Theodicy of culture and the Jewish ethos

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This volume explores the cultural theory of David Koigen, a Russian-born German Jewish social philosopher. Building on Hermann Cohen’s neo-Kantian interpretation of Judaism, Koigen reinterprets the religion of reason into an ethical Intimitätsreligion. He integrates diverse intellectual influences, including Max Scheler’s philosophy of values, Max Weber’s historical sociology, Émile Durkheim’s sociology of religion, Ernst Troeltsch, Georg Simmel, and American pragmatism. Drawing from his own experiences of marginalization in German academia, Koigen crafts a unique argument that unfolds through two main themes: theodicy of culture and ethos. Ethos, distinct from ethics, highlights the non-formal factors that nurture a group's collective identity amid continuous change. From a Jewish viewpoint, ethos is rooted in the biblical covenant, serving as a model for social contracts and collective responsibility. While the normative aspects of this covenantal ethos may secularize over time, Koigen asserts that its metaphysical and existential foundations continue to shape Jewish self-understanding. The concept of ethos reflects the dynamic interplay of tradition and evolving cultural sensibilities, asserting that Jewish identity transcends mere ethnicity or secular culture. Urban further develops these ideas into a sociology of religious knowledge, positioning Koigen as a pioneering sociologist of Judaism who challenges the anti-metaphy