The existentially important problem of contingency has in recent times been the topic of discussion not only in the philosophy of religion, but also in psychology, in sociology and especially in empirical theology. In the theory of the experience of contingency developed here, “contingency” is first clarified by differentiating the meanings of “necessity”, which makes it possible to distinguish several fundamental personal patterns of behaviour in dealing with contingencies. Since both the purely scientific considerations as well as those relating to reason have reached their limits, the focus is on the meaning of contingency in religion. The central point at issue is what lies beyond the limits of reason. Naturalists and immanent agnostics judge responses to contingency differently from religious agnostics and adherents of institutionalised religions.—Finally, by applying the notion of a latent philosophy as a basis for these religious-philosophical reflections, it becomes a bridge to empirical theology, which attempts to mold the individual ways of dealing with contingency into being practically applicable.

偶然性存在的重要问题，近来不仅在宗教哲学中，而且在心理学，社会学，尤其是经验神学中都成为讨论的话题。在这里发展的突发事件经验理论中，首先通过区分“必要性”的含义来澄清“突发事件”，这使得区分突发事件中的几种基本个人行为模式成为可能。由于纯粹的科学考虑以及与理性有关的考虑都已达到其极限，因此重点放在宗教偶然性的意义上。争论的中心点是超出理性范围的事情。