The Truth..Through Relation

Martin Buber was an “Austrian-Jewish theologian and philosopher” influenced by Hasidism (a Jewish mystical movement) in Eastern Europe. Buber went through this scenario, having a vision he originally interpreted as a mystical union with God. Buber later reinterprets his vision to be more in line with traditional Jewish understandings of relation with God. From Buber’s experiences he wrote “I and Thou” to ruminate his theological and philosophical ethic of relation and dialogue (a product of his reflection on his experience). Through experience with this religion Buber forms a relational ethic towards God and Human relations. Buber views God and Human’s as being in a mutual dialogue of I-thou relation. This I-thou relation helps complete creation. Maurice Friedman clarifies Buber’s ideas: “If God did not need man, if man were simply dependent and nothing else, there would be no meaning to man’s life or to the world. ‘The world is not divine sport, it is divine destiny.’”

The Eternal Thou needs humans for relation and existence. For Buber all human I-Thou relation culminates in the Eternal Thou. The Eternal Thou instills grace through which all other I-Thou relation is possible. Buber insists “extended lines of relations meet in the eternal Thou.” Buber characterizes all relational I-thous between humans are in one sense fodder for the fire of divine relation. With each I-thou relation we get “a glimpse through to the eternal Thou.” Therefore, humans may access the divine by entering into the relational I-thous where “the primary word addresses the eternal Thou.” Buber sees God in every human being and the ultimate gift of God is a mutuality of dialogue in I-thou relation where the eternal Thou allows the “inborn Thou” to be realized. The “inborn Thou” is God’s presence inside of humanity allowing man to use the primary world I-thou and rise above the I-It world.

Martin Buber utilizes dialogue symbolism to highlight the inherent important of I-Thou relation to expose God’s need of humanity to fulfill existence. The I-Thou relation creates a conversation between God and people. Think of God speech as happening “solely alongside or above the everyday.” Yet, God’s speech “penetrates” all of the world, life, history and present. God’s speech transforms all importance into “instruction, message, demand” for humanity. Buber insists all life and events is a confrontation urging man to make a choice in the world of how to relate. Thereby all life and events are “enabled and empowered by the personal speech of God to demand of the human person that he take his stand and make his decision.” This demand on the human person to make a decision deals with the complex need of God for humanity. As Buber continually asserts all real existence is relation. God’s existence is contingent upon the relation of humanity. True existence and relation is fulfilled by God and given by God to the mutual benefit of both parties. Such a need of God is not arbitrary or limiting. God self-imposes this need on himself to allow for mutuality, relation and existence. Buber passionately insists I-Thou relation fulfils Human existence, calling humans to share mutuality with God to “speak of it, bears witness[to], and calls to witness him to whom he speaks—whether that witness is now or in the future” of God’s existence.