Reading Summary

Tillich Systematic Theology Volume 1

Nathaniel B. Parker

Dr. Jeffery Bingham SYSTH7032A1

February 27, 2020

 Reading Summary

Tillich Systematic Theology Volume 1

Introduction

Tillich’s first volume of his Systematic Theology includes his introduction and theological

methodology, as well as two major parts on “Reason and Revelation” and “Being and God”. In

his introduction, Tillich begins his presentation by stating that theology must fulfill two needs of

the church: the “eternal truth” of the message of the church, and the present-day understanding of

such truth. (P 3) He elaborates on the “situation” of theology by stating that the “‘situation’

theology must consider is the creative interpretation of existence, going onto state the “‘situation’

to which theology must respond is the totality of man’s creative self-interpretation in a special

period.” (P 4) He structures his Systematic Theology as an “apologetic” or “answering theology.”

(P 6) After offering a critique on modern apologetic methods, he places theology in what he

terms as “kergymatic theology” which employs a dialectic synthesis of the eternal message of the

church and the use of present-day concepts. (P 6)

Tillich’s viewpoint on theology is from an existentialist perspective. His clearest

existentialist presentation is given in his two criteria of theology in which answers his “ultimate

concern” of “being or not-being”. (P 10; 14) His first proposition states: “The object of theology

is what concerns us ultimately. Only those propositions are theological which deal with their

object in so far as it can become a matter of ultimate concern for us,” in which his second

proposition continues as “our ultimate concern is that which determines our being or not-being.

Only those statements are theological which deal with their object in so far as it can become a

matter of being or not-being for us.” (P 12; 14) In his correlation between theology and

philosophy, Tillich states that theology “deals with the meaning of being for us.” (P 22)

Tillich rounds out his introduction with a contrast between historical and systematic

theology, outlines the sources of systematic theology, and discusses the relationship between

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experience and theology. He also covers reason and rationality with regard to understanding

theology.

Part 1-Chapter 1

Part 1 is Tillich’s discussion on “Reason and Revelation.” Chapter 1 overviews “Reason

and the Quest for Revelation.” Tillich begins with a distinction between the two concepts of

reason: ontological and technical. He considers the ontological concept of reason to be the

classical concept of reason. Tillch summaries it as: “reason is the structure of the mind which

enables the mind to grasp and to transform reality.” (P 72) He contrasts ontological reason with

technical reason when he states that technical reason is reduced to mere “reasoning,” elaborating

further by stating: “reason in the technical sense determines the means while accepting the ends

from ‘somewhere else’.” (P 73) Tillich employs both concepts of reason in theology, although he

rejects certain aspects of technical reason and places technical reason as a companion to

ontological reason. (P 73)

Next Tillich presents the relationship between subjective and objective reason. He defines

subjective reason as “the [rational] structure of the mind which enables it to grasp and to shape

reality on the basis of a corresponding structure of reality” and objective reason as “the rational

structure of reality which the mind can grasp and according to which it can shape reality.” (P 76-

77) Tillich elaborates on subjective reason by outlining four types of presuppositions concerning

subjective reason (although he states that theologians need not decide on how true are each of

these presuppositions). He also elaborates on the concepts of grasping and shaping with regard to

subjective reason. On objective reason, Tillich presents a handful of brief illustrations of

objective reason, culminating in the dynamic aspect of objective reason.

Tillich also covers the depth of reason, in which he states “The depth of reason is the

expression of something that is not reason but which precedes reason and is manifest through it.”

(P 79) He also provides metaphors for his discussion concerning the depth of reason. Sections on
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“reason in existence” and the “cognitive function of reason and the quest for revelation” round

out the chapter. (P 81; 93)

Part 1-Chapter 2

In Chapter 2, Tillich covers the “Reality of Revelation.” Under the meaning of revelation,

Tillich outlines various “marks” of revelation, with each pointing back to his thesis of his

“ultimate concern” when he defines revelation as the “manifestation of what concerns us

ultimately.” (P 110) Next he discusses various mediums (media) or revelation, including nature,

history, groups, individuals, and “the word”. He also makes a distinction between original and

dependent revelation and discusses the knowledge of revelation.

In the heart of his chapter, Tillich presents the “appearance of Jesus as the Christ” as the

“final revelation”. (P 135) However, Tillich re-defines the “final revelation” of Jesus Christ as

that which “has the power of negating itself without losing itself.” (P 133) He goes onto elaborate

“in order to be able to surrender himself completely, he must possess himself completely...In the

picture of Jesus as the Christ we have the picture of a man who possesses these qualities, a man

who, therefore, can be called the medium of final revelation.” (P 133) He concludes his treatment

on the symbolic terminology of the “Son of God” by stating: “Jesus of Nazareth is the medium of

the final revelation because he sacrifices himself completely to Jesus as the Christ.” (P 136)

Tillich next offers a brief examination of the history of revelation through the lens of the

“final revelation”. He divides the history of revelation into a “universal...period of preparation”

and a “period of reception”. (P 138) He also equates the history of revelation with the history of

salvation. (P 143)

Tillich proceeds to discuss the use of reason in “final revelation,” in which he states that

“final revelation answers the questions and overcomes the conflicts of reason in existence.” (P

147) He offers a threefold elaboration in that “final revelation”: it overcomes the “conflict of

autonomy and heteronomy,” it overcomes the “conflict of absolutism and relativism,” and it
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overcomes the “conflict between formalism and emotionalism”. A section on the “ground of

revelation” rounds out the chapter.

