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Ten Theories of Religion: Unraveling the Mysteries of Belief
Introduction:
Humanity's enduring fascination with religion is undeniable. From ancient cave paintings to modern-day megachurches, religious beliefs have shaped civilizations, inspired art, and fueled conflicts. But what is religion, really? This exploration delves into ten prominent theories attempting to explain the origins, functions, and impact of religion across cultures and throughout history. We'll examine sociological, psychological, and evolutionary perspectives, providing a comprehensive overview of this multifaceted and complex subject. Prepare to challenge your own assumptions as we unravel some of the enduring mysteries surrounding the human experience of faith.
H2: Sociological Theories of Religion
Several sociological theories offer insightful perspectives on religion's role in society. These often focus on the social functions religion performs, rather than its inherent truth.
H3: Functionalism: This perspective views religion as a vital social institution that promotes social cohesion, stability, and shared values. Rituals, ceremonies, and shared beliefs create a sense of belonging and unity within a community. Durkheim's work exemplifies this approach, highlighting the collective effervescence experienced during religious gatherings.
H3: Conflict Theory: Conversely, conflict theory analyzes religion's potential to reinforce social inequalities. It suggests that religious beliefs can be used to justify existing power structures, suppress dissent, and maintain the status quo. The historical use of religion to legitimize colonialism or social stratification provides compelling evidence for this viewpoint.
H2: Psychological Theories of Religion
Psychological theories explore the individual's motivations and experiences related to religious belief.
H3: Freud's Psychoanalytic Theory: Sigmund Freud saw religion as a form of wish fulfillment, a projection of unconscious desires and anxieties onto supernatural beings. He argued that religious belief provides comfort and security in the face of life's uncertainties.
H3: Jungian Archetypes: Carl Jung proposed the existence of universal archetypes—primordial images and patterns—within the collective unconscious, influencing religious symbols and experiences across cultures. These archetypes, such as the Great Mother or the Shadow, manifest in various religious traditions.
H2: Evolutionary Theories of Religion
Evolutionary approaches investigate the adaptive benefits of religious belief from a biological and survival perspective.
H3: Group Selection: This theory suggests that religious groups with cohesive beliefs and practices might have had a selective advantage, increasing their survival and reproduction rates compared to less cohesive groups.
H3: Cognitive Biases: Another perspective focuses on cognitive biases inherent in human thinking, proposing that our predisposition towards pattern recognition, agency detection, and hyperactive agency detection might contribute to the development of religious beliefs.
H2: Other Significant Theories
Beyond the major sociological, psychological, and evolutionary frameworks, other important perspectives exist:
H3: Marxist Theory: This perspective views religion as "the opiate of the masses," a tool used by the ruling class to control and pacify the working class.
H3: Symbolic Interactionism: This approach examines how individuals create and negotiate meaning through religious symbols, rituals, and interactions. It emphasizes the subjective interpretation of religious experiences.
H3: Secularization Theory: This theory posits that as societies become more modernized and technologically advanced, the influence of religion will gradually decline.
H3: Religious Naturalism: This perspective attempts to reconcile scientific understanding with religious experience, suggesting that spiritual experiences can be understood within a naturalistic framework.
H3: The Phenomenology of Religion: This approach focuses on the lived experience of religious individuals, emphasizing the subjective nature of religious phenomena rather than seeking to provide objective explanations.
H2: Conclusion:
Understanding religion requires a multifaceted approach, drawing on insights from various disciplines. The ten theories outlined above represent a diverse range of perspectives, highlighting the complexity and enduring significance of religious belief in human societies. While no single theory fully encapsulates the multifaceted nature of religion, their combined insights offer a richer, more nuanced understanding of its origins, functions, and impact on individuals and societies.
FAQs:
1. Are all theories of religion mutually exclusive? No, many theories complement each other, offering different but not necessarily conflicting perspectives. For example, evolutionary and psychological theories can be integrated to provide a more complete picture.
2. Which theory best explains the existence of religion? There is no single "best" theory. The most fruitful approach involves drawing on insights from multiple perspectives to understand the diverse expressions and functions of religion.
3. Does the decline in religious adherence support secularization theory? The relationship is complex; while some societies show declining adherence, others exhibit strong religious resurgence, making broad generalizations difficult.
4. How do religious experiences factor into these theories? The phenomenological approach directly addresses lived religious experiences, while other theories attempt to explain the underlying psychological or social mechanisms that generate those experiences.
