Symbolism

Question 1

who was paul tillich?

Answer 1

20th century modernist influenced by existentialism

Question 2

give some examples of biblical symbolism

Answer 2

burning bush
god as ‘good’
jesus as ‘light of the world’
god as ‘father’

Question 3

how did tillich see religious language?

Answer 3

almost all religious language is symbolic

Question 4

which comes first: language or experience?

Answer 4

experience comes and language follows

Question 5

what are all religious statements?

Answer 5

symbolic and cognitive

Question 6

what is a symbol?

Answer 6

a sign that points us towards something else

Question 7

what does cognitive mean?

Answer 7

words have a basis in fact and can therefore be true or false

Question 8

what does a symbol do according to tillich?

Answer 8

a symbol participates in that to which it points

Question 9

are symbols fixed images?

Answer 9

symbols can change or lose power over time, i.e. king

Question 10

is religious language closer to poetry or prose according to tillich?

Answer 10

poetry

Question 11

what is the only non-symbolic religious statement?

Answer 11

god is the ground of being