Nietzsche's comparative religion : an analysis of The Anti-Christ

This thesis explores the argument that Nietzsche's aim in his book The Anti-Christ is to reveal what he regards as the truth about Christianity, and that he uses detailed comparisons to prove this. Many forms of comparison are used by Nietzsche in The Anti-Christ. One is the comparison between Christianity and other religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, and Islam. Another is the comparison between different forms or even levels of Christianity. And yet another is the comparison between Christianity, science, and Buddhism, based on their degree of contact with reality. As these comparisons are traced in this thesis, a number of contradictions are encountered, and it would appear that these are due to Nietzsche's attempt to address two groups of readers - Christian readers, and those readers who are prepared for Nietzsche's radical philosophy. The contradictions arise when Nietzsche tries to please both groups of readers, to be both blunt and sophisticated at the same time. Nonetheless the tension created in attempting to address both these groups makes The Anti- Christ compelling reading, an effect Nietzsche hoped he would achieve.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Department of Religious Studies

Year dc:date.issued

1994

Author dc:creator

• Wilson, Gary

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Chidester, David

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15986

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/15986