Bogoslovska smotra, Vol. 77 No. 3, 2007.
Original scientific paper
Relation between »Philosophical Faith« and Revealed Religion in Karl Jaspers' Philosophy
Josip Oslić
; Catholic Faculty of Theology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Danijel Tolvajčić
; Catholic Faculty of Theology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
The article analyses Jaspers' idea of »philosophical faith« and its relation to religion. Although he has written no book explicitly dealing with the philosophy of religion, his philosophy can, in a certain way, be characterised as »Religionsphilosophie«. Jaspers' philosophy is not a Christian philosophy, but it is obvious that there is a certain analogy between Christianity and his philosophical faith. »Philosophical faith« is one of Jaspers' key philosophical concepts. It is a »thirdway« between the exclusivity of religion and sciencies.
Because it does not want to be confessional »Creed«, and considers itself an appeal for human freedom, philosophical faith cannot be confessed in defined statements, but it can be declared in propositions — »philosophical contents' of faith«. There are five of them: »God is«; »there is an unconditional imperative«; »man is finite and imperfect«; »man can live in God's guidance«; »the world has infinitesimal existence between God and existence«.
These propositions are not compulsory knowledge, but rather each of them has its own source in a fundamental experience of »Existenz« — they are source of man's freedom. Because of that, they are, in Jaspers' view, in opposition to confessional religions. Therefore, as a consequence of this opposition, the relationship between philosophical faith and religion can be described as a »struggle«: philosophical faith fights against the claim for exclusivity in religions, and for true »biblical religion« (in Jaspers' view).
Biblical religion (integrated in philosophical faith) is much more then ecclesiastic Christianity which Jaspers explicitly rejects. In Christianitv the substance of faith is regarded as absolute, ex-clusive truth. In philosophical faith truth is hidden and man is free from religious dogmas.
Keywords
Karl Jaspers; critique of religion; philosophical faith; religious faith; Existence; Transcedence
Hrčak ID:
22546
URI
Publication date:
12.12.2007.
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