Philosophy

Symbol:

• Tillich: Proposes there is a distinction between sign and symbol.
  • A Sign is "Something, which represents something else".
  • A symbol is "a pattern or object, which points to an invisible metaphysical reality and participates in it."
  • Tillich suggested that symbols help us to talk about complex matters, and these symbols are generally recognised.
  • All religions had or have symbols, and they have the power to point beyond literal meaning.
  • Symbols are eternal, however they can change meaning, such as the swastika.

• Tillich: Ground of Being.
  • The ground of being is God, and Tillich clainms that all humans should be concerned with it.
    • Tillich claimed we need symbols to help us speak about the ground of being, as divine matters are difficult to express.
  • We can look at the actions of Jesus to find out about the Ground of Being.

• Randall:
  • Calimed religion is symbol and myth.
  • Studied the function of stmbols, such as arousing emotion and bringing communities together.

• Stephens:
  • "We live in a picture of the world".
  • Shows limitations of symbols, as they do not give us a full understanding.

• Erika Dinker-Von Schubert
  • Symbols help us communicate and understand complex truths.
  • Dinker-Von Schubert was famous for her writings on the cross (Not everyone has the same feelings to the cross.)
  • The cross makes peoples aware of Jesus' life and God's love for the world.

• Strengths of Symbol:
  • Subtle modes of communication.
  • Useful to communicate religious and spiritual truths.
  • Flexible as…