Tabea Bertrams | Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn (original) (raw)

Papers by Tabea Bertrams

International Journal of Pedagogy, Innovation and New Technologies, 2015

Friedrich Nietzsche is one of the most widely received philosophical thinkers of all time. Over a... more Friedrich Nietzsche is one of the most widely received philosophical thinkers of all time. Over a century after his death the publications concerned with his work are countless and they are being published not only by philosophers, but also by sociologists, pedagogues and certainly theologians. The variety of attempts to interpret Nietzsche's work is understandable considering his statement: 'Jeder tiefe Denker fürchtet mehr das Verstanden-werden, als das Missverstanden-werden' (Nietzsche, 1999, vol. 5, p. 234). It seems, that Nietzsche was indeed very afraid of being understood. He mostly presented his ideas in metaphors or allegories which lack a straight line of reasoning. This leads to the difficulty in outlining the main arguments in Nietzsche's thinking. On the other hand it is exactly this particular art of writing that has fascinated readers throughout the decades. Reading Nietzsche leaves the reader with fascination and confusion at the same time (Van Tongeren, 1989). The reason is, on the one hand, the progress of Nietzsche's thoughts, and on the other, the inconsistencies inherent in his argument. Neither these inconsistencies nor Nietzsche's own seeming wish of being misunderstood have stopped academic attempts to understand Nietzsche's way of thinking. Christian theology, being no exception here, has adopted a critical but yet receptive attitude throughout the years regarding the analysis of Nietzsche's religious criticism. The history of Nietzsche's reception within theology comprises a range of possible interpretations (Köster, 1981, p. 82). However, the endeavour to take Nietzsche's criticism seriously and to take it as an opportunity to scrutinize religious positions can be seen as a common ground in contemporary theological publications. Nevertheless the discipline of practical theology has not started a serious discussion of Nietzsche's work yet. In the following it shall be demonstrated how Nietzsche's religious criticism and his Abstract: Since Friedrich Nietzsche's death in 1900, the publications concerned with his work are countless. Theology made various attempts to interpret Nietzsche's religious criticism and to rebut his arguments. The article points out that Christian theology should rather focus on Nietzsche's critique than on the defense of its own posits, because in Nietzsche's religious criticism a demand for an authentic anthropological self-fulfillment becomes recognisable that represents a task for modern theology. The theological discipline of religious education focuses on the human being and its self-fulfillment in a religious perspective. Therefore it combines pedagogical and theological questions. With this argument in mind, it shall be outlined how the analysis of Nietzsche's work is a valuable contribution in the pursuit of the religious question what it means to be human. It can be illustrated that the field of religious education has to reinforce its endavour to take religious criticism such as Nietzsche's seriously. Nietzsche's religious criticism reminds theology to focus on the connection between human existence and its analysis of life. The theological emphasis on transcendence as an indispensable part of human life must not lead to a the religious perspective of life that is no longer connected to earthly conditions. Religious Education has to strengthen the nexus between a culture of faith and the contemporary conditions human life is situated in.

International Journal of Pedagogy, Innovation and New Technologies, 2015

Friedrich Nietzsche is one of the most widely received philosophical thinkers of all time. Over a... more Friedrich Nietzsche is one of the most widely received philosophical thinkers of all time. Over a century after his death the publications concerned with his work are countless and they are being published not only by philosophers, but also by sociologists, pedagogues and certainly theologians. The variety of attempts to interpret Nietzsche's work is understandable considering his statement: 'Jeder tiefe Denker fürchtet mehr das Verstanden-werden, als das Missverstanden-werden' (Nietzsche, 1999, vol. 5, p. 234). It seems, that Nietzsche was indeed very afraid of being understood. He mostly presented his ideas in metaphors or allegories which lack a straight line of reasoning. This leads to the difficulty in outlining the main arguments in Nietzsche's thinking. On the other hand it is exactly this particular art of writing that has fascinated readers throughout the decades. Reading Nietzsche leaves the reader with fascination and confusion at the same time (Van Tongeren, 1989). The reason is, on the one hand, the progress of Nietzsche's thoughts, and on the other, the inconsistencies inherent in his argument. Neither these inconsistencies nor Nietzsche's own seeming wish of being misunderstood have stopped academic attempts to understand Nietzsche's way of thinking. Christian theology, being no exception here, has adopted a critical but yet receptive attitude throughout the years regarding the analysis of Nietzsche's religious criticism. The history of Nietzsche's reception within theology comprises a range of possible interpretations (Köster, 1981, p. 82). However, the endeavour to take Nietzsche's criticism seriously and to take it as an opportunity to scrutinize religious positions can be seen as a common ground in contemporary theological publications. Nevertheless the discipline of practical theology has not started a serious discussion of Nietzsche's work yet. In the following it shall be demonstrated how Nietzsche's religious criticism and his Abstract: Since Friedrich Nietzsche's death in 1900, the publications concerned with his work are countless. Theology made various attempts to interpret Nietzsche's religious criticism and to rebut his arguments. The article points out that Christian theology should rather focus on Nietzsche's critique than on the defense of its own posits, because in Nietzsche's religious criticism a demand for an authentic anthropological self-fulfillment becomes recognisable that represents a task for modern theology. The theological discipline of religious education focuses on the human being and its self-fulfillment in a religious perspective. Therefore it combines pedagogical and theological questions. With this argument in mind, it shall be outlined how the analysis of Nietzsche's work is a valuable contribution in the pursuit of the religious question what it means to be human. It can be illustrated that the field of religious education has to reinforce its endavour to take religious criticism such as Nietzsche's seriously. Nietzsche's religious criticism reminds theology to focus on the connection between human existence and its analysis of life. The theological emphasis on transcendence as an indispensable part of human life must not lead to a the religious perspective of life that is no longer connected to earthly conditions. Religious Education has to strengthen the nexus between a culture of faith and the contemporary conditions human life is situated in.