Philosophie des Gebets
Book Description
In a world where modern philosophy has largely turned away from the sacred, Jean-Claude Wolf ventures into territory that many contemporary thinkers avoid: the philosophical examination of prayer itself. This thoughtful exploration challenges the prevailing academic dismissal of prayer as naive or intellectually unworthy.
Wolf acknowledges the philosophical tradition since Spinoza and Kant that has systematically avoided engaging with prayer, viewing simple petitionary prayer as embarrassing and beneath serious intellectual consideration. Yet he refuses to accept this dismissal as final. Instead, he draws attention to dissenting voices like Søren Kierkegaard and Franz von Baader, who dared to develop genuine philosophies of prayer despite the intellectual climate of their times.
The author weaves together philosophical inquiry with poetic insight, noting how the mystical verses of Angelus Silesius reveal prayer's kinship with lyrical expression. Rather than simply defending the practice of prayer, Wolf undertakes a deeper investigation into the psychological and spiritual obstacles that prevent or disturb our capacity for genuine prayerful engagement.
This essay offers readers a rare opportunity to encounter prayer through the lens of rigorous philosophical thought. Wolf invites those seeking spiritual understanding to reconsider what has been too quickly dismissed, opening pathways for both intellectual honesty and spiritual depth in our approach to the divine.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Short (< 200 pages) (~4 hours)
📄 Length: 138 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore timeless philosophical wisdom
- ✓ Explore Religion
- ✓ Deepen your prayer practice
