Toward a Big History Interpretation of Religion
The word “religion” refers to a wide range of phenomena ranging from Tibetan Buddhism to the Prosperity Gospel. As a result, religion has accrued a “bewildering variety of definitions”. This essay, rather than asking the ontological question – “What kind of thing is religion?” – looks at religion ep...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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International Big History Association
2019-07-01
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| Series: | Journal of Big History |
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| Online Access: | https://jbh.journals.villanova.edu/index.php/JBH/article/view/2473/2424 |
| _version_ | 1797670354462703616 |
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| author | Ken Baskin |
| author_facet | Ken Baskin |
| author_sort | Ken Baskin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The word “religion” refers to a wide range of phenomena ranging from Tibetan Buddhism to the Prosperity Gospel. As a result, religion has accrued a “bewildering variety of definitions”. This essay, rather than asking the ontological question – “What kind of thing is religion?” – looks at religion epistemologically, asking what religion enables people to know. The resulting exploration suggests that religion is part of the process by which human groups come to know and adapt to the powerful, often-mysterious forces that produce awe and terror. By looking at how societies at different levels of social complexity have responded to the crises produced by these forces, the author suggests that the habits of mind that would become science and philosophy, as well as religion, evolved as the way those societies have adapted to existential crises, especially in times of rapid, widespread change. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T20:58:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2b7471518490426ead4623a18ba95cc8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2475-3610 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T20:58:29Z |
| publishDate | 2019-07-01 |
| publisher | International Big History Association |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Big History |
| spelling | doaj.art-2b7471518490426ead4623a18ba95cc82023-09-30T00:59:17ZengInternational Big History AssociationJournal of Big History2475-36102019-07-0134147166https://doi.org/10.22339/jbh.v3i4.3455Toward a Big History Interpretation of ReligionKen BaskinThe word “religion” refers to a wide range of phenomena ranging from Tibetan Buddhism to the Prosperity Gospel. As a result, religion has accrued a “bewildering variety of definitions”. This essay, rather than asking the ontological question – “What kind of thing is religion?” – looks at religion epistemologically, asking what religion enables people to know. The resulting exploration suggests that religion is part of the process by which human groups come to know and adapt to the powerful, often-mysterious forces that produce awe and terror. By looking at how societies at different levels of social complexity have responded to the crises produced by these forces, the author suggests that the habits of mind that would become science and philosophy, as well as religion, evolved as the way those societies have adapted to existential crises, especially in times of rapid, widespread change. https://jbh.journals.villanova.edu/index.php/JBH/article/view/2473/2424religiondefinitionsepistemologicallyhuman groupsaweterrorsocial complexity |
| spellingShingle | Ken Baskin Toward a Big History Interpretation of Religion Journal of Big History religion definitions epistemologically human groups awe terror social complexity |
| title | Toward a Big History Interpretation of Religion |
| title_full | Toward a Big History Interpretation of Religion |
| title_fullStr | Toward a Big History Interpretation of Religion |
| title_full_unstemmed | Toward a Big History Interpretation of Religion |
| title_short | Toward a Big History Interpretation of Religion |
| title_sort | toward a big history interpretation of religion |
| topic | religion definitions epistemologically human groups awe terror social complexity |
| url | https://jbh.journals.villanova.edu/index.php/JBH/article/view/2473/2424 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kenbaskin towardabighistoryinterpretationofreligion |