Using the Emic–Etic Distinction to Understand the Medieval Christian Interpretations of Slavic Pagan Religion

Bibliographic Data

ID12201890
AuthorsJiří Dynda (0000-0002-7321-9359, Research Fellow, Department of Paleoslavic and Byzantine Studies, The Institute of Slavonic Studies of the Czech Academy of Sciences https://dx.doi.org/191297 Prague Czech Republic, corresponding author)
Year2025
Volume38
Issue1
Pages1-27
Publication date2025-09-12
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueMethod & Theory in the Study of Religion (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0943-3058 • E-ISSN: 1570-0682
PublisherBrill (PUBLISHER • NL)
DOI10.1163/15700682-bja10160
OpenAlexW4414599623
LanguageEN
References cited17

This article experimentally applies anthropological perspectives to ancient European religions, focusing on Slavic pre-Christian beliefs. It aims to offer nuanced analytical tools and a reflective framework to interpret these religions, primarily by examining how Christian sources portray Slavic paganism and discussing the emic–etic distinction’s advantages and limitations. The article categorizes the strategies employed by medieval Christian writers in their writings and summarizes the emic–etic debate in the study of religion and its connection with the insider–outsider debate. In evaluating these sources and the religious systems they describe, the author suggests that both insider and outsider perspectives contain inherent emic and etic aspects. The proposed “acad-etic” position encourages acknowledging modern academic presuppositions that may influence understanding the data. The article underscores the need for a holistic approach, considering historical and social contexts and the discursive strategies used in describing ancient religions

Emic and etic · Insider · Judaism · Paganism · Presupposition · Slavic languages · Folklore, Mythology, and Literature Studies · Historical, Religious, and Philosophical Studies · Religious Studies and Spiritual Practices

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