2011-01-102011-01-101999Schoeman, M 1999, 'Verby die geweld van die metafisika : die Christelike erfenis en sekularisasie', HTS Teologiese Studies/ Theological Studies, vol. 55, no. 4, pp. 845-864.0259-9422 (print)http://hdl.handle.net/2263/15563Spine cut of Journal binding and pages scanned on flatbed EPSON Expression 10000 XL; 400dpi; text/lineart - black and white - stored to Tiff Derivation: Abbyy Fine Reader v.9 work with PNG-format (black and white); Photoshop CS3; Adobe Acrobat v.9 Web display format PDFThis essay reinterprets Christian faith in terms of the contemporary philosophical discourse on nihilism and the "end" of metaphysics, especially Heidegger's ontology of "decline." If Christianity is to regain its relevance in the contemporary world, it should purge itself from remnants of the natural religions as well as metaphysical beliefs, because they are instrumental in concealing (and thereby perpetuating) the arbitrary violence on which communities and their moral systems are founded. Christianity can play a meaningful role in unmasking these beliefs, thus paving the way for a "healthy" secularism and an ethics of love and non-violence.AfrikaansFaculty of Theology, University of PretoriaChristian faithNihilism -- Religious aspects -- ChristianityHeidegger, Martin, 1889-1976 -- InfluenceMetaphysicsChristianity and other religionsViolence -- Religious aspects -- ChristianityTradition (Theology)Secularization (Theology)Article