Reading: Cobb [Tools]

Cobb continues to hone in on Tillich's cultural theory by focusing on his concept of "ultimate concern." The most interesting and easily used, from a practical perspective, is the language of religious symbols. Cobb explains that, according to Tillich, it is our divinely given capacity for ultimate concern that craves symbols.

In a contemporary cultural setting, the symbol of the cross, a priest's robe, and even the Bible are seen as symbols of the Christian faith from both inside and outside our culture, for better or worse. Better when the symbols epitomize good, faith and truth. Worse when they symbolize the greed, capitalism and democracy-spreading of a twisted American "Conservative Christian" ideal.

Reading: Cobb [Theology]

It's interesting that Cobb focuses on Tillich in his study of theology and culture. The first research paper that I wrote as a student at Fuller 8 years ago was on Paul Tillich. Professor Charlie Scalise turned me onto Tillich since his views on popular culture and embracing the objects of popular culture were near my own interests in forming a new way to look at church, ala the emerging church model.

Paul Tillich had an interesting take of systematic theology that uses different language to observe the physical world around him. Words like "being," "ultimate concern," "self-alienation" are not the typical conventional religious language, and for me it was a breath of fresh air into the long-winded musings of other theologians.

It does take a while to get your head around his thinking, but once you do, the genius of Tillich’s method is that it creates meaning. Everything becomes relevant. The system is based on experience. It is not the product of cool reflection; it is about getting involved in the world and in the revelation. Through Tillich, theology is a way of life, not a body of information. There are no limits whatsoever to what theology can be or what can be theology.