How did Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph von Schelling use mythology and revelation in his later philosophy of religion?

In his later philosophy, Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph von Schelling distinguished between "negative philosophy," which explores the idea of God through reason alone, and "positive philosophy," which seeks to demonstrate the reality of that idea by reasoning from the world to God as its creator.1

Within this framework, Schelling integrated mythology and revelation to convey the history of religion through philosophical thought. He posited that following the "Fall into sin"—where humanity attempted to equal God—God was eventually elevated again as the central principle. Schelling characterized these historical stages as follows:1

• Era of Mythology: God appeared to humanity as a "dark power".1
• Era of Revelation: God emerged in history as "manifestly real" through the figure of Christ.1

By analyzing these eras, Schelling aimed to provide a profound understanding of human reality, acknowledging that humanity is determined not only by reason but also by "dark natural impulses," a perspective that critically challenged the Hegelian system of his time.12