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The Eternal Now
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 the paradox of the moment which is now wherein comes the mystery which is eternity.
150 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1956
About the author
Paul Tillich
338 books391 followersPaul Tillich was a German-American theologian and Christian existentialist philosopher. Tillich was – along with his contemporaries Rudolf Bultmann (Germany), Karl Barth (Switzerland), and Reinhold Niebuhr (United States) – one of the four most influential Protestant theologians of the 20th century. Among the general populace, he is best known for his works The Courage to Be (1952) and Dynamics of Faith (1957), which introduced issues of theology and modern culture to a general readership. Theologically, he is best known for his major three-volume work Systematic Theology (1951–63), in which he developed his "method of correlation": an approach of exploring the symbols of Christian revelation as answers to the problems of human existence raised by contemporary existential philosophical analysis.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
June 18, 2008
Startling, terrifying, amazing. Tillich is to Christian theology what a small, ancient Chinese master is to judo. He takes one sentence of Scripture and flexes it, twists it, exerts pressure on its most critical angle, and slams you down on the mat with it, your head spinning and all the stars and blinding rush of pain and wind as the real evidence you've met the master. You can get up of course, dust yourself off and go at him again, but nothing will be the same. Heroic, epic, inspiring. A true master and the intellectual giant of 20th century Christian theology.
July 9, 2021
Forget that this book is religious in nature or was written by a theologist--it is relevant for any person regardless of your religious beliefs. I myself am not a particularly religious person and I found no issue with this book's wisdom or ideas due to its religious basis. The chapter entitled "The Riddle of Inequality" has been one of the most powerful and influential things I have ever read. It changed the way I view the world. I was assigned it in high school eight or so years ago, and I still find myself coming back to it every year.
December 15, 2022
Amazingly rich, but dense to the point where I feel I failed to grasp about half the sermons first time around. Will be returning to this one, could easily see me bumping it up to a 5/5 once I do get around to that reread.
Edit: a few months later and I couldn't tell you a single thing about this book. What I got at the time was nice, and I could tell there was a richness beneath the surface I had yet to uncover, but Tillich's way of explaining himself is pained. It's almost as though the ideas he's expressing revolt at the thought of being understood, kicking and screaming until the reader gives up or musters up the motivation and focus to truly tackle it. Sadly, I think I'm one of the readers who will be giving up.
Edit: a few months later and I couldn't tell you a single thing about this book. What I got at the time was nice, and I could tell there was a richness beneath the surface I had yet to uncover, but Tillich's way of explaining himself is pained. It's almost as though the ideas he's expressing revolt at the thought of being understood, kicking and screaming until the reader gives up or musters up the motivation and focus to truly tackle it. Sadly, I think I'm one of the readers who will be giving up.
August 6, 2010
I was glad to find this at a used book sale so I could read through it fully. This is a spiritual read. Chp. 6 Man and earth is ahead of its time (written in 60's): "...man’s relation to the earth and the universe will, for a long time, become the point of primary concern, for sensitive and thoughtful people. Should this be the case, Christianity certainly cannot withdraw into the deceptive security of its earlier questions and answers..." Chp. 8 The divine name- humbling.
online - http://www.religion-online.org/showbo...
online - http://www.religion-online.org/showbo...
March 20, 2013
An excellent example of a honest, daring, compassionate Christian thought. No difficult question is avoided, the language is incisive, analytical and rich without being ornate. People no longer think with such brilliance nowadays...
May 24, 2019
Full disclosure: Prior to reading this I would’ve boldly declared my disdain for Tillich. Having a BA in Religion, I read Tillich 15 yeas ago when my theology was much more conservative and found him mushy at best.
The Eternal Now did not change my opinion initially. Tillich is verbose and heady, his theology much more in the clouds than it is on the ground. He uses the third person and makes assumptions about the human experience that are not always accurate, nor does he justify or cite them. In essence, it seems he is projecting his experience onto the rest of us.
At some points, in spite of his headiness, he touches on some truths in a new and enlivening way. For example, in one sermon Tillich expounds on the word sin. He discusses how sin in its current understanding is a distortion from the original intent to the word. Rather than sin being something humans do, sin was originally intended as a force that drives humans. He draws on Paul’s experience when Paul wrote “I do what I don’t want to do and I don’t do what I want to do.” In the context of my experience, this insight brought hope and clarity to some theological questions I’ve been asking for the last few years.
I still do not consider myself a Paul Tillich fan; however after giving The Eternal Now an honest chance I can say it’s given me access to some serenity and wisdom I did not formerly have.
The Eternal Now did not change my opinion initially. Tillich is verbose and heady, his theology much more in the clouds than it is on the ground. He uses the third person and makes assumptions about the human experience that are not always accurate, nor does he justify or cite them. In essence, it seems he is projecting his experience onto the rest of us.
