Zionism and socialism in the theology of Martin Buber

This dissertation addresses the problem of the central focus of Martin Buber's theology with a view toward its continuing contribution to present day theology. It argues that the focus of Buber's theology throughout his life was his concern for true community. That concern for true community can be expressed by one word: Zionism.; Other scholars writing about Buber have pointed up the significance of Buber's religious socialism and the uniqueness of his Zionism, however, none have treated that aspect of his thought as the central congealing focus of his work. Buber's concern for true community is what led him to Zionism and hence to Judaism in the first place. All subsequent turnings in his thinking, from mystical to dialogical thought, from nationalism to socialism, from philosophical to biblical Judaism, presuppose this basic focus upon the meaning of Zion as the possibility of true community. To give Zionism a central place in the development of Buber's thought, will, I contend, illuminate the theological terrain he traversed in his transition from mystical to dialogical theology.; Drawing upon Buber's letters, his early writings on mysticism, his dialogical writings, his biblical exegesis, and his philosophical anthropology, the dissertation develops a chronological methodology and reaches the following conclusions: (1) Buber turned to Zionism and hence to a rediscovery of Judaism because of his concern for true community. (2) Buber's dialogical thought arose by means of his formulation of socialism and his search for the meaning of Zionism as true community. (3) Buber turned to the Bible in order to legitimate his Zionism by focusing upon the unique communal idea of Judaism as his key hermeneutic. (4) Buber's philosophical anthropology is a utopian messianism that human reality is only discovered in the "We" of true community. (5) Buber's understanding of Zionism as the task of uniting the peoples of the world in true community offers a way through some of the impasses presently facing Jewish/Christian, Israeli/Palestinian and ecumenical dialogues.