Martin Buber's Spirituality

Kenneth Paul Kramer is the author of several books, including Martin Buber’s I and Thou: Practicing Living Dialogue. He is professor emeritus of comparative religious studies at San Jose State University and lives in Santa Cruz, CA.

Martin Buber (1878–1965) is perhaps more referenced than read; he was the originator of the I-Thou concept in religious philosophy, which opines, in part, that we must experience one another, and ultimately, God, as constituents in a dialog without limits. The inherent challenge in living out his ideas as well as his Hasidic background and use of Hasidic spirituality and tales to make his points contribute to preventing many readers from the very sort of engagement he would have championed. Kramer (comparative religious studies, emeritus, San Jose State Univ.; Martin Buber’s I and Thou) goes a long way to bridge that gap through his accessible explication of six of Buber’s crucial essays. VERDICT This brief, engaging analysis of an important Jewish writer’s spirituality is recommended for Jewish and non-Jewish readers.

• Foreword by Maurice FriedmanAcknowledgmentsPrefaceIntroduction: Buber’s Hasidic SpiritualityPart I. Preliminary PracticesChapter 1: Heart-SearchingChapter 2: Your Particular WayChapter 3: ResolutionPart II. Practicing PresentnessChapter 4: Beginning With YourselfChapter 5: Turning Toward OthersChapter 6: Here Where You StandConclusion: Practicing Buber’s SecretAppendix: Dialogue JournalGlossary of Key TermsNotesIndex