Publication details
Naturalismus a protekcionismus ve studiu náboženství, Juraj Franek.
| Title in English | Naturalism and Protectionism in the Study of Religions, by Juraj Franek. |
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| Year of publication | 2019 |
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| Description | Juraj Franek wrote an inspiring, if somewhat provocative (which is by no means a downgrading quality!) book that deserves attention from scholars with a sincere interest in the science of religion – its history, philosophical underpinnings, and the resulting theoretical, methodological, and personal consequences. More specifically, the book looks at two “incompa- tible” approaches, namely protectionism and naturalism, in religious research and analyses their historical context and implications for the broader academic study of religion. In doing so, it engages in a necessary discussion regarding the intersection of ideological motivations and research agendas. Quite pleasingly, the author opens with a discussion of Raphael’s Transfiguration, where he brings forward one particular interpretation that sees the painting as capturing the irreconcilable opposition of reason and faith, or the submission of the human to the divine. As he shows throughout the book, this is one of protectionism’s central tenets – defending the faith against reason and science. Naturalism, as the main “adversary” to this paradigm, tries instead to explain, as opposed to just describing, or understanding, religion. To this end, it reduces religion to analyzable (psychological, social) elements that are themselves not religious per se – a truly desecrating exercise for some protectionists! |
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