An alternative way to speak of religious language is through symbols
There are many important symbols in Christianity, for example the crucifix
As well as objects, actions or clothing can also be symbolic – for example kneeling to pray symbolises submitting oneself to God
Paul Tillich and Symbols
Paul Tillich famously made an important distinction between signs and symbols;
– A sign is often something which points you in the right direction or indicates something, such as a road sign
– A symbol communicates much greater understanding, it “participates in which it points“, suggesting that a symbol has far more meaning behind it than a sign
Symbols communicate something which is often difficult to put into words
God, in Tillich’s thinking, is the ground of being
– God is the basis of everything which exists & also the meaning behind it
God cannot be known in a personal way, and cannot be understood through usual language, he is known through symbols
Tillich argued that due to the meaning behind them, symbols cannot be destroyed
However symbols can lose their meaning
The Hindu symbol of the Swastika was adopted by the Nazi Party & now is not associated with Hindu beliefs
Tillich gave the example of the virgin birth – it symbolised the purity of Mary from sin, but Protestants lost this meaning over time & abandoned many prayers regarding Mary
Criticisms of Symbols
Different interpretations
– Taking the story of Adam & Eve as an example, for some Christians this is to be taken literally & Adam & Eve’s existence is a matter of historical fact – it is not merely symbolic.
For others the story of Adam & Eve is only interpreted symbolically
How can something participate in something else?
– Some philosophers criticised Tillich for not being clear about what “participating in” means
