Approaches to the study of Religion

Approaches to the study of ReligionWe stack say that there ar distinguishable approaches that shtup be taken when studying morality.For the last tetrad decades universities and schools let been acting in response to a constant , fuddled demand for courses upon the study of godliness .The people who take these courses argon unremarkably involved in religion themselves ,m either are involved a in religious communities or, wishing to know more and learn regarding the religious beliefs of others. Others have no clear quite a little upon their religious identity and are meddlesome possible traditions, ready to meet their spireligious rite exploration .So they start flavour for different approaches to their study ,bringing along different opinions and whatever the process and methodological analysis is, will bring them information from which eventu all in ally they will find answers or give opinion.(Peter Connolly,pp1-2Approche to the Study of Religion,Biddles L.T.D.)The autho r will attempt to evaluate the strengths and divine servicelessness of dickens approaches to religion and try to compare the work of the two representations and their methodology .The first is Professor Ninian undimmed as he wrote widely, regarding different topics in religions, with papers and articles appearing in a vast range of government effect sand television worldwide developing his experience vision and ism of human progress and spiritual evolution. The other is Sri Aurobindo who brought a change to the vision of evolution of life into the divinity of life,In his own words man is on a transitorily passage . He is not final. The layer from man to super being is the next which depends from the approach of the achievement on the evolution on earth. It is the logic of Natures process.The works of both(prenominal) Sri Aurobindo and Ninian Smart shows two drastic and completely different approaches to religion. The author as part of his degree course has studied these two vastly differing approaches.Ninian Smarts approach to religion is exposit in his academic literature as a completely immature way to the thinking of religion. He illustrate the introduction of Phenomenology saying, a mound of opinions have been written about not only the physical rally of races but, also ethnical and cultural, and especially upon determine, so what take postal service when religions and their tradition convene? Will the globalization lead to a phase of universal religion, as prediction might lead, or it will be turned in a lively variety of many different beliefs? Smart contemplated these question for many years investigating various religions in the world. He explains that such experience definitely will change positions on previous catch up withs regarding religious tradition. It whitethorn perhaps intensify your religious experience. It all depends on the person you are and the personal period of life you are going through.(Scott London ,the future o f religion an Interview with Ninian Smart June 1999 issue ofThe Witnessmagazine. ) We can confirm that the method of study that Smart used in his approach comprehend both external and internal analysis of religion, characterized by phenomenological perspectives.(James L.Cox,p.159.A guide to the Phenomenology of religion .key figure ,formative influence and subsequent debate. Continuum International produce group .2006.)Of course the phenomenological approach employed by Smart can be interpreted as an attempt of taking into consideration the somebody experience of religion a at the same time stressful to separate from it. The method used was to compare the subjective experience with the feeling of shaping the arrangement of religion itself from within the structure. This approach can be better understood in his ritual dimensioninvolvement with worshipping, meditations, pilgrimages, sacrifices and improve activities .Of course doctrinal and philosophical dimension is to be taken in consideration without living behind the experimental and emotional dimension and the cardinal ethical and legal dimension.(Ninian Smart,pp10-12,attribute of the sacred an anatomy of the worlds beliefs ,Harper Collins Publisher 1196) We fix from Smarts classifactory accountThe Experiential and Emotional DimensionThe Narrative or fab DimensionThe DoctrinalThe Philosophical DimensionThe Ethical and Legal DimensionThe Social and Institutional DimensionThe Material DimensionThe Practical and ritual dimensions (BBC.Religion)Smarts perspective in sustaining a phenomenological perception to the methodology of approach to the study, is further different from the approach that Sri Aurobindo use. First of all we have to say that both, Smart and Aurobindo have not defined religion from objective point of view but instead to determine religion in ground of its own value. Both methods tried to avoid the phenomenological approach. Personal experience is crucial to any understanding of relig ion .On this particular account Aurobindo discovers the relation or union, he favours, what he identifies as spiritual psychology and integral methods, but for both he confirms that the objective is to be understood and interpreted in terms of subjective.( D P Chattopadhyaya p1integral sociology and dialectical sociology,Shri Jainedra press 1976)From its approach, we understand that Sri Aurobindo begins his work clearly within religious prospect, particularly his own relation with yoga, he explains the utilization is not for ourselves alone, but for the DivineThe intent is to find occupation of peachy in the world, to outcome a spiritual conversion and to bring raze a divine nature and a divine life into the mental, lively and physical nature and life of humanity. Its object is not personal, although is a necessity condition of the yoga. So with Aurobindo is clear the final stage is more directly confidential ,to became one with the divine .(Michael T.Mclaughlin,p96, Editric e Ponteficia Universita Grecoriana Roma 2003)In many occasions he sustain that he does not intend to promote any old religion or to find a new one and he potently oppose religious particolarism.So he is proposing a mystical goal and from his yogic teachings he guides,shows and achieves that.(Stephen H.Phillips.p79,Aurobindos Philosophyof Brahman,E.J.Brill Leiden 1986)The strength of Smart can be seen that he does not wish to strip religion or organized religion down to one or two elements say belief in The Virgin Birth and the dogma of out with the church there is no salvation but his classificatory account makes it clear that it has many elements and strands. A reproach of his approach is that it is far to scientific and while starting from the experiential and emotional he soon slips back into trying to seek crude themes within all religionsAurobindo did not just stick to an immanental experience of a divine being but that there must be transcendency within the individuals l ife which is seen in Auroville with a lived approach to ones cartel rather like that which is common within Charismatic and Evangelical Churches. A criticism of Aurobindos view may be seen that it seeks to remain within religion itself, standardized to that of Smart as they both emphasise the importance of the experience of religion, a personal contact with God or Gods, however within Marxism we can see a move away from this religious experience. Aurobindo offers no counselor-at-law upon other religions as his account is purely personal. So how would Aurobindo address questions upon tenet say within the New Testament? These questions within Smarts Classifactory account would help to define a religion. For example different opinions regarding the Trinity between roman letters Catholics and Jehovah Witnesses. Also we can see the beliefs, symbolim and teachings of Auroville fitting weel within the supra detailed classifacations of Smarts dimensions of religionCan we truly compare t wo wholly different views religion one genuinely internal the other very visual? Is Sri Aurobindo truly internal when we have the community of Auroville and a burnish around him? Can we categorize all religions within Ninian Smart comments?We may conclude saying that maybe religions will never combine in to one global faith ,but we do think that the society is moving towards a global ideology that have a space for religion and identify the contributions of the diverse ethnicity and traditions and bring a new way in helping us to work together for the support of human values and spirituality. What may be the way forward in the teaching and definition of religion is to accept the singularity of each religion and each individuals faith and seek ways in which they can be accommodated within a safe international environment that moves away from empirical definitions.