Philosophy and religion

Philosophy claims that human reason is capable, by its own powers, of finding the way toward communion with God. This contradicts the nature of the religious relationship, which is initiated by God alone; only God can show the path whereby man achieves communion with him. Here lies the difference between genuine and pseudo religion. The yearning for communion with God is innate in man, and all men strive to attain it. Philosophy does, in its own way, what the various religions try to do. All of them seek to attain communion with God, but as long as they endeavor to discover the means thereto by themselves, they never get beyond the illusion of such as communion. Only a God-given revelation can show man how to reach his goal. Revelation establishes not only the the one true, but the one real religion.

Julius Guttmann, Philosophies of Judaism, p. 140