Theology and Pathos: Heschel and His Philosophy of Divinity

Abstract

Among Heschel’s main contributions one must consider the pathos of God—i.e., the connection between God and man from the emotional affection between the two. Furthermore, the notion that man is not the one who should seek God, but that it is his responsibility to accept an alliance with Him constitutes the starting point of various theological reflections. Heir to Eastern Judaic thought and a member of a Hasidic family, Heschel offered a link between Eurocentric and Asian thought, and very specifically between Western philosophy of Hellenic origins and the contributions of Hebrew thought. Initially, this article addresses Heschel’s conviction about a God without representations, one who is not reduced to images or sculptures. Of course, since there were no material resources for the symbolization of the divine, Heschel proposed the connection with his pathos or his emotionality. This concept, addressed in the second section of this text, constitutes the central element of the theology of the Polish rabbi and is the source of the main criticisms of his thought. Finally, there is an allusion to the type of bond that corresponds to the relationship between man and God. Unlike for other theologians, for Heschel it is not man who must seek God, but rather it is He who is in search of man, either to reiterate his Covenant or to endorse his presence.