Book Review: A Beginner's Guide to the Study of Religion

In his book, A Beginners Guide to the Study of religion, Bradley Herling correctly states that along with fact based religious literacy, we also need theoretical religious literacy. We need tools to think about what 'religion' means.

Beginners Guide is primarily designed for use in an introduction to religion course and secondly for use by the self taught individual who is interested in religion. It serves both populations very well.

Summary:

• In general, religious literacy is important because we are living in a global world where many are motivated by their religion. 
• Specifically, theoretical literacy of religion is important so that we recognize that religions don't necessarily fit our preformed judgments. 
• The definition of religion is contested among theorists of religion. 
• There are several theories/definitions that offer meaningful ways to look at religious phenomena. 
• A theory is good in so far as it can suggest different lens by which to assess and discover important practical aspects of religion.

Analysis:

Many people think studying religion is simply learning facts about the various religions. To these people studying religions is nothing more that memorizing beliefs and rituals, like one might memorize the elements of the periodic table. 

However, there is so much religious diversity not just between religions, but also within particular religions that a full catalog is impossible.

A better way to think about the study of religion is thinking about its nature. If you want to make an inquiry into the nature of hats it would be detrimental if you had a definition that was too wide (you might end up discussing clothing) and equally detrimental if it was too narrow (you might end up only discussing sombreros).

Of course, you could make a detailed study of sombreros (i.e. Buddhism, Judaism, Jainism, or etc...), a worthwhile pursuit in its own right. But you still need a conception or definition of sombreros, which would likely include a discussion about hats in general.

A fuller understanding of the nature of religion (or at least the problems with identifying its nature) will lead to better fact gathering and more thought provoking analysis.

For instance, if you accept the very common conception of religion that it is focused on belief and worship of God, gods, or other supernatural powers, you would likely miss the Native American emphasis on religion being tied to the sacredness of places.

Thankfully there are many alternatives.

For instance, perhaps you are preparing to interview a Hindu mystic, then you might want to recall William James' conception of religion:

Religion shall mean for us, the feelings acts, and experiences of individual men in their solitude, so far as they apprehend themselves to stand in relation to whatever they may consider the divine. 


He includes examples of what to look for:

1) The individual, non-rational experience at the core of myths, scriptures, rituals, institutions, etc.

2) The feeling of an objective but unseen presence, "something there."

3) Extraordinary states of consciousness marked by ineffability, deep insight or knowledge, transiency, and passivity, leading to a feeling of oneness and to a breakdown of distinctions between "self" and "the world".

4) The means of obtaining transformation: an interior feeling of bliss, freedom, and resolution (especially after considerable melancholy and suffering).

Or when you see a lively Christian worship service with everyone singing and praying together, you might want to recall Emile Durkheim's conception of religion:

A religion is a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say, things set apart and forbidden--beliefs and practices which unite into one single moral community called a Church, all those who adhere to them. 

And we should look for the following according to his conception:

1) The significance of "primitive" religions; i.e. folk or indigenous traditions that do not fit into one of the major "religions of the world.

2) The demarcation between the sacred and the profane, as expressed through rituals and beliefs. Practices that keep the sacred and profane separate or attempt to "manage" the power of the sacred: protecting against it and also inviting its aid or celebrating it. 

3) Rituals that cultivate a feeling of belonging; symbols or emblems that have a similar effect.

4) The appearance of power in religious phenomenon, especially when it suggest the existence of an impersonal energy or force: religious object that are treated as powerful by devotees.

These are just two examples of the various conceptions of religion covered in this book and when they might be relevant. There is no theory that has unanimous support. Though a theory is deemed useful when it incorporates new ideas and facts..

Bottom Line:

My favorite part of this book are the sections that explain what you can look for using various theories. I plan to have this book readily accessible for my various religious visits in the future. At least when I am writing these posts.

I will likely always favor Durkheim, but this book will help me incorporate theories that I am less familiar with. As well as find further resources about them.