Studying Religion
Keywords:
Religious Studies, South AfricaSynopsis
1982
ISBN O 86981 267 X (hard cover)
ISBN O 86981 742 6 (soft cover)
Contents
PREFACE ix
1 INTRODUCTION 1
2 SCIENCE OF RELIGION 5
2.1 Growth and reorientation 5
2.2 Model of a scientific enterprise 6
2.3 Circumscription of science of religion 8
3 METASCIENTIFIC POSITIONS IN THE TWENTIETH
CENTURY 11
3.1 Logical empiricism 11
3.2 Critical rationalism 13
3.3 Critical theory 15
3.4 Phenomenology 16
3.4.1 Characteristics of the phenomenological approach 17
3.4.1.1 To the things themselves 17
3.4.1.2 Intentionality 17
3.4.1.3 Epoche 18
3.4.1.4 Essences 19
3.4.2 Phenomenology in science of religion 19
3.5 The hermeneutical school 20
4 ROOTS OF RELIGIO·SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY 24
4.1 Fundamental science of religion 24
4.2 Being determined 26
4.2.1 Natural reality 26
4.2.2 Sociocultural reality 26
4.2.3 The understanding of objective patterns 27
4.3 Acting 28
4.3.1 Acting upon the world 28
4.3.2 Acting in and via the world 29
4.3.2.1 Signs and symbols 30
4.3.3 Expression and being impressed 32
4.3.4 The understanding of personal and situational cases and patterns 32
4.3.5 Understanding and explanation 34
5 SELF-AWARENESS 36
5.1 Objectivity in the heart of subjectivity 36
5.2 The import of the personal situation 37
5.2.1 General cultural background 38
5.2.2 Religious milieu 39
5.2.3 Intra-scientific values 39
5.2.4 Interests and ideologies 40
5.2.5 Personal religion 41
5.3 Reflexiveness 44
5.3.1 Increased self-awareness 44
5.3.2 Is personal religion changed in the process? 45
5.3.3 "How clear is this to me?" 45
6 THE SOCIAL DIMENSION OF ADEQUACY 47
6.1 The encounter with religious persons 47
6.1.1 The problem, the possibility and the need 47
6.1.2 Our common humanity 49
6.1.3 Kinds and levels of understanding other persons 49
6.1.4 Ways to understanding 51
- 1 .4.1 Conversion 52
6.1.4.2 Imaginative re-enactment 52
6.1.4.3 Becoming a participant 52
6.1.4.4 Encounter 52
6.2 The controls of expert opinion 53
6.3 The social responsibility of science of religion 54
7 THE CONCEPT RELIGION 56
7.1 Conceptualizing religion 56
7.1.1 The phenomenological heritage 56
7.1.2 The demand for logical precision and empirical reliability in logical empiricism 58
7.1.3 The concept religion as a nexus between theory of religion and empirical research on religion 60
7.1.3.1 Religion as a theoretical concept 61
7.1.3.2 Religion as a classificatory concept 6
7.1.3.3-Dimensional clarification 62
7.1.4 'Substantive' or 'functional' specification? 63
7.1.4.1 Structure and function 63
7.1.4.2 Exclusiveness and inclusiveness 63
7.1.4.3 An intra-religious and extra-religious point of view 64
7.1.4.4 Ideological associations 65
7.2 The dimensions of religion 65
7.2.1 The objective referent of faith 66
7.2.1.1 Concern 66
7.2.1.2 The ideal 67
7.2.1.3 The primary source of salvation 67
7.2.1.4 The notion of transcendence (including the time dimension) 69
7.2.2 The subjective reference 7 2
7.2.2.1 Ambivalence 7 2
7.2.2.1.1 The apposition of religion and irreligion 7 2
7.2.2.1.2 Activity and passivity regarding religious reality 7 2
7.2.2.1.3 The attitude towards the ordinary world 73
7.2.2.1.4 The esoteric-exoteric quality of religious experience (including the social dimension) 73
7.2.2.2 Totality 73
7.2.2.2.1 Religious feeling 74
7.2.2.2.2 Religious willing 75
7.2.2.2.3 Religious knowing 75
7.2.2.2.4 Religious doing 76
7.2.2.2.5 Religious speaking 76
7.3 Conclusion 77
REFERENCES 78
Preface
This general introduction to the methodology of science of religion is something of a programmatic statement, trying to lure students and others interested to the threshold of actually investigating religion and doing science of religion. It forms part of a wider project, Southern African Studies in Religion, aimed at investigating religion in Southern Africa in a science of religion perspective, which has been launched under the auspices of the Institute for Theological Research at the University of South Africa. To the Director, Prof. W.S. Vorster and his staff, especially Mrs S. Winckler, I wish to express my appreciation for their invaluable assistance in making this publication possible. The methodological position taken, is inspired particularly by the phenomenological tradition - at the same time bearing in mind the present task (so I believe) of trying to integrate as far as possible the various religio-scientific approaches to religion into a comprehensive enterprise. For this reason, the themes dealt with receive expository rather than argumentative or polemical treatment. It is not a 'technical' book, abounding in references and other asides in footnotes. The ideal has been to attain a clear and concise survey of an overall approach. This limited perspective imposes other self-limitations. The practical procedures and techniques to be used in investigations of religion fall outside its purview. In other respects, too, it touches on matters that cannot be dealt with adequately within its framework, especially the problem of a theory of religion and the problem of speaking about the truth quality of religions.
