Foundation, but foundation only

In his famous remark to Elements of the Philosophy of Right , § 270 Hegel characterises religion as the ‘foundation’ of ethical life in general but foundation only. In this chapter, Prof. Schick tries to elucidate both sides of Hegel’s statement – that is, to answer the questions: In what sense is religion rightly addressed as foundation, and wherein lies the restriction that prevents religion from being more than just this? Schick continues by exploring religion as representational thought of the Absolute, bringing to the fore a gap between the foundation and what is founded. With particular reference to poverty and civil society, Schick finishes by suggesting that this gap represents an important way of thinking through modern civil society’s knowledge of itself as a rational, harmonious system and the actuality of ongoing structural inequality.