This thesis arose from certain questions I have been struggling to answer for some time: How are myths defined, where do myths originate, how can we understand them in the era “after modernity,” and can myths play any role in terms of Christian faith? Such questions cannot be explored without engaging the present scholarly approaches to the subject of myth. Due to the wide variety of disciplines offering explorations of myths, any thoughtful investigation of the subject involves a wide scope of often conflicting interpretations of the significance of myth. While I want to acknowledge the work already done on myth through offering a general survey on the different definitions of myth, my own approach will draw attention to the connection between myth and religion. Myth is a problematic subject to study from a theological perspective due to the “de-mythologizing” movement in Christianity, which caused many theologians to view the subject as irrelevant or even harmful to the faith. However, through a renewed understanding of myth’s connection to the sacred, myths can serve as vehicles for transformative encounters with God and the imperatives of faith—particularly in the contemporary postmodern context.

Preliminary Bibliography

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