outstanding, and this to me is the reason for reading the book. However, after setting out the existential problem to be addressed, Tillich does not offer any compelling resolutions. Otherwise this would be a 5-star book.
Outlines a Nietzsche-inspired sort of post-theology theology; provides a more explicitly anti-fascist solution to the problem of God's death. "The courage to be is rooted in the God who appears when God has disappeared in the anxiety of doubt."
"The basic anxiety, the anxiety of a finite being about the threat of nonbeing, cannot be eliminated. It belongs to existence itself" (39).
"The courage of the modern period was not a simple optimism. It had to take into itself the deep anxiety of nonbeing in a universe without limits and without a humanly understandable meaning" (106).
"The courage of the modern period was not a simple optimism. It had to take into itself the deep anxiety of nonbeing in a universe without limits and without a humanly understandable meaning" (106).
A great read when you are gripped by despair. I read it recently while on a vacation and was amazed by Tillich's verbal suppleness. The ambitious scope of Tillich's book had me from the beginning. Etymology of the word courage followed by a historical discussion of the concept and a philosophical application for the modern age with theological consequences.
Great book. Not his best. The idea, though, is one of the best attempts to merge the idea of faith with modern philosophy. If existentialism appeals to you then this is a must read.
This classic defines the central human dilemma of being distanced from our essential nature. He defines courage as the choice to live fully in spite of human limitation and
anxiety.
anxiety.
This was a foundation stone for me in college when I was searching for "the true meaning of life." Don't know that I have found it, but Tillich's insight was very helpful.
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was a German-American theologian and Christian existentialist philosopher. Tillich was – along with his contemporaries Rudolf Bultmann (Germany), Karl Barth (Switzerland), and Reinhold Niebuhr (United States) – one of the four most influential Protestant theologians of the 20th century.[citation needed] Among the general populace, he is best known for his works The Courage to Be (1952) and Dynamic...more
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“Neurosis is the way of avoiding nonbeing by avoiding being”
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“[A] process was going on in which people were transformed into things, into pieces of reality which pure science can calculate and technical science can control. … [T]he safety which is guaranteed by well-functioning mechanisms for the technical control of nature, by the refined psychological control of the person, by the rapidly increasing organizational control of society – this safety is bought at a high price: man, for whom all this was invented as a means, becomes a means himself in the service of means.”
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3 people liked it
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Mar 22, 2011 05:17am