Belief or Anamnesis: Is a Rapprochement between History of Religions and Theology Possible?

Abstract

Such was Tillich's last hope in 1965, but there is not yet a single sign to indicate that a serious interpenetration between Christian theology and history of religions is taking place. This is not to say that there is a lack of interest, concern, and effort. Rather, in my judgment, all efforts have failed and will continue to fail precisely because we refuse to abandon belief or faith (I shall use these terms interchangeably and uncritically) as the fundamental hermeneutical category of religion. It is my contention that belief or faith is specifically a biblical category, not a universal category applicable to all religions. In the history of religions, belief is a secondary and specific category, not a primary, definitive, and generic category. Further, faith cannot be a hermeneutical category because by definition it precludes the possibility of progressive elucidation.