Overview

 Introduction

There is no single way to study religion. The modern study of religion utilizes a number of methods to understand religion better. Some may emphasize one approach over another, but most would agree that the religious history and experience of humanity is so complex that a variety of different disciplines must be used. In this section we will review a few of the methods that are commonly employed in the study of religion.

 

Learning Objectives

 After completing your study of this unit you should be able to answer the following questions with at least a 70% accuracy:

List several disciplines that are employed to explain religious phenomena.

Describe the phenomenological method

Explain what is meant by "reductionism."

Define the following terms:

theology

literary criticism

historiography

anthropology

hermeneutics

phenomenology

reductionism

 Describe the contribution of the following individuals to the study of religion:

Gordon Allport

Sigmund Freud

Mircea Eliade

Max Weber

Emile Durkheim

Karl Marx

 


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