5. Can religious beliefs be scientifically studied? While the truth claims of specific religions are outside the scope of scientific inquiry, the social, psychological, and evolutionary aspects of religious belief are perfectly amenable to scientific investigation.
| ten theories of religion: Ten Theories of Religion Daniel Pals, 2021-07 Why do human beings believe in divinities? Why do some seek eternal life, while others seek escape from recurring lives? Why do the beliefs and behaviors we typically call religious so deeply affect the human personality and so subtly weave their way through human society? Ideal as a supplementary text in introductory religion courses or as the main text in theory and method in religious studies or in sociology of religion courses, Ten Theories of Religion, Fourth Edition, offers an illuminating treatment of this controversial and fascinating subject. |
| ten theories of religion: Ten Theories of Religion Daniel Pals, |
| ten theories of religion: Eight Theories of Religion Daniel L. Pals, 2006 Why do human beings believe in divinities? Why do some seek eternal life, while others seek escape from recurring lives? Why do the beliefs and behaviors we typically call religious so deeply affect the human personality and so subtly weave their way through human society? Revised and updated in this second edition, Eight Theories of Religion considers how these fundamental questions have engaged the most important thinkers of the modern era. Accessible, systematic, and succinct, the text examines the classic interpretations of religion advanced by theorists who have left a major imprint on the intellectual culture of the twentieth century. The second edition features a new chapter on Max Weber, a revised introduction, and a revised, expanded conclusion that traces the paths of further inquiry and interpretation traveled by theorists in the most recent decades. Eight Theories of Religion, Second Edition, begins with Edward Burnett Tylor and James Frazer--two Victorian pioneers in anthropology and the comparative study of religion. It then considers the great reductionist approaches of Sigmund Freud, Emile Durkheim, and Karl Marx, all of whom have exercised wide influence up to the present day. The discussion goes on to examine the leading challenges to reductionism as articulated by sociologist Max Weber (new to this edition) and Romanian-American comparativist Mircea Eliade. Finally, it explores the newer methods and ideas arising from the African field studies of ethnographer E. E. Evans-Pritchard and the interpretive anthropology of Clifford Geertz. Each chapter offers biographical background, theoretical exposition, conceptual analysis, and critical assessment. This common format allows for close comparison and careful evaluation throughout. Ideal for use as a supplementary text in introductory religion courses or as the central text in sociology of religion and courses centered on the explanation and interpretation of religion, Eight Theories of Religion, Second Edition, offers an illuminating treatment of this controversial and fascinating subject. |
| ten theories of religion: Introducing Religion Daniel L. Pals, 2009 'Introducing Religion' presents the key writings of 11 theorists that explain the phenomenon of religion - its origin, historical growth, and world-wide variations - without relying on the authority of the Bible or the articles of dogma. |
| ten theories of religion: Personality Theories Albert Ellis, Mike Abrams, Lidia Abrams, 2009 'Personality Theories' by Albert Ellis - the founding father of Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy - provides a comprehensive review of all major theories of personality including theories of personality pathology. Importantly, it critically reviews each of these theories in light of the competing theories as well as recent research. |
| ten theories of religion: Ten Lessons in Theory Calvin Thomas, 2013-08-01 An introduction to literary theory unlike any other, Ten Lessons in Theory engages its readers with three fundamental premises. The first premise is that a genuinely productive understanding of theory depends upon a considerably more sustained encounter with the foundational writings of Hegel, Marx, Nietzsche, and Freud than any reader is likely to get from the introductions to theory that are currently available. The second premise involves what Fredric Jameson describes as the conviction that of all the writing called theoretical, Lacan's is the richest. Entertaining this conviction, the book pays more (and more careful) attention to the richness of Lacan's writing than does any other introduction to literary theory. The third and most distinctive premise of the book is that literary theory isn't simply theory about literature, but that theory fundamentally is literature, after all. Ten Lessons in Theory argues, and even demonstrates, that theoretical writing is nothing if not a specific genre of creative writing, a particular way of engaging in the art of the sentence, the art of making sentences that make trouble sentences that make, or desire to make, radical changes in the very fabric of social reality. As its title indicates, the book proceeds in the form of ten lessons, each based on an axiomatic sentence selected from the canon of theoretical writing. Each lesson works by creatively unpacking its featured sentence and exploring the sentence's conditions of possibility and most radical implications. In the course of exploring the conditions and consequences of these troubling sentences, the ten lessons work and play together to articulate the most basic assumptions and motivations supporting theoretical writing, from its earliest stirrings to its most current turbulences. Provided in each lesson is a working glossary: specific critical keywords are boldfaced on their first appearance and defined either in the text or in a footnote. But while each lesson constitutes a precise explication of the working terms and core tenets of theoretical writing, each also attempts to exemplify theory as a practice of creativity (Foucault) in itself. |
