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Originally posted by Agathon
I've never heard of the Kaplan bloke, but I actually like pragmatists.
I've never heard of the Kaplan bloke, but I actually like pragmatists.
Kaplan, trained orthodox, taught at Conservative Jewish seminary, went on to found Reconstructioniat Judaism.
Influenced by the secular humanist zionism and liberalism of achad haam, and by the philosophy of John Dewey.
Founder of the "religious naturalist" approach to Judaism . "God means the sum of the forces in the universe that make for salvation" "God is NOT something supernatural" An attempt to reconcile Jewish God language with an approach that denies the supernatural. Theres actually just enough basis in Jewish texts for doing so, that its not completely forced, IIRC.
"There is no God, and Kaplan is His prophet" - Snarky remark on the role of his personality in the Reconstructionist movement (and on its theological radicalism). But he WAS apparently a very charismatic teacher. Conservative rabbis trained AFTER Kaplan left the seminary tend to be more traditional in their theology than those trained while he was there.
Is Judaism a religion, a nation, or what? "Its a religious civilization" While the religious elements are distinctive and essential (though in need to reinterpretation to make them valid for moderns - see above) its artificial and inauthentic to seperate them from the wider civilization, including literature, music, folkways, etc.
someone elses summary of Kaplans views.
"Judaism is an evolving religious civilization. While our dispersion throughout the world has resulted in some cultural differences, by and large we are united by a common religious civilization and must work toward transcending the differences which would divide us. Our common history is the source of our covenant and what motivates and "commands" us to live Jewishly.
Kaplan did not understand God as a supernatural force in the universe, but rather as the power which makes possible personal salvation, which Kaplan understand as the "worthwhileness of life." "God is the sum of all the animating organizing forces and relationships which are forever making a cosmos out of chaos," Kaplan wrote. God cannot abridge the laws of nature for God is synonymous with natural law.
Prayer is necessary because it helps us become conscious of our conscience, the force within which mediates our relationships and our ability to realize salvation. Moreover, prayer with the community focuses our attention on the community and its needs. And finally, worship offers a release of emotion that can orient us in a positive psychological direction.
Kaplan rejected several traditional Jewish categories, most notably Chosenness. He felt that the term was misunderstood and too often taken as a sign of Jewish superiority, when instead it was conceived as an expression of Jewish obligation to God and humanity. So, too, Kaplan rejected the idea of a personal messiah (that is, that God will send a messiah in the form of a human being). He wrote the "Sabbath Prayer Book" in which he expunged both notions from the prayers. Some Reconstructionist synagogues employ a different version of the Torah blessings to this day, avoiding the phrase "...asher bachar banu mi-kol ha-amim..." (...Who chose us from all the peoples...). "
Smiley 
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