The Hidden Face of God

Rating:
Summary: from a Christian of Jewish descent
Review: The earlier chapters of the book were absolutely fascinating, and as gripping a read as any well-written novel. When he began to delve in Nietsche and God Is Dead theology, he becomes less riveting, possibly because most Americans, particularly late 20th Century Christians, don't care anything at all about Nietsche and the God Is Dead "craze" of the 1960's. Also, Christians have a different (not superior!) sense of Who God Is, and How God Relates to the World, although Christians should note that the author's concerns and ideas engage Christians as much as Jews: although in the Apostolic Era and early conversion era, there were many accounts of Miracles, Visions, etc., nowadays most people having such experiences are more likely to be consigned to psychiatric hospitals than sainthood. Nevertheless, I found it a good read, and possessing insights for 21st century people dealing with the apparent absence of God in their lives and the world.

Rating:
Summary: No cheap solutions here!
Review: The theory of the disappearance of God is thought provoking. The first and second mystery (parts) are convincing. Friedman knows what he is talking about. He has a careful and critical approach. He writes in an illuminative way and this book is a pleasure to read. The third mystery about Kabbala and the Big Bang is not convincing. The question about the relation between reality and reason seems to be answered in a way HEGEL (in his time) would haven been very satisfied with. The theory of the Big Bang and the Big Crunch is presented in the form of an exitus-reditus scheme, already familiar to Thomas Aquinas in his Summa Theologiae. But there is one difference here: Thomas was fully aware of the fact that this universe never will be able to return 'in Deum' and come to its fulfillment by its own. The vessels are broken and they cannot be repaired. Human beings are at the most able to a fragmentary 'Tikkun'. That is why this universe is in need for redemption by grace. Creation is in need of redemption, as 'gratia perfecit naturam'! Recent history has confronted us with an evil that is overwhelming and radical. From a human (!) perspective any redemptive Tukkun of that rupture is unthinkable. Unless one is willing to neglect the 'nature of evil'. The vessels are broken and they cannot be repaired without any 're-creation'. This means that this universe needs a new 'impulse from above', a redemptive impulse. Instead of the euforism that we are on our way back to heaven, the most of us are left with not much more than just an openness, only a desire for redemption. The statement that God is dead and gone may motivate some to turn their back to Him, others will resist this idea, but will refuse to let any 'kosmological theory' (as a religieus perversion of natural science) take His place. Friedman learned us that the purpose of the disappearance of God could be the creation of grown up and responsible people. Any 'kosmological theory', in that perspective, would be a relapse into the religious childhood and naivity, that God would like to free us from. The paradox in this book shows up: Friedman's eufory in the third part of his book about the kosmological theory of the Big Crunch seems to be nothing else but a regression in a remythologisation of reality. The proposed Tikkun of the Universe is too evident, too natural, and the theoretical argument for it is too simple and too cheap. If Friendman would permit me to give him any advice, it would be to read the first two mysteries again and consider the truth of the third mystery in their light.