Theodicy as the Justified Demands of Atheism

At present there is no great philosopher in the Jewish world. Among the living, I can only think of one individual, not that I learned anything from him, but I do respect him. He is also one of those who provide me with food for thought. Emmanuel Levinas lives in France and belongs to a group of scholars engaged in the study of epistemology. However, his writings on Judaism are exceptional ... —(Yeshayahu Leibowitz, “They Changed My Life,” Maariv , May 5, 1994). This is how Yeshayahu Leibowitz (1903–1994), the Israeli thinker and intellectual, described his relationship with Emmanuel Levinas (1906–1995), the French Jewish philosopher. For those familiar with these two personalities and their thought, Leibowitz’ response above may seem surprising due to the wide divergence in their philosophical interests and, more significantly, because of the great disparity in their religious outlooks. For what does a thinker such as Leibowitz, who places God at the center of his religious universe, have in common with a philosopher such as Levinas, who places ethics and responsibility to the Other at the center of his? One could offer a straightforward assessment of the two without assuming that they share a theoretical or intellectual affinity. Nevertheless, I will argue that there is indeed a philosophical affinity between them based on their call for religion to engage in dialog with rational thought, that is, on the notion that religion is necessary in order to confront philosophical criticism. 1 I contend that, with regard to the question of theodicy, there is a great deal of affinity between Levinas and Leibowitz, and simply posing the question precipitates a new category of religious discourse and thinking that requires further analysis. 2

Atheism · Criticism · Divergence (linguistics · Epistemology · Existence of God · Judaism · Literature · Order (exchange · Theism · Theodicy · Theology · Philosophy, Ethics, and Existentialism · Theology and Philosophy of Evil · Violence, Religion, and Philosophy · Philosophy · Religious Studies

• Religious Education and Sacred Study in the Teachings of Rabbi Yitshak Hutner

  Open Access•Ariel Evan Mayse•Religions•2019

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