The Star of Redemption - by Franz Rosenzweig (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

The Star of Redemption is widely recognized as a key document of modern existential thought and a significant contribution to Jewish theology in the twentieth century. An affirmation of what Rosenzweig called "the new thinking," the work ensconces common sense in the place of abstract, conceptual philosophizing and posits the validity of the concrete, individual human being over that of "humanity" in general. Fusing philosophy and theology, it assigns both Judaism and Christianity distinct but equally important roles in the spiritual structure of the world, and finds in both biblical religions approaches toward a comprehension of reality.

Review Quotes

"In the years granted him after the book, Rosenzweig created the most compelling model yet known of what it might mean to live as an autonomous Jew, as a non-Orthodox but serious, hence post-liberal, existential Jew. His people, therefore will hold Rosenzweig in great esteem. But any who honor the realization of the self will want to know this extraordinary human being and, in due course, will be happy to have at hand The Star of Redemption." -New York Times

"In 1918, while a soldier in the German army, Rosenzweig began his writing of The Star of Redemption, sometimes recording his thoughts on army postcards. It was completed in 1919, first published in 1921. This is the first full-scale translation into English." -Los Angeles Times

"This work as a whole remained untranslated, accessible only to thos who could avail themsleves of the German text. Most potential readers were thus unable to explore at first hand the philosophical basis for Rosenzweig's return to Judaism and to appreciate fully the radicality of his thoughts. Now, fifty years after its first appearance in Germany, Der Stern der Erlösung is at last available in English. Here, finally, is Rosenzweig the systematic thinker, the "philosopher-theologian"." -Commentary

"The Star of Redemption...is one of the most important and influential works in twentieth-century Jewish philosophical theology - and an extremely important work at any time and for many purposes." -The Thomist

"Rosenzweig was, and is, being revered as a saintly martyr--and the works of saints are in a special category. He was quite aware of this saint's halo and he debunked it in no uncertain terms. Rosenzweig's great contribution--and this was the source of his charisma--was that he taught Western Jews the beauty-in-holiness of the Sabbath and Jewish festivals." -Judaism

"Rosenzweig's 1920 volume gets a modern translation. His philosophical scope takes in both Judaism and Christianity, granting each its own important place." -Library Journal

"This profound work of the late Franz Rosenzweig builds up a complete philosophical system of great originality. It begins with a critique of Hegelianism and culminates in a theory of truth. A saintly soul breathes throughout its pages." -The Jewish Quarterly Review

"Franz Rosenzweig's The Start of Redemption is one of the few lasting books of our century, a work whose originality transcends the disciplinary limits of philosophy and religion and which must be read by anyone whose concern with the meaning of daily life is urgent and abiding." --Maurice Natanson, Yale University

About the Author

Franz Rosenzweig (1886-1929) studied at the universities of Berlin, Freiburg, and Leipzig. In addition to The Star of Redemption, he published a two-volume study of Hegel's political philosophy. His collaboration with Martin Buber on a translation of the Hebrew Bible is considered the finest in German since Martin Luther's.

William Wolfgang Hallo (1928-2015) was professor of Assyriology and Babylonian Literature and curator of the Babylonian collection at Yale University. He was born in Kassel, Germany. Hallo was a Master of Morse College, one of the twelve residential colleges at Yale University, between 1982 and 1987.