Abstract
The science of religion, as a discipline distinct from theology emerging in the 19th century, from the beginning was closely related to the discourse on Darwinism. This article focusses on Max Müller, known as ‘The father of Comparative Religion’, who was involved in the Darwinian discourse, compared with Jane Ellen Harrison who emphasised the impact of the theory of evolution, approaching, however, the ‘scientific study of religion’ from a different viewpoint.Contribution: From a historical point of view, this article discusses the relationship between different strands in Religious Studies (Religionswissenschaft), and, also, touches upon the relationship between Religious Studies and Theology.
Highlights
Contribution: From a historical point of view, this article discusses the relationship between different strands in Religious Studies (Religionswissenschaft), and, touches upon the relationship between Religious Studies and Theology
When Jane Ellen Harrison, known as an expert on Greek religion, gave a talk on ‘The Influence of Darwinism on the Study of Religions’, she revealed to the audience that the title of her paper might well have been ‘The Creation by Darwinism of the Scientific Study of Religions’ (Harrison 1915:143)
She had changed the title, in order to avoid ‘any shadow of exaggeration’, she insisted that the new view on religion – regarding it as ‘a proper subject for scientific study’ – was made ‘possible, and even necessary’ by the doctrine of evolution (Harrison 1915:143/144)
Summary
Contribution: From a historical point of view, this article discusses the relationship between different strands in Religious Studies (Religionswissenschaft), and, touches upon the relationship between Religious Studies and Theology. It seems the more reasonable that Jane Harrison did not mention Müller when speaking about the influence of Darwinism on the new approach to the study of religion.
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