The Utility of Asceticism

Common Knowledge · 2025-01-01

Abstract This article explores asceticism as a comparative category in the study of religion and culture. It argues that in order to study the broad range of ascetic beliefs and practices across cultures effectively, scholars must reflect conscientiously on how they use the term asceticism. After making some genealogical observations, the article discusses three different types of definitions (substantive, functional, and discursive) and then shows, by analyzing one exemplary early Buddhist text on the satisfactions of asceticism, how different definitions of the term, when used heuristically, can open multiple new avenues of inquiry.

Relevance in Three Dimensions: Teaching Religion With the Comparative Method

Teaching Theology & Religion · 2024-09-01

ABSTRACT This article argues that three dimensions of relevance can be identified for the academic study of religion as it is taught at the university: (1) Foundations; (2) General Education; and (3) Application. The analytical distinction of these dimensions also reveals that they are inextricably linked and co‐dependent. This model may help to sort out the tasks and opportunities of a secular, comparative study of religion in academia and society. Importantly, for each dimension, the comparative method has a crucial role.

What Religion Can Be

AЯGOS · 2024-01-29

This article highlights some important conclusions in Karénina Kollmar-Paulenz’s study, “Lamas and Shamans,” and offers some reflections on its relevance for the study of religion more broadly. It argues that comparing the Tibetan/Mongolian process of creating a classification system for religion(s) with the parallel and analogous process in “Western” discourses can yield important insights, especially for the endeavor of category formation, which is crucial in Religious Studies.

Werke, Gute

2023-05-12

Haus versus Hauslosigkeit

Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht eBooks · 2023 · 1 citations

• Computer Science
• Computer Science
• Art

Frontmatter

Zeitschrift für Religionswissenschaft · 2023

• Computer Science
• Computer Science

Einleitung

Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht eBooks · 2023-10-05

Editorial

Zeitschrift für Religionswissenschaft · 2023-10-01

Kapitel 5 Die vergleichende Methode

Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG eBooks · 2022-01-01

Sachregister

Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG eBooks · 2022-01-01