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The Hidden Face of God

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In hardback, the name of this book was THE DISAPPEARANCE OF GOD: A DIVINE MYSTERY. I suppose the publishers thought that was a bit too much for the average reader, thus the new title. Friedman is a Professor of Hebrew and Comparative Literature at UCSD, in California. This work is definitely off beat, tracing what Friedman sees as the gradual withdrawal of God's presence through what most Americans would call the Old Testament. He then gets a bit mystical re: Jesus and the Kabbalah, then wrestles with none other than Nietzsche, and his conclusion moves on to the 20th century. Does this sound strange? Well, the truth is it's utterly fascinating! Repeatedly, Friedman deftly overturns the expected interpretations of essentially everything, including Nietzsche! This work is thought-provoking like few you'll ever come across. I suppose I like Friedman for some of the same reasons I like philosopher Michel Foucault. I don't always agree with everything Foucault says, but I sure do like the way I think when I read Foucault.

As an unusual addendum, I was duly impressed to see a quote from Friedman on the jacket of science fiction writer James Morrow's most recent novel in his series re: the death of God. "Morrow understands theology like a theologian and psychology like a psychologist," says Friedman. The same might be said of Friedman with regards to THE HIDDEN FACE OF GOD. Check it out!

In THE HIDDEN FACE OF GOD, Richard Elliot Friedman tackles three interrelated mysteries. The first mystery concerns the disappearance of God in the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament. Using God's words to Moses ("I shall hide my face from them. I shall see what their end will be.") as a touchstone, Friedman traces the distance travelled from the early pages of the Old Testament where God manifests Himself directly to people, to the book of Esther which does not even mention God. Then he turns to the struggle with God, reminding us that "Israel" - the name God gives to Jacob - means "one who fights with God". Turning conventional wisdom on its head, Friedman points out that while God was a matter of belief for later biblical generations (as for us), when God regularly appeared to his prophets and people - remember that God was present to the whole Hebrew people day and night for 40 years while they wandered in the wilderness! - when there was no need to "believe" because God was right before their eyes, they chose to argue, rebel and disobey. I had never noticed this obvious fact before: that major prophets argue with God in the Old Testament and even make suggestions as to how He might conduct Himself vis-a-vis humans. Even more astonishing is that God usually takes their advice! Friedman concludes his discussion of this first mystery with a chapter on the twin developments of rabbinical Judaism and Christianity as they relate to the concept of "divine hiddenness".

The second mystery concerns Nietzsche's descent into madness, a passage from Dostoevsky's CRIME AND PUNISHMENT and the 'death of God' in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. For Friedman, this moment represents our species' coming of age. A force "erupted" in Nietzsche and Dostoevsky, he says, a force which had been "gradually surfacing" for 2000 years. This force was "the power to pronounce openly what the sacred texts of the Jews and Christians contained but did not say systematically". But if "God is dead" (not the same as saying that God doesn't exist, Friedman wisely points out), what about morality?

The answer to this question, posits Friedman, might be found in the third mystery, which he calls "Big Bang and Kabbalah". This part of the book delves into cosmology and the evolution of consciousness. The first two mysteries are brought to bear on the questions of human destiny. We are at a crossroads, Friedman says, "at which all of our lives are really at stake". But there is a way forward. For a hint of it, I recommend you read this book.

Portions of this review originally appeared in Louvain Stuides 22(Summer 1997): 188-190.

Our current age is frequently characterized by its loss of a sense of transcendence. It is a legacy inherited from centuries of evaluating the relationships between the divine, human, and cosmic realms. In his second book, Richard E. Friedman investigates the complexities of these relationships. The divine has slowly moved from direct interaction with the human and cosmic to a sphere of existence hidden from mortal concerns and worldly actions. Friedman's exposition begins with the Hebrew Bible and extends to the modern thoughts of Nietzsche and Dostoevsky, the mysticism of Kabbalah, and to the scientific notion of the Big Bang. Far from presenting these varied subjects as disjointed topics, Friedman unites them under the three sections of his book.

The first section is a most intriguing biblical odyssey, investigating when and where God can and cannot be found throught the Hebrew Scriptures. These first six chapters are the highlight of the book and are essential reading for anyone interested in seriously discussing God's presence or absence from within the Judeo-Christian tradition. Friedman embarks upon a re-reading of the Hebrew Scriptures with a new hermeneutical key: tracing how God systematically disappears from one historical period to another, and how the balance of power between the divine and the human shifts along with it.

