Product Description

These 16 sermons contain in concentrated form some of Tillich's most lambent themes. Although they were first published in the early 1960s, the pieces in question take up preoccupations which continue to haunt us at the beginning of the 21st century. Tillich discusses, among other topics, wisdom; salvation; loneliness and solitude; creation in relation to the creator; inequality; and spiritual presence. He has a desire to make sense of the fundamental mystery of Christian theology: the paradox of the moment which is now wherein comes the mystery which is eternity.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #437812 in Books
• Published on: 2003-06
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 150 pages

Review
'Here, in direct language, free from pietistic jargon and theological abstractions, Tillich speaks to twentieth-century man. Shining through these excellent addresses is his evangelistic concern, his attempt to make intelligible and acceptable the deep things of the Christian faith... he is constantly trying to interpret the facts of everyday experience in such a way that they become revelatory of God, and time and again his sane wisdom finds expression in brief but illuminating sayings.' Expository Times; 'There is not one of these addresses that does not deserve careful scrutiny.' Times Literary Supplement

Customer Reviews

A very capable introduction to Tillich's perspective.
Enegetic and simple, The Eternal Now is a very accessible introduction to the multi-faceted theology of Paul Tillich. Throughout this collection of sermons, Tillich emphasizes the connection between the temporal and eternal (a strength of his writing in general). And, this emphasis is achieved with a light hand, Tillich repeatedly walks the reader calmly towards the realization of how much can still be accomplished by the individual, what courage he or she can still gain -- how much, all of us, are still rooted "in divine ground." Tillich speaks from a Christian perspective, but his wisdom is non-denominational. His is a theology even for the stoutest critic, because as Tillich alludes to in the following passage from The Eternal Now, cynic and priest can ask similar questions from a similar conidition: "There are many ways in which solitude can be sought and experienced. And each way can be called 'religious,' . . . as one philosopher said . . . 'religion is what a man does with his solitariness.'" Emphasizing that such things as eternal questions and Love do not belong to a specific religion or era, Tillich's work speaks to, and beyond, our time and culture. He demands such a flexibility of perspective from us as humans. This is the legacy and promise Tillich offers, and The Eternal Now is a very capable introduction to it.

Recognizing the reality of doubt
Tillich recognizes the human condition and the frailties of human existence. In the first 6 sermons on "the human predicament", he discusses such paradoxical human conditions as loneliness and solitude, forgetting and being forgotten, and "The good that I will, I do not". "The divine reality" section contains sermons on the harder aspects of Christianity, that no one can say with certainty that they are participating in the new reality, the Holy Spirit, and that the flight from God begins the moment we feel His presence. Tillich recognizes the reality of doubt, for if we could possess Him like any other familiar work, God would not be God (and perhaps if we do not have doubts, we are limiting Him too much!). Throughout the book, Tillich recognizes the message of "divine foolishness" (his phrase), and the role of the Holy in wisdom and meaning. These are thought provoking sermons, particularly for those of an existentialist bent.

Accessible and digestible Tillich
Part of a three volume collection of chapel addresses ("The New Being" and "The Shaking of the Foundations" are the companion volumes), this book is an unorganized introduction to Tillich's thought. Each sermon is self-contained; however, the collection has been organized into three sections.

The first, The Human Predicament, spoke strongly to me, perhaps because I identify so strongly with the sixties. Tillich's themes, loneliness, being forgotten, evil, being, ministry and eternity, are shared with a depth and insight rarely captured in sermon form. For example, he writes, "they never find the courage to make a total judgment against themselves, and therefore, they can never find the courage to believe in a total acceptance of themselves." In this section, Tillich reveals that he is thoroughly Christian, and thoroughly human.

I found the second section, The Divine Reality, less meaningful. Perhaps his themes were too familiar to me, but his comments on spiritual presence, the divine name, God's pursuit of man, salvation and eternity did not grab me with the same intensity as section one.

The last section is The Challenge to Man, in which Tillich deals with nonconformity, strength, maturity, wisdom and thanksgiving, is a return to what he does best - apply Christianity to the human condition. It is filled with practical, sermon-level applications of his ontological theology. "Be what you are - that is the only thing one can ask of any being."

I was quite impressed by Tillich the preacher. His grasp of both grace and humanity is exceptional.