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as their unity。
In so far as self…consciousness in a one…sided way grasps only； its own relinquishment； although its
object is thus f or it at once both existence and self and it knows all existence to be spiritual in
nature； yet true spirit has not become thereby objective for it。 For； so far； being in general or
substance； would not essentially from its side be also emptied of itself； and become
self…consciousness。 In that case； then； all existence is spiritual reality merely from the standpoint of
consciousness； not inherently in itself。 Spirit in this way has merely a fictitious or imaginary
existence。（5） This imagination is fantastic extravagance of mind； which introduces into nature as
well as history； the World and the mythical ideas of early religions； another inner esoteric meaning
different from what they； on the face of them； bear directly to consciousness； and； in particular； in
the case of religions； another meaning than the self…consciousness； whose religions they were；
actually knew to be there。 But this meaning is one that is borrowed； a garment； which does not
cover the nakedness of the outer appearance； and secures no belief and respect； it is no more than
murky darkness and a peculiar crazy contortion of consciousness。
If then this meaning of the objective is not to be bare fancy and imagination； it must be inherent and
essential （an sich）； i。e。 must in the first place arise in consciousness as springing from the very
notion； and must come forth in its necessity。 It is thus that self…knowing spirit has arisen； it has
arisen through the knowledge of immediate consciousness； i。e。 of consciousness of the existing
object； by means of its necessary process。 This notion； which； being immediate； had also； for its
consciousness； the shape of immediacy； has； in the second place； taken on the form of
self…consciousness essentially and inherently； i。e。 by just the same necessity of the notion by which
being or immediacy； the abstract object of self…consciousness； renounces itself and becomes； for
consciousness； Ego。 The immediate entity （Ansich）； or ＇objectively＇ existent necessity； is；
however； different from the ＇subjective＇ thinking entity； or the knowledge of necessity — a
distinction which； at the same time； does not lie outside the notion； for the simple unity of the
notion is itself immediate being。 The notion is at once what empties or relinquishes itself； or the
explicit unfolding of directly apprehended （angeschaut） necessity； and is also at home with itself in
that necessity； knows it and comprehends it。 The immediate inherent nature of spirit； which takes
on the form of self…consciousness； means nothing else than that the concrete actual world…spirit
has reached this knowledge of itself。 It is then too that this knowledge first enters its
consciousness； and enters it as truth。 How that came about has already been explained。
（2）。 The Ultimate Content of Revealed Religion； the realty of the Incarnation of God
That Absolute Spirit has taken on the shape of self…consciousness inherently； and therefore also
consciously to itself — this appears now as the belief of the world； the belief that spirit exists in
fact as a definite self…consciousness； i。e。 as an actual human being； that spirit is an object for
immediate experience； that the believing mind sees； feels； and hears this divinity。（6） Taken thus it
is not imagination； not a fancy； it is actual in the believer。 Consciousness in that case does not set
out from its own inner life； does not start from thought； and in itself combine the thought of God
with existence； rather it sets out from immediate present existence； and recognizes God in it。
（a） in an individual
The moment of immediate existence is present in the content of the notion； and present in such a
way that the religious spirit； on the return of all ultimate reality into consciousness； has become
simple positive self； just as the actual spirit as such； in the case of the 〃unhappy consciousness〃；
was just this simple self…conscious negativity。 The self of the existent spirit has in that way the form
of complete immediacy。 It is neither set up as something thought； or imaginatively represented； nor
as something produced； as is the case with the immediate self in natural religion； or again in religion
as art。 Rather； this concrete God is beheld sensuously I and immediately as a self； as a real
individual human being； only so is it a self…consciousness。
This incarnation of the Divine Being； its having essentially and directly the shape of
self…consciousness； is the simple content of Absolute Religion。 Here the Divine Being is known as
Spirit； this religion is the Divine Being's consciousness concerning itself that it is Spirit。 For spirit is
knowledge of self in a state of alienation of self： spirit is the Being which is the process of retaining
identity with itself in its otherness。 This； however； is Substance； so far as in its accidents substance
at the same time is turned back into itself； and is so； not as being indifferent towards something
unessential and； consequently； as finding itself in some alien element； but as being there within itself；
i。e。 so far as it is subject or self。
In this form of religion the Divine Being is； on that account； revealed。 Its being revealed obviously
consists in this； that what it is； is known。 It is； however； known just in its being known as spirit； as
a Being which is essentially self…consciousness。
There is something in its object concealed from consciousness if the object is for consciousness an
〃other〃； or something alien； and if consciousness does not know the object as its self。 This
concealment； this secrecy； ceases when the Absolute Being qua spirit is object of consciousness。
For here in its relation to consciousness the object is in the form of self； i。e。 consciousness
immediately knows itself there； or is manifest； revealed； to itself in the object。 Itself is manifest to
itself only in its own certainty of self； the object it has is the self； self； however； is nothing alien and
extraneous； but inseparable unity with itself； the immediately universal。 It is the pure notion； pure
thought； or self…existence； （being…for…self）； which is immediately being； and； therewith；
being…for…another； and； qua this being…for…another； is immediately turned back into itself and is at
home with itself （bei sich）。 It is thus the truly and solely revealed。 The Good； the Righteous； the
Holy； Creator of Heaven and Earth； etc。 — all these are predicates of a subject； universal
moments； which have their support on this central point； and only are when consciousness goes
back into thought。
As long as it is they that are known； their ground and essential being； the Subject itself； is not yet
revealed； and in the same way the specific determinations of the universal are not this universal
itself。 The Subject itself； and consequently this pure universal too； is； however； revealed as self； for
this self is just this inner being reflected into itself； the inner being which is immediately given and is
the proper certainty of that self； for which it is given。 To be in its notion that which reveals and is
revealed — this is； then； the true shape of spirit； and moreover； this shape； its notion； is alone its
very essence and its substance。 Spirit is known as self…consciousness； and to this
self…consciousness it is directly revealed； for it is this self…consciousness itself。 The divine nature is
the same as the human； and it is this unity which is intuitively apprehended （angeschaut）。
Here； then； we find as a fact consciousness； or the general form in which Being is aware of Being
— the shape which Being adopts — to be identical with its self…consciousness。 This shape is itself a
self…consciousness； it is thus at the same time an existent object； and this existence possesses
equally directly the significance of pure thought； of Absolute Being。
The absolute Being existing as a concrete actual self…consciousness； seems to have descended
from its eternal pure simplicity； but in fact it has； in so doing； attained for the first time its highest
nature； its supreme reach of being。 For only when the notion of Being has reached its simple purity
of nature； is it both the absolute abstraction； which is pure thought and hence the pure singleness
of self； and immediacy or objective being； on account of its simplicity。
What is called sense…consciousness is just this pure abstraction； it is this kind of thought for which
being is the immediate。 The lowest is thus at the same time the highest： the revealed which has
come forth entirely to the surface is just therein the deepest reality。 That the Supreme Being is
seen； heard； etc。； as an existent self…consciousness this is； in very truth； the culmination and
consummation of its notion。 And through this consummation； the Divine Being is given and exists
immediately in its character as Divine Being。
This immediate existence is at the same time not solely and simply immediate consciousness； it is
religious consciousness。 This immediacy means not only an existent self…consciousness； but also
the purely thought…co