4. Miracles: Bultmann (Kerygma and Myth)
- Created by: Alasdair
- Created on: 18-06-17 10:40
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- 4. Miracles: Bultmann (Kerygma and Myth)
- All miracles are mythological
- They are wrapped in "mythological trappings" of 1st Century angels and demons and voices from heaven
- Need to remove these trappings to expose historical Christ
- A liberal interpretation
- The Bible was written by humans using myth to convey truths
- Modern science can explain things that would've seemed like miracles (e.g. healing)
- People should be sceptical of Biblical miracles as:
- The world through time is an unbreakable sequence of events
- If the sequence breaks (i.e. through divine intervention) then science ceases to exist
- History is an unbroken whole
- If there was divine intervention it would not be possible to link a historical cause with an event as it is unclear if the cause is divine or otherwise
- Link this to Aquinas's view on God altering the past
- If there was divine intervention it would not be possible to link a historical cause with an event as it is unclear if the cause is divine or otherwise
- The world through time is an unbreakable sequence of events
- Demythologising will lead to the Bible being relevant to own existence and will also lead to kergyma - proclamation, the true Gospel
- E.g. the virgin birth is a myth used to emphasise the special nature of Christ
- Strengths
- The view does not accept the evidence Jesus existed, so doesn't undermine the Bible
- However, the Biblical notion of redemption via Christ's blood is ridiculous as it is scientifically illogical
- Science has shown that Satan and demons as well as angels do not exist, so the sacrificial mythology is irrelevant
- Well has it really?
- Demythologising the Bible may lead to to more acceptance of it and more people believing as it is more understandable/relatable
- The view does not accept the evidence Jesus existed, so doesn't undermine the Bible
- Criticisms
- Myths are used all the time and can be understood easily, e.g. fables to children
- Biblical miracles may be understood as analogies, as proposed by Tillich and Aquinas
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