Transcendence and the Secular World: Life in Orientation to Ultimate Presence

On theological grounds, Ingolf U. Dalferth argues the case for taking a critical stance towards the current leave-taking of secularization and the fashionable proclamation of a new post-secular religious epoch. Right from the start, the Christian faith has made a decisive contribution to the secularization of the world, the criticism of religion, religions and religiosity. Christian faith is concerned with God’s presence in all areas of life, often beyond the usual religious forms and in distinction towards them. The orientation towards this ultimate presence and therefore towards antecedent transcendence in the immanence of a secular world leaves the alternative between religious and non-religious life behind. In this work, the author examines the new distinctions which this Christian life orientation demands.