The metaphorical notions of German 'Bildung' and 'Erziehung' are traced to the intersection between pedagogy, philosophy, and theology. As the notion of 'Erziehung' is deeply rooted in the Jewish tradition, it is closely related to the idea of discipline. However, this idea has changed its meaning under the influence of the dogma of original sin, the anthropological theory of humanity's deficiency with regard to instinct, and eugenics. 'Bildung' refers to a relationship full of tension between the idea of humanity 's likeness to God and the prohibition to conjure up an image of God - a relationship that remained highly influential well into the 19th century and which only lost its unbalanced and provocative character due to concept of identity. It is shown that both 'Erziehung' and 'Bildung' draw on these metaphorical contents, even today, and that, while they have parted with traditional answers, they are still unable to solve the problems that have prevailed. (LLBA 1999, vol. 33, n. 5)