The second section is devoted to the "death of God" as a legacy of the present age, particularly as it comes to us from Nietzsche and Dostoevsky. This section is about half the length of the first section, yet it tends to be repetitious. More about Nietzsche's doctrines and less about their relation to his madness could have strengthened this section. Still, Friedman's point is intriguing. Drawing upon "mysterious" parallel after parallel between the writings and lived experiences of Nietzsche and Dostoevsky, Friedman explains that both men in their own way "envisioned a stage in the relations between humans and the divine in which humans could no longer tolerate the presence or even belief in the existence of a God" (p. 191). Nietzsche embraced this new step for humankind while Dostoevsky resisted it.

The third section of the book consists of one chapter on the scientific model of the Big Bang, one on the mysticism of Kabbalah, plus a final chapter which draws the entire book together. This third mystery concerns the parallels between the twentieth century Big Bang theory and the Jewish mystical vision of creation. He suggests that through the different mediums of science and mysticism we reach similar conceptions, such as creation emanating from a point. However, I was not convinced that the parallels were anything but coincidences. Given his reasoning, one should expect far greater agreement between humans in their concsciouness regarding creation. In his defense, he does admit, "I am simply posing a possibility."

Friedman uses this possibility in the final chapter to provide some basis for suggesting the reunion of the divine and human realms. He poignantly summarizes the contemporary scene: "Nothing has come to replace the direction and security that a more widespread relaince upon God once provided" (p. 255). Because their is a profound sense of divine absence, two crises have arisen. First, we live in an age of great fear and uncertainty. Second, the disappearance of the divine undermined the basis of morality. Friedman proposes that the path back to God, solving both crises, is through science. Basically he gives his own spin to the cosmological argument. He proposes a cosmic God, a God that is not necessarily personal. When we are reduced to space dust we may simply be part of a cosmic nonpersonal God. The scientists are the ones to lead us, but Friedman declares that we all have a role in promoting species loyalty. Science can supposedly rebuild our feelings of security. Also our morality will find new roots in acknowledging "our common heritage and, more urgently... our common danger" (p. 280). But can science be called THE path back to the divine as Friedman asserts? He even admits that may scientists, in whom we are called to place our greatest hope, not only do not see a point to the universe, but do not see why we should look for one.

Perhaps Friedman's greatest disservice is to the unbeliever. If God truly has disappeared as Friedman asserts, then Friedman does not go far enough. He wants to return a monotheistic God inside the universe, but maybe we should be happy with the universe without God being inside or outside. Maybe Friedman is too close to death-of-God theology and not close enough to Nietzsche.

My difficulties with this book are far outweighed by my esteem for Friedman's successful project. This book is insightgful, clearly written, logically ordered, and thought provoking. It is quite accessible to the layperson, while remaining sound reading for the scholar. His bits of humor are welcomed, as are his sober admonitions. This book is also usettling; it cannot be read seriously without the believer calling his or her faith into question, nor without the unbeliever wondering wheter there is in factg some higher dimension. In a provocative way, this book challenges time honored opinions regarding the meaning of human existence and our relationship to the divine.

If you read this book, you will without a doubt agree that Friedman is strikingly intelligent and highly educated on the covered topics. His critique of other works is impressive. When he focuses on logic, he is impressive. When he moves to theories and ideas of his own, he is less impressive. I was repeatedly turning to the idea that if he had critiqued his own work as he had the works of others, he would have torn his own work apart. For example, he gives no logical explanation to his statement that a new major religion is developed every 600 years, even though he implies that it is not due to a coincidence. In addition, it is not very convincing that the three "mysteries" of the universe--while each intriguing--are either connected or significant as a whole. His weaving of the three mysteries together is a clever use of language but not of logic.

A thought-provoking analysis of the relationship between humans and the divine. If the Bible interests you, if philosophy interests you, if mankind's relationship with God interests you- buy this book!

15 years ago, I had the pleasure of taking several classes taught by Richard Eliot Friedman at UCSD. He was the kind of prof one dreams of finding in university- a brilliant speaker, yet easy to follow. A master of the classics, yet able to draw contemporary analogies. His brilliance inspired me to pursue a minor in Religious Studies, and most of his lectures stay with me to this day.

