Gray has a bad reputation; it’s associated with monotony, decay, and colorless November days. But at the same time, it’s considered sophisticated in fashion, and those who appreciate shades of gray don’t think in terms of simplistic black-and-white. In art, gray brushstrokes have long played a very special role—and not just in the work of Piet Mondrian and his 1912 painting “The Sea.” So it’s time to take a more nuanced look at gray.
Thinking in shades of gray is a sign of maturity
A conversation with philosopher Peter Sloterdijk about the concept of “gray” and its manifestations in philosophy, theology, and politics, as well as its ethical implications.
In the Gray Area
Four Encounters with a Non-Color by Kathrin Jütte, Philipp Gessler, Stephan Kosch, and Reinhard Mawick.
Between Light and Shadow
“Gray as a Resonance Chamber and as the Boundary of Our Perception” by Axel Buether.
Beware of the gray men
On the Color Gray in the Poems, Short Stories, and Novels of Hans-Jürgen Benedict.
Cinema in Shades of Gray
Black-and-white films are more than just technical nostalgia and often have a political context, by Christian Engels.
You can find the entire issue at the publisher’s website—November 2025 Special Issue— Zeitzeichen: Protestant Commentaries on Religion and Society.
