Thinking about the Prophets

July 13, 2020
Seeskin (Searching for a Distant God), a professor of the philosophy of religion at Northwestern, analyzes in this sharp study the biblical books of Amos, Ezekiel, Hosea, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Job through the lens of Western philosophy. Seeskin starts with a summary of each prophet’s background before examining the worldview presented in each book and relevant philosophical questions. For instance, in Amos, the proposition that “no one has ever come to God with completely pure hands” is followed by Aristotle and Hegel’s answer to “set standards which, though not perfect, are at least attainable.” In Jeremiah, he asks, “How could an all-powerful God allow a chosen servant” to be harmed or disrespected? He then uses the arguments of Bertrand Russell and Hermann Cohen to claim that “qualities like faith, love, courage, or commitment to an ideal have to be tested to be real.” While Seeskin’s strength is Jewish scholarship, he takes an ecumenical approach by showcasing how the works of the prophets are foundational texts for multiple religions and emphasizing their modern relevance. Erudite and accessible, this insightful analysis will appeal to any reader interested in the Bible, the philosophy of religion, or simply the history and literature of the ancient world.

September 11, 2020

Seeskin's (philosophy, Northwestern Univ.; Thinking About the Torah) focus in this latest work is on prophetic literature, specifically on the philosophical antecedents that lie hidden within the words and actions of the biblical prophets. As the author presents each prophet's message, he skillfully interweaves similar ethical and moral concerns raised by historically and culturally disparate thinkers such as Aristotle, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Martin Buber, and Joseph B. Soloveitchik. For example, the divine pathos imagined by Hosea's more fulsome love is limited in Maimonides to humanity's love for God alone; his philosophy cannot conceive of a deity that is moved by any emotion, which Hosea certainly can. Jeremiah's unpopular message of divine judgement carries within it later echoes of Immanuel Kant, who condemned the perversity of the human heart whose evil cannot be removed, even though Jeremiah's message also shared an existential hope for return which Kant seemingly could not fathom. VERDICT This fascinating and erudite account by Seeskin subtly argues for an Old Testament God concept that is far richer and more evocative than the limited vision of many philosophers. Readers interested in learning about biblical prophets will find much to uncover. --Sandra Collins, Byzantine Catholic Seminary Lib., Pittsburgh

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