Paul Tillich

Paul Tillich
Paul Tillich
Born	Paul Johannes Tillich; August 20, 1886; Starzeddel, Province of Brandenburg, Prussia, German Empire
Died	October 22, 1965 (aged 79); Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Nationality	German; American (after 1940);
Education	University of Berlin; University of Tübingen; University of Halle-Wittenberg; University of Breslau
Notable work	Systematic Theology (1951–1963); The Courage to Be (1952);
Title	Theologian and philosopher
Spouses	Grethi Wever (m. 1914, divorced); Hannah Werner-Gottschow (m. 1924);
Children	2
	Theological work
Language	English; German;
Tradition or movement	Christian existentialism
Main interests	Ontology; Philosophical theology; Existential analysis;
Notable ideas	See list Method of correlation; Protestant principle; and Catholic substance; Ground of being; New Being; Theology of culture; Kairos; Theonomy; ;

Paul Johannes Tillich (August 20, 1886 – October 22, 1965) was a German-American Christian existentialist philosopher, Christian socialist, and Lutheran theologian who was one of the most influential theologians of the twentieth century.^[5] Tillich taught at German universities before immigrating to the United States in 1933, where he taught at Union Theological Seminary, Harvard University, and the University of Chicago.

For the general public, Tillich wrote the well-received The Courage to Be (1952) and Dynamics of Faith (1957). His major three-volume Systematic Theology (1951–1963) was for theologians; in many points it was an answer to existentialist critique of Christianity.^[6]

Tillich's work attracted scholarship from other influential thinkers like Karl Barth, Reinhold Niebuhr, H. Richard Niebuhr, George Lindbeck, Erich Przywara, James Luther Adams, Avery Cardinal Dulles, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Sallie McFague, Richard John Neuhaus, David Novak, Thomas Merton, Michael Novak, and Martin Luther King Jr. According to H. Richard Niebuhr, "[t]he reading of Systematic Theology can be a great voyage of discovery into a rich and deep, and inclusive and yet elaborated, vision and understanding of human life in the presence of the mystery of God."^[7] John Herman Randall Jr. lauded the Systematic Theology as "beyond doubt the richest, most suggestive, and most challenging philosophical theology our day has produced."^[8]

Tillich also authored many works in ethics, the philosophy of history, and comparative religion. His ideas continue to be studied and discussed at international conferences and seminars.

^ Paul Tillich, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, University of Chicago Press, 1963, p. 245
^ Paul Tillich, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, University of Chicago Press, 1951, p. 235
^ Paul Tillich, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, University of Chicago Press, 1957, p. 92, 120
^ "Autonomy and heteronomy are rooted in theonomy, and each goes astray when their theonomous unity is broken. Theonomy does not mean the acceptance of a divine law imposed on reason by a highest authority; it means autonomous reason united with its own depth. In a theonomous situation reason actualizes itself in obedience to its structural laws and in the power of its own inexhaustible ground." Tillich, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, p. 85
^ Peters, Ted (1995), Braaten, Carl E (ed.), A map of twentieth-century theology: readings from Karl Barth to radical pluralism (review), Fortress Press, backjacket, ISBN 9781451404814, retrieved 1 January 2011, The current generation of students has heard only the names of Barth, Brunner, Bultmann, Bonhoeffer, Tillich, and the Niebuhrs.
^ Tillich, My Search for Absolutes, 245
^ H. Richard Niebuhr, Union Seminary Quarterly Review, review on back cover of Systematic Theology, Vol. 3
^ John H. Randall Jr., Union Seminary Quarterly Review, review included on back cover of Systematic Theology, Vol. 1

[1] Paul Tillich, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, University of Chicago Press, 1963, p. 245

[2] Paul Tillich, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, University of Chicago Press, 1951, p. 235

[3] Paul Tillich, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, University of Chicago Press, 1957, p. 92, 120

[4] "Autonomy and heteronomy are rooted in theonomy, and each goes astray when their theonomous unity is broken. Theonomy does not mean the acceptance of a divine law imposed on reason by a highest authority; it means autonomous reason united with its own depth. In a theonomous situation reason actualizes itself in obedience to its structural laws and in the power of its own inexhaustible ground." Tillich, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, p. 85

[5] Peters, Ted (1995), Braaten, Carl E (ed.), A map of twentieth-century theology: readings from Karl Barth to radical pluralism (review), Fortress Press, backjacket, ISBN 9781451404814, retrieved 1 January 2011, The current generation of students has heard only the names of Barth, Brunner, Bultmann, Bonhoeffer, Tillich, and the Niebuhrs.

[6] Tillich, My Search for Absolutes, 245

[7] H. Richard Niebuhr, Union Seminary Quarterly Review, review on back cover of Systematic Theology, Vol. 3

[8] John H. Randall Jr., Union Seminary Quarterly Review, review included on back cover of Systematic Theology, Vol. 1

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Paul Tillich

Born	Paul Johannes Tillich (1886-08-20)August 20, 1886 Starzeddel, Province of Brandenburg, Prussia, German Empire
Died	October 22, 1965(1965-10-22) (aged 79) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Nationality	German American (after 1940)
Education	University of Berlin University of Tübingen University of Halle-Wittenberg University of Breslau
Notable work	Systematic Theology (1951–1963) The Courage to Be (1952)
Title	Theologian and philosopher
Spouses	Grethi Wever (m. 1914, divorced) Hannah Werner-Gottschow (m. 1924)
Children	2
Theological work
Language	English German
Tradition or movement	Christian existentialism
Main interests	Ontology Philosophical theology Existential analysis
Notable ideas	See list Method of correlation Protestant principle and Catholic substance^[1] Ground of being^[2] New Being^[3] Theology of culture Kairos Theonomy^[4]