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Loading... God in Search of Man: A Philosophy of Judaism (original 1955; edition 1976)by Abraham Joshua Heschel
Work InformationGod in Search of Man : A Philosophy of Judaism by Abraham Joshua Heschel (1955)
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. Rabbi Heschel (1907-1972) was internationally known as a scholar, author, activist, and theologian. He was Professor of Ethics and Mysticism at the Jewish Theological Seminary in America. This work is, without a doubt, one of the most compelling books on any subject which I have read in recent years. While I Iearned much about Judaism, between each line, I was also gaining insight into my Catholic Faith and my own experience and short-comings in the spiritual life! This book is a MUST READ! ( ) "Faith in God is, we repeat, not easily attained. Had it been possible to prove His existence beyond dispute, atheism would have been refuted as an error long ago." Faith is not easy, and neither is this book, but that's a virtue. This isn't simple theology; it's a bit of a slog, though it's divided into short chunks. I don't think I can do justice to it without writing a college term paper, but even when I found myself disagreeing with it, I was forced to challenge my own conception of God and faith. "God in Search of Man" is a splendid assortment of essays on a wide range of sub-headings found under the general heading of Judaism. Why is the Bible important? Who or what is God? How do we reconcile religious teachings with scientific facts? How is Judaism different from its cousin, Christianity? What is the relevance of religious ritual? Why should we listen to the rabbi's of the Talmudic era? At his best, Heschel is methodical and detailed, with is passionate love of God and Judaism permeating whole sections of the book. When he delves more deeply into philosophy I found my mind wandering a bit. The weakest section is probably the portion of the book in which he defends the Bible. He posits some things that his readers - even devoutly Jewish readers - may not fully accept, and if the reader doesn't posit the same thing, then his argument collapses around it. Read it straight through, or read its mostly short essays when the mood strikes. A good book either way. no reviews | add a review
Abraham Joshua Heschel was one of the most revered religious leaders of the 20th century, and "God in Search of Man "and its companion volume," Man Is Not Alone," two of his most important books, are classics of modern Jewish theology. "God in Search of Man" combines scholarship with lucidity, reverence, and compassion as Dr. Heschel discusses not man's search for God but God's for man--the notion of a Chosen People, an idea which, he writes, "signifies not a quality inherent in the people but a relationship between the people and God." It is an extraordinary description of the nature of Biblical thought, and how that thought becomes faith. No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)296.3Religions Other Religions Judaism Jewish philosophyLC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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