Removed supernatural or legendary elements from a story or concept to explain it in realistic, historical, or scientific terms.
From de- (remove) + mythologize (create or interpret as myth), from Greek mythos (story) + logos (word). The prefix de- emphasizes reversal, while mythologize comes from the practice of treating historical events as myths.
The term became prominent in 20th-century theology when scholars like Rudolf Bultmann tried to strip Christian narratives of miraculous elements to find historical kernels—essentially asking 'what really happened?' instead of 'what spiritual truth is this telling?'
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