Nietzsche on the death of god and the god of life

Abstract

Nietzsche’s account of the death of God is usually seen either as a sociological analysis of late modernity or as a philosophical thesis intended to undermine the God of metaphysics and morality. However, these readings overlook a central concern of his discourse on the death of God: that God, metaphysical philosophy, and the religions, as traditionally conceived and enacted, are opposed to life. I argue that Nietzsche’s discourse on the death of God ought to be seen, first, as a description of a cultural landscape that is now open to radical revision. Second, following Pierre Hadot, I show how his deconstruction of this God and his construction of a God of life can be understood as complementary spiritual exercises meant to reshape this landscape by transforming how those who perform them see and relate to the world.