- 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
Philosophy and Ethics 