Religious studies: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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[[Image:Religious syms.svg|thumb|Various [[religious symbols]] representing the [[World religions|world's largest religions]] (from left to right): {{Bulleted list|1st row: [[Christianity]], [[Judaism]], [[Hinduism]]|2nd row: [[Islam]], [[Buddhism]], [[Shinto]]|3rd row: [[Sikhism]], the [[Baháʼí Faith]], [[Jainism]]}}]]

'''Religious studies''', also known as the '''study of religion''', is the scientific study of [[religion]]. There is no consensus on what qualifies as ''religion'' and its [[definition of religion|its definition]] is highly contested. It describes, compares, interprets, and explains religion, emphasizing [[empirical]], historically based, and cross-cultural perspectives.

While [[theology]] attempts to understand the [[Transcendence (religion)|transcendent]] or [[supernatural]] according to traditional religious accounts, religious studies takes a more scientific and objective approach, independent of any particular religious viewpoint. Religious studies thus draws upon multiple academic disciplines and methodologies including [[Anthropology of religion|anthropology]], [[Sociology of religion|sociology]], [[Psychology of religion|psychology]], [[Philosophy of religion|philosophy]], and [[history of religion]].

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==History==

[[Image:Max Muller.jpg|thumb|right|[[Max Müller]]; the first professor of [[Comparative linguistics|comparative philology]] at [[Oxford University]] and author of ''Introduction to the Science of Religion'']]Interest in the general study of religion dates back to at least [[Hecataeus of Miletus]] ({{circa|550 [[Common Era|BCE]]|476 BCE}}) and [[Herodotus]] ({{Circa|484 BCE|425 BCE}}). Later, during the [[Middle Ages]], [[Islam]]ic scholars such as [[Ibn Hazm]] (d. 1064 CE) studied [[Zoroastrianism|Persian]], [[Judaism|Jewish]], [[Christianity|Christian]], and [[Indian religions]], among others. The first history of religion was the ''Treatise on the Religious and Philosophical Sects'' (1127 CE), written by the Muslim scholar [[Muhammad al-Shahrastani]]. [[Peter the Venerable]], also working in the twelfth century, studied Islam and made possible a Latin translation of the [[Qur'an]].

Notwithstanding the long interest in the study of religion, the academic discipline Religious Studies is relatively new. [[Christopher Partridge]] notes that the "first professorships were established as recently as the final quarter of the nineteenth century."<ref>{{cite web |title=The Academic Study of Religion |url=http://www.uccf.org.uk/yourcourse/rtsf/docs/academicstudyofreligion.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061007062233/http://www.uccf.org.uk/yourcourse/rtsf/docs/academicstudyofreligion.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=2006-10-07 |publisher=Dr Chris Partridge, Senior Lecturer in Theology and Contemporary Religion Chester College}}</ref>

In the nineteenth century, the study of religion was done through the eyes of science. [[Max Müller]] was the first professor of [[Comparative linguistics|comparative philology]] at [[Oxford University]], a chair created especially for him. In his ''Introduction to the Science of Religion'' (1873) he wrote that it is "the duty of those who have devoted their life to the study of the principal religions of the world in their original documents, and who value and reverence it in whatever form it may present itself, to take possession of this new territory in the name of true science."

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===Anthropology of religion===

The [[anthropology of religion]] is principally concerned with the common basic human needs that religion fulfills. The [[cultural anthropology]] of religion is principally concerned with the cultural aspects of religion. Of primary concern to the cultural anthropologist of religions are rituals, beliefs, religious art, and practices of piety.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.discoveranthropology.org.uk/about-anthropology/specialist-areas/anthropology-of-religion.html |title=Anthropology of Religion |access-date=24 June 2024 |publisher=Discover Anthropology }}</ref>

===Economics of religion===

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===Phenomenology===

{{main|Phenomenology of religion}}

[[phenomenology (philosophy)|Phenomenology]] is "arguably the most influential approach to the study of religion in the twentieth century." (Partridge) The term is first found in the title of the work of the influential philosopher of [[German Idealism]], [[Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel]], entitled ''[[The Phenomenology of Spirit|]]''The Phenomenology of Spirit'']]. Phenomenology had been practiced long before its being made explicit as a philosophical method by [[Edmund Husserl]], who is considered to be its founder. In the context of [[Phenomenology of religion]] however, the term was first used by Pierre Daniel Chantepie de la Saussaye in his work "Lehrbuch der Religiongeschichte" (1887). Chantepie's phenomenology catalogued observable characteristics of religion much like a zoologist would categorize animals or an entomologist would categorize insects.

In part due to [[Edmund Husserl|Husserl's]] influence, "phenomenology" came to "refer to a method which is more complex and claims rather more for itself than did Chantepie’s mere cataloguing of facts." (Partridge) Husserl argued that the foundation of knowledge is [[consciousness]]. He recognized "how easy it is for prior beliefs and interpretations to unconsciously influence one’s thinking, Husserl’s phenomenological method sought to shelve all these presuppositions and interpretations." (Partridge) Husserl introduced the term "eidetic vision" to describe the ability to observe without "prior beliefs and interpretations" influencing understanding and perception.

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The subjectivity inherent to the phenomenological study of religion makes complete and comprehensive understanding highly difficult. However, phenomenologists aim to separate their formal study of religion from their own theological worldview and to eliminate, as far as possible, any personal biases (e.g., a Christian phenomenologist would avoid studying Hinduism through the lens of Christianity).

There are a number of both theoretical and methodological attitudes common among phenomenologists: {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20000817094359/http://www.phenomenologycenter.org/phenom.htm source]}}

<blockquote>

* Phenomenologists tend to oppose the acceptance of unobservable matters and grand systems erected in speculative thinking;