Religion in Bestsellern: Eine theologische Klärung

Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

Authors

The article at hand distinguishes between first- and second-order narratives. In first-order stories (which belong to the primary narrativity), the world „happens“. This eventful happening however is not perceptible as such but only mediated in told stories (which build the secondary narrativity). Be- tween them there is a reciprocal relationship: The „narrative of the world“ evokes the human narrative practice which in reverse is part of the shaping of the world. The secondary narrativity spawns many different forms, arts, film, literature as well as the biblical narrative practice. These and other stories nurture faith which therefore may not primarily be understood as doctrine but as a way of perception, as perspective on the „narratives of the world“. As the world and human life are constantly in movement, faith can be described in the meaning of a „phenomenal“ religious term as „wayline perspective“. Literary products have a share in the contouring of this per- spective. They are therefore of immediate religious and ethical relevance especially when religion is not addressed as such, but on the formative level of the perspective. This understanding of religion is set out on a series of bestsellers and longsellers. The article closes with an indication of the rele- vance of such an approach to literature for religious education.
Original languageGerman
JournalGlaube und Lernen
Volume31 (2016)
Issue number2
Pages (from-to)137–154
Number of pages18
ISSN0179-3551
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 07.09.2017

DOI