| ten theories of religion: Religion, Theory, Critique Richard King, 2017-07-18 Religion, Theory, Critique is an essential tool for learning about theory and method in the study of religion. Leading experts engage with contemporary and classical theories as well as non-Western cultural contexts. Unlike other collections, this anthology emphasizes the dynamic relationship between religion as an object of study and different methodological approaches and openly addresses the question of the manifold ways in which religion, secular, and culture are imagined within different disciplinary horizons. This volume is the first textbook which seeks to engage discussion of classical approaches with contemporary cultural and critical theories. Contributors write on the influence of the natural sciences in the study of religion; the role of European Christianity in modeling theories of religion; religious experience and the interface with cognitive science; the structure and function of religious language; the social-scientific study of religion; ritual in religion; the phenomenology of religion; critical theory and religion; embodiment and religion; the impact of colonialism and modernity; theorizing religion in terms of race and ethnicity; links among religion, nationalism, and globalization; the interplay of gender, sex, and religion; and religion and the environment. Each chapter introduces the topic, identifies key theorists and issues, and respects the pluralistic nature of the scholarship in the field. Altogether, this collection scrutinizes the explicit and implicit assumptions theorists make about religion as an object of analysis. |
| ten theories of religion: Comparing Religions Jeffrey J. Kripal, 2014-01-14 Comparing Religions is a next-generation textbook which expertly guides, inspires, and challenges those who wish to think seriously about religious pluralism in the modern world. A unique book teaching the art and practice of comparing religions Draws on a wide range of religious traditions to demonstrate the complexity and power of comparative practices Provides both a history and understanding of comparative practice and a series of thematic chapters showing how responsible practice is done A three part structure provides readers with a map and effective process through which to grasp this challenging but fascinating approach The author is a leading academic, writer, and exponent of comparative practice Contains numerous learning features, including chapter outlines, summaries, toolkits, discussion questions, a glossary, and many images Supported by a companion website (available on publication) at www.wiley.com/go/kripal, which includes information on individual religious traditions, links of other sites, an interview with the author, learning features, and much more |
| ten theories of religion: Understanding Theories of Religion Ivan Strenski, 2015-03-30 Featuring comprehensive updates and additions, the second edition of Understanding Theories of Religion explores the development of major theories of religion through the works of classic and contemporary figures. • A new edition of this introductory text exploring the core methods and theorists in religion, spanning the sixteenth-century through to the latest theoretical trends • Features an entirely new section covering religion and postmodernism; race, sex, and gender; and religion and postcolonialism • Examines the development of religious theories through the work of classic and contemporary figures from the history of anthropology, sociology, psychology, philosophy, and theology • Reveals how the study of religion evolved in response to great cultural conflicts and major historical events • Student-friendly features include chapter introductions and summaries, biographical vignettes, a timeline, a glossary, and many other learning aids |
| ten theories of religion: Ten Theories of Human Nature Leslie Stevenson, David L. Haberman, 1998 A superb introduction to the timeless struggle to understand human nature, this book compresses into a small volume the essence of such thinkers as Karl Marx, Sigmund Freud, Jean Paul Sartre, B.F. Skinner, and Plato. |
| ten theories of religion: Religion in Personality Theory Frederick Walborn, 2013-12-03 Religion in Personality Theory makes clear the link between theory and research and personality and religion. Presently, most personality texts have a limited discussion of religion and reference few theorists other than Freud and Maslow in relation to the subject. This book reviews the theory and the empirical literature on the writings of 14 theorists. Every chapter concludes with a summation of the current research on the theorist's proposals. Reviews: Frederick Walborn has written an excellent text that explores the degree to which classical personality theorists were personally influenced by and focused upon religion in developing their personality theories. Each theorist is presented in sufficient detail so that their personal views of religion are seen to influence the theories they developed. In addition, the current status of the empirical evidence in the psychology of religion is explored in the context of the theorist and theory to which the data is most relevant. Current and up to date, this text is appropriate for either a course in Personality or as an introduction to the Psychology of Religion. The author's own comprehensive theory of religion and spirituality creatively integrates the positive contributions of the classical personality theorist to the contemporary psychology of religion. -Ralph W. Hood Jr., Professor of Psychology, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga In this interesting and accessible book, Frederick Walborn thoughtfully probes the place of religion and spirituality in the writings of a broad range of classical psychological thinkers and offers an insightful critique of current empirical research on the complex relation of religion and spirituality to individual well-being. -Michele Dillon, Ph.D., Professor and Chair, Department of Sociology, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire - Identifies what major personality theorists say about religion - Investigates whether evidence supports or refutes predictions made by different theories - Concludes with a comprehensive integrative theory on religion and spirituality |
| ten theories of religion: An Introduction to the Sociology of Religion Professor Pål Repstad, Assoc Prof Inger Furseth, 2013-05-28 An Introduction to the Sociology of Religion provides an overview of sociological theories of contemporary religious life. Some chapters are organized according to topic. Others offer brief presentations of classical and contemporary sociologists from Karl Marx to Zygmunt Bauman and their perspectives on social life, including religion. Throughout the book, illustrations and examples are taken from several religious traditions. |
