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This volume brings together diverse voices from various fields within religious and theological studies for a conversation about the proper objects, goals, and methods for the study of religion in the twenty-first century. It approaches these questions by way of the most recent contemporary challenges, debates, and developments in the field, and provides a forum in which contending perspectives are tested and contested by their proponents and opponents. Contributors address topics such as: the connection between the ‘normative’ and the ‘scientific’ approaches to the study of religion, the meaning of religion in a context of globalization, the relation between religious studies and religious traditions, the viability of comparative and cultural studies of religious phenomena, and the future of gender studies in religion.
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THE FUTURE OF THE STUDY OF RELIGION
NUMEN BOOK SERIES STUDIES IN THE HISTORY OF RELIGIONS edited by W.J. HANEGRAAFF P. PRATAP KUMAR
advisory board P. Antes, M. Despland, RI.J. Hackett, M. Abumalham Mas, A.W. Geertz, G. ter Haar, G.L. Lease, M.N. Getui, I.S. Gilhus, P. Morris, J.K. Olupona, E. Thomassen, A. Tsukimoto, A.T. Wasim
VOLUME CIII
THE FUTURE OF THE STUDY OF RELIGION proceedings of congress 2000 EDITED BY
SLAVICA JAKELI2 and LORI PEARSON
BRILL LEIDEN • BOSTON 2004
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Congress 2000: the Future of the Study of Religion (2000 : Boston, Mass.) The future of the study of religion : proceedings of Congress 2000 / edited by Slavica Jakelic and Lori Pearson. p. cm. — (Numen book series. Studies in the history of religions ; v. 103) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 90-04-12317-2 (alk. paper) 1. Religion—Study and teaching—Congresses. 2. Religions—Study and teaching—Congresses. I. Jakelic, Slavica. II. Pearson, Lori. III. Title. IV. Studies in the history of religions ; 103. BL41.C585 2004 200’.71—dc22
2003070873
ISSN 0169-8834 ISBN 90 04 12317 2 © Copyright 2004 by Koninklijke Brill nv, Leiden, The Netherlands Photograph on cover by J. Varsoke All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission from the publisher. Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use is granted by Brill provided that the appropriate fees are paid directly to The Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Suite 910 Danvers, MA 01923, USA. Fees are subject to change. printed in the netherlands
In memory of our teacher, mentor, and friend, John Clayton (1943–2003)
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CONTENTS Acknowledgements ......................................................................
ix
Introduction: Whither the Study of Religion? ........................ S JÆ L P
1
The Stubborn Persistence of Religion: Some Post-Secular Reflections .............................................................................. F W G The Stubborn Persistence of Debates about Religion: A Response to Friedrich Wilhelm Graf .............................. P B The Study of Religions in the Twentieth Century ................ H G. K The History of Religions and the Study of Religions: A Response to Hans Kippenberg ........................................ C S Difference and Coherence in the Worldwide Study of Religions ............................................................................ M P Response to Michael Pye .......................................................... R C