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- Sep 30Bill,I agree with you to a point -- with some variation. For Hegel, the Absolute Idea is God. Now, somebody can call this Religion, but Hegel calls it Speculative Philosophy.For Hegel, Religion operates in the mode of Picture Thinking. That is because, as Hegel says,"Religion is for everyone. It is not Philosophy,which is not for everyone." (Hegel, LPR 1,tr. Hodgson, p. 180)How can Religion be for everyone, including small children and university professors? There is only one methodology that is conducive to that wonderful ability, namely, Picture Thinking.For Hegel, by contrast, Philosophy operates in the mode of Conceptual Thought. (Historically, traditionally, most people don't pick up books on Philosophy and start reading. It may be a fraction of 1% who do so.)Anyway -- back to your post. Although the FORM of Religion and Philosophy are virtually opposites, nevertheless, the CONTENT of Religion and Philosophy are identical. This is their Dialectical relationship. Hegel says:"It must be said that the content of Philosophy,its need and interest, is wholly in common withthat of Religion. The object of Religion, likethat of Philosophy, is Eternal Truth, God andnothing but God and the explication of God.Philosophy is only explicating itself when itexplicates Religion, and when it explicatesitself it is explicating Religion...ThusReligion and Philosophy coincide into one."(Hegel, LPR 1, p. 79)This is a fairly rare statement from academic Philosophy in the early 1800's. The bulk of the 20th century apparently refused to admit that Hegel promoted this idea -- not only in his LPR, but throughout all of his works.Anyway, Bill -- back to your post.I reaffirm that this is indeed Hegel's broadest view of things. We do agree on the basics -- "Finite spirit is a moment in the Reality of God." Where we differ -- where I follow Hegel's LPEG -- is about your phrase:.> ...the infinite is a moment in everything.>> BillThat is the same misunderstanding that Hegel discerned in the illustrious Kant, Jacobi and Schleiermacher; namely, that they treated the Infinite as just one more Thing-in-the-world.The question for me (and Mary) isn't about pushing Christ. Hegel himself, as you said, was "a different kind of Christian." Actually, Hegel's LPR 2 is a monument to Comparative Religion. Hegel was a world expert on World Religion (as far as 1831 when he died).Hegel regarded all Religions as profoundly equal on one point -- that they are all seeking the One True God. The only difference is their approach.We agree, nevertheless, that for Hegel, Religion isn't the Absolute Idea -- yet we also seem to agree that for Hegel, God is the Absolute Idea. Hegel says:"The definition of God is that God isthe Absolute Idea -- i.e. that God isSpirit." (Hegel, 1827, LPR 3, p. 66)I think we agree on that much -- and that would be a solid step forward.All best,--Paulto the Christian as the true religion and the original doctrine of speculative philosophy -- and what appears to Hegel even as the "consummate religion" -- is still only religion. Religion isn't a small thing for Hegel, but it isn't the Absolute Idea.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On Monday, September 30, 2019, 03:37:59 PM CDT, bill.hord bill.hord@... [hegel] <hegel@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
Paul, put briefly, I believe this is not Hegel's broadest view of things. I don't object to the claim that "Finite spirit is a moment in the Reality of God." In fact I claim that the finite is a moment in everything, and the infinite is a moment likewise of everything. As self-determination of the concept.So, for a Christian with restricted vision, the Idea releasing itself into nature appears to be of necessity God as the ground. Hegel was a different kind of Christian. He recognized that what appears to the Christian as the true religion and the original doctrine of speculative philosophy -- and what appears to Hegel even as the "consummate religion" -- is still only religion. Religion isn't a small thing for Hegel, but it isn't the Absolute Idea.Bill - << Previous post in topic Next post in topic >>