Part 2-Chapter 1

Part 2 is Tillich’s discussion on “Being and God”. Tillich begins with a brief introduction

to the question of being. He considers reason and revelation to be subordinated to the concept of

being. (P 163) Additionally, Tillich the philosophical discussion of “being,” preferring the term

“ontology” to “metaphysics”. (P 163) He also provides four “levels of ontological concepts”. (P

164)

Next Tillich outlines three groups of ontological elements. He begins with

“individualization and participation” and applies the elements to man (humankind) and the world.

(P 174) Tillich continues his grouping with “dynamics and form,” concluding with “freedom and

destiny,” which Tillich states that “freedom and destiny”is the fulfillment of the “ontological

structure”. (P 177; 181)

Tillich continues the chapter with an elaboration on “being and finitude” by illustrating

the dialectic tension between being and nonbeing. (P 186) He defines finitude as the limitation of

being by nonbeing. (P 188) He expounds on this further by stating: “finitude is experienced on

the human level; nonbeing is experienced as the threat to being.” (P 190) He also discusses the

relationship between “essential and existential being” (which is unpacked further in his overall

systematic treatment). (P 202) Tillich summarizes the relationship this way: “the distinction

between essence and existence, which religiously speaking is the distinction between the created

and the actual world, is the backbone of the whole body of theological thought.” (P 204)

Tillich concludes the chapter with a treatment on the ontological and cosmological

arguments for the existence of God. He does this in preparation for his upcoming chapter on the

reality of God. Tillch refutes that either argument are sufficient arguments for the existence of

God. He considers them as “expressions of the question of God which is implied in human

finitude.” (P 205)
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Part 2-Chapter 2

Chapter 2 presents Tillich’s understanding of the “Reality of God”. Tillich begins his

definition of God by stating that there need not be an actual being of God but an “expression” of

“being-itself” that corresponds back to Tillich’s original thesis of “ultimate concern”. He defines

God this way: “this does not mean that first there is a being called God and then the demand that

man should be ultimately concerned about him. It means that whatever concerns a man ultimately

becomes god for him, and, conversely, it means that a man can be concerned ultimately only

about that which is god for him,” going onto elaborate: “This underlines the fact that the gods are

not objects within the context of the universe. They are expressions of the ultimate concern

which transcends the cleavage between subjectivity and objectivity.” (P 211; 214) God and the

“idea of holy” is also discussed in his overall definition of God. (P 214)

Four aspects of typology are presented next. The relationship between typology and the

history of religion is given first.Types of polytheism and monotheism follow. A discussion on

God as “being” comes next, in which Tillich states that to think of God as “being” would be to

put God within the boundaries of finitude. Tillich also continues with a contrast between

potential being and actual being under the section of “God as living”. (P 241)

Tillich proceeds to cover the creation and fall in terms of God’s originating creativity,

applying dialectical methodology with the creation and fall being two aspects of a single event in

dialectical tension. (P 255-256) He continues the section with a presentation on God’s sustaining

creativity (preservation), as well as God’s directing creativity in which Tillich states that

“creation has no purpose beyond itself.” (P 263) Instead of the phrase the “purpose of creation,”

Tillich prefers the phrase the “telos of creativity” when he states it is the “inner aim of fulfilling

in actuality what is beyond potentiality and actuality in the divine life.” (P 264)

A section on “God as related” rounds out the chapter. (P 270). Tillich focuses on the

relation of God to creatures through God’s divine holiness, divine power, and divine love. (P

270; 272; 279) He concludes the book with an exposition on “God as Lord and Father”. (P 286)
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Study/Discussion Questions

1. In Section 4 of his Introduction, Tillich presents “two formal criteria of every

theology”. (P 10) How does Tillich’s position on existentialism in Theology influence his

discussion of these two criteria?

2. In Sections 5-6 of Chapter II of Part 1, Tillich presents the “appearance of Jesus as the

Christ” as the “final revelation”. (P 135) What is unique in Tillich’s discussion as Jesus as the

final revelation in contrast to other previously-discussed theologians such as Barth?

3. In Sections 1 and 3 of Chapter II of Part 2, how does Tillich define “God” (see P 211

and 235), and how does his definition of “God” fit within his “ultimate concern” outlined in his

Introduction?

4. In Section 5 of Chapter II of Part 2, how does Tillich apply dialectical methodology

with regard to creation and the fall (see P 255-256)?

5. In Chapter 1 of Part 1, Tillich presents contrasts to two different categories of types

reason (ontological and technical; subjective and objective). Take one of these two categories of

types of reason, explain the relationship of each other and their distinctions, and demonstrate how

Tillich employs the use of them in his theological method.

6. What does Tillich mean when he states on Page 22 that theology “deals with the

meaning of being for us.”? (“Being” is a code word. What does Tillich mean by “being”?)

7. In Part 1, Chapter 2, how does Tillich define the “Word of God”, and what does he

mean by the term “inner word”?