Classical Approaches to the Study of Religion: Aims, Methods and Theories of Research. Introduction and Anthology

Originally published in 1973 (The Hague: Mouton) at a time when the field was blossoming; this edition includes a new preface. The book consists of two major parts. The first is an essay by Waardenburg, who was affiliated with the U. of Lausanne, Switzerland, following the rise and development of the academic study of religion in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The second is an anthology of articles about religion written by over 40 scholars in fields including psychology, sociology, philosophy, and anthropology. Waardenburg intended this book to be an examination of classical texts, and thus acknowledges that these authors often had a narrow approach to religion, ignoring anything not of European origin. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR