Religionswissenschaft or Religiology

Bibliographic Data

ID9205656
AuthorsReinhard Pummer (0000-0003-1791-5111, 1Ottawa, Canada, corresponding author)
Year1972
Volume19
Issue2/3
Pages91
Publication date1972-08-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueNumen (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0029-5973 • E-ISSN: 1568-5276
PublisherJSTOR (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.2307/3269740
OpenAlexW4245316592
LanguageEN
Citations received12
References cited19

The following essay presents a few reflections on the history of religions as a discipline in the light of certain critical questions that have been raised lately by some authors. Such questions areWhat is history of religions? How is it related to theology Has it outlived its usefulness? Has the time come to replace it with a unified discourse that is at the same time scientific, theological, philosophical, and pastoral? Since the latter attempts are sometimes called religiology, the title of the present paper is or Religiology ? In the year 1887, P. D. Chantepie de la Saussaye began his Lehrbuch der Religionsgeschichte by stating that is a new discipline which developed independently only in the last few decades, and is still partly in the process of becoming and has to fight for recognition of its rights (21, p. 2). Similar statements have been made throughout the eighty-four years that have passed since then. Method, status, and academic study of Religionswissenschaft are still subjects of discussions by representatives of that discipline as well as by scholars in other fields, among them especially theologians (lo4; 107). On an international scale though, the picture seems to be varied and even contradictory. Thus, in 1968, W. G. Oxtoby, then of the Yale University, testified to the prospering of the field in American universities and colleges (69, p. 590). In 1971, C. Welch states that the recognition of the legitimacy of the academic study of religion is a well established fact (122, p. 6). From these and other voices it could be inferred that, despite all methodological discussions currently carried on, Religionswissenschaft is a firmly rooted and recognized academic discipline that is not any more in the stage of becoming than any other discipline. After all, every branch of learning is in a constant process of development, and especially now wissenschaftstheoretische

Discipline · Epistemology · Field (mathematics) · History of religions · Legitimacy · Political science · Politics · Social science · Sociology · Globalization, Historical Perspectives, and International Relations · Law · Philosophy · Religion and Society Interactions · Religious studies · Religious Studies and Spiritual Practices · Study and Philosophy of Religion

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