Symbols Tillich


	symbols tillich
	Advantages symbols dont have to be visusla .RL is used to express RE and practice statements can be symbols "god is good" not an adequete decription but lnaguiuage symbolises gods natuere signs and symbols pomint to something beyond themsleves accepts God (“Being-Itself”) is beyond finite expression and so any Religious Language is inherently limited Paul Tillich argues that religious language is symbolic, not literal.	Disadvantages BUT the nature of religious expression enables us to grasp something of Being-Itself in a meaningful way The original meaning can often become lost Symbols intend to “point beyond themselves”, but how can we know whether they actually point towards higher truth? It is unclear whether actual truth is revealed through symbols john macquarrie arges that RL is both symbolic and anoglous water clreanses asccoate ot with baptism spiritaul cleanising can develop Tillich’s idea both theistically (the symbols point towards the reality of God) and non-theistically (there is no God but the symbolism has a sociological or psychological function) Randall - symbols may unite people and motivate and communicate ideas, the language is still non-cognitive (not expressing things which can be determined to be true or false).
	Evaluation Tillich theory of participation has more strengths then weaknesses

symbols dont have to be visusla .RL is used to express RE and practice
statements can be symbols "god is good" not an adequete decription but lnaguiuage symbolises gods natuere
signs and symbols pomint to something beyond themsleves
accepts God (“Being-Itself”) is beyond finite expression and so any Religious Language is inherently limited
Paul Tillich argues that religious language is symbolic, not literal.

BUT the nature of religious expression enables us to grasp something of Being-Itself in a meaningful way
The original meaning can often become lost
Symbols intend to “point beyond themselves”, but how can we know whether they actually point towards higher truth?
It is unclear whether actual truth is revealed through symbols
john macquarrie arges that RL is both symbolic and anoglous water clreanses asccoate ot with baptism spiritaul cleanising
can develop Tillich’s idea both theistically (the symbols point towards the reality of God) and non-theistically (there is no God but the symbolism has a sociological or psychological function)
Randall - symbols may unite people and motivate and communicate ideas, the language is still non-cognitive (not expressing things which can be determined to be true or false).

Tillich theory of participation has more strengths then weaknesses

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