Kerygma and Myth

Rudolf Bultmann, a 20th-century New Testament scholar, proposed a program to "demythologize" the New Testament. This involved interpreting its core message, expressed in mythical terms, through the lens of existentialist philosophy. Bultmann argued that Christian faith centers on the kerygma, or proclamation of the church, rather than solely on the historical Jesus.1

He believed that modern people cannot understand the Gospel in the mythological language of the New Testament. Therefore, he sought to translate these myths into existential terms, stripping away objectified elements. For Bultmann, mythological elements included beliefs like the pre-existence of Christ, miracles, and a three-layered universe. A myth is a traditional story explaining beliefs or phenomena. Bultmann's work, Kerygma und Mythos, explored this concept.231