Revisiting the Death/s of Religions

Bibliographic Data

ID20487559
AuthorsGerhard Van den Heever (0000-0001-6267-9248, University of South Africa South Africa Pretoria, corresponding author)
Year2022
Volume29
Issue1-2
Pages141-173
Publication date2022-08-09
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueReligion and Theology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1023-0807 • E-ISSN: 1574-3012
PublisherWalter de Gruyter GmbH (PUBLISHER • DE)
DOI10.1163/15743012-bja10038
OpenAlexW4292466456
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited19

This essay responds to the essays comprising the theme issue, Do Religions Die? Theorising Death and Demise of Greek and Roman Religions. Reviewing various case studies and theoretical introductory essays of the volume, The Demise of Religion , and the special issue of Numen 68, no. 2&3 (2021), I argue that at stake are two desiderata: the first relates to defining religion (what counts as religion?), and the second relates to the historiography of the history of religions (who narrates the story of religion deaths, from which perspective, and with what rhetorical purpose?). It is shown how definition of religion and critical historiography in tandem enable an approach from the perspective of discourse theory. From this perspective it is possible to describe, explain, and theorise ‘religion deaths’ as shifts in culture, migration patterns and social formations, concomitant changes in religious formations, yet with continuity in functionalities

Archaeology · Demise · Epistemology · Historiography · History of religions · Linguistics · Political science · Rhetorical question · Sociology · Biblical Studies and Interpretation · History · Law · Philosophy · Religion and Society Interactions · Religious studies · Religious Tourism and Spaces

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