Introduction to the Study of Religion

by Rodrigues; Hillary

• ISBN13: 9780415408899
• ISBN10: 041540889X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-08-27
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Why do people study religion? How have they studied it in the past? How do we study religion today? Is the academic study of religion the same as religious education? These and many other questions are addressed in this engaging introduction to the discipline of religious studies, written by two experienced university teachers. The authors have crafted this book to familiarize novice students with key concepts and terminology in the study of religion. More advanced students will find a varied array of theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches to the field. Topics include: Definitions of religion, Perspectives in the study and teaching of religion, How religion began to be studied: traditional perspectives - philosophical and theological, How people experience religion: perspectives in the study of religious consciousness and perception - phenomenological and psychological, Studying religion within communities: social and cultural perspectives - anthropological, sociological, political and economic, Judging religion: critical perspectives - feminist approaches, the interaction of popular literature and religion, Contextual perspectives - historical and comparative.

Author Biography

Hillary Rodrigues is chair of the Religious Studies department at the University of Lethbridge, Canada, and recipient of that institution's Distinguished Teaching Award (2000). He is author of Introducing Hinduism (Routledge, 2005) John S. Harding is a member of the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Lethbridge, Canada

Table of Contents

Preface	p. xi
Acknowledgments	p. xiii
Introduction	p. 1
Defining religion	p. 1
Religious education and religious studies	p. 6
Patterns in the study of religion	p. 12
How Religion Began to be Studied: Traditional Perspectives	p. 18
Philosophical approaches	p. 18
Theological approaches	p. 34
Studying Religion within Communities: Social and Cultural Perspectives	p. 49
Anthropological approaches	p. 49
Sociological, political, and economic approaches	p. 66
How People Experience Religion: Perspectives in the Study of Religious Consciousness and Perception	p. 74
Phenomenological approaches	p. 77
Psychological approaches	p. 83
Judging Religion: Critical Perspectives and Evaluations	p. 104
Feminist approaches	p. 106
Popular literature: dispelling religion vs. emphasizing its relevance	p. 119
Studying Religion in Context: Perspectives and Conclusions	p. 134
Historical approaches	p. 134
Comparative approaches	p. 136
Some concluding theoretical and methodological issues in the study of religion	p. 137
Select Websites	p. 141
Chronology of Select Significant Persons and Seminal Texts	p. 143
Glossary	p. 154
Index	p. 167
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