May all that read "The Hidden Face of God" be similarly inspired. Freidman's brilliant prose will challenge the more dogmatic, but ultimately, a mind stretched to new dimensions evolves. Amazing book, written by an amazing man.

I sure didn't realize that YHWH was disappearing as the OT progresses until Friedman pointed it out, and then I slapped my head and wondered why I never noticed it. One of my favorite things about this book is his examination of why this might be happening, this struggle between YHWH and his children. This struggle for us to grow up, to open our eyes and to see that we've got to get back to the garden, that we are stardust, we are golden . . . .

I was also touched by his discussion of Nietzche. The first feller to make an explicit, public break with God since Daddy didn't seem to be coming back. He wanted us to face the truth and grow stronger. Poor guy. I never knew much bout him till I read Friedman's account of his life and work.

And how does Friedman end this? By saying the prodigals need to come home. He mentions Tikkun. I'm not sure if he mentions climbing the Tree of Life as well. What a wonderful book. I hope to own it someday.

If all politics is local then all religion may well be biographical. This putative maxim is very much on display in this interesing intriguing work in which Richard Friedman departs from his usual fare of biblical exegis to the related -- but different -- area of theological speculation. Through his other books, Who Wrote the Bible, The Bible with Sources Revealed to name a couple we find a confident scholarly Friedman wielding his knowledge of biblical Hebrew and text analysis to lock pick the secrets of the Bible. He can rightly be regarded as nothing less than the expert on source theory. This skill shows itself in the development of this book wherein Friedman tackles three interesting problems in turn. The first, his discovery of the "disappearance" of God from Torah is by far the most confidently written. As can be seen by reading the Bible shorn of the New Testament, one sees a biblical story wherein the characters have progressively less and less interaction with God. In the beginning God ordains creation itself and causes Adam and Eve live in His garden. After the expulsion, Noah is spared the destruction of His world. After the flood, Abraham receives His call and Moses saves his nation. So from creation, to the destruction of a global deluge to the saving of people we observe a definite pattern of less human contact with God. Friedman's second problem stems from his analysis of the "God is dead" craze wherein this loss of contact came to find home in the now passe assertion that "God is dead." Friedman's third interesting problem relates to the similarity between contemporary notions of the origin of the universe and Kabbalah. It is at this point Friedman's theology reflects the hearty benefits of good education. While it is true that Kabbalah as a system is richly variated in its delicate calculus the resultant similarities between it and the search for the origins of the universe are well...coincidental. While it is true that science has its necessary and beneficial aspects in the way it uniquely informs us of our origins, in and of itself it does nothing to compel us toward or away from one ideoligical conclusion or the other. To use Friedman's term, "tikkun" (repair) may have its imperative, but that imperative stands not at the pinacle of some history of the universe but rather as an act of necessity between humans seeking minimal adverse interactions. A good idea has its own power. Therefore, doing good has a power all its own just as understanding the origins of the Bible has a power all its own just as understanding the physical origins of the universe has a power all its own.
If we are to gain a peek at that elusive, hidden face of God it seems we are all now destined to do so in our own way.

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.

The book addresses three mysteries, namely:

1. Why does God seem to disappear in the Hebrew bible? God walks in the garden with Adam and Eve, speaks with Abraham, wrestles with Jacob, and appears to Moses. That period is followed by one in which miracles appear to large groups of people. In a third period miracles are recorded to have been experienced by individuals or small groups. The first section of the book explores the meaning of the apparent disappearance of a visible (and/or audible) God for both rabbinic Judaism and Christianity.

2. What explains the correlations between Dostoevsky's novels and Nietzsche's life? Though the two men never met, and Dostoevsky probably never heard of Nietzsche, there are astonishing portions of Dostoevsky's novels with parallels in Nietzsche's life.

3. Is there significance to the similarities in the ways the Kabbalah and the Big Bang describe the origin of the universe?

The author suggests these mysteries may share a common implication for how humans should live.

The book is intensely entertaining, regardless of whether you buy its speculative conclusions. Highly original.

This book is full of interesting ideas, and connections between ideas, to ponder. It has been more than a month since I finished reading it and I still reflect on it from time to time. The author has done an excellent job with a difficult and important theme - the relation between God and humanity.