From The Paradise To This Shore

As an German-American thinker in 20th century,Paul Tillich across two fields which are philosophy and theology. He is widely concerned by humanities and the scientific community for his "ultimate concern" .His ideology contains ideology of modern existence and Protestant Christian ideology which has traditional color. "Ultimate concern" is a very important part in his culture theology system as its foothold and the home to return. "Ultimate concern" has a very profound ideological significance. This article focuses on the "ultimate concern" and gives a systematic organization and comprehensive explanation to it.This article consists of 3 parts:In the first part, the author explained the background of Tillich's "ultimate concern" specifically from three aspect, they were cultural background, social background,religious background and philosophical background ."Ultimate concern" based on the background that there was a cultural crisis in 20th century western social, the whole form of 20th century western society was a modern industrial society. Humanism and rationalism have dominant the society. The essence of the crisis was the loss of the significance of Humanity and the value world. "Ultimate concern" is supported by the theological background .Essentially it's not put forward by Tillich firstly. It can be traced back to Plato, also in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century Protestant thought and in the early Christian theology can found its trace. After explaining the background of "ultimate concern", "being" and "non-being" as the prerequisite of "ultimate concern" and philosophical background had been interpreted. Because "ultimate concern" concerns "being"– existence of humanity.In the second part, the author discusses the "ultimate concern" thought from six aspects comprehensive. 1. Humanity's concerns, including primary concern and ultimate concern, ultimate concern has infinite, holistic, absolute and other characteristics; 2. Describes the starting point of ultimate concern,which was based on the passion of Christ in《Bible》. 3. There are variety ways of existence. They have no limitations. But ultimate concern is only one, it's impossible that at the same time there are several ultimate concern exist. The author elaborates the relationship between ultimate concern and the idolatry.4. This part analyze"god"from the perspective of ontology. Tillich started with the humanity's existence and humanity's freedom to give an analysis of "person". And he thought that only by relating God with humanity's existence with humanity's activity and regarding God as the creative existence can we find God's ultimate concern, for humanity is meaningful.5. Tillich interpreted dynamic of faith and raised the anxiety of people, told us that only courage was the only way to resolve anxiety, The existence of absolute faith as the basis and premise of Courage is the driving force of ultimate concern.6. Under the sacred landscape, the way to guide the ideal to the real implementation is"new being", it is an existence in real sense . It is ultimate concern's sense of beyond reality.The third part explains ultimate concern's theoretical status and significance from aspects of Christian philosophy and theology .In Tillich's "ultimate concern" system of thought, he raised issues which had neglected by philosophy: the courage of humanity's existence and the exploration of the courage, faith and the power of survival . Tillich's religion is different from the traditional religious. The function of religion is to give the courage of humanity's existence and the meaning of ultimate concern .In his thought, Christian theology is theoretical premises and ideological sources of ultimate concern. He tried to combine the theological doctrine and the reality of modern western culture, tried to awaken humanity to the Christian faith. He gave re-annotation of culture and spirit by philosophy and theology, reshaping the image of man, recycling a new being. He grasped and explored the root of the ontology of the human predicament and external performance by theological perspective, tried to make culture unified in Christian theology and religion.