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The influence of linguistics research on formation of the religious studies

Authors: Hoffmann Henryk | Uhliarová Ivana

Year: 2019

Type of publication: ostatní - přednáška nebo poster

Page from-to: nestránkováno

Titles:

Language	Name	Abstract	Keywords
eng	The influence of linguistics research on formation of the religious studies	In culture sacrum is expressed in many ways and manifests on many planes. In the most profound way sacrum appears in belief systems referred to as religions. It is therefore natural that its analyses require a varied approach, and it is difficult to point at a branch of humanities or social sciences which, to a greater or lesser degree, not be connected with study of religion. However three sciences, theology, philosophy or religion, and religious studies, have a similar trait – religion is one of their (most important) research subject. Religious studies were established in the Western Europe (mainly in the theological faculties), during the reign of positivism and evolutionism. Religious studies were preceded by a myth studies approach called Comparative mythology. It developed during the romanticism period, and its followers, F. Creuzer, J. J. Goerres, F. Ch. Baur, A. Kuhn – also in early stages F.M. Müller – saw a symbolic form of communication of deep philosophical truths. They interpreted mythology and the symbolic systems of the ancient, and so called “primitive” people, as a “hieroglyphic” revelation. Earlier (and parallel), development of other humanities, including ethnology, archaeology, as well linguistics, and bible studies, also had a tremendous impact on the establishment of religious studies. Bible studies in their traditional sense are a theological science (although not always confessional), however, they require, besides the theological education, also linguistic qualifications. The famous linguist and Sanskrit researcher F.M. Müller is acknowledged to be the father of comparative religious studies, but a considerable impact on its formation was also caused by a turbulent development of the bible studies (on Old and New Testament). Especially the Naturmythologie current scholars proved to be important for it (besides F. Müller, H. Usener, A. de Gubernatis, and G.W. Cox), and religionsgeschichtliche Schule (A. Eichhorn, W. Bousset, H. Gunkel, R. Re