Blog 2.0

Goethe's views on Christ and God
In Conversations with Eckermann (March 11, 1832), Goethe, now 82.5 years old and 11 days before his death, spoke for an hour with Eckermann on the Bible: 
"I look upon all the four Gospels as thoroughly genuine; for there is in them the reflection of a greatness which emanated from the person of Jesus, and which was of as divine a kind as never was seen upon earth. If I am asked whether it is in my nature to pay Him devout reverence, I say— certainly! I bow before Him as the divine manifestation of the highest principle of morality. If I as asked whether it is in my nature to revere the Sun, I again say— certainly! For he is likewise a manifestation of the highest Being, and indeed the most powerful which we children of earth are allowed to behold. I adore in him the light and the productive power of God; by which we all live, move, and have our being— we, and all the plants and animals with us. But if I am asked— whether I am inclined to bow before a thumb bone of the apostle Peter or Paul, I say— 'Spare me, and stand off with your absurdities!'... for as soon as the pure doctrine and love of Christ are comprehended in their true nature, and have become a vital principle, we shall feel ourselves as human beings, great and free, and not attach especial importance to a degree more or less in the outward forms of religion. Besides, we shall all gradually advance from a Christianity of words and faith, to a Christianity of feeling and action... God did not retire to rest after the well-known six days of creation, but, on the contrary, is constantly active as on the first. It would have been for Him a poor occupation to compose this heavy world out of simple elements, and to keep it rolling in the sunbeams from year to year, if He had not had the plan of founding a nursery for a world of spirits upon this material basis. So He is now constantly active in higher natures to attract the lower one." Goethe was silent. But I cherished his great and good words in my heart.