The Death Of God: The Culture Of Our Post-christian Era

Gabriel Vahanian THE DEATH OF GOD The Culture of Our Post-Christian Era GEORGE BRAZILLER NEW YORK 1961 Copyright 1957, 1959, I960, 1961, by Gabriel Vahanian All rights in this book are reserved. For information address die publisher, George Braziller, Inc. 215 Park Avenue South, New York 3, N. Y, FIRST PRINTING Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Grateful acknowledgment is made: Dutton & Co*, Inc. and Curtis Brown, Ltd. for quotation from JUSTINE of Lawrence DurrelTs translation of seven lines from Cavafy's The City. To E. P. To Grove from Press, Inc. and Faber and Faber, Ltd. for quotation Samuel Beckett. Copyright 1954 by Grove Press, WAITING FOR GODOT by A MA FAMILLE dans Tafection ou nous la mSmoire de Noelle lie Acknowledgments I WISH those who to take this opportunity to thank all since I borrow or quote from their works have influenced and shaped my thinking in a manner obvious to the reader: my hope is that this indebtedness to those I cite and sometimes forget to cite is not devious. I also wish to thank those who guided me my in the years of intellecin particular the late Professor tual formation, Pierre Maury and Professor Paul Lehmann. My debt to them continues even though fellow students would agree with me that this book is hardly an adequate expression either of what we were taught or of my gratitude. I am also indebted beyond measure to Professor Paul Ramsey for his painstaking reading of the manuscript and his careful suggestions. I must, however, assume the responsibility for the statements made in this work. Mrs. Marian Maury has rendered me the invaluable service of intelligently editing the final draft. (vii) A ckno