Religious consciousness has three main moments or phases. God is the “universal”, initially infinite and undifferentiated, associated with various forms of paganism and pantheism. The second moment is that in which I distinguish myself from God. The finite and the infinite appear disunited. My consciousness of God “outside” involves my consciousness of myself as separated or alienated from him as a sinner. The third moment is that of individuality — the return of the particular to the universal, the finite to the infinite. Separation and alienation are overcome. This is religion as an abstract
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