Nietzschean Nihilism in Context: The Puzzle of Christianity

Abstract Nietzsche’s claims about Christianity are difficult to reconcile. In some passages, Nietzsche claims Christianity is an expression of nihilism; in others, he suggests Christianity is a remedy against nihilism. This article provides a solution to this puzzle. This article shows, first, that Nietzsche’s use of the notion of nihilism is contextually and temporally dependent: he calls an ideal nihilistic if it cannot confer meaning on the lives of a particular community in a specific context at a given time. This article argues, second, that this meaning-conferring role is contingent on a wide array of factors. It ultimately depends on whether the ideal makes life feel bearable for those who accept it, and this may change over time. This, the article concludes, is the key to the puzzle. According to Nietzsche, Christianity was not nihilistic at first. However, it became nihilistic when a force it cultivated undermined its meaning-conferring role.