PAUL TILLICH’S CONCEPT OF GOD AND ITS IMPLICATIONS ON CHRISTIAN FAITH

Abstract

This study is entitled “Paul Tillich's Concept of God and Its Implications on Christian Faith.” This study focuses on Paul Tillich's theological thinking on the concept of God and his understanding of faith within the Christian tradition. Paul Tillich widely recognised as a theologian who developed a philosophical-theological approach by understanding faith as the ultimate concern and interpreting God not as one of the highest entities among other beings, but as being-itself or ground of being. Based on these issues, this study analyses Paul Tillich's concept of God and its implications for the Christian faith. The analysis examines how the understanding of God as the basis of existence influences the Christian faith, particularly in relation to human existence, doubt, and the search for meaning in life. In the human search for meaning in life and experiences of doubt, existential questions emerge, which are addressed through Paul Tillich’s method of correlation. This study employs library research using a theological-philosophical approach. The analysis method used is descriptive-analytical through the processing of qualitative data sourced from Paul Tillich's major works, such as Systematic Theology and The Dynamic Faith, as well as relevant supporting books and academic journals. The analysis aims to elaborate Tillich’s concepts of God and faith and to assess their implications for Christian faith. The findings indicate that, according to Paul Tillich, God is understood as the ground of being or being-itself, rather than as the highest entity among other beings, thus transcending the categories of personal and objective and avoiding anthropomorphic understanding. This understanding maintains God's transcendence as the foundation that supports all existence and implies a Christian understanding of faith that no longer places God solely as an object of belief, but as being-itself. Faith is then understood as an ultimate concern that is closely related to human existence and existential experience, and through the method of correlation, faith becomes relevant in adressing existential doubt. This study has several limitations, both in terms of discussion and analythical depth. Therefore, further research is recommended to develop this study by comparing Paul Tillich's concept of God in greater depth with other Christian theologians, both from classical and contemporary traditions, in order to enrich the theological perspective. Furthermore, it is recommended that Paul Tillich’s concept of The Courage to Be, be examined in greater depth as a means by which individuals confront doubt, as this study addresses it only briefly.

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