Abstract
In philosophical argument references to the Bible are always philosophically important. By comparing Johann Georg Hamann’s and Martin Heidegger’s writings it can be shown that religious concepts, figures and motives are formally indispensable for philosophy.
Both Hamann’s and Heidegger’s thinking is based upon biblical formulae. One major formula of Hamann’s theological thinking derived from a biblical model is the Pauline concept of ‘metaschematism’, which shows considerable correspondences to Heidegger’s most important phenomenological method of ›formal indication‹ (formale Anzeige). References to Pauline letters play an important role in the development and application of formal indication in Heidegger’s early lecture “Introduction to the phenomenology of religion” (Einleitung in die Phänomenologie der Religion). According to that, Paul becomes a major figure concerning the method of philosophical thinking. For Heidegger, Christian religiosity in a formal manner can be considered as the basis of life experience in general and therefore, of philosophical thought as well. In philosophizing there is no such thing as secularization although philosophy secularizes the content of religious concepts.
Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co. KG