| ten theories of religion: A History of Theory and Method in the Study of Religion and Dance Kimerer L. LaMothe, 2018-10-22 The relationship between religion and dance is as old as humankind. Contemporary methods for studying this relationship date back a century. The difference between these two time frames is significant: scholars are still developing theories and methods capable of illuminating this vast history that take account of their limited place within it. A History of Theory and Method in the Study of Religion and Dance takes on a primary challenge of doing so: overcoming a conceptual dichotomy between “religion” and “dance” forged in the colonial era that justified western Christian hostility towards dance traditions across six continents over six centuries. Beginning with its enlightenment roots, LaMothe narrates a selective history of this dichotomy, revealing its ongoing work in separating dance studies from religious studies. Turning to the Bushmen of the African Kalahari, LaMothe introduces an ecokinetic approach that provides scholars with conceptual resources for mapping the generative interdependence of phenomena that appear as “dance” and/or “religion.” |
| ten theories of religion: Durkheim on Religion Emile Durkheim, 2011-01-27 The famous French sociologist Emile Durkheim is universally recognised as one of the founding fathers of sociology as an academic discipline. He wrote on the division of labour, methodology, suicide and education, but his most prolific and influential works were his writings on religion, which culminated in his controversial book The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life. Although his influence continued long after his death in 1917, this is the first book to provide a detailed look at the whole of his work in the field of religion. Durkheim on Religion is a selection of readings from Durkheim's writings on religion, presented in order of original publication, ranging from early reviews to articles and extracts from his books. Also included are detailed bibliographies and abstracts together with contributions by such writers as Van Gennep, Goldenweiser and Stanner. This book will be invaluable to those studying sociology and anthropology, but will also be of interest to those studying the history or philosophy of religion, as well as to anyone with an interest in Durkheim. |
| ten theories of religion: Cultural Approaches to Studying Religion M. Cooper Minister, Sarah J. Bloesch, 2023-12-28 Introduces twelve of the most influential theories of the late 20th and early 21st centuries in the study of religion in one volume-- |
| ten theories of religion: Religion in Human Evolution Robert N. Bellah, 2017-05-08 A New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice An ABC Australia Best Book on Religion and Ethics of the Year Distinguished Book Award, Sociology of Religion Section of the American Sociological Association Religion in Human Evolution is a work of extraordinary ambition—a wide-ranging, nuanced probing of our biological past to discover the kinds of lives that human beings have most often imagined were worth living. It offers what is frequently seen as a forbidden theory of the origin of religion that goes deep into evolution, especially but not exclusively cultural evolution. “Of Bellah’s brilliance there can be no doubt. The sheer amount this man knows about religion is otherworldly...Bellah stands in the tradition of such stalwarts of the sociological imagination as Emile Durkheim and Max Weber. Only one word is appropriate to characterize this book’s subject as well as its substance, and that is ‘magisterial.’” —Alan Wolfe, New York Times Book Review “Religion in Human Evolution is a magnum opus founded on careful research and immersed in the ‘reflective judgment’ of one of our best thinkers and writers.” —Richard L. Wood, Commonweal |
| ten theories of religion: An Introduction to Religion and Politics Jonathan Fox, 2013-05-07 An Introduction to Religion and Politics offers a comprehensive overview of the many theories of religion and politics, and provides students with an accessible but in-depth account of the most significant debates, issues and methodologies. Fox examines the ways in which religion influences politics, analyses the current key issues and provides a state of the art account of religion and politics, highlighting the diversity in state religion policies around the world. Topics covered include: Secularism and secularization Religious identity Religious worldviews, beliefs, doctrines and theologies Religious legitimacy Religious institutions and mobilization Rational and functional religion Religious fundamentalism Conflict, violence and terror This work combines theoretical analysis with data on the religion policies of 177 governments, showing that while most of the world's government support religion and many restrict it; true neutrality on the issue of religion is extremely rare. Religion is becoming an inescapable issue in politics. This work will be essential reading for all students of religion and politics, and will also be of great interest to those studying related subjects such as comparative politics, international relations and war and conflict studies. |
| ten theories of religion: Social Scientific Studies of Religion in China Fenggang Yang, Graeme Lang, 2011-01-27 The revival of religious belief and practice in China over the past thirty years, after decades of severe repression, has attracted much attention by scholars. Social scientific studies of religion by mainland Chinese scholars has also increased in recent years, using theories and methods developed mainly outside China. Increasingly, mainland scholars are also debating whether theories and concepts developed in western societies are fully appropriate for the study of religion in Chinese societies. This volume presents a selection of papers by sociologists, anthropologists, and historians of religion on these themes. The chapters include rich field studies of particular religions and religious activities, along with theoretical and historical reflections by scholars inside and outside China on problems and opportunities in the revival of the social scientific study of religion in Chinese societies. |
| ten theories of religion: Platonic Theories of Prayer , 2015-12-22 Platonic Theories of Prayer is a collection of ten essays on the topic of prayer in the later Platonic tradition. The volume originates from a panel on the topic held at the 2013 ISNS meeting in Cardiff, but is supplemented by a number of invited papers. Together they offer a comprehensive view of the various roles and levels of prayer characteristic of this period. The concept of prayer is shown to include not just formal petitionary or encomiastic prayer, but also theurgical practices and various states of meditation and ecstasy practised by such major figures as Plotinus, Porphyry, Iamblichus, Proclus, Damascius or Dionysius the Areopagite. |
