Religious Language - Tillich & Symbol

Question 1

What do symbols help signify?
For eg; Dove or Rose

And how does this help us understand God?

Answer 1

Ideas and qualities of an object or word that are different from its literal meaning

Dove - symbol of peace
Rose - symbol of love

Same way, symbolism helps us understand deeper meaning behind movies or books, we can use symbols to show ideas of God.

Question 2

Who was Paul Tillich? (1888-1965)

Answer 2

US theologian and philosopher

Question 3

What is the problem with Tillich’s view that religious language is symbolic?

What is the only cognitive content in his view?

Answer 3

inevitably suggests that religious language is symbolic is that it inevitably suggests religious statements are not literally true.

That God is ‘Being-Itself’

Question 4

What does Tilichs system around and what are his concepts driven by?

Answer 4

‘Ultimate concern’
driven by our own psychology as in symbols of judgement.

Question 5

What were US philosopher Randall (1899-1980) 4 main religious symbol functions?

Acronym: MICS

Answer 5

Motivational - religious symbols like the cross inspire ppl emotionally

Indicative - they show us visions of God

Communicational - csn express beliefs and experiences that literal language can’t

Social - a common understanding of religious symbols binds people together

Question 6

What is critique of Randalls view? (On the term God and what it reduced God to?)

Answer 6

Term ‘God’ seems to have no cognitive content

Reduced to a symbol for human values.