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The Face of God

University of St. Andrews

Scruton suggests that the crisis of the modern world has arisen from losing a sense of its sacred “subjectivity” in persons, culture, and finally God’s presence. Science only addresses “objects,” so it will be resources such as philosophy and religion that help explain the mystery of the subject. Scruton identifies the subject through the theme of “faces” in the world and the fact that every human being experiences an “I” and “you,” and ultimately asks the question “why” regarding existence. Although Scruton offers a Christian solution to existential and culture problems, he correlates it with philosophical resources such as Immanuel Kant (who probed subjectivity), various religious traditions, and a range of examples in literature and the arts. By recognizing subjectivity, the world retains the sacred, freedom, and boundaries. The subjectivity of both personhood and God finally is found in community, since it cannot be found ultimately by science, logic, or metaphysical systems.


The Face of God