Critical Theory of Religion by Erich Fromm: from Messianic Judaism to Radical Humanism

This paper studies Erich Fromm’s critical theory of religion and looks into the evolution of the philosopher’s views. We analyze key concepts of Fromm’s humanistic psychology, including biophilia, rejection of idolatry, X-experience, classification of religions as humanistic or authoritarian, plea for sustainable coexistence with the environment, and some others. The author demonstrates close connection of these concepts with Judaic tradition, especially the messianism and negative theology of Maimonides. The paper is divided into chapters tracing the evolution of Fromm’s views on religion — from Hasidic Judaism, through following Freud and Marx, to the concept of humanistic religion. The analysis shows that starting from his early works and up to the radical, socialistic humanism as the pinnacle of his thought, Fromm as a philosopher and a strong Israelite draws inspiration from the religious tradition. Notably, his PhD thesis was devoted to the sociology of Hebrew diaspora, Der Sabbath, The Dogma of Christ. However, Fromm’s theory of religion, accordant with the Frankfurt School, combines aspects of Hegel, Marx and Freud’s teachings. Fromm’s views on religion are an original, self-consistent synthesis of diverse ideas, and result in the concept of radical humanism. The paper specifically considers Fromm’s view on idolatry as a form of alienation. Fromm urges to fight against idolatry in a bro.ader sense, finding it in various social phenomena, ranging from consumerism to religious fundamentalism. The paper also reviews the concept of X-experience that Fromm gives in You Shall Be as Gods. The X-experience is a special transcendental experience, separated from its multiple theistic or non-theistic conceptualizations. X-experience is psychological in its nature and leads to diminishing or eliminating narcissism. It constitutes a certain opposition to the alienation caused by idolatry. The work also considers Fromm’s idea of humanistic religion as related to his other concepts. The author supposes that the distinction between authoritarian and humanistic religions is tied to the earlier separation into authoritarian and humanistic ethics that Fromm presents in Man for himself. The impact of Marx and Freud on Fromm’s philosophy of religion is highlighted. While drawing from both, Fromm considered Marx’s theory to be deeper and more significant.

1. Allen, D. F. and Bachelder, R. (1985) ‘Psychiatry and religion: Judeo-Christian theism and Fromm’s humanism’, Journal of Religion & Health, 24(1), pp. 49–59. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01533259

2. Banks, R. (1975) ‘A neo-Freudian critique of religion: Erich Fromm on the Judaeo-Christian tradition’, Religion, 5(2), pp. 117–135. https://doi.org/10.1016/0048-721X(75)90015-9

3. Brodetskyi, O. Y. (2015) ‘Ethical and anthropological context of religiosity and its value vectors in E. Fromm’s interpretation’, Studia humanitatis, (2), p. 18. (In Russian).

4. Cortina, M. (2015) ‘The Greatness and Limitations of Erich Fromm’s Humanism’, Contemporary Psychoanalysis, 51(3), pp. 388–422. https://doi.org/10.1080/00107530.2015.999297

5. Covitz, H. (2016) ‘Lawrence J. Friedman: The Lives of Erich Fromm: Love’s Prophet’, The American Journal of Psychoanalysis, 76(2), pp. 204–206. https://doi.org/10.1057/ajp.2016.2

6. Friedman, L. J. (2014) Lives of Erich Fromm: love’s prophet. New York: Columbia University Press.

7. Fromm, E. (1927) ‘Der Sabbath’, Imago. Zeitschrift für Anwendung der Psychoanalyse auf die Natur- und Geisteswissenschaften, 13, pp. 223–234.

8. Fromm, E. (1950) Psychoanalysis and religion. London: Yale University Press. (Russ.ed.: (1990а) ‘Psihoanaliz i religija’, in Sumerki bogov. Moscow: Politizdat Publ., pp. 143–221.).

9. Fromm, E. (1955) The sane society. Greenwich: Fawcett Publications. (Russ.ed.: (2005) ‘Zdorovoe obshhestvo’, in Zdorovoe obshhestvo. Dogmat o Hriste. Moscow: AST Publ., pp. 9–416.).

10. Fromm, E. (1962) Beyond the chains of illusion: my encounter with Marx and Freud. New York: Pocket Books. (Russ.ed.: (2017) Iz plena illjuzij. Moscow: AST Publ.).

11. Fromm, E. (1964) The heart of man: its genius for good and evil. New York; Evanston; London: Harper & Row. (Russ.ed.: (1992) Dusha cheloveka. Moscow: Respublika Publ.).

12. Fromm, E. (1966) You shall be as gods; a radical interpretation of the Old Testament and its tradition. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. (Russ.ed.: (2021) Vy budete kak bogi. Moscow: AST Publ.).

13. Fromm, E. (1968) The Revolution of Hope: toward a humanized technology. New York: Harper & Row. (Russ.ed.: (1993) ‘Revoljucija nadezhdy’, in Psihoanaliz i jetika. Moscow: Respublika Publ., pp. 218-343.).

14. Fromm, E. (1976) To have or to be? New York: Harper and Row. (Russ.ed.: (1990b) Imet’ ili byt’? Moscow: Progress Publ.).

15. Fromm, E. (1993) On Being Human. New York: Continuum (Russ.ed.: (2020) ‘Byt’ chelovekom’, in Byt’ chelovekom: Koncepcija cheloveka u Karla Marksa. Moscow: AST Publ., pp. 13-192.).

16. Gunderson, R. (2014) ‘Erich Fromm’s Ecological Messianism’, Humanity & Society, 38(2), pp. 182–204. https://doi.org/10.1177/0160597614529112

17. Kaczmarek, K. (2003) Socjologia a religie: współczynnik humanistyczny jako narzędzie wartościowania w pismach Ericha Fromma. Poznań: Uniwersytet im. Adama Mickiewicza. Wydział Teologiczny.

18. Klimkov, O. (2017) ‘Religion in the Phychoanalytical Mirror’, Psychologist, 3(3), pp. 105–129. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.25136/2409-8701.2017.3.23224

19. Löwy, M. (2020) ‘The secular prophet of religious socialism’, Tempo Social, 32(2), pp. 21–31. https://doi.org/10.11606/0103-2070.ts.2020.168672

20. Pinkas, R. (2018) ‘Correlation and Orientation: Erich Fromm’s Position on Religion in Light of Hermann Cohen and Franz Rosenzweig’, Daat: A Journal of Jewish Philosophy & Kabbalah, (85), pp. VII–XXXVI.

21. Schimmel, N. (2009) ‘Judaism and the Origins of Erich Fromm’s Humanistic Psychology’, Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 49(1), pp. 9–45. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022167808319724

22. Uzlaner, D. A. (2005) ‘Erich Fromm: Humanist Approach to Religion’, Zdravyj Smysl, (3), pp. 67–71. (In Russian).