Jacques Ellul Bücher

Die Natur der Propaganda besteht nach dem großen Philosophen Jacques Ellul in der Anpassung des Individuums an eine Gesellschaft, die darauf abzielt, das Individuum dienstbar und konform zu machen. "Mit der Logik, die ein großartiges Instrument des französischen Denkens ist, versucht Ellul seine These zu beweisen, dass Propaganda ungeachtet positiver oder negativer Intentionen nicht nur eine zerstörerische Wirkung für die Demokratie hat, sondern vielleicht die größte Gefahr für die Menschheit der modernen Welt ist," schrieb Robert R. Kirsch zum Erscheinen der Originalausgabe 1962 in der Los Angeles Times. Im Westend Verlag erscheint nun erstmals die deutsche Übersetzung dieses wichtigen Standardwerks zur Propagandaforschung.

The book delves into the essence of Christian faith, distinguishing between superficial religion and authentic faith rooted in divine revelation. Jacques Ellul emphasizes that true Christianity involves a courageous engagement with the Wholly Other God, challenging believers to transcend conventional understanding and embrace a transformative perspective. By examining faith's dynamics, he invites readers to confront their beliefs and seek deeper truths beyond personal circumstances and societal norms.

Exploring the complexities of Good and Evil, this work delves into contemporary Western morality and presents a thought-provoking vision of Christian ethics. The first volume examines the origins of ethical dilemmas, while the second expands on the characteristics of Christian ethics and its connections to biblical law and dogmatic theology. Engaging with notable theologians like Karl Barth and Dietrich Bonhoeffer, this significant contribution offers a fresh perspective on ethical discourse and scriptural interpretation, enriched by a recently discovered manuscript.

Exploring the perspectives of a prominent twentieth-century thinker, this work delves into the complexities of wealth and poverty, addressing pressing contemporary issues. It offers a unique analysis of socio-economic divides and the philosophical implications surrounding them, providing insights that resonate with modern readers. Through thought-provoking discussions, the author invites reflection on the nature of richness and the societal structures that influence our understanding of wealth.

This is not a commentary in the traditional sense. One might call it an existential commentary. An important aim of the author is to bring out the relevance of the story, of the person, mission, and situation of Jonah, to Christians in our own time. Above all, this is a theological, or --more specifically -- a christological commentary. The author's chief aim is to relate the book, not to Christians, but to Christ. Ellul thinks Christ is the center of all Scripture, and he also takes seriously the specific reference which Christ makes to the sign of Jonah. If this reading is correct, and the Bible is indeed a unity, the exposition of Ellul, though not developed in detail, has a distinctive theological contribution to make. Those who want acute theological insight, and are not afraid of plain, hard-hitting application, will read this vivid study with relish and profit. -- From the Preface by G. W. Bromiley

Pointing to the many contradictions between the Bible and the practice of the church, Jacques Ellul asserts in this provocative and stimulating book that what we today call Christianity is actually far removed from the revelation of God. Successive generations have reinterpreted Scripture and modeled it after their own cultures, thus moving society further from the truth of the original gospel. The church also perverted the gospel message, for instead of simply doing away with pagan practice and belief, it reconstituted the sacred, set up its own religious forms, and thus resacralized the world. Ellul develops several areas in which this perversion is most obvious, including the church's emphasis on moralism and its teaching in the political sphere. The heart of the problem, he says, is that we have not accepted the fact that Christianity is a scandal; we attempt to make it acceptable and easy--and thus pervert its true message. Ultimately, however, Ellul remains hopeful. For, in spite of all that has been done to subvert the message of God, the Holy Spirit continues to move in the world. Christianity, writes Ellul, never carries the day decisively against Christ.