Original scientific paper
Dispute Over Demithologization: Jasper’s Critique of Bultmann’s Theological Method
Ante Periša
; Faculty of Philosophy, University of Zadar
Hrvoje Petrušić
orcid.org/0000-0002-9471-2273
; Catholic Faculty of Theology, University of Split
Abstract
This work analyzes the dispute that arose between the philosopher Karl Jaspers and Biblicist Rudolf Bultmann regarding demythologization. Invited to hold a lecture at a theological conference in Switzerland in 1953, Karl Jaspers decided to focus on the subject of Bultmann’s “demythologization”. Bultmann’s work on the so called “demythologizing” of the New Testament writings was provoked by the issue: How to proclaim the Gospel today in a comprehensible language and in line with our time? Jaspers’ critique was focused on Bultmann’s passion for hard science, i.e. modern scientific picture of the world which induced Bultmann to judge the New Testament picture of the world as “mythological”. Bultmann believed that the New Testament writings needed certain “translation” into a non-mythological language so that we, immersed in the modern world of today, could understand the essential biblical contents. But for Jaspers precisely this posed a problem, since he held that numerous biblical contents could neither be thought nor pronounced, but only expressed in pictures, mythologically, i.e. in “codes”. Consequently, rejecting the form, many important contents, inseparable from the form of expression, would be rejected as well. Bultmann answered him concisely saying repeatedly that the basic problem was of hermeneutic nature, and that Jaspers didn’t understand that. To Jaspers’ extensive reply Bultmann eventually answered with a few scant and polite sentences and thus concluded the discussion. In this work we tried to draw the key points of agreement and disagreement that have been identified in the whole debate, see them from the positions of these two great thinkers, and highlight the thoughts which because of their importance deserve a closer analysis. Our goal was not to present only the differences in their views, but to critically analyze the dispute itself, draw the “extract” from the debate and offer it to all those who reflect on the possibilities of talking about God today and always.
Keywords
demythologization; myth; philosophical faith; hermeneutics; Jaspers; Bultmann
Hrčak ID:
130767
URI
Publication date:
15.12.2014.
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