Demythologizing the Bible Rudolf Bultmann & John Hick

– Bultmann’s main works concerned the historical nature of the Gospels. Bultmann rejected the traditional idea that the Gospels were historical documents – instead the storied were entirely mythological Hick rejects the orthodox Christian beliefs about Jesus being God Incarnate, the 2 nd person of the Trinity, or any element of Jesus’ divinity

“Demythologizing” Term given to approach of Bultmann & later by Hick Involves stripping away the mythological layers of meaning to find the true Gospel message None of the Gospel stories are supposed to be taken literally – all convey a hidden message in the same sense as some of the more commonly accepted Old Testament myths

Quote from Bultmann: “It is impossible to use electric light & the wireless and to avail ourselves of modern medical and surgical discoveries and at the same time to believe in the New Testament world of demons and spirits” For Bultmann, demythologizing the New Testament was essential if it was to retain meaning in the modern world.

New Testament Myths The story of 5 Loaves & 2 Fish (Feeding of 5 thousand) According to Bultmann, there was no such event. Representational symbols Golden Rule? God’s enduring love? Social harmony?

Demythologising Miracles Blind receiving sight Again, not to be taken literally, but mythologically: Having their eyes opened to the truth? Literary tools used by the Gospel writers with which their 1 st century audience would have been familiar

Hick Traditional “truth claims” of Christianity are mythological, not literal: Incarnation Resurrection Trinity References used to express mythological truths.

Resurrection of Christ – a symbol of…? Everlasting life in heaven with God? Becoming alive in Christ? The enduring justice of the universe where good triumphs over evil? Reforming a morally corrupt character? Reaching potential as a human being?

??Problems?? At what point do we stop stripping away the layers of symbol and settle on the truth? Does God himself end up being a symbol? (is this a problem?) How can we know what the essential truths to be gained from such texts actually are? Can meaningful discussion take place if everything about religious faith is symbolic rather than literal?

Written task: To what extent do you think the demytholizing of the Bible is necessary in order to talk meaningfully about God?