| ten theories of religion: The Promise of Salvation Martin Riesebrodt, 2010-02-15 Why has religion persisted across the course of human history? Secularists have predicted the end of faith for a long time, but religions continue to attract followers. Meanwhile, scholars of religion have expanded their field to such an extent that we lack a basic framework for making sense of the chaos of religious phenomena. To remedy this state of affairs, Martin Riesebrodt here undertakes a task that is at once simple and monumental: to define, understand, and explain religion as a universal concept. Instead of propounding abstract theories, Riesebrodt concentrates on the concrete realities of worship, examining religious holidays, conversion stories, prophetic visions, and life-cycle events. In analyzing these practices, his scope is appropriately broad, taking into consideration traditions in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Daoism, and Shinto. Ultimately, Riesebrodt argues, all religions promise to avert misfortune, help their followers manage crises, and bring both temporary blessings and eternal salvation. And, as The Promise of Salvation makes clear through abundant empirical evidence, religion will not disappear as long as these promises continue to help people cope with life. |
| ten theories of religion: Saving Power Peter Schmiechen, 2005 Jesus' death and resurrection are undeniably central to the Christian faith. But how, precisely, is their significance to be understood? Concerned to reinvigorate the church's teaching on the cross, the resurrection, and salvation -- the atonement -- Peter Schmiechen here invites readers to rediscover the wealth of the Christian tradition. In Saving Power he makes ample use of primary sources to unpack ten distinct theories of atonement, welcoming aspects of each rather than championing only one. Along the way, he demonstrates that while most Christians assume the basic theme of atonement to be sin and forgiveness, other powerful themes -- liberation from oppressive powers, reconciliation in the face of division, and the hope of resurrection in the face of death, for instance -- also deserve to be studied and preached. Affirming orthodox teaching while offering a positive take on marginal views, Saving Power is a crucial resource for anyone who seeks a fuller understanding of Christ's work. |
| ten theories of religion: Religion, Class Coalitions, and Welfare States Kees van Kersbergen, Philip Manow, 2009-04-06 This book radically revises established knowledge in comparative welfare state studies and introduces a new perspective on how religion shaped modern social protection systems. The interplay of societal cleavage structures and electoral rules produced the different political class coalitions sustaining the three welfare regimes of the Western world. In countries with proportional electoral systems the absence or presence of state–church conflicts decided whether class remained the dominant source of coalition building or whether a political logic not exclusively based on socio-economic interests (e.g. religion) was introduced into politics, particularly social policy. The political class-coalitions in countries with majoritarian systems, on the other hand, allowed only for the residual-liberal welfare state to emerge, as in the US or the UK. This book also reconsiders the role of Protestantism. Reformed Protestantism substantially delayed and restricted modern social policy. The Lutheran state churches positively contributed to the introduction of social protection programs. |
| ten theories of religion: The Oxford Handbook of the Economics of Religion Rachel M. McCleary, 2011-01-27 This is a one-of-kind volume bringing together leading scholars in the economics of religion for the first time. The treatment of topics is interdisciplinary, comparative, as well as global in nature. Scholars apply the economics of religion approach to contemporary issues such as immigrants in the United States and ask historical questions such as why did Judaism as a religion promote investment in education? The economics of religion applies economic concepts (for example, supply and demand) and models of the market to the study of religion. Advocates of the economics of religion approach look at ways in which the religion market influences individual choices as well as institutional development. For example, economists would argue that when a large denomination declines, the religion is not supplying the right kind of religious good that appeals to the faithful. Like firms, religions compete and supply goods. The economics of religion approach using rational choice theory, assumes that all human beings, regardless of their cultural context, their socio-economic situation, act rationally to further his/her ends. The wide-ranging topics show the depth and breadth of the approach to the study of religion. |
| ten theories of religion: The Oxford Handbook of Political Theory John S Dryzek, Bonnie Honig, Anne Phillips, 2008-06-12 Oxford Handbooks of Political Science are the essential guide to the state of political science today. With engaging contributions from 51 major international scholars, the Oxford Handbook of Political Theory provides the key point of reference for anyone working in political theory and beyond. |
| ten theories of religion: Our Lady of the Exile Thomas A. Tweed, 1997-10-02 Our Lady of the Exile is a study of Cuban-American popular Catholicism, focusing on the shrine of Our Lady Charity in Miami. Drawing on a wide range of sources and using both historical and ethnographic methods, the book examines the religious life of the Cuban exiles who visit the shrine. Those pilgrims are diverse, and so are the motives that bring them. At the same time, author Thomas A. Tweed argues, Cuban devotees of the national patroness share a great deal. Most come to pray for their homeland and to recreate bonds with other Cubans, on the island and in the diaspora. The shrine is a place where they come to make sense of themselves as an exiled people. The religious symbols there link the past and present and bridge the homeland and the new land. Through rituals and artifacts at the shrine, Tweed suggests, the Cuban diaspora imaginatively constructs its collective identity and transports itself to the Cuba of memory and desire. While the book focuses on Cuban exiles in Miami, it moves beyond case study as it explores larger issues concerning religion, identity, and place. How do migrants relate to heir homeland? How do they understand themselves after they have been displaced? What role does religion play among these diasporic groups? Building on this study of one exiled group, Tweed proposes a theory of diasporic religion that promises to illuminate the experiences of other groups that have been displaced from their native land. As the first book-length analysis of Cuban-American Catholicism, Tweed's book will be an invaluable resource to scholars and students of not only Religious Studies, American Studies, and Ethnic Studies, but also those who study cultural anthropology, human geography, and Latin American history. |
