A Theological Phenomenology of Listening: God’s ‘Voice’ and ‘Silence’ after Auschwitz

A theological phenomenology of listening reveals that God's 'voice' and 'silence' after Auschwitz can be interpreted not as complete absence but as a hidden presence, challenging traditional notions of divine dialogue. The study explores the relationship between speech and silence in prayer, questioning whether prayer can be legitimately framed as a dialogue with God. It draws on texts from Jewish, Christian, and Muslim authors, including Rûmî, Luther, Kierkegaard, Chrétien, Buber, Fackenheim, Levinas, and Derrida, to analyze these concepts. The research suggests that identifying God's will and discerning answered prayers require a nuanced understanding of divine silence, which is neither absence nor complete concealment but a complex, multifaceted phenomenon.

Welz, C. (2019). A Theological Phenomenology of Listening: God’s ‘Voice’ and ‘Silence’ after Auschwitz. Religions, 10(3), 139. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel10030139