Anthropology of Religion
Hey folks, I am a 3rd year undergraduate in Social Anthropology at the University of Edinburgh, and this is my first post on the anthropologist journal. I lurk, though.
Our lecturer on Ritual and Religion told us that we would be studying religion as if it was something that happened to other people. In other words, we would be asking the question: What is it that makes these particular people believe this particular false thing? As a non-religious person, I find this very easy, though I think it must be hard to do so if you hold certain religious beliefs about the nature and teleology of the universe and of man.
Do you guys think it is necessary to study the anthropology of religion "from the outside"? Do you think it is possible be religious and still to study what religion does to people? Are any of you anthropologists with religious beliefs?
Just really interested to know. Most anthropologists I have come across, certainly recently, have been secular and not at all religious, or if they are they separate it from their anthropology. I just think it raises some interesting questions about anthropological detachment vs. personal involvement a la Clifford Geertz and those like him.
Discuss. :)
Our lecturer on Ritual and Religion told us that we would be studying religion as if it was something that happened to other people. In other words, we would be asking the question: What is it that makes these particular people believe this particular false thing? As a non-religious person, I find this very easy, though I think it must be hard to do so if you hold certain religious beliefs about the nature and teleology of the universe and of man.
Do you guys think it is necessary to study the anthropology of religion "from the outside"? Do you think it is possible be religious and still to study what religion does to people? Are any of you anthropologists with religious beliefs?
Just really interested to know. Most anthropologists I have come across, certainly recently, have been secular and not at all religious, or if they are they separate it from their anthropology. I just think it raises some interesting questions about anthropological detachment vs. personal involvement a la Clifford Geertz and those like him.
Discuss. :)