Myth, Religion and Culture. J. Ratzinger and Religions

Abstract

J. Ratzinger’s thoughts on religions are examined in this article. It begins with a phenomenological presentation on religion: ancient religions and their relationship to myth, the three ways of escaping myth (mystic identity, monotheistic revolution and Hebrew and Greek illustrations) and the establishment of Christianity in the classical cultural environment. After outlining the historical context, the author analyzes the fundamental orientations on the salvific value of regions (exclusivism, inclusivism and pluralism), then proceeds to examine the inter-religious dialogue, the metaphysical basis of which is the unity of the human essence, touched by the truth, which makes the meeting of cultures possible.