Demonologie voor de modern mens?

Denial of the existence of demons is a hallmark of the modern worldview. Twentieth-century theology tried to adapt Biblical texts about demons to modernity by interpreting them as mythical expressions for medical and socio-political phenomena or for the existential Angst with regard to unimaginable evil. Karl Barth opts for a soteriological approach. The question if demons (or angels) exist as intelligent and free spiritual beings is usually ignored, side-stepped or answered negatively. This paper argues that medieval angelology offers important methodological and metaphysical insights for addressing the question, though it cannot by itself remove the anxiety the question evokes for the modern worldview