Ontology of the 'Boundary-line' Situations in Paul Tillich's Philosophy and Theology

The main goal of our work is to determine the ontological status of the boundary-line situation of despair in philosophical and theological thought of Paul Tillich. The work is based on the hypothesis that the boundary-line situation of despair is a genuine possibility of affirming the existence of human being in spite of the threat of non-being. According to Tillich, the concept of ontological anxiety has a very close connection to the situation of despair. Anxiety is an essential part of human existence and it can threaten it on several levels - ontically, spiritually and morally. The intertwining of these three types of anxiety creates a situation of existential despair, which is the ultimate one, according to Paul Tillich. The designated positions are reflected in the problem of the possibility of taking over despair in the act of self-affirmation of existence in a situation when no affirmation seems to be possible at all, and that is the subject of our research. During the study, we analyzed the meaning of the concept of despair, as well as its relationship with the existential experience of anxiety in Tillich's philosophy. We also examined in detail how different types of existential despair are reflected in culture, art, literature and philosophical thought. Finally, we demonstrated the possibility of existential self-affirmation by means of ontological courage for a person who is in the boundary-line situation of despair.