Hermann Cohen’s Shadow Dialogue with the Ritschlian School on Atonement
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Daniel M. Herskowitz
Abstract
The present study examines the conceptual relationship between the Jewish neo-Kantian philosopher Hermann Cohen and the Ritschlian school, the dominant school of Protestant theology of his time. Its point of departure is that much can be illuminated in Cohen’s late work Religion of Reason out of the Sources of Judaism [Religion der Vernunft aus den Quellen des Judentums] by reading it in the context of contemporary Protestantism. It argues that Cohen’s notions of “reconciliation” or “atonement” [Versöhnung] and forgiveness of sin conduct a shadow dialogue with the Ritschlian school, and that they are formed, framed, and formulated with constant awareness of the prevalent Protestant stance, particularly as it is conceived by Albrecht Ritschl, the school’s so-called “father,” and Wilhelm Herrmann, Ritschl’s student and the school’s unofficial “founder.” It is suggested that the presence of the Ritschlian school in Religion of Reason is more extensive than what would be suggested by the sum total of explicit mentions of the relevant theologians’ names, and that this school serves both as a source from which Cohen draws and a foil against which he develops his own position.
Zusammenfassung
Die vorliegende Studie beschäftigt sich mit dem begrifflichen Verhältnis zwischen dem jüdischen Neukantianer Hermann Cohen und der zu seiner Zeit in der protestantischen Theologie dominierenden Ritschlianischen Schule. Sie beruht auf der Annahme, dass es erhellend ist, Cohens Spätwerk Religion der Vernunft aus den Quellen des Judentums im Kontext des zeitgenössischen Protestantismus zu lesen. Es wird argumentiert, dass Cohens Vorstellungen von “Versöhnung” und Sündenvergebung einen Schattendialog mit der Ritschlianischen Schule führen und fortwährend mit Blick auf die vorherrschende protestantische Haltung entworfen und formuliert werden – insbesondere so wie sie von Albrecht Ritschl, dem sogenannten “Vater” der Schule, und Wilhelm Herrmann, Ritschls Schüler und inoffiziellem “Gründer” der Schule, verstanden werden. Es wird vorgeschlagen, dass die Präsenz der Ritschlianischen Schule in Religion der Vernunft bedeutender ist, als die Gesamtsumme der namentlich explizit erwähnten relevanten Theologen vermuten ließe, und dass diese theologische Schule sowohl als Quelle dient, von der Cohen ausgeht, als auch als Kontrastfolie, gegenüber derer er seine eigene Position ausarbeitet.
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