Gottesbewusstsein

A promising philosophy of religion should combine two qualities: an eye for the diversity and specific character of religious phenomena on the one hand, and the power to provide a systematic overall interpretation on the other. The philosophy of religion developed by Hegel during his time in Berlin possesses precisely these qualities to a degree that is unparalleled in the present day. There is therefore reason to believe that a return to Hegel could provide innovative impetus for the current debate on the philosophy of religion. Friedrich Hermanni aims to reconstruct Hegel's Berlin philosophy of religion in a precise and comprehensible manner, thereby paving the way for its appropriation in the context of contemporary philosophy of religion. The author begins by addressing Hegel's concept of religion and the subsequent implications for understanding religions. Regarding the concept itself, religion is not merely a subjective human affair; rather, it is the consciousness that the divine spirit has of itself through the mediation of the human spirit. This means, however, that religion can only manifest within a plurality of religions, and that throughout the history of religions, religious consciousness becomes increasingly aware of the true nature of religion. The second part reconstructs Hegel's theory of the origin and validity of religious knowledge. As for its origin, religion is rooted in a conceptual elevation of man from the world to God - an elevation that occurs within "natural thought." Yet, religious knowledge is only justified when these forms of elevation prove themselves within "comprehending thought" ( begreifendes Denken ). The third part demonstrates how Hegel derives the three general forms of religion from the three moments of the concept of religion - (a) the substantial unity between the absolute and the finite spirit, (b) the distinction between the two, and (c) the sublation ( Aufhebung ) of that distinction - and how he assigns historical religions to these forms. Finally, the fourth part examines Hegel's philosophy of the "consummate religion," which he equates with Christianity. According to Hegel, Christianity is consummate because, unlike other religions, it is conscious not merely of individual moments of the concept of religion, but of all its moments.