Symbols by Paul Tillich

• What does Tillich say about religious language?

  - religion cannot be explained by words

  - non cognitive. Words are used by symbols

  - understanding religion in a non cognitive sense makes it meaningful
• 1. Symbols

  Symbols acts as signs, they point beyond themselves to something else. For example, the bread points people to Jesus
• 2. A symbol participates in that to which it points

  Flags represent pride, participation. Religious symbols - not just a cross, it points to Jesus' atonement; his pain and suffering and the depth of love that God has for the world.
• 3. Opens up levels of reality that are otherwise closed for us

  We are able to encounter a level of reality that we would not be able to reach through something else. For example, God is shepherd opens up new levels of understanding about who or what God is
• 4. Symbols unlock dimensions and elements of our soul

  Our inner being is exposed to emotions it could not experience in another scenario. Religious language becomes meaningful when the soul is evoked and responds to symbols. Eg God is a shepherd allows believers to draw comfort
• 5. Symbols cannot be created unintentionally - they unconsciously grow out of a collective

  Religious language can reflect the age in which the religion was born out of. Christians refer to God as shepherd because of the use of the word by Jesus. Jesus is seen as a shepherd because that was the main occupation of his time and this trade helped people identify with who or what Jesus was
• 6. Symbols grow and die

  Over time, symbols change. For example, in religion, words like shepherd or kingdom are questioned in todays church
• Example Paragraph of Tillich A01 1/2

  Tillich views religious language as symbolic - he believes that religion is non-cognitive and cannot be explained by words. By understanding religion in a non cognitive sense it becomes more meaningful. For Tillich, symbols act as signs, they point beyond themselves to something else. The symbol participates - just like how a flag represents unity and pride.
• Example Paragraph of Tillich A01 2/2

  In religion, the cross is not just a cross, it points to Jesus‘ atonement; his pain and suffering and the depth of love that God has for the world. Through viewing religion symbolically, we are able to encounter a level of reality that we would not be able to reach through something else and our inner being is evoked and exposed to unique emotions.