Abstract

Rudolf Otto’s seminal The Idea of the Holy rests uneasily between Neokantianism, Psychology and Phenomenology. This paper aims to contribute to a richer understanding of Otto’s thought by highlighting its phenomenological themes. Relating the work to its predecessor, The Philosophy of Religion based on Kant and Fries, two strands of interpretation are identified that emphasize Otto’s turn against or consistency with Kantianism, respectively. By analyzing Otto’s notion of ,schematization‘ as a condition of possibility for religion, I argue that the Holy indeed marks a turn away from a Kantian framework. Consequently, I propose a phenomenological reading of the Holy, primarily drawing on Scheler. I explore Otto’s notion of feeling as well as his understanding of a priori, arguing that the latter should be understood as a material a priori. Thus, I aim to shed light both on Otto’s concept of the numinous as an a priori category as well as his concept of schematization.