Imagining the human

Applying the philosophy of religious studies to Jonathan Z. Smith

Bibliographic Data

ID4371901
AuthorsSatoko Fujiwara (0000-0002-8934-7582, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan, corresponding author)
Year2024
Volume54
Issue4
Pages660-676
Publication date2024-10-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueReligion (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0048-721X • E-ISSN: 1096-1151
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/0048721x.2024.2388433
OpenAlexW4401423652
LanguageEN
References cited13

Distinguishing between philosophy of religious studies as intra-scientific methodological reflection and philosophy of religion as extra-scientific commitment to values, this article demonstrates the benefits of integrating both, applying critical reflection to the latter as well. As a case study, it focuses on Jonathan Z. Smith’s concepts of humanity and history. Smith’s strategic blend of history and morphology aligns with his extra-scientific vision of humanity, which derived not merely from methodological choices but from philosophical reflection. By comparing Smith’s structuralist arguments with Lévi-Straussian structuralism – interpreted as antihumanism – the article reveals that Smith’s humanistic orientation was embedded in North-American social and academic contexts. It thus advocates for a nuanced examination of religious studies’ philosophical underpinnings, suggesting that, without such analysis, the work of even empirical scholars like Smith might be misconstrued

Epistemology · Sociology · Theology · Philosophy · Religion and Society Interactions · Religious Education and Schools · Study and Philosophy of Religion

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