I Am an Impure Thinker

I Am an Impure Thinker, a collection of essays, is a book one can read as an introduction to Rosenstock-Huessy's thought. He is an "impure thinker" because he refuses to stay within any of the bounds set by academic tradition. He is also impure because he believes that thought must be accompanied by passionate convictions and engagement, that sterile intellect is a disease. The editors have selected the essays to reflect the author's diversity. The selection is from Rosenstock-Huessy's unpublished writings, with the exception of Chapters 1 and 11. While apparently unrelated, the essays nevertheless have an underlying unity, which runs through his discussion of the concepts of William James, the Gospels, the Egyptian symbol of Ka, and other uncommon sources. Together the essays contribute to the discovery of a post-theological language. This book is an answer to Dietrich Bonhoeffer's question: How can we speak of God to modern man who "has come of age?" Eberhardt Bethge, Bonhoeffer's close friend, editor, and biographer writes: "Rosenstock-Huessy refuses to do anything in the usual way. But you may well turn yourself over to him. Behind everything stands the committed responsibility of a great teacher who opens our eyes."