Paul Tillich

Paul Tillich 

Paul Tillich (1886—1965) was a German-born, American systematic theologian-philosopher who was influential in the 20th century. He developed a “theology of culture” which sought to re-emphasize the discourse between theology and culture. Theologians influenced by his thought include David Tracy, Sallie McFague, John B. Cobb, and Gordon Kaufman. 

He was a man of his times, greatly influenced by the events of the early 20th century. Born in Germany to a Lutheran cleric, he was drawn to the classical philosophical tradition. While proficient on the work of Kant, Schleiermacher, and Hegel, his two doctoral dissertations (Philosophy and Theology) focused on Friedrich Schelling. Schelling worked on the philosophical topic of “absolute idealism”. His theology was also influence by Martin Kahler. In 1912, he became a minister of the Evangelical Lutheran Church and in WWI, he enlisted as an Army Chaplain. Distraught by the horrors of war, he soon left and sought solace in the art world. His interest in art and painting seems to have been influential in his interest on the relation between theology and culture. Between 1919 and 1924, his lectures while in Berlin sought to develop an apologetic theology that addressed the social context of post-WWI Berlin. After being appointed to professorship (Theology) in Marburg, he found that the students there were influenced by neo-orthodox theology that disconnected theology from culture. It was at Marburg that he began work on his greatest work, “Systematic Theology”; its first volume would only be published 25 years later. In 1928, he became Professor of Philosophy of Religion and Social Philosophy in Dresden and in 1929, Chair of Philosophy in Frankfurt. But his sympathy for the Jewish people and his rhetoric against the Nazi movement led to his dismissal. Believing his life to be in danger, he accepted the invitation by Reinhold Niebuhr to emigrate to New York. Struggling with English till the end of his days, he lectured at Union Theological Seminary and then at Harvard University.

Some key influences on his thought developed out of his life situation. His love of nature, due to growing up in the countryside, and love of German literature influenced him as a “naturalist” and a “romantic”. His romanticism influenced his view of history. Regarding his philosophical theology, his experience of the holy led to his continuing desire to understand the “idea of God”. The war deeply influenced him and he joined the socialist movement that arose afterwards. He believed in a religious socialism and the need for social justice. As Heywood states, Tillich’s theology is a “new creation” based on the various influences in his life: the social, artistic, philosophical, theological and political.

References: 

Thomas, J. Heywood. “Paul Tillich: An Appraisal” (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1963)

“The Cambridge Companion to Paul Tillich”. Edited by Russell Re Manning (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009)

Kennedy, Philip. "Twentieth-Century Theologians: A New Introduction to Modern Christian Thought" (London: I.B. Tauris & Co Ltd, 2010)