Religion work
8346p5g33
december1lecture.pptxComparative Studies
1 December 2015
3 Methods
A large component of contemporary study of religion is comparison.
Three primary fields:
1) Comparative Religion
2) Comparative Theology
3) Philosophy of Religion
3 Methds
These three fields are related in that they are different ways to talk about similar questions.
When studying religion or theology, we must pay special attention to the types of questions we ask, why we’re asking them, what type of response we expect to get from the sources, and what type of language we are using to make our claims and state our case.
When comparing religions, our assumptions and goals need to be recognized at the beginning of the inquiry.
Philosophy of Religion
Philosophy of Religion starts from the question Is there a God?
If one can philosophically say that there is a God, then what is God like, and what does this mean for us?
Philosophy of Religion tends to see itself as outside a particular religion. The vantage point is objective and not concerned necessarily with religion practice.
http:// www.philosophyofreligion.info
Comparative Religion
Comparative Religion and Comparative theology are similar. The difference lies in their goals.
Comparative Religion is the study of religious traditions or the systematic comparison of religious teachings and practices.
No religious obligation is needed in the study of Comparative Religion.
Comparative Religion is more of a Religious Studies approach than a theology approach.
Comparative Religion
Comparative Religion tends to be an outsider view of religion.
The goal of Comparative Religion is academic, sociological, or anthropological (not theological anthropological…)
The language is of strict comparison, not personal growth.
http:// www.comparativereligion.com
Comparative Theology
Comparative theology looks deeply at various religions in order to benefit the faith experience of a religious practitioner.
“The purpose of comparative theology is to learn from a different religious tradition in enough depth and specificity to shine significant new light on your own. By paying careful attention to elements of another religious tradition in their own context of doctrine and practice, your perspective on corresponding elements of your own faith may be shifted in ways that permit new insights to emerge.” (pg. 120)
Comparative Theology
3 dispositions are necessary:
1. Doctrinal humility: the acknowledgement that the doctrinal formulations of your own tradition, including its formulations of other religions, are conditioned viewpoints that have never perfectly captured the whole truth.
2. Knowledgeable commitment to your own religious tradition, so that whatever you learn from religious others may inform your religious community and tradition through you. (NOT syncretism)
3. A belief that there is enough common ground between two religions that it is possible to hear things from one religion that make a positive difference for the other religion.
Comparative Theology
Uses language of faith and commitment to a particular religion, rather than only sociological or academic anthropology.
Theological anthropology is often incorporated.
http://www.oxfordhandbooks.com/view/10.1093/oxfordhb /9780199245765.001.0001/oxfordhb-9780199245765-e- 37
Which one is it? Why? (Quiz)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= fUwokfIOvnE (Philosophy of Religion)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= m6dCxo7t_aE (Comparative Religion)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= FqaXaE1DsN0 (Comparative Theology)
