God as the Event of Being: A Hermeneutical Onto-Theology [Gott als Ereignis des Seins. Versuch einer hermeneutischen Onto-Theologie]

von Sass, Hartmut

Abstract

If God is not a metaphysical supplement to the world, the question arises as to how one must think about God to be truly referring to God. This monograph deals with this question by elaborating on three claims: (1) God’s being is identical with God's acting; (2) divine action towards humans is constituted by God's revelation; and finally (3) the revelatory divine action results in a new understanding of humans and the world. Combining these three claims leads to relocating God’s works and thus the divine being. There is no separate referent that has been added to the world, but a new and irreducible reference to the world which encompasses humanity. This transformation from substance-metaphysical thinking to an understanding in performances is called a modalization of faith. The consequences of this theological upheaval for a post-metaphysical conception of God are worked out in a dialogue with hermeneutical theology and its philosophical foundations.