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A Comparative-Philosophical Perspective on Divine Hiddenness in the Hebrew Bible

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A Comparative-Philosophical Perspective on Divine Hiddenness in the Hebrew Bible Page 1 of 8 Original Research A comparative-philosophical perspective on divine hiddenness in the Hebrew Bible Author: This study is concerned with the problem of divine hiddenness as it has taken shape in analytic 1 Jaco Gericke philosophy of religion over the past two decades. More specifically, the interest lies with Affiliation: providing a comparative-philosophical perspective on the most fundamental assumptions of 1Faculty of Humanities, the problem in certain formulations and its responses against the backdrop of diverse yet North-West University, Vaal related data in the Hebrew Bible. In doing so the aim is not to justify or critique any particular Campus, South Africa biblical or philosophical perspective on divine hiddenness but simply to identify and clarify Correspondence to: some crucial differences in various relevant conceptual backgrounds. Jaco Gericke Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: By way of pointing out a number Email: of similarities and differences between concepts of divine hiddenness in the theologies of the [email protected] Hebrew Bible and in a specific formulation thereof in analytic philosophy of religion, this article not only reveals some neglected specifics of the historical variability of an important Postal address: PO Box 1174, Vanderbijlpark theological idea but also suggests taking caution when appealing to alleged biblical precursors 1900, South Africa to contemporary philosophical-theological problems. Dates: Received: 06 Dec. 2014 Accepted: 04 May 2015 Introduction Published: 10 June 2015 In the study of the Hebrew Bible (HB), the concept of divine hiddenness is a familiar theological How to cite this article: theme. Familiar studies that have approached the topic from a variety of linguistic, literary, Gericke, J., 2015, ‘A historical, social-scientific and theological perspectives include,inter alia, Perlitt (1971:367–382), comparative-philosophical Terrien (1978), Balentine (1983), Brueggemann (1997:333–358) and Sæbø (2000:43–55). As far as perspective on divine subthemes are concerned, these include, amongst others, grammatical aspects of Biblical Hebrew hiddenness in the Hebrew Bible’, Verbum et Ecclesia words for divine hiddenness, the concept of the deity’s ‘hiding the face’, the relationship of 36(1), Art. #1400, 8 pages. divine hiddenness to sin, a personal existential crisis as a result of divine hiddenness, general http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/ biblical notions of divine presence or absence, the deity’s hiddenness in the context of sacred ve.v36i1.1400 (cultic) spaces, related modes of divine revelation, divine providence, divine inscrutability, dual Copyright: causality, and the so-called problem of evil. © 2015. The Authors. Licensee: AOSIS As for examples from the text, one of the most obvious polemical instances of a concern with OpenJournals. This work is divine hiddenness in the HB is found in interrogative demands such as ‘Where is/are the/their/ licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution your god(s)?’ (Dt 32:37; 2 Ki 2:14; 2 Ki 18:34 [cf. Is 36:19; Ps 42:3, 10; Ps 79:10; Ps 115:2; Jr 2:28; Jl License. 2:17; Mi 7:10; Ml 2:17]). This request to account for a ‘deus absconditus’ was, however, not limited to the world of ancient Israel. Not only are there many ancient Near Eastern parallels to the motif of a hidden god (see the many instances in the entries of the DDD [eds. Van der Toorn, Van der Horst & Becking 1999:passim]). In addition, the problem was a popular theological conundrum in the history of Judeo-Christian theology (e.g. in Christian mysticism’s reflection on ‘the dark night of the soul’; cf. Schellenberg 1993:299–300). More recently a host of publications on divine hiddenness has seen the light, particularly within analytic (theistic or atheistic) philosophy of religion (cf. eds. Howard-Snyder & Moser 2001). To be sure, divine hiddenness is also a topic of interest in some circles of Continental philosophy. Yet stereotypical textbooks entitled Philosophy of religion in English-speaking countries (mainly the United States and the United Kingdom) all tend to trace back the recent interest in divine hiddenness to the argument originally formulated Schellenberg (1993). Most subsequent related research in analytic philosophy of religion was a response to that, as Schellenberg (2010b) noted more recently: All in all, it is clear that the hiddenness problem has become a focus of exciting and lively discussion in philosophy of religion. Featuring a discussion less than two decades old, this whole area is ripe for new Read online: developments. (p. 1) Scan this QR code with your smart phone or So popular is the problem of divine hiddenness currently within this philosophical subfield