Dividing the Truth of Existential Theism and Atheism: The Perspective of J. Girnius and A. Maceina
The article analyses J. Girnius’s religious philosophy in which he divides the truth of theism and atheism.The
former claims God’s existence, the latter negates it. the author of the article calls the reader’s attention to the
fact that the truth of theism of God as existing is abstract, void of cultural and social reality, because there
are so many different denominations of various Christian churches, Protestants and Catholics share different
approaches to the meanings of the Bible and teaching of Jesus. For this reason the article mentions the letter
of tolerance by John Locke, whoes liberal civic ideas wanted to defend citizens from true-believers of various
denominations when religion was used as an instrument for political interests and power.The other parts of
the article are devoted to the analyses of A. Maceina’s concept of existential complaint, which for him is a
proof of the human’s religious nature. when a human is suffering s/he is complaining. and when fellow
humans cannot provide a reason, s/he is complaining ultimately to God. Maceina interprets the story of Job
from the old testament in order to prove the religious meaning of existential complaint as superior to
Heidegger’s existential Sorge.The article concludes that for a possible reconciliation of the divided truth of
theism and atheism we should look into the philosophy of w. James’ pragmatism and R. Rorty’s neopragmatism.
Key Words: J. Girnius, God, Being, theism, atheism, philosophy, A. Maceina, existential complaint.