| ten theories of religion: Religion Without God Ray Billington, 2002 A wide-ranging criticism of theism, questioning the assumption that rejecting God means rejecting religion. Draws on Western philosophical critiques of religion and non-theistic Eastern religions to show how a religion without God could work. |
| ten theories of religion: The Sociology of Religion Malcolm B. Hamilton, 2012-06-12 This expanded second edition combines a discussion of the main theorists with a wide range of material illustrating the diversity of religious beliefs and practices. |
| ten theories of religion: A Systems Theory of Religion Niklas Luhmann, 2013-01-09 A Systems Theory of Religion, still unfinished at Niklas Luhmann's death in 1998, was first published in German two years later thanks to the editorial work of André Kieserling. One of Luhmann's most important projects, it exemplifies his later work while redefining the subject matter of the sociology of religion. Religion, for Luhmann, is one of the many functionally differentiated social systems that make up modern society. All such subsystems consist entirely of communications and all are autopoietic, which is to say, self-organizing and self-generating. Here, Luhmann explains how religion provides a code for coping with the complexity, opacity, and uncontrollability of our world. Religion functions to make definite the indefinite, to reconcile the immanent and the transcendent. Synthesizing approaches as disparate as the philosophy of language, historical linguistics, deconstruction, and formal systems theory/cybernetics, A Systems Theory of Religion takes on important topics that range from religion's meaning and evolution to secularization, turning decades of sociological assumptions on their head. It provides us with a fresh vocabulary and a fresh philosophical and sociological approach to one of society's most fundamental phenomena. |
| ten theories of religion: 21st Century Theories of Religion Michael Stausberg, 2024-11-08 What is religion and how does it originate? What are its functions and how does it work? These are some of the key questions addressed by theories of religion. Far from being a past concern, a series of new answers have been proposed since the beginning of our present millennium by evolutionary biologists and psychologists, philosophers, sociologists, and scholars of religion. In 21st Century Theories of Religion, Michael Stausberg is joined by leading scholars from Europe and North America to present and critically discuss fifteen contemporary theories. Contributions introduce the theoreticians, unpack their arguments, review their reception, and engage in critical debates. The volume provides a cutting-edge point of entry into a key conversation that no student and scholar of religion/s can afford to ignore. |
| ten theories of religion: Religion Kent E. Richter, 2016 Religion: A Study in Beauty, Truth, and Goodness covers the wide array of elements, including the concepts of ultimate being, scripture, ritual, morality, and beauty, which make up the fascinating entity known as religion. Taking a phenomenological approach that emphasizes the standpoint of the religious believer--a view from the inside of religion--Kent Richter uses the categories of experience, belief, and behavior (Beauty, Truth, and Goodness) as a way to think about religion in general. This approach helps students understand both the great variety in religious traditions and the internal coherence that religion holds for its practitioners. |
| ten theories of religion: Theatre: A Very Short Introduction Marvin Carlson, 2014-10-23 From before history was recorded to the present day, theatre has been a major artistic form around the world. From puppetry to mimes and street theatre, this complex art has utilized all other art forms such as dance, literature, music, painting, sculpture, and architecture. Every aspect of human activity and human culture can be, and has been, incorporated into the creation of theatre. In this Very Short Introduction Marvin Carlson takes us through Ancient Greece and Rome, to Medieval Japan and Europe, to America and beyond, and looks at how the various forms of theatre have been interpreted and enjoyed. Exploring the role that theatre artists play — from the actor and director to the designer and puppet-master, as well as the audience — this is an engaging exploration of what theatre has meant, and still means, to people of all ages at all times. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable. |
| ten theories of religion: The Oxford Handbook of Systematic Theology John Webster, Kathryn Tanner, Iain Torrance, 2009-09-10 The Oxford Handbook of Systematic Theology brings together a set of original and authoritative accounts of all the major areas of current research in Christian systematic theology, offering a thorough survey of the state of the discipline and of its prospects for those undertaking research and teaching in the field. The Handbook engages in a comprehensive examination of themes and approaches, guiding the reader through current debates and literatures in the context of the historical development of systematic theological reflection. Organized thematically, it treats in detail the full array of topics in systematic theology, as well as questions of its sources and norms, its relation to other theological and non-theological fields of enquiry, and some major trends in current work. Each chapter provides an analysis of research and debate on its topic. The focus is on doctrinal (rather than historical) questions, and on major (rather than ephemeral) debates. The aim is to stimulate readers to reach theological judgements on the basis of consideration of the range of opinion. Drawn from Europe, the UK, and North America, the authors are all leading practitioners of the discipline. Readers will find expert guidance as well as creative suggestions about the future direction of the study of Christian doctrine. |
| ten theories of religion: Religion and Secularity , 2013-05-15 Religion and Secularity traces the history of the conceptual binary of religion and secularity in Europe and the repercussions it had in other regions and cultures of the Eurasian continent during the age of imperialism and beyond. Twelve authors from a wide range of disciplines, deal in their contributions with the trajectory, the concepts of „religion“ and „secularity/secularization“ took, as well as with the corresponding re-configurations of the religious field in a variety of cultures in Europe, the Near and Middle East, South Asia and East Asia. Taken together, these in-depth studies provide a broad comparative perspective on a penomenon that has been crucial for the development of globalized modernity and its regional interpretations. |
