Ontologiczny kontekst idei Boga. Omówienie koncepcji Paula Tillicha

Abstract

The article is an attempt to elaborate and analyse P.Tillich’s way of interpretation of the ontological structure of the idea of God (the way of understanding the relations between the idea of God and the idea of being). The scope and order of the deliberations in the article are defined by four points. The first one focuses on the ontological context of the origins of the idea of God, the second one – the ontological dimension of the sense of the idea, the third one – the ontological context of its verification; the fourth point considers ontological aspects of the biblical idea of God. The author of the article shows and discusses the most important elements of Tillich’s discourse and theory: he explains relevant categories of notions (such as selftranscendence of being, infinity or “selfbeing”), analyses particular explanations and consecutive stages in argumentation (such as a description and justification of the ontic self-transcendence, a description of the ontological experience, criticism of naturalism and supranaturalism, reinterpretation of the ontological argument or reconstruction of ontological assumptions of the biblical personalism and ontological determinants of the biblical vision of God); finally he explains a sense of particular theses and postulates (concerning the “ontological dimension” of the origins, understanding and justifying the idea of God). The essence of Tillich’s theory is that reconstruction of ontological assumptions of the idea of God is a necessary condition for its understanding and verification; only in the light of the proper “ontology of the idea of God” it is possible to prove realism (objectivism), rationality and the existential value of theism (including realism, rationality and the existential value of concrete – in this case Christian – faith in God). Such a standpoint is of key importance for theology. The article ending is an attempt to look at Tillich’s standpoint and proposals from the perspective of historical and systematic context of concurrencies and research co-operation between theology and ontology.