is what this stage arrives at； remains； in consequence； a 〃beyond〃； something afar off。
The immediate existence of Reason （which we found arising out of that state of sorrow）； and the
special shapes which reason assumes； have no form of religion； because self…consciousness in the
case of reason knows itself or looks for itself in the direct and immediate present。
On the other hand； in the world of the Ethical Order； we met with a type of religion； the religion of
the nether world。 This is belief in the fearful and unknown darkness of Fate； and in the Eumenides
of the spirit of the departed： the former being pure negation taking the form of universality； the
latter the same negation but in the form of individuality。 Absolute Being is； then； in the latter shape
no doubt the self and is present； as there is no other way for the self to be except present。 But the
individual self is this individual ghostly shade； which keeps the universal element； Fate； separated
from itself。 It is indeed a shade； a ghost； a cancelled and superseded particular； and so a universal
self。 But that negative meaning has not yet turned round into this latter positive significance； and
hence the self； so cancelled and transcended； still directly means at the same time this particular
being； this insubstantial reality。 Fate； however； without self remains the darkness of night devoid of
consciousness； which never comes to draw distinctions within itself； and never attains the clearness
of self…knowledge。
This belief in a necessity that produces nothingness； this belief in the nether world； becomes belief
in Heaven； because the self which has departed must be united with its universal nature； must
unfold what it contains in terms of this universality； and thus become clear to itself。 This kingdom of
belief； however； we saw unfold its content merely in the element of reflective thought （Denken）；
without bringing out the true notion （Begriff）； and we saw it； on that account； perish in its final fate；
viz。 in the religion of enlightenment。 Here in this type of religion； the supersensible beyond； which
we found in 〃understanding〃； is reinstate； but in such a way that self…consciousness rests and feels
satisfied in the mundane present； not in the 〃beyond〃； and knows the supersensible beyond； void
and empty； unknowable； and devoid of all terrors； neither as a self nor as power and might。
In the religion of Morality it is at last reinstated that Absolute Reality is a positive content； but that
content is bound up with the negativity characteristic of the enlightenment。 The content is an
objective being； which 。 at the same time taken back into the self； and remains is there enclosed；
and is a content with internal distinctions； while its parts are just as immediately negated as they are
posited。 The final destiny； however； which absorbs this contradictory process； is the self conscious
of itself as the controlling necessity （Schicksal） of what is essential and actual。
Spirit knowing its self is in religion primarily and immediately its own pure self…consciousness。
Those modes of it above considered — 〃objective spirit〃； 〃spirit estranged from itself〃 and 〃spirit
certain of its self〃 — together constitute what it is in its condition of consciousness； the state in
which； being objectively opposed to its own world； it does not therein apprehend and consciously
possess itself。 But in Conscience it brings itself as well as its objective world as a whole into
subjection； as also its idea（1） and its various specific conceptions；（2）and is now self…consciousness
at home with itself。 Here spirit； represented as an object； has
the significance for itself of being Universal Spirit； which contains within itself all that is ultimate and
essential and all that is concrete and actual； yet is not in the form of freely subsisting actuality； or of
the apparent independence of external nature。 It has a shape； no doubt； the form of objective
being； in that it is object of its own consciousness； but because this consciousness is affirmed in
religion with the essential character of being self…consciousness； the form or shape assumed is one
perfectly transparent to itself； and the reality spirit contains is enclosed in it； or transcended in it；
just in the same way as when we speak of 〃all reality〃； it is 〃all reality〃； but universal reality only in
the sense of an object of thought。
Since； then； in religion； the peculiar characteristic of what is properly consciousness of spirit does
not have the form of detached independent otherness； the existence of spirit is distinct from its
self…consciousness； and its actual reality proper falls outside religion。 There is no doubt one spirit in
both； but its consciousness does not embrace both together； and religion appears as a part of
existence； of acting； and of striving； whose other part is the life lived within spirit's own actual
world。 As we now know that spirit in its own world and spirit conscious of itself as spirit； i。e。 spirit
in the sphere of religion； are the same； the completion of religion consists in the two forms
