God's Presence in History: Jewish Affirmations and Philosophical Reflections [Paperback]

Emil L. Fackenheim (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1997 | ISBN-10: 0765759780 | ISBN-13: 978-0765759788 | Edition: Jason Aronson ed

An important statement of Fackenheim's "essential thinking."

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Emil Fackenheim was born in Halle, Germany, and ordained at the Hochschule fur die Wissenschaft des Judentums in Berlin in 1939. In 1940 he went to Canada, narrowly escaping the devastation of the Holocaust. Fackenheim became a professor at the University of Toronto, where he made important contributions to the study of Georg Hegel and German idealism. The 1960s saw a radical change in Fackenheim's philosophy as he attempted to come to terms with the horror of the Holocaust. Arguing that the murder of Jews by the Nazis was qualitatively unique, a "novum" in history, he found that he no longer could think in terms of timeless and abstract philosophic systems, which do not account for the possibility of this radical evil. Fackenheim claims that Jews must not allow the Holocaust to weaken their faith, lest Hitler be given a posthumous victory. He sees the establishment of the State of Israel as a testimony to Jewish defiance in the face of Nazi oppression. Fackenheim recently moved to Jerusalem, where he articulates a Zionist view that Jewish life can be lived authentically once one is in the state of Israel. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 104 pages
• Publisher: Jason Aronson Inc; Jason Aronson ed edition (May 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765759780
• ISBN-13: 978-0765759788
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,106,353 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A major work of Jewish thought, October 12, 2004

By 

Shalom Freedman "Shalom Freedman" (Jerusalem,Israel) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: God's Presence in History: Jewish Affirmations and Philosophical Reflections (Paperback)

This is the major work of a major Jewish thinker. Professor Fackenheim was a man of great personal integrity, of great caring for the Jewish people , and of great independance and strength as a thinker. His Jewish thought often involves a kind of midrashic like mediation on traditional texts, and often an abstract analysis in philosophical language.

This work is difficult at times but strongly recommended for all those who wish to deepen their sense of the meaning of Jewish life and thought.