The Rebirth of Religion

Early Nietzsche wondered how art could create a religion out of the spiritual vacuum of the day. But what Nietzsche said of art better applies to religion.

Nietzsche thought a rebirth of art, tragic art, was needed. Later he lost his enthusiasm, which I think might have been related to competitive problems with Wagner and it was not all due to philosophical problems. If this is true then it could have led to weakness in his later philosophy.

Nietzsche was not keen on modern religions, he especially disliked Christianity. But art alone, even great art, is not enough. Art does not fill the need of our lost religion, although great art comes close when it affirms the sacred. Philosophy and science also tried to take the place of religion. The noble Raymond Cattell sought a rebirth of religion from science.

It is religion which can best synthesize all the fields. But religion needs to include modern science, art and philosophy. Religion can best create that “sublime simplification of the world” which Nietzsche looked for in tragic art.

As Quentin Taylor said of Nietzsche's work, it is the individual consecrated to something higher than himself which is the highest function of art, philosophy, and science, but I think this is best synthesized in a great religion. We are separated, individuated, alienated, which puts man in need of coming together in religion for comfort and redemption. Science and philosophy can't communicate well a tragic art for the people, but religion and art can---religion has its sublime rituals, and art has it's tragic dramas.

A rebirth of religion is needed. Perhaps the theological materialism of the Theoevolutionary Church will help bring science, art, philosophy and religion back together. The material world and mankind will evolve on earth and in the cosmos to real Godhood, the Godhood first seen virtually as a mirror in the inward paths of the great religions.