and mobile device within the analytic tradition that it is often discussed in conjunction with other arguments for to read online. and against atheism, especially arguments from the problem of evil (from which it is sometimes http://www.ve.org.za doi:10.4102/ve.v36i1.1400 Page 2 of 8 Original Research distinguished; cf. e.g. Murray & Taylor 2010:308–317). In that In an attempt to flesh out some interesting contrasts, the context, it is also known as the argument from (reasonable, following can be said to be the assumptions of the inquiry. nonculpable, or nonresistant) unbelief (cf. Lehe 2004: 159–174). In a relatively recent reformulation by Schellenberg With regard to the HB, it is not assumed that the HB contains (2011:165–166), an argument from divine hiddenness can only one view on any of the theological and philosophical therefore be construed to run as follows: topics related to the problem of divine hiddenness in 1. If no perfectly loving God exists, then God does not exist. philosophy of religion. It is also not assumed that the texts 2. If a perfectly loving God exists, then there is a God who is used as examples here represent some or other unified ‘biblical’ perspective on the matter. They are not to be seen as always open to a personal relationship with each human ‘proof-texts’ in an attempt to justify a particular theological person. point of view. The HB is much more complex with regard 3. If there is a God who is always open to personal to its assumptions framing the subject of divine hiddenness relationship with each human person, then no human than any given text could possibly suggest and as a whole person is ever non-resistantly unaware that God exists. the corpus contains conflicting evidence on the topic. The HB 4. If a perfectly loving God exists, then no human person is rarely speaks with ‘one voice’ so the contrasts being made are ever non-resistantly unaware that God exists (from 2 and 3). not as clear-cut as they are made to appear. 5. Some human persons are non-resistantly unaware that God exists. Granting all of this, of interest are exactly those examples of 6. No perfectly loving God exists (from 4 and 5). texts that seem to sit uneasily with some of the underlying 7. God does not exist (from 1 and 6). notions in the premises and conclusion of the argument as reconstructed by Schellenberg (2011:165–166). As a result, it is Numerous other formulations of the hiddenness problem inevitable that the discussion might lack more specific biblical have been put forward, both by those who seek to advance illustrations in some of the paragraphs so that differences of and/or criticise the argument from unbelief (cf. Aijaz & viewpoint within the HB itself might seem less nuanced than Weidler 2007:1–23; Drange 1998; eds. Howard-Snyder & they actually are. Hence, cognizance should be taken of the Moser 2001:7; Schellenberg 2005a:201–215; Schellenberg particular selective manner of structuring the presentation 2005b:287–303). Of all that might be said of the whole (also constrained by spatial limits). This state of affairs need discussion, what is most of interest to the present article is not be seen as detrimental to the case being made, given its the fact that, in constructing the history of the problem of primary concern, namely of showing instances where the divine hiddenness, both Schellenberg and others have at HB contains assumptions that differ from those found in the times traced its historical roots to the HB. Thus according to stereotypical argument from divine hiddenness. Schellenberg (2010b): First, notice that talk of ‘Divine hiddenness’ or the ‘hiddenness With regard to the use of Schellenberg’s version(s) of the of God’ originates in contexts of unquestioning belief – think argument from divine hiddenness, it might be assumed that only of the Hebrew psalmist’s laments. (p. 2) in its comparative interest this article relies too heavy on the work of this particular analytic philosopher (and ignores The identification of the HB as representing the historical other positions in analytic and Continental philosophy of roots for the problem in its Judeo-Christian format is a typical religion). However, it should be noted that it is not assumed assessment amongst some philosophers of religion. One that his work represents the only, latest, best or even most popular example of alleged divine hiddenness in the text is representative current take on the topic of divine hiddenness said to be Psalm 22:1 (cf. Snyder & Moser 2001b:7). References in all currents of philosophy of religion. The reason that the to verses from the Psalter are sometimes supplemented with comparisons made below refer mainly to the formulation by quotes from the Prophets (e.g. Is 45:15) and from the wisdom Schellenberg is that his construction of the argument from literature (e.g. Job 23:1–17), the other two main corpuses unbelief is often still considered in much of mainstream where references to divine hiddenness occur (cf.
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