Glaubenslehre revisited

This essay acknowledges Schleiermacher's Doctrine of Faith as a milestone in systematic theology while also highlighting current challenges in its reception. Three problem zones are discussed as examples. First, the anthropological concept of religion no longer seems tenable in view of the increasing prevalence of religion-free lifestyles. Second, the programmatic incorporation of historical consciousness is only half-hearted, with the historical origins of Christianity remaining hidden in the definition of its essence and the attempt to anchor the dogmatic bond to Jesus of Nazareth in history resulting in a problematic functionalization of historical-critical research. Third, Schleiermacher's understanding of religious content as symbolic expressions of faith opens up a »post-metaphysical « hermeneutics, which, however, requires correcting towards a more communicative understanding of religious practice. Overall, the essay argues for a critical updating of Schleiermacher's fundamental concern - the productive mediation of Christianity and modernity - rather than dismissing it as a thing of the past in the history of theology.