Monotheism and Existentialism

Description

Existentialism is often seen and at times parodied as the philosophy of individuality, authenticity, despair, and defiance in a godless world. However, it cannot be understood without reference to religion, and in particular the monotheism of Christianity. Even the existentialist slogan, 'existence precedes essence', is formulated in relation to monotheism. This Element will show that monotheism and existentialism are intertwined: they react to each other, and share content and concerns. This Element will set out a genealogy of existentialist thought; explore key atheistic and theistic existentialists; and argue that there are productive conversations to be had as regards key concepts such as freedom and authenticity, relationality, and ethics. Cover Title page Copyright page Monotheism and Existentialism Contents 1 What Is Existentialism? 1.1 Definitions and Debates, Paradigms and Patterns 1.2 Is Existentialism an Atheism? 2 Climbing the Existentialist Tree: Six Proto-Existentialists 2.1 Augustine (354–430) 2.2 Blaise Pascal (1623–1662) 2.3 Søren Kierkegaard (1813–1855) 2.4 Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) 2.5 Martin Heidegger (1889–1976) 2.6 Karl Jaspers (1883–1969) 2.7 Conclusion 3 Survivors of the Death of God 3.1 Jean-Paul Sartre (1905–1980): A Useless Passion 3.2 Simone de Beauvoir (1908–1986): Sedimented Freedom and Dangerous Devotion 3.3 Albert Camus (1931–1960): Benign Indifference and an Eternal Fall 3.4 Conclusion 4 God beyond Being and Nothingness 4.1 Gabriel Marcel (1888–1973): Being and Mystery 4.2 Nikolai Berdyaev (1874–1943): Creativity ex nihilo 4.3 Paul Tillich (1886–1965): The Ground and Power of Being 4.4 Conclusion 5 Monotheism and Existentialism, Evaluated 5.1 Ontology and Relationality 5.2 Activity and Passivity 5.3 Freedom and Responsibility 5.4 A Final Reflection References Acknowledgements