The Notion of Revelation in the Context of the History of Philosophy and the Sciences

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FI2_U06

FI2_U13

FI2_U19

FI2_K01

This course helps the students to rediscover an old notion in the history of philosophy, theology, and the sciences: the notion of divine revelation. First we attempt to clarify the main meanings of the notion. At the same time, we need to reflect on our method: how is it possible to talk about revelation? Second, we consider the developments and ramifications of this notion in Western history. We also refer to parallel notions in other cultures, especially in Islam. Next, our main concern will be the special role the notion of revelation played in the emergence of modern sciences in the West as this notion is actively presupposed by the most important development in our pre-modern and modern history of ideas.

This course helps the students to rediscover an old notion in the history of philosophy, theology, and the sciences: the notion of divine revelation. First we attempt to clarify the main meanings of the notion. At the same time, we need to reflect on our method: how is it possible to talk about revelation? Second, we consider the developments and ramifications of this notion in Western history. We also refer to parallel notions in other cultures, especially in Islam. Next, our main concern will be the special role the notion of revelation played in the emergence of modern sciences in the West as this notion is actively presupposed by the most important development in our pre-modern and modern history of ideas. Finally, we consider two lines of development: on the one hand, the peculiar development of the notion of revelation in contemporary thought (philosophy and theology included) and, on the other hand, the relevance of some notion of revelation to the sciences on the contemporary scene with special emphasis on quasi-theories implying a certain understanding of revelation today.

Content:

1. Introduction: the meaning of revelation. Methodology: historical and philosophical. (Bibliography items 6, 17, 18)

2. Revelation in pre-Christian literature: Plato, Judaism, parallel formations. (Bibliography items 2, 7, 14)

3. Revelation in Christianity: its central features (Bibliography items 6, 18, 21, 22)

4. Developments in theology and philosophy (from early Scholasticism to late Deism) (Bibliography items 6, 18, 22, 22)

5. Revolution in the notion of revelation: Schelling (Bibliography items 12, 21)

6. Revolution in the notion of revelation: Hegel (Bibliography items 9, 12)

7. Marxian apocalyptics: Is revelation an underlying notion of Marxism? (Bibliography items 8, 9, 15)

8. The notion and importance of self-revelation (Bibliography items 17, 18)

9. Scientific endeavors: How science approaches revelation (Bibliography items 10, 19)

10. Contemporary issues: Revelation presupposed, redefined, and searched for (Bibliography items 1, 3, 16)

11. Radical revelation: the emergence of a new notion (Bibliography item 17)

12. The political dimensions of revelation (Bibliography items 1, 6, 13)

13. Philosophies and theologies of revelation today. The notion of apocalyptics and its significance for a renewal of culture (Bibliography items 22, 23)

14. Art and Revelation: A thematic and historical overview (Bibliography items 5, 17)

15. Summary and Conclusions. (All bibliography items)

1. Altizer, Thomas J. J. The Apocalyptic Trinity. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2012.

2. Assmann, Jan: The Search for God in Ancient Egypt. Ithaca and London: Cornel University Press, 2001.

3. Avis, Paul (ed.): Divine Revelation. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1997.

4. Balthasar, Hans Urs von: Apokalypse der deutschen Seele: Studien zu einer Lehre von letzten Haltungen. Freiburg: Johannes Verlag, 1998.

5. De Tolnay, Charles. Michelangelo: The Final Period. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1960.

6. Dulles, Avery: Models of Revelation. New York: Orbis, 1992.

7. Dupuis, Charles François. The Origin of All Religious Worship. Translated from the French Original. New Orleans: 1872. Reprint by Garland Publications, New York, 1984.

8. Feuerbach, Ludwig: The Essence of Religion. Translated by Alexander Loos. Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books, 2004.

9. Hegel, G. W. F. Phenomenology of Spirit. Translated by A. V. Miller. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1977.

10. Jaki, Stanley. Is There a Universe? Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 1993.

11. Kant, Immanuel: Religion within the Bounds of Bare Reason. Translated by Werner S. Pluhar. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 2009.

12. Koslowski, Peter. Philosophien der Offenbarungen. Paderborn-Wien-München-Zürich: Ferdinand Schöningh, 2001.

13. Lévinas, Emmanuel: Otherwise than Being, or Beyond Essence. Translated by Alfonso Lingis. Pittsburgh: Duquesne University Press, 1998.

14. Lévinas, Emmanuel: Revelation in the Jewish Tradition. In: Seán Hand (ed.): The Levinas Reader. London: Blackwell, 1989, pp. 289-298.

15. Lukács, George: What is Orthodox Marxism? In: Georg Lukacs Archive at www.marxists.org/archive/Lukacs/index.htm

16. Marion, Jean-Luc: Givenness and Revelation. Translated by Stephens E. Lewis. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2016.

17. Mezei, B. M.: Radical Revelation. A Philosophical Approach. New York: Bloomsbury (forthcoming).

18. Mezei, B. M: Religion and Revelation after Auschwitz, New York: Bloomsbury 2013.

19. Mezei Balázs M.: The Methodological Importance of the Notion of Divine Revelation in a Historical Perspective WISDOM 2:(7) pp. 63-76. (2017)

20. Plato. The Complete Works. Edited by John M. Cooper. Indianapolis and Cambridge: Hackett Publishing Company, 1997.

21. Schelling, F. W. J.: The Ages of the World. Translated with an Introduction by Jason M. Wirth. New York: State University of New York Press, 2000.

22. Swinburne, Richard: Revelation: From Metaphor to Analogy. Second and enlarged edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007.

23. Vető, Miklós: L’élargissement de la métaphysique. Paris: Hermann, 2012.

Out of the 15 units, 10 will be held personally by the professors in the form of teaching, namely: 1-3; 9-15.

Units 4-8 will be held in the form of distance teaching, namely supplying students with appropriate texts for the sake of analysis. This part of the course helps the students to immerse in the problems of sources, that is their existence, kind, reliability, and value.

A final course paper is to be written in order to receive the credits associated with the course. The subject matter and the structure of the paper is to be determined through consultations with the professor.