Introduction to the study of religion

Preface

Acknowledgments

1. Introduction

Defining religion

Religious education and religious studies

Patterns in the study of religion

2. How Religion Began to be Studied: Traditional Perspectives

Philosophical approaches

Theological approaches

3. Studying Religion within Communities: Social and Cultural Perspectives

Anthropological approaches

Sociological, political, and economic approaches

4. How People Experience Religion: Perspectives in the Study of Religious Consciousness and Perception

Phenomenological approaches

Psychological approaches

5. Judging Religion: Critical Perspectives and Evaluations

Feminist approaches

Popular literature: dispelling religion vs. emphasizing its relevance

6. Studying Religion in Context: Perspectives and Conclusions

Historical approaches

Comparative approaches

Some concluding theoretical and methodological issues in the study of religion

Select Websites

Chronology of Select Significant Persons and Seminal Texts

Glossary

Index