The Courage to Be: An Antidote to Meaninglessness

In The Courage to Be, Paul Tillich presents his antidote to meaninglessness and anxiety through the concept of courage. He was a German-American Christian existentialist philosopher born in 1886 and is considered as one of the most influential theologians of the 20th century.

While lecturing on anxiety, Tillich noticed that there was an enormous response in the post-war era, especially in the younger people, and he sought to give an answer to the growing anxiety which had developed. The aftereffects of the two World Wars had left the world in a state of disorientation, estrangement, anxiety and meaninglessness.

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📚 Recommended Reading

▶ The Courage to Be
▶ Dynamics of Faith
▶ Systematic Theology: Three Volumes in One

🎧 Prefer Audiobooks? Get a 30-day Audible Plus FREE trial:

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⌛ Timestamps

(0:00) Introduction: Paul Tillich
(3:17) Method of Correlation
(4:02) The Courage to Be: Introduction
(5:49) The Courage to Be: Anxiety
(11:30) The Courage to Be: Participation and Individualisation
(13:12) The Ground of Being
(14:20) Symbols
(16:17) The Ultimate Concern

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📝 Sources

- The Courage to Be – Paul Tillich
- Hart, C. W. (2011). Paul Tillich and psychoanalysis. Journal of religion and health, 50(3), 646-655
- A conversation with Dr. Paul Tillich and Mr. Werner Rode, a graduate student of theology. Published: [New Haven, CT] : Yale Broadcast & Media Center, [2010]
- 16. Search for America - Human Fulfillment with Paul Tillich and Mark van Doren
- Ep. 50 - Awakening from the Meaning Crisis - Tillich and Barfield
- Summer Philosophy Series Part 2: Tillich
- Paul Tillich - Symbols of Eternal Life

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🎶 Music used

1. Mesmerize – Kevin MacLeod
2. Virtutes Instrumenti – Kevin MacLeod
3. Evening Fall Harp – Kevin MacLeod
4. Wounded – Kevin MacLeod
5. Georgian Chant – Kevin MacLeod

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

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Thanks for watching, I appreciate it!

#meaninglessness #anxiety #tillich

[Eternalised]

*“The vitality that can stand the abyss of meaninglessness is aware of a hidden meaning within the destruction of meaning.”* — Paul Tillich


Special thanks to my Patrons:

Jay B, Evangelos Barakos, Lynne Benson, Ryon Brashear, Jeanette, Mr X, Spirit Gun, Ramunas Cepaitis

[WisdominQuotes]

"Neurosis is the way of avoiding non-being by avoiding being."
~~Paul Tillich, The Courage to Be, pt. 2, ch. 3 (1952)

[kj]

As someone with no academic background, these are invaluable lessons. Thank you so much

[ReynaSingh]

existence is fueled by fear because there’s too much emphasis on the individual experience of life and death. we are apart of a universal rhythm and it’s quite liberating to see unity within all the disparate beings

[strollingthroughparadise]

This is by far the most meaningful, deep and knowledgeable channel about our inner lives, which is more important than most people think, that I have ever watched anywhere. Thank you so very much, Eternalized, for making these videos and giving so much to so many!!!🙏🙏🙏

[TheLivingPhilosophy]

That was epic! I remember hearing a lot about Tillich in university doing theological courses but never actually got round to studying him or learning what he thought so this was a great introduction as ever

[emperorfulgidus]

I love the direction of your work. Keep it up!! I really appreciate it!!

[elliotwalton]

This was great to come across. I'm just a month away of completing a 500-page graphic novel inspired by Tillich. I read The Courage to Be in 1983 or 1984 in my early twenties at University. Although my familiarity with his writings has a thick layer of dust on it, this video has blown much of it away. Tillich had a profound affect on my thinking, even if I didn't fully grasp his finer details. His concept, or description of the God who appears when the God of theism disappears in doubt and anxiety has never left me. I still own my original copy. It is well underlined. What better time than the last few days of Lent to review what had so impressed me. I'd like to get my hands on his three volumes of sermons again as well.

[christian]

Mane this video was like an awakening, really appreciated it

[Gminor]

Excellent. I became immersed in Tillich in 1976 while working on my philosophy degree with some professors who themselves had been students of Tillich at Union Seminary.

[WisdominQuotes]

"Neurosis is always a substitute for legitimate suffering."
~~Carl Jung

[ws]

VERY IMPORTANT ADVICE:

11:30 - 12:02:

Out there somewhere, there is, in the very least, someone who, specifically, needs you to necessarily exist, and also exist as the most authentic version of yourself.

[RafaelMarques]

You’re getting as good as academy of ideas

[virashnibharuth]

Thank you for this wonderful work! I teach philosophy to high school students and this has helped address anxiety and courage in an accessible way without stripping the reverence of being before one becomes overwhelmed by the world

[StevenCaufield]

Simplicity, Directly, Informative, calm narrator voice are rightly what some people like me are enjoying while meditating with it, keep up the vids, you are great!

[virtualselfie]

This was one of your finest exegesis, Eternalised! Your readings, sources and timestamps help me master the "void." You are a truly gifted philosopher. Thank you.

[matthewkopp]

I am grateful Paul Tillich was an influential member of my Church Denomination.

Without his influence I would probably have just become a scientific reductionist of some sort and simply dismissed Christianity altogether.

Tillich made Christianity relevant as a living philosophy of being and a symbolic language that can be seen everywhere rather an fundamentalist idolatry.

I wish other church denominations would consider what he wrote.

[justjoefishing]

Always a great listen. I’ve learned so much everytime I’ve seen one of your videos. Awesome job

[MotherHomosapiens]

Your channel is by far my favorite of them all. Thank you for your work.

[joschmoyo]

There is no substitute for experience when it comes to overcoming fear of death. All men know this but only a few accept it and live through the experiences required to embrace death instead of run from it.