Love and Terror in the God Encounter

The intellectual legacy of one of the twentieth century's greatest religious thinkersexplained by a leading theologian of our day. "It is only through experiencing the contradictions in human existence, through being overwhelmed by the divine presence, through the finite human being feeling terror-stricken by the infinite majesty of God that one can develop an authentic religious personality." David Hartman (From Chapter 6) Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik (19031993) profoundly influenced modern Orthodox Judaism in the United Statesand Judaism as a wholeby opening up a discourse between the tradition of Torah study and Western philosophical thought. The future of both religious Zionism in Israel and of Orthodoxy in America hangs to a great extent on how we interpret his intellectual legacy. Dr. David Hartmans penetrating analysis of Rabbi Soloveitchiks work reveals a Judaism committed to intellectual courage, integrity and openness. A renowned theologian and philosopher, Hartman meticulously explores the subtlety and complexity of Rabbi Soloveitchiks theological thought, exposing a surprising intersection of halakhic tradition and modern Western theologya confrontation that deepens and expands our spiritual understanding. Hartmans provocative interpretation bears witness to the legitimacy of remaining loyal to the Judaic tradition without sacrificing ones intellectual freedom and honesty.