At some points, in spite of his headiness, he touches on some truths in a new and enlivening way. For example, in one sermon Tillich expounds on the word sin. He discusses how sin in its current understanding is a distortion from the original intent to the word. Rather than sin being something humans do, sin was originally intended as a force that drives humans. He draws on Paul’s experience when Paul wrote “I do what I don’t want to do and I don’t do what I want to do.” In the context of my experience, this insight brought hope and clarity to some theological questions I’ve been asking for the last few years.
I still do not consider myself a Paul Tillich fan; however after giving The Eternal Now an honest chance I can say it’s given me access to some serenity and wisdom I did not formerly have.
March 27, 2008
Think that the "eternal" might not just mean "forever and ever?" This guy really means it.
February 25, 2017
In The Eternal Now, Paul Tillich's intent is to answer a variety of questions that are concomitant with Ontology and Theology. It is written in a direct style that is free of the characteristic rhetorical frills of many religious works. Make no mistake Tillich is a sincerely religious man who frames his philosophical thinking in the Weltanschauung of Christianity. Nonetheless, in Tillich’s mode of existentialist manifestation, ideation of being-and Being - saturates the mundane milieu of religion.
Throughout the pages, Tillich provides an alternative ontological examination of the necessity in a belief of the Ultimate. The emblematic apologetic approach, as articulated in the works of Anselm of Canterbury, William of Ockham and Duns Scotus is destabilized by Tillich’s radical exposition that: If God is being – viz., the highest being-in-itself – then God cannot be the “Creator”. Consequently, God must be understood as the ground of Being-Itself. This analysis should not be considered all that radical. Many historical theologians expressed analogous views of God as the agennetos [non-original ground] of all Being (Cf. J. N. D. Kelly, Early Christian Doctrines, p. 128).
What this text presents is a culmination of Tillich’s sermons [lectures] delivered to answer explicit questions relating to biblical passages. As an example, Chapter Three, "The Riddle of Inequality" – incidentally, my favorite chapter – starts with the following verse from Mark 4:25:
“For to him who has will more be given; and from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away”
What Tillich then attempts to explicate, is the historical significance of this passage apropos the expression of meaning. Through a cursory trace of self-reflection, Tillich layers the historical meaning onto modernity by exclaiming, “There are many things that we seemed to have, but that we really did not have, and that were therefore taken away from us”. As an example, Tillich uses the widespread belief in childhood innocence as something that cannot be used or increased. “The growth of our lives is made possible only by the sacrifice of the original gift of ignorance”. Hence, there are many things we had [have] that are constantly being taken away because of “taking them too much for granted”.
The real inequalities, according to Tillich, are:
“[T]he inequality of talents in body and mind; the inequality created by freedom and destiny, and the inequality of justice deriving from the fact that all generations before the time of such equality would by nature be excluded from its blessing”
Therefore, Tillich's argument is that we must not confound the imbroglio of inequality with the understanding that each person is a “unique and incomparable self". We should be defending the uniqueness and individuality of humanity, while at the same time, understand that this is not the solution to inequality. Hence, maxims like “The Golden Rule,” and Immanuel Kant’s "Categorical Imperative" have their place, but it is not to help solve the riddle of inequality.
Ultimately, I appreciate Tillich’s style of writing and his exposition of some problems inherent to humanity. Although I must admit, I would prefer to highlight a great portion of the text with a black highlighter, his thoughts are intriguing. As a path forward, I would like to research the connection between Tillich and Martin Heidegger; concentrating on the ways in which their ideas are similar, but find different inspiration and results.
January 29, 2023
A collection of sermons, these are thoughtful explorations of key questions in life, such as why some people are more privileged and fortunate than others, and how to deal with the feeling that there is more to life than work and pressure. I was moved by the very contemporary-sounding treatment of global catastrophe in Chapter 6, Man and Earth.
The sermons are short, clearly written for the most part, and focused each on a single theme. So they're easy to consume. But the anthology format precludes an exposition of Tillich's theology. Interesting rays of it come through, though.
The sermons are short, clearly written for the most part, and focused each on a single theme. So they're easy to consume. But the anthology format precludes an exposition of Tillich's theology. Interesting rays of it come through, though.
August 16, 2021
Sixteen of Paul Tillich sermons cover a wide variety of topics, (the riddle of inequality, "the good that I will, I do not," salvation, loneliness, solitude, wisdom, gratitude and more) providing thought-provoking and spirit inspiring material. A thin book for heavy contemplation, the collection is likely best read one message at a time, allowing ample for reflection and pondering before moving onto the next.
November 5, 2023
Sixteen sermons, all brief philosophical and theological treatises in its own right, covering the thought and affirmations of the great theologian Paul Tillich— what an insight he had into the nature of time and eternity, who managed to speak of God and spiritual matters in such pleasing and accessible modern language!
November 25, 2021
An inspirational and deep series of sermons by the great 20th century theologian, Paul Tillich. Careful and meditative reading will bring out the depth of this collection. Both Christians and non-Christians can find much of value, here.
August 18, 2022
One of my fav theologians taking all his knowledge and condensing it into a collection of sermons. I got a lot from about 5/16 of them. With that being said, the 5 really were above and beyond great.
