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