| ten theories of religion: Theorizing Rituals, Volume 1: Issues, Topics, Approaches, Concepts Jens Kreinath, J.A.M. Snoek, Michael Stausberg, 2018-08-14 Volume one of Theorizing Rituals assembles 34 leading scholars from various countries and disciplines working within this field. The authors review main methodological and meta-theoretical problems (part I) followed by some of the classical issues (part II). Further chapters discuss main approaches to theorizing rituals (part III) and explore some key analytical concepts for theorizing rituals (part IV). The volume is provided with extensive indices. |
| ten theories of religion: Twelve Theories of Human Nature Leslie Stevenson, David L. Haberman, Peter Matthews Wright, 2012-10-18 Lucid and accessible, Twelve Theories of Human Nature compresses into a manageable space the essence of religious traditions such as Confucianism, Hinduism, Buddhism, the Jewish Scriptures, the Christian New Testament, and Islam, as well as the philosophical theories of Plato, Aristotle, Kant, and Sartre, and the would-be scientific accounts of human nature by Marx, Freud, and Darwin and his successors. |
| ten theories of religion: Values, Religion, and Culture in Adolescent Development Gisela Trommsdorff, Xinyin Chen, 2012-08-27 This volume presents multidisciplinary perspectives on the role of cultural values and religious beliefs in adolescent development. |
| ten theories of religion: The Sacred Santa Dell deChant, 2008-04-24 |
| ten theories of religion: Religions of the West Today John L. Esposito, Darrell J. Fasching, Todd T. Lewis, 2017-11-10 Ideal for courses in Western religions, Religions of the West Today, Fourth Edition will cover the same material as the Western chapters of the authors' longer textbook, World Religions Today, Sixth Edition. Revealing the significance of religion in contemporary life, it explores major Westernreligious traditions - Judaism, Christianity, Islam - as well as indigenous religions, and new religions as dynamic, ongoing forces in the lives of individuals and in the collective experience of modern societies.This unique volume accomplishes two goals: it connects today's religions to their classical beliefs and practices and focuses on how these religions have both radically changed the modern world and been changed by it. Thoroughly revised, the fourth edition features streamlined content for greateraccessibility; updated material on recent world events; and updated timelines. |
| ten theories of religion: More Than Belief Manuel A. Vasquez, 2020-04-08 This book challenges the traditional idea that religions can be understood primarily as texts to be interpreted, decoded, or translated. In More Than Belief, Manuel A. Vásquez argues for a new way of studying religions, one that sees them as dynamic material and historical expressions of the practices of embodied individuals who are embedded in social fields and ecological networks. He sketches the outlines of this approach through a focus on body, practices, and space. In order to highlight the centrality of these dimensions of religious experience and performance, Vásquez recovers materialist currents within religious studies that have been consistently ignored or denigrated. Drawing on state-of-the-art work in fields as diverse as anthropology, sociology, philosophy, critical theory, environmental studies, cognitive psychology, and the neurosciences, Vásquez offers a groundbreaking new way of looking at religion. |
| ten theories of religion: Warbreaker Brandon Sanderson, 2011-12-29 THE INTERNATIONAL PHENOMENON BEHIND THE COSMERE A STANDALONE COSMERE ADVENTURE WITH MAGIC AS YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN IT **** A story of two sisters, who just so happen to be princesses. A story about two gods, one a God King and one lesser. A story about an immortal trying to undo the mistakes he made hundreds of years ago. Meet WARBREAKER. This is a story of two sisters - who happen to be princesses, the God King one of them has to marry, a lesser god, and an immortal trying to undo the mistakes he made hundreds of years ago. Theirs is a world in which those who die in glory return as gods to live confined to a pantheon in Hallandren's capital city. A world transformed by BioChromatic magic, a power based on an essence known as breath. Using magic is arduous: breath can only be collected one unit at a time from individual people. But the rewards are great: by using breath and drawing upon the color in everyday objects, all manner of miracles and mischief can be performed. **** SANDERSON THE EPIC FANTASY TITAN: 'Exceptional tale of magic, mystery and the politics of divinity' MICHAEL MOORCOCK 'A powerful stand-alone tale of unpredictable loyalties, dark intrigue and dangerous magic' PUBLISHERS WEEKLY 'Sanderson is astonishingly wise' ORSON SCOTT CARD 'Epic in every sense' GUARDIAN |
Ten Theories Of Religion - netsec.csuci.edu
Humanity's enduring fascination with religion is undeniable. From ancient cave paintings to …
THEORIES OF RELIGION - Wabash College
THEORIES OF RELIGION W. David Hall, Ph.D. Centre College Danville, KY 40422 …
Theories of Religion - McGill University
Key theories and theorists are discussed with a view to comprehensive knowledge and …
Ten Theories Of Religion Copy - occupythefarm.org
shrouded in mystery, numerous theories attempt to illuminate the complex phenomenon of …
Ten Theories Of Religion - test.schoolhouseteachers.com
supplementary text in introductory religion courses or as the main text in theory and …
Ten Theories Of Religion - fbtriumph.bcm.com.au
covering religion and postmodernism; race, sex, and gender; and religion and postcolonialism • …
Ten Theories Of Religion - staging.schoolhouseteachers.com
Ten Theories of Religion Daniel Pals,2021-07 Why do human beings believe in divinities …
RLGN 1001: Theories of Religion - Wabash College
This survey course will read early theorists and anthropologists as well as examine how these …
Ten Theories Of Religion - netsec.csuci.edu
Humanity's enduring fascination with religion is undeniable. From ancient cave paintings to modern-day megachurches, religious beliefs have shaped civilizations, inspired art, and fueled conflicts. But what is religion, really? This exploration delves into ten prominent theories attempting to explain the origins, functions, and impact of ...
