Religion in a post-religious world : between Bultmann and Habermas

Abstract

The concept of demythologization, understood in a hermeneutical way, relates mainly to religious and mythical narratives. This process involves, i. a., separating historical, cosmological, or generally cultural forms from the moral, theological, or philosophical essence of these texts. The extracted core is then retold in a manner that is accessible to people who are not the intended, original recipients of the original religious message. Demythologization aims to preserve and communicate the essential message by separating it from its initial form and adapting it to a new cultural context. Often linked to Rudolf Bultmann’s theological framework, demythologization as a method of translating religious content into the language of another culture has deeper roots in philosophical and theological traditions.