In section six of Being and Time, Martin Heidegger writes that “being true as discovering is a manner of being of Dasein” (203). Truth as discovering is not an a priori endeavor, but rather a process of disclosures available by virtue of being in the world in the way that the world is. Discovering truth in this way appears incongruent with traditional notions of religious truth-seeking; dogmas proclaiming universal truths generally attest to those truths existing outside of our being, applied somewhat arbitrarily by an omniscient presence.

I argue that Heidegger’s truth is incongruous with dogmatic notions of religion ascribing to pre-decided realities and ways of being in the world. I further argue, however, that Heidegger’s theories are not incongruous with spirituality, which concept I will specially define. A phenomenological investigation of truth as disclosure reveals the process of truth-seeking and making to be a rescued form of spirituality. A Heideggarian understanding of truth rescues the truth-seeker from religious dogmatism by disclosing potentialities for being and therefore constitutes a spiritual, if not religious, revival.

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Recommended citation: Blair, Kristen. 2017. "The Deconstruction of Religious Dogmatism in Heidegger’s Call to Authenticity" Aporia 27, no. 1-2017.