"There is no shorter path for joining a neutral existential anthropology, according to philosophy, with the existential decision before God, according to the Bible"
- Paul Ricoeur
About this Quote
This quote by Paul Ricoeur recommends that there is no very easy method to reconcile the thoughtful principle of existential anthropology, which is the research of the human condition, with the Biblical concept of an existential decision before God. Existential anthropology is a neutral idea, implying it is not always connected to any type of certain religious beliefs or belief system. However, the Bible speaks of a choice that needs to be made before God, which suggests a religious or spiritual component. Ricoeur is recommending that there is no basic means to bridge the gap between these two ideas, which it is a difficult task to resolve them. This quote highlights the intricacy of the relationship between ideology and also faith, as well as the problem of locating a commonalities between them.
"When the missionaries came to Africa they had the Bible and we had the land. They said "Let us pray." We closed our eyes. When we opened them we had the Bible and they had the land"