Religion: The Classical Theories

by James Thrower

Overview

This comprehensive introduction to theories of religion is the first single-volume exploration of ideas put forward by both believers and non-believers.

James Thrower analyzes the different types of explanations of religion, not just the thoughts of individuals, advanced primarily—but not exclusively—from within the Western tradition. He begins by looking at religious explanations of religion, which define religion as revelation, experience or philosophy (Plato, Kant, and Hegel). He then examines the naturalist, or nonreligious, explanations, from the disciplines of anthropology, psychology, and sociology, including the "masters of suspicion" (including Feurbach, Nietzsche, Marx, Tylor, Frazer, and Freud). The scope of this book ranges from the classical, Semitic, and Indian religious traditions through contemporary thinkers.

Thrower concludes by considering the future of the religions of the world in light of the increasingly close inter-religious encounters that are becoming a feature of the global village of the twenty-first century.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780878407514
Publisher:	Georgetown University Press
Publication date:	05/28/1999
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	224
Sales rank:	688,610
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 9.00(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

James Thrower is a professor in the history of religions and director of the Centre for the Study of Religions at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland.

Table of Contents

	Preface	vii
1.	Introduction	1
Part I	Religious Theories of Religion
2.	Religion as Revelation	9
3.	Religion as Experience	49
4.	Religion as Philosophy	74
Part II	Naturalistic Theories of Religion
5.	Religion as Human Construct: Some Greek and Roman Theories of Religion	93
6.	Religion as Primitive Error	99
7.	Religion as Psychological Construct	126
8.	Religion as Social Construct	161
9.	Conclusion: What is Religion?	202
	Index	206

What People are Saying About This

Robert A. Segal

Thrower’s unusually broad survey..ranges from ancient times to modern and from theological approaches to social scientific ones. His expertise in an array of religious traditions enhances the value of this book. A lucid and incisive overview of the course of theorizing about religion.

Scott C. Alexander

This book offers a rare bridge across an artificial disciplinary divide which too often separates theorists of religion into two distinct groups: the social scientists and historians of religion on the one hand, and the philosophers, on the other..a quality introduction to the truly wide range of major theories and theorists in the analytical study of religion.

From the Publisher

"This book offers a rare bridge across an artificial disciplinary divide which too often separates theorists of religion into two distinct groups: the social scientists and historians of religion on the one hand, and the philosophers, on the other..a quality introduction to the truly wide range of major theories and theorists in the analytical study of religion."—Scott C. Alexander, Indiana University

"Thrower's unusually broad survey..ranges from ancient times to modern and from theological approaches to social scientific ones. His expertise in an array of religious traditions enhances the value of this book. A lucid and incisive overview of the course of theorizing about religion."—Robert A. Segal, University of Lancaster

Editorial Reviews

This book offers a rare bridge across an artificial disciplinary divide which too often separates theorists of religion into two distinct groups: the social scientists and historians of religion on the one hand, and the philosophers, on the other..a quality introduction to the truly wide range of major theories and theorists in the analytical study of religion.

Scott C. Alexander

This book covers theories of religion put forth by believers and non- believers, theologians and sociologists. Thrower (religious studies, U. of Aberdeen) begins with belief-based theories such as ancient Hebrew tradition, and follows with explanations of religion by philosophers such as Plato and Hegel, and "masters of suspicion," such as Marx and Nietzsche. He suggests that students today can benefit from his sweeping survey of theories of religion because they do not have the same kind of leisure as intellectuals in an earlier age, but it still would have been useful had he provided his readers with a bibliography or "for further reading" section, allowing them to decide how much more they might pursue this topic. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

This book offers a rare bridge across an artificial disciplinary divide which too often separates theorists of religion into two distinct groups: the social scientists and historians of religion on the one hand, and the philosophers on the other ... [Thrower offers] a quality introduction to the truly wide range of major theories and theorists in the analytical study of religion.

Scott Alexander

A fine overview of the main theories of the origin and nature of the book ... well written, thorough and accurate.

The book fills an important gap in the study of religions. It achieves in a clear and straightforward manner the aim of the author to supply a basic text for undergraduates and for an informed wider audience. After reading this book, students of religion will be well prepared to understand the context out of which the phenomenology of religion developed and then to proceed to further texts which will prepare them to engage in the methodological debates at the core of religious studies today. For this, we should be grateful to James Thrower and commend his book as a fitting conclusion to his distinguished academic career.

From the Publisher

James Thrower's unusually broad survey of theories of religion ranges from ancient times to modern and from theological approaches to social scientific ones. His expertise in an array of religious traditions enhances the value of this book. A lucid and incisive overview of the course of theorising about religion.

Robert A. Segal