CONVERGÊNCIAS E DIVERGÊNCIAS NAS PERSPECTIVAS SOBRE A ARTE E A CULTURA EM PAUL TILLICH E HANS ROOKMAAKER

Abstract

This paper proposes a comparative analysis of Paul Tillich and Hans Rookmaaker’s thoughts towards religion, culture and arts. Is it possible a syntheses between the thoughts of these two authors? Where they converge and diverge is this research's point, in the search that from this comparison, that is the methodology, that syntheses become a possible foundation to enable possible artists and professionals to use it on their work. In the very first chapter the theory and the thought of Tillich are approached. His concepts regarding religion and culture asthe dialogue takes place in his theology of culture and how he implie that the distance between both relegion and culture are overcome. It is argued the way that art appears within this perspective in the beginning of this chapter, considering theme, shape and style. The presence of a symbol within religion and culture appears right next, explaining its function and its importance for the human being to move through spaces where the lack of that symbol would be impracticable. The first chapter is ended with the presentation of the correlation method, which is the theoretical framework of this study. As he suggests, what are those influences and ways in which they can be used for dialogue at the frontiers of thoughts closes this topic. In the second chapter, Rookmaaker's theory and thinking arises, considering a historical outline of how neocalvinism was shaped in The Netherlands, what was the reality of that country and who were those important thinkers on this part, from where the proposal of the Christian worldview that has the triad creation-fall-redemption as the foundation of it. Rookmaaker appears as an exponent at that moment and his perception of art and the sacred is analysed. How he understands the Christian's performance within the reality of society, as it can act within the spheres of law suggested by Dooyeweered, where aesthetics and beauty are seated, and from the culture of the artist can act to transform it, whereas it can be read by the author as the field of redemption.The way in which Rookmaaker perceives modern art as evidence of the death of a culture is still worked on, where once again he understands that there may be changes due to a well performed performance. Lastly, the third chapter brings a dialogue between the two parts, realising where they are found, considering the common historical moment of the two theologians and philosophers, their views on culture, on the truth and on the impossibility of dealing seriousness with thematic without overcoming the dualism between religion and culture; where the parts are not meeting, in the axiom of the neocalvinist worldview in debate with existentialism, in the understanding of modern art as well as in the concern for aesthetics that Rookmaaker has once for Tillich it is not the main point. What closes the third chapter is a synthesis of the two thoughts, which is built on the border of this meeting and which may be served as a basis for professionals within arts to transmit messages that can collaborate with the construction of a better society, whether within formal education or in varied artistic forms where the public is led to reflect on problems present in the modern world.