In this section Dooyeweerd distinguishes between the theoretical and the religious antithesis and between the theoretical and the religious dialectic. He sets the stage for a fuller discussion of the four religious ground motives (RGM).
the theoretical antithesis
Antithesis means ‘opposition’; it was later given a particular meaning in philosophy – particularly Hegelian philosophy.
the religious antithesis
However, in Christian thought the antithesis ‘pertains to the relation between the creature and his Creator’. It does not allow a higher synthesis – Christian and non-Christian starting points cannot be synthesised.
Philosophy needs a starting point which it derives from religion. Theoretical thought does not contain its own absolute starting point. The absolute is found only in religion. To find the true meaning of antithesis and to find the source of differences of opinion the religious ground motives of western civilization need to be considered. Every religion has a ground motive – a spiritual force that acts as the absolute central mainspring of society.
A groundmotive:
the rgm of western culture
RGMs acquire their influence via cultural powers, such as the city-state (polis) of Greece, the Roman commonwealth (res publica) and later the emperor (sacrum imperium) of Rome, Christianity and modern humanism. In the Middle Ages the Roman Catholic (RC) church secured the role of leadership – all spheres in life were placed under the dominion of the church.
In the fifteenth century the Renaissance bought the church’s downfall. This led to the emergence of humanism. At the same time the Reformation challenged the RC’s powers. The RC church and the Reformation were driven back by humanism. In the Enlightenment humanism broke away from faith and pushed the church into a defensive mode for around three centuries. At the end of the nineteenth centurydecay entered into the humanistic world view – Marxism, Darwinism and Nietzsche’s superman pushed humanism into the defensive. World War I (WWI) accelerated the demise of optimistic humanism. The rise of fascism and Nazism was broken by WWII. Today spiritual confusion is everywhere.
the religious dialectic
Four RGMs have clashed. Three are dualistic with polar opposites that cannot be synthesied; they bear the seed of a religious dialectic.
Theoretcial antithesis is relative, it attempts to think through a logical opposition to its synthesis. Whereas a religious antithesis is absolute and cannot be synthesied. A religious dialectic is established by revelation founded in God’s word. The biblical GM is creation, fall and redemption. It is not a doctrine that can be uncovered by theology – one of the special sciences.
Idolatry deifies what is created, it absolutises an aspect of creation. Idolatry draws the human heart away from God.
A religious dialectic occurs when a RGM deifies a part of creation – a polar tension between the two extremes is set up. This breaks apart the GM, each of its motives claims absoluteness. It is impossible to synthesise them.
Another religious dialectic occurs when attempts are made to synthesis a Christian and another GM.
A closing warning: this is not merely a theoretical exercise.
review questions
1. What are the four religious ground motives?
2. What are the leading powers in the different ground motives?
3. What does Dooyewerd mean by an absolutisation?
4. What is a pseudosynthesis?
5. What is the difference between a theoretical and a religious antithesis?
6. What is the difference between a theoretical and a religious dialectic?
Study questions
1. Compare and contrast culture, world view, religious ground motives and religion.
the theoretical antithesis
Antithesis means ‘opposition’; it was later given a particular meaning in philosophy – particularly Hegelian philosophy.
the religious antithesis
However, in Christian thought the antithesis ‘pertains to the relation between the creature and his Creator’. It does not allow a higher synthesis – Christian and non-Christian starting points cannot be synthesised.
Philosophy needs a starting point which it derives from religion. Theoretical thought does not contain its own absolute starting point. The absolute is found only in religion. To find the true meaning of antithesis and to find the source of differences of opinion the religious ground motives of western civilization need to be considered. Every religion has a ground motive – a spiritual force that acts as the absolute central mainspring of society.
A groundmotive:
• is a spiritual force
• acts as the absolute cultural mainspring of society
• governs all of life’s expressions from the religious centre of life and directs them to a true or supposed origins of existence
• places an indelible stamp on the whole of culture and society
• has a spirit that is either the Spirit of God or that of an idol
• is a communal motive
• can never be the object for a special science
• can never be penetrated to their spiritual root by scientific analysis
• provides the point of departure for science – hence science can never be neutral with respect to religion.
the rgm of western culture
RGMs acquire their influence via cultural powers, such as the city-state (polis) of Greece, the Roman commonwealth (res publica) and later the emperor (sacrum imperium) of Rome, Christianity and modern humanism. In the Middle Ages the Roman Catholic (RC) church secured the role of leadership – all spheres in life were placed under the dominion of the church.
In the fifteenth century the Renaissance bought the church’s downfall. This led to the emergence of humanism. At the same time the Reformation challenged the RC’s powers. The RC church and the Reformation were driven back by humanism. In the Enlightenment humanism broke away from faith and pushed the church into a defensive mode for around three centuries. At the end of the nineteenth centurydecay entered into the humanistic world view – Marxism, Darwinism and Nietzsche’s superman pushed humanism into the defensive. World War I (WWI) accelerated the demise of optimistic humanism. The rise of fascism and Nazism was broken by WWII. Today spiritual confusion is everywhere.
the religious dialectic
Four RGMs have clashed. Three are dualistic with polar opposites that cannot be synthesied; they bear the seed of a religious dialectic.
Theoretcial antithesis is relative, it attempts to think through a logical opposition to its synthesis. Whereas a religious antithesis is absolute and cannot be synthesied. A religious dialectic is established by revelation founded in God’s word. The biblical GM is creation, fall and redemption. It is not a doctrine that can be uncovered by theology – one of the special sciences.
Idolatry deifies what is created, it absolutises an aspect of creation. Idolatry draws the human heart away from God.
A religious dialectic occurs when a RGM deifies a part of creation – a polar tension between the two extremes is set up. This breaks apart the GM, each of its motives claims absoluteness. It is impossible to synthesise them.
Another religious dialectic occurs when attempts are made to synthesis a Christian and another GM.
A closing warning: this is not merely a theoretical exercise.
review questions
1. What are the four religious ground motives?
2. What are the leading powers in the different ground motives?
3. What does Dooyewerd mean by an absolutisation?
4. What is a pseudosynthesis?
5. What is the difference between a theoretical and a religious antithesis?
6. What is the difference between a theoretical and a religious dialectic?
Study questions
1. Compare and contrast culture, world view, religious ground motives and religion.
No comments:
Post a Comment