Review article

On the Border of Philosophy and Theology. Paul Tillich and the Question of Philosophical Theology

Danijel Tolvajčić ; Catholic Faculty of Theology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

Paul Tillich is one of the most significant religious philosophers and theologians in the 20th century. His significance is especially attributed to his attempt to found »philosophical theology« - a discipline that exists only on the »border of philosophy and theology«. This article analyses the idea of »philosophical theology«.
The article primarily endeavours to enlighten the selfness of »philosophical theology'« in relation to other types of theologising (particularly in relation to Karl Earth's »cherigmatic theology« as well as its relations to classical »rational theology« (and its proof of the being of God). The article then deals with the method, aim and duty of »philosophical theology«. It also examines the objections directed towards Tillich by both theologians and philosophers. The fundamental motiv proves to be permanently steering philosophy to theology and theology to philosophy. The two disciplines stand in permanent correlation - philosophy sets fundamental existential questions while theology offers responses. Even though they are correlated, in the »philosophy of theology«, philosophy and theology never enter into conflict or into an unnatural synthesis, instead they endeavour to respond to man's fundamental question of »Who am I?«

Keywords

Paul Tillich; philosophical theology; correlation method; philosophy; ontology; theology

Hrčak ID:

38224

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/38224

Publication date:

2.7.2009.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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