September 25, 2011
Paul Tillich is one of those theologians I've seen mentioned and quoted here and there by other theologians I respect, and now I know why. While I don't think they're all equally successful, this book of sermons is a wonderful picture of, well, I don't know what to call it, really. Deep Christianity? The one on "The Riddle of Inequality" was especially moving, telling me something about the Cross I'd never heard before: "It is the greatness and heart of the Christian message that God, as manifest in the Christ on the Cross, totally participates in the dying of a child, in the condemnation of the criminal, in the disintegration of a mind, in starvation and famine, and even in the human rejection of Himself. There is no human condition into which the divine presence does not penetrate" (p. 46). He speaks to Christians and non-Christians, and in no way defines what he calls "the Christian message" as the only message. He wants to go deeper than superstitions and rituals, and I respect that. I like that I could figure out that he's Protestant but nothing more about his particular denomination from this book, only that he believes that God is the eternal Ground of being from which we all spring naked, to which we all return, and in which we may rest.
December 30, 2016
These sermons won't preach now; way too much deep theology for post-moderns. But I sure appreciated them when I was in seminary!
Read this book again. Still love everything Tillich has written that I've read. His Christian existentialist approach to life speaks to my soul; and there were many times I thought of Job, the book of the Bible I'm currently reading, and how God helped Job find "the courage to be" in the face of a life of pain and absurdity.
Actually, I think these sermons could preach now; because they address tensions people still experience and mysteries of life people are still trying to solve. But they would have to be preached in the hands of a "translator" who knew how to take these eternal questions and communicate them for today.
Read this book again. Still love everything Tillich has written that I've read. His Christian existentialist approach to life speaks to my soul; and there were many times I thought of Job, the book of the Bible I'm currently reading, and how God helped Job find "the courage to be" in the face of a life of pain and absurdity.
Actually, I think these sermons could preach now; because they address tensions people still experience and mysteries of life people are still trying to solve. But they would have to be preached in the hands of a "translator" who knew how to take these eternal questions and communicate them for today.
January 13, 2021
A re-read following Christmas last year. I thought a sermon a day would be a good way to close out 2020 and begin 2021. Little did I know how relevant Tillich's ideas concerning power (and its overreach), wisdom (and foolishness), and dignity (or complete lack thereof) would be. Reading these meditations on the problems faced by humankind and the way the divine seeks to lead us in the context of Trump's despicable phone call to Brad Raffensperger and the ensuing Capitol insurrection was chilling. It's almost as if Tillich looked into a crystal ball in the early 1960's and sent a message in a bottle to us. Too bad we didn't read and heed the warnings sooner.
July 13, 2016
A friend told me that this is a very accessible work by Tillich and I agree. You don't need to know much about existentialist philosophy to enjoy this book. I think the three main divisions of the book are a very helpful way to organize the chapters (sermons) on various topics. I especially liked his chapters on Solitude versus Loneliness and The Presence of God. The parts that I liked least were the ones dealing with the future, since his views were influenced by political events of the day and are less relevant today. All in all, I loved his insights and new perspectives of God and His ways.
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July 3, 2012A wonderful companion to moments of solitude and loneliness, Tillich's sermons resonate in the 21st century. Only one or two sermons in this collection were dated. The remainder take you to psychological applications of Tillich's method of correlation (philosophy poses the questions, religion provides the answers, and not always answers one would expect).
December 21, 2015
I had heard a lot of good things about Tillich and he had good things to say but for me I had a tough time following his points. ultimately I felt he left things too esoteric for me. Words cannot come close to describing the Ground of our Being as he calls it yet other theologians speak to me more than Tillich.
December 20, 2008
My favorite book of Tillich sermons!
August 9, 2009
A series of lectures and sermons. Great thoughts.
August 19, 2012
Import, especially during times of introspection.
September 30, 2014
I absolutely loved this book and am looking forward to reading more of his work.
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February 5, 2017Reading Tillich is like scrubbing your mind and letting it absorb more light. I was fascinated with the 'eternal now' and 'stronger' discussions. It touched my intellect and my.heart.
December 9, 2017
Very profound. In spite of being written in the 50's most is very relevant and timeless.
They are a collection of sermons so you get a complete thought in reading one chapter. The Eternal Now is both the title and one of the chapters. The other chapters are not connected in an overarching theme but stand alone.
You need to be reflective and philosophical to get the most from this book. I often read a page or two as part of my personal devotions, then going to the scripture or scriptures highlighted in the chapter for further consideration. This is why it took me 3 weeks to read.
I suspect I will re-read chapters again in the future.
They are a collection of sermons so you get a complete thought in reading one chapter. The Eternal Now is both the title and one of the chapters. The other chapters are not connected in an overarching theme but stand alone.
You need to be reflective and philosophical to get the most from this book. I often read a page or two as part of my personal devotions, then going to the scripture or scriptures highlighted in the chapter for further consideration. This is why it took me 3 weeks to read.
I suspect I will re-read chapters again in the future.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews