The Concept of Transcendence in Heidegger :: God Religion Theology Essays

The Concept of Transcendence in HeideggerABSTRACT The history of Heideggerian commentaries confront us with a delineate of parallel plans metaphysics and theology, onto-theology and Christian theology, thought and faith, Being and God, and so on. It should similarly be noted that these different dual concepts have served, in various ways, several strategies for the description of Heidegger. These various strategies are summarized as follows the parity between philosophy and theology in the thought of Heidegger is threefold and should be read to the rhythm of his thinking jibe to the themes of facticity and transcendence. History of heideggerian commentaries confronts us with a series of parallel notions Metaphysics and Theology, Onto-Theology and Christian Theology, Theology and Faith and finally Being and God. I should also point out that these different dual concepts organise several strategies to interpret Heidegger.These strategies can be gathered under four grand points.F irst of all, a diagnosis in terms of secularised Theology coupled with an exitentialisation of the fundamental concepts presiding over the duality of the Dasein. According to this diagnosis, Heideggers work is seen, in the best case, as a hide revival of christian Theology. In this perspective it is appropriate to recapture the existential analysis and to open it up towards the theological language, since he has never really been uttermost from it.A second way of reading the relation between Philosophy and Theology in Heideggers work consist in organising a theological deconstruction within christian Theology.A third strategy prefers to read the link between Philosophy and Theology in terms of territorial delimitation, a secernate of epistemological Yalta between two speculative exercises.Finally, I should mention a fourth type of strategy which finds its origin in the ontological difference and wants to regenerate the terms of proximity to the divine.The recent publication of some of Heideggers unpublished works pleads for a renewed reading and gives credit to the hypothesis which I summarise as follows the relation between Philosophy and Theology in Heideggers thought is threefold and coextensive with Heideggers thinking itself, according to the two themes of facticity and transcendence. (1) I. THREE TOPICSThe different meanings of the concept of Philosophy and Theology point to three topics concerning the relation of Philosophy and Theology as such. These topics should be formulated as follows first of all as the relation between Philosophy and Scriptural Theology. Ontology, as a science, while distanciating itself from whatever Weltanschauung, happens in rigorous fidelity to the philosophical adventure.