becoming identical with one another： not merely in its reality being grasped and embraced by
religion； but conversely — it； as spirit conscious of itself； becomes actual to itself； and real object
of its own consciousness。
So far as spirit in religion presents itself to itself； it is indeed consciousness； and the reality enclosed
within it is the shape and garment in which it clothes its idea of itself。 The reality； however； does
not in this presentation get proper justice done to it； that is to say； it does not get to be an
independent and free objective existence and not merely a garment。 And conversely； because that
reality lacks within itself its completion； it is a determinate shape or form； which does not attain to
what it ought to reveal； viz。 spirit conscious of itself。 That spirit's shape might express spirit itself；
the shape would have to be nothing else than spirit； and spirit would have to appear to itself； or to
be actual； as it is in its own essential being。 Only thereby； too； would be attained — what may
seem to demand the opposite — that the object of its consciousness has； at the same time； the
form of free and independent reality。 But only spirit which is object to itself in the shape of
Absolute Spirit； is as much aware of being a free and independent reality as it remains therein
conscious of itself。
Since in the first instance self…consciousness and consciousness simply； religion； and spirit as it is
externally in its world； or the objective existence of spirit； are distinct； the latter consists in the
totality of spirit； so far as its moments are separated from each other and each is set forth by itself。
These moments； however； are consciousness； self…consciousness； reason； and spirit — spirit； that
is； qua immediate spirit； which is not yet consciousness of spirit。 Their totality； taken all together；
constitutes the mundane existence of spirit as a whole； spirit as such contains the previous separate
embodiments in the form of universal determinations of its own being； in those moments just
named。 Religion presupposes that these have completely run their course； and is their simple
totality； their absolute Self and soul。
The course which these traverse is； moreover； in relation to religion； not to be pictured as a
temporal sequence。 It is only spirit in its entirety that is in time； and the shapes assumed； which are
specific embodiments Of the whole of spirit as such； present themselves in a sequence one after
the other。 For it is only the whole which properly has reality； and hence the form of pure freedom
relatively to anything else； the form which takes expression as time。 But the moments of the whole；
consciousness； self…consciousness； reason； and spirit； have； because they are moments； no
existence separate from one another。
Just as spirit was distinct from its moments； we have further； in the third place； to distinguish from
these moments their specific individuated character。 Each of those moments； in itself； we saw
broke up again in a process of development all its own； and took various shapes and forms： as
e。g。 in the case of consciousness； sensuous certainty and perception were distinct phases。 These
latter aspects fall apart in time from one another； and belong to a specific particular whole。 For
spirit descends from its universality to assume an individual form through specific determination。
This determination； or mediate element； is consciousness； self…consciousness； and so on。 But
individuality is constituted just bv the forms assumed by these moments。 Hence these exhibit and
reveal spirit in its individuality or concrete reality； and are distinguished in time from one another。
though in such a way that the succeeding retains within it the preceding。
While； therefore； religion is the completion of the life of spirit； its final and complete expression；
into which； as being their ground； its individual moments； consciousness； self…consciousness；
reason； and spirit； return and have returned； they； at the same time； together constitute the
objectively existing realization of spirit in its totality； as such spirit is real only as the moving
process of these aspects which it possesses； a process of distinguishing them and returning back
into itself。 In the process of these universal moments is contained the development of religion
generally。 Since； however； each of these attributes was set forth and presented； not only in the
way it in general determines itself； but as it is in and for itself； i。e。 as； within its own being； running
its course as a distinct whole — there has thus arisen not merely the development of religion
generally； those independently complete processes pursued by the individual phases or moments
of spirit contain at the same time the determinate forms of religion itself。 Spirit in its entirety； spirit
in religion； is once more the process from its immediacy to the attainment of a knowledge of what
it implicitly or immediately； is； and is the process of attaining the state where the shape and form； in
which it appears as an object for its own conscio