From hiddenness to withdrawal. The hidden God in Luther and Lutheran thought - and beyond.

The hidden God (Deus absconditus) and thus the hiddenness of God permeate Luther’s entire thought and work and can be regarded as central motifs of his thought – as is particularly evident in thesis 20 of the Heidelberg Disputation. Modern and postmodern interpretations of Luther now also see these motifs as evidence for Luther’s anti-metaphysical thinking. However, the history of theology has also criticised Luther's concept of Deus absconditus. The presentation will firstly analyse relevant passages on the Deus absconditus in Luther’s work. Secondly it will discuss and evaluate on the one hand the criticism made by Karl Barth and Eberhard Jüngel, and on the other hand present the Lutheran-theological continuations of Luther’s reflections in Gerhard Ebeling as a counter-voice to Barth’s and Jüngel’s criticism. Finally, it will undertake a phenomenological problematisation of the concept of hiddenness – also in Luther’s thought –, which raises questions and doubt concerning the thesis of the anti-metaphysics of this very concept in Luther’s thought in modern and postmodern readings.

The program is sent out via email and posted at this site, please sign up to receive it: av@teol.ku.dk.

Physical (Room 8B-1-33) and zoom attendance is possible.

The language of the seminar generally follows the language in the title.