The Old Faith and the New: A Confession, Volumes 1-2

David Friedrich Strauss

Jan 1873 · Holt

About this ebook

In his final work, The Old Faith and the New (1872), Strauss abandons Christianity altogether and turns to a critique of theism in general: Relying on contemporary science and leading philosophers, he rejects God as the creator of the universe and humankind, the divinity of Christ, and the reality of miracles (the Old Faith), thus confining religion to the domains of history, myth, and ethics. With the Christian cosmology undermined, Strauss constructs a new view of the universe and humanity's place in it which is grounded in science and technology, Darwinian evolution, and inductive reasoning (the New Faith), all of which hold out the hope of finding true solutions to human problems.

Ratings and reviews

By page 331 (Vol 2, p. 107), his real motivation and agenda has become clear. He hates religion because it leads to internationalism. This work must be considered as part of the historical foundation of fascism. Not only is the church seen as his political enemy, there are also many negative remarks about Jews scattered throughout. Norman Mailer once said that the alternative to religion is fascism. This work provides abundant evidence for that remark. I think the Strauss, whose judgment is clearly clouded by partisan motivations, utterly misses the essence of Christianity. Norman Mailer also said that God should be viewed as an artist. In like manner, I think religion is an art. Art exists to express that which cannot be articulated. One who ridicules a cubist painting, because he can see no recognizable objects in it, misses the point of the painting. In like manner, to ridicule the idea of a savior, no matter how clumsily described in ancient text, is to miss the essence of sacred legend.