Request for comments …, my cover letter (continued 2)

I see Benedict/ Ratzinger and the historical Jesus research, which he does not negate, but only makes selective use of, on the same path that reason wants to use as a precursor to faith.

The path of the Enlightenment, the path of modern science, however, is the rigorous separation of reason, the science of religious patronage. This also results in the autonomy of religion and faith.

The separation of reason and faith, between religion and science, which was fought for in the Enlightenment, the Jesus researcher wants to reverse, and in doing so they fall into the trap into which Scholasticism with its proofs of God had already fallen.

Jesus research, if it wants to be autonomous historical research, must be free of religious interference. It must be freed from the burden of providing a historical Jesus as a precursor to the Christ of faith. As a result, Jesus’ research must work under the modern premise of practical atheism (etsi deus non daretur). Their results must be equally plausible for Christians and atheists.