Thought
Greenberg's thought involves a dynamic reading of current Jewish history through use of traditional Jewish categories of thought. He has written extensively about the Holocaust and about the historical and religious significance of the State of Israel.
His great teacher in Jewish Thought was Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik. One of his major contributions has been as a teacher, and a whole generation of distinguished scholars, including Rabbi Joseph Telushkin and Michael Berenbaum consider him their mentor.
Greenberg's thought centers on the concept of 'Tikkun Olam' of humanity working as Co- Creator with God in improving the world. Another crucial concept of his thought is that of 'Covenant' and he sees the Jewish people's Covenant with God as enjoining them to set an example for the moral edification of mankind.
Only part of his post-holocaust theology has been published. Greenberg sees the Holocaust as a seminal event in Jewish history, which should be seen as the "breaking of the covenant" between God and the Jewish People. It is also latest stage in God's tzimtzum from the world. The Holocaust drives home the point that the fate of the world is in humanity's hands. If there can be such a strong evil in the world as manifest in the Holocaust, there can also be realized in the world the most incredible good.
Read more about this topic: Irving Greenberg
Famous quotes containing the word thought:
“The crystal sphere of thought is as concentrical as the geological structure of the globe. As our soils and rocks lie in strata, concentric strata, so do all men’s thinkings run laterally, never vertically.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“Even in the pink crib
the somehow deficient,
the somehow maimed,
are thought to have
a special pipeline to the mystical....”
—Anne Sexton (1928–1974)
“When our kids are young, many of us rush out to buy a cute little baby book to record the meaningful events of our young child’s life...But I’ve often thought there should be a second book, one with room to record the moral milestones of our child’s lives. There might be space to record dates she first shared or showed compassion or befriended a new student or thought of sending Grandma a get-well card or told the truth despite its cost.”
—Fred G. Gosman (20th century)