The Death of God: The Culture of our Post-Christian Era

New York: George Braziller, 1962. Second printing. Hardcover. Very Good/good. Light shelf wear to tips, corners, and edges of the book and jacket, spine darkened. First published in 1961, second printing of 1962. The author 's premise is that Western culture has created a new and troubling concept of God. In a later book, Wait Without Idols, Vahanian further develops his ideas: "God is not necessary; that is to say, he cannot be taken for granted. He cannot be used merely as a hypothesis, whether epistemological, scientific, or existential, unless we should draw the degrading conclusion that 'God is reasons.' On the other hand, if we can no longer assume that God is, we may once again realize that he must be. God is not necessary, but he is inevitable. He is wholly other and wholly present. Faith in him, the conversion of our human reality, both culturally and existentially, is the demand he still makes upon us." The German Lutheran theologian Rudolf Bultmann called it a landmark of theological criticism. Books and other items ship promptly with a tracking number and (generally over $15.00) jacket protectors if applicable. Clean recycled packing material will be used when possible. The Book Shed has a been a member of the Vermont Antiquarian Bookseller's Association since 1997. An online bookseller with a bookshop sensibility!