Talking About God: Exploring the Meaning of Religious Life with Kierkegaard, Buber, Tillich and Heschel

To wrestle with the ideas these thinkers present is to find ourselves challenged to look at our own religious lives in new ways and to appreciate the spiritual endeavours of others, whatever form their religious expression may take. The modern age of religion is characterised by dialogue. Jews and Christians together explore the realities and meaning of living in proximity to one another. Yet for all the good will and sincerity of intention, too often such discussions fail to progress beyond well-intentioned pleasantries to the challenging content that can truly deepen our understanding of each other. This fascinating and accessible introduction to the theologies of four modern religious thinkers will help you break through the superficial generalities to plumb the depths of religious differences and embrace the commonalities. Examining the lives and works of Soren Kierkegaard, Martin Buber, Paul Tillich and Abraham Joshua Heschel through the lens of their treatment of the Bible and the biblical patriarch Abraham, you will take part in a discussion of the very phenomenon of religion and what part it plays in living a fully engaged human life.

Table of Contents:
Preface: Living in an Age of Dialogue ix Acknowledgments xvii Introduction: Thinking Religiously 1 1 Søren Kierkegaard The Knight of Faith 21 2 Martin Buber The Human-Divine Conversation: Religion as Relationship 49 3 Paul Tillich The Quest for "The God Above God" 77 4 Abraham Joshua Heschel God's Need for Man: Faith as a Call to Action 97 Conclusion: Naming the Unnameable: Four Paths to Religious Understanding 125 Suggestions for Further Reading 129 Credits 133

About the Author :
Daniel F. Polish is widely recognised for his ability to blend imaginative scholarship with contemporary relevance and is a frequent teacher of both Jewish and Christian audiences.

Review :
"Illumines the significance of four of the most profound Jewish and Christian thinkers of the modern period … offers a way of understanding religion as a stimulus for the common good." —Sr. Mary C. Boys, Skinner and McAlpin Professor of Practical Theology, Union Theological Seminary; coauthor, Christians and Jews in Dialogue: Learning in the Presence of the Other “Intimate, subjective, profound … an urgently needed model for interfaith sharing. Warmly and accessibly written.” —Dr. Beatrice Bruteau, author, Jesus Through Jewish Eyes and What We Can Learn from the East “Provocative.… Will speak to all of us who strive to make sense of our shared human experience. Will be particularly indispensable for those engaged in serious interfaith education. A notable accomplishment.” —Dr. Neil Gillman, professor of Jewish philosophy, The Jewish Theological Seminary of America; author, The Jewish Approach to God: A Brief Introduction for Christians “An insightful and highly readable introduction to four religious giants whose thought continues to inform our philosophical and theological conversations today.” —Ron Miller, professor of religion, Lake Forest College; author, Healing the Jewish-Christian Rift: Growing Beyond Our Wounded History “A fascinating dialogue with four of the greatest thinkers of modernity that prepares the groundwork for an enhanced conversation between Christians and Jews. Kierkegaard, Buber, Tillich and Heschel come alive and speak to us and to each other across all that divides human beings.” —Dr. Norman J. Cohen, author, Moses and the Journey to Leadership and The Way Into Torah