Abstract / DOI
The Great Vis-a-vis and its Rivals: Reflections on the «Privative» Character of Monotheism. God is not a part of the cosmos. As the creator he is the great vis-a-vis and a counterpole of the world. His singular ontology forms a class of its own. Using the metapor of electrical voltage the philosopher Peter Sloterdijk invented the neologism «Vertikalspannung» (vertical tension) to describe a world with such a great opposite. This essay proposes a new conceptual strategy: The current «negative theology» leads to misunderstandings and should be replaced by «privative theology». In order to substantiate this idea, three famous examples of the jewish relevation-narrative are analyzed. A central idea is the simultaneity of god’s withdrawal and god’s presence, which is characteristic for both Israel’s concept of god and scripture as medium. Scripture becomes holy and the leading medium of monotheism. Jesus, the pious jew, estimates the tora, but to grasp the heavenly fathers will the letters of scripture are not enough. So he gives his example of incarnation: God’s spirit in human flesh. In former studies the author proved philologically that the 4th petition of the Lord’s prayer originally meant a «supersubstantial» bread. This is Jesus’ proposition to find out gods will for every single day. The 6th petition might prevent against the idea of posessing god’s will. The history of monotheism shows a continuous competition beween a «privative» and a «posessing» («usurpatorischer Monotheismus»)theology.