The philosophy of history originated from the debate between the mind, conscious of itself since Descartes, and tradition, especially religion. Spinoza was a vehement advocate of a sensible concept of God. According to Schelling, Lessing and Herder agreed with him. Kant‹s critique replaced this concept of God with a critical concept which allows freedom to be conceivable in history. Schelling goes beyond Kant in conceiving of a God who reveals Himself as an enablement of history, as a realization of freedom. The dispute with religious tradition does not lead to an elimination of the concept of God but instead to a deeper understanding of Him.