Hossein Khodadadi; Ahmad Asgari
Abstract
One of the problems in Christian theology that ignites long-lasting debates is the explication of the relation between two realms of existence (mundane world) and essence (divine world). ...
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One of the problems in Christian theology that ignites long-lasting debates is the explication of the relation between two realms of existence (mundane world) and essence (divine world). Because of its capacity to give us a way out of the crisis of meaninglessness and nihilism, finding a solution to this problem is of importance to us. The lost meaning of the world should be restored the interaction between God and existence, therefore the dialectical relationship between these two seemingly separate realms can perform simultaneously two functions: giving meaning to and saving the world. According to Barth’s suggestion, the chiasm that separated the mundane and divine realms is unbridgeable relying solely on human reason and potencies, hence God himself with his omnipotence should intervene and save the world. Conversely, Tillich believes that the very system that initiates the creation, opens up the possibilities of redemption and these two procedures cannot be unrelated. Saving the world doesn’t require the negation of creation and bestowing meaning to it from beyond. Accepting that our world is not devoid of meaning, one can affirm it considering its positive side, while the necessity for negating the ambiguities and oppositions of the fallen world remains undisputed. In this essay, besides the investigation of Barth’s theory of dialectics and Tillich’s critiques thereof, it will be shown how Tillich apply the Nietzsche’s idea of affirmation to develop a positive dialectics.
