1st Edition
The Spiritual Resistance of Rabbi Leo Baeck Psychoanalysis and Religion
Acknowledgments
1 Introduction 1
2 Spiritual Resistance in Nazi Germany 12
3 Spiritual Resistance in Theresienstadt 40
4 Religious Consciousness and Theological Reflections 66
5 Implications for Psychoanalysis 80
References 95
Biography
Paul Marcus is a training and supervisory analyst at the National Psychological Association for Psychoanalysis in New York City and co-chairperson of the discussion group Psychoanalysis and Spirituality at the American Psychoanalytic Association. He is the author of Psychoanalysis and Toileting: Minding One’s Business and Psychoanalysis and Wisdom: Encountering ‘Ethics of the Fathers’ (Routledge).
"Paul Marcus has written a compelling book on the life and work of one of the ‘saintly’ men of the twentieth century. He provides a summoning argument for how Baeck maintained his autonomy, integration and humanity during the Holocaust, and what psychoanalysis can learn from better understanding this extraordinary man’s use of religion and spirituality to conduct himself with dignity and self-respect, and yet remain fully responsible for his fellow humans. Marcus has begun an important conversation on the psychology of goodness."
—Michael Eigen, Ph.D., Author, Contact with the Depths, Faith, and The Sensitive Self
"Paul Marcus has brought the perspectives of an eminent psychoanalyst to bear on the complex life and thought of Rabbi Dr. Leo Baeck. He illuminates the difficult experiences of Baeck under the Nazis and in Theresienstadt in a unique way, leading to a much greater understanding of Baeck’s navigation of his impossible circumstances. His conclusions highlighting lessons of Baeck’s life for psychoanalysis highlight the ongoing relevance of Baeck’s career and thought for today’s troubled world."
—Lawrence H. Schiffman, Global Distinguished Professor of Hebrew and Judaic Studies, New York University
“…Spiritual Resistance is a thorough examination of a laudable Jewish figure, and its insights into psychoanalysis are worthwhile for any practicing analyst to explore.” - Benjamin Selesnick, Jewish Book Council
