43 pages • 1 hour read
Ludwig FeuerbachThe Essence of Christianity
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1841A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Part 1, Chapters 7-12Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Part 1: “The True or Anthropological Essence of Religion”
Part 1, Chapter 7 Summary: “The Mystery of the Logos and Divine Image”
Christians are primarily interested in the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, Jesus Christ. He is the mediator between humans and God, and most importantly he is an image: “the representation of God, the visible glory of the invisible God” (55-56). Rather than worship an invisible, abstract God, humans worship an image of God—something that can be seen, touched, and imagined.
The presence of the image of the divine word—the Logos, in Greek—allows for human beings to externalize their thoughts in feelings through worship; the Catholic Church insists that even images of holy things are themselves holy. The truth lies in the fact that words have great power: the power to influence, command, rule, teach, guide, and create. Feuerbach concludes, “Men pass away, the word remains; the word is life and truth. All power is given to the word” (57).
Part 1, Chapter 8 Summary: “The Mystery of the Cosmogonical Principle in God”
The Son is the principle by which the world comes into being. The Son, as the second person of the trinity, is begotten by the Father. The Son therefore contains the finite within his nature, and makes creation possible: “The world is not God; it is other than God, the opposite of God, or at least that which is different from God.
