Der institutionalisierte Dauerstreit

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Abstract Is religion compatible with enlightenment, and what role does theology play in this issue? Kant’s ‘Streit der Fakultäten’ (Contest of the Faculties) comes to the conclusion that the eternal debate about religion does not necessarily have to be an obstacle to enlightenment, but that its institutionalisation is the best hope for freedom, for without criticism there can be no progress and a lack of critique only gives rise to misconceptions. However, appraisals of Kant’s work by F.W.J. Schelling, Jacques Derrida and Judith Butler demonstrate that even the rules of this debate are contentious. Who stipulates them, for example? In this way, criticism of religion is itself confronted with criticism. Who has the power to shape this debate in a reasoned manner? Viewing this problem from the perspective of the theory of antagonism shows that enemies can become opponents and that war can develop into debate. However, whether progress and freedom can result from civilised debate and reforms or whether achieving them proves to be a bitter struggle—or not at all—is open to discussion.