THEORIES OF RELIGION - Wabash College
THEORIES OF RELIGION W. David Hall, Ph.D. Centre College Danville, KY 40422 halld@centre.edu (upper level undergraduate/seminar) COURSE OBJECTIVES What is religion? Is there such a thing as “religion,” or is there simply a collection of social-cultural assumptions and practices that we lump together under the term “religious?”
Theories of Religion - McGill University
Key theories and theorists are discussed with a view to comprehensive knowledge and method identification. Focused, thoughtful student participation is presumed.
Ten Theories Of Religion Copy - occupythefarm.org
shrouded in mystery, numerous theories attempt to illuminate the complex phenomenon of religion. Join us as we explore ten prominent theories of religion, each offering a unique perspective on this universal human experience. 1. The Evolutionary Theory: Religion as an Evolutionary Advantage Imagine a group of early humans facing a dangerous ...
Ten Theories Of Religion - test.schoolhouseteachers.com
supplementary text in introductory religion courses or as the main text in theory and method in religious studies or in sociology of religion courses Ten Theories of Religion Fourth Edition offers an illuminating treatment of this controversial
Ten Theories Of Religion - fbtriumph.bcm.com.au
covering religion and postmodernism; race, sex, and gender; and religion and postcolonialism • Examines the development of religious theories through the work of classic and contemporary figures from the history of anthropology, sociology,
Ten Theories Of Religion - staging.schoolhouseteachers.com
Ten Theories of Religion Daniel Pals,2021-07 Why do human beings believe in divinities Why do some seek eternal life while others seek escape from recurring lives Why do the beliefs and behaviors we typically call religious so deeply affect the
RLGN 1001: Theories of Religion - Wabash College
This survey course will read early theorists and anthropologists as well as examine how these theories evolved over time. At the end of this course, students are expected to understand how to evaluate religious theory or religious studies based theory.
Ten Theories Of Religion
theories through the work of classic and contemporary figures from the history of anthropology, sociology, psychology, philosophy, and theology • Reveals how the study of religion
William James, The Varieties of Religious Experience
As M. P. Sabatier says, one branch of religion keeps the divinity, another keeps man most in view. Worship and sacrifice, procedures for working on the dispositions of the deity, theology and ceremony and ecclesiastical organization, are the essentials of religion in the institutional branch.
Theory and Methods in the Study of Religion - Columbia …
“A Decolonial Theory of Religion: Race, Coloniality, and Secularity in the Americas,” Journal of the American Academy of Religion , Volume 88, Issue 4, December 2020, Pages 947–980.
Introduction to Religious Studies - University of Texas at El Paso
What does the term 'religion' mean? Is it static or does it mean a variety of things depending on the context in which it is used? This course will introduce you to the academic study of religion and current theories of religion in the field of Religious Studies today. Many
Religious Studies 1: Introduction to the Study of Religion
A general introduction to the academic study of religion focused primarily on the problem of defining religion. This course examines classic approaches to defining religion and the theories of religion’s role or purpose in each.
Chapter 13 Explanation and the Study of Religion - UC Santa …
the case in anthropology (Ellen 2010), we routinely discuss theories of religion without discussing what counts as a theory. For some, theory is associated with the range of classical and contemporary theories of religion included in intro-ductory texts (see for example Pals 2014 or Stausberg 2009). For others, including
CURRENT TRENDS IN THEORIES OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES: A …
The existing theories include: (1) theories of religion propounded for the primitive period, which have a leaning towards distinguishing between the sacred and the profane; and (2) those for the Middle Ages that orchestrated polemic and
Introduction to Religious Studies - University of Texas at El Paso
This course will introduce you to the academic study of religion and current theories of religion in the field of Religious Studies today. Many would argue that
Contemporary Theories of Religion: A Critical Companion
Contemporary Theories of Religion: A Critical Companion (Routledge), edited by Michael Stausberg, presents a series of reviews of some of the major "contemporary" theories of religion. The chapters are surveys of the theories and as such cannot deal with any of them in great depth.
Theories of Religion by Daniel Pals (New York: Oxford
Theories of Religion by Daniel Pals (New York: Oxford University Press, 1996); Theorizing about Myth by Robert Segal (Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 1999); Discovering Religious History in the Modern
