The Lonely Man of Faith

by Joseph B. Soloveitchik

A 2006 version of Lonely Man might therefore recast some of the terms of the conflict between the Adams. But the overall dilemma—that retreat from the world is opposed to the divine will and yet today’s man of faith feels impelled to withdraw—defines the modern religious predicament forcefully. Today’s men and women of faith feel, no less poignantly than their predecessors, the need both to engage the world and to affirm themselves as individuals seeking God who integrate themselves into vibrant covenantal communities. Can they do both? It is a tribute to this work and its remarkable author that four decades later it still challenges us to ponder this question and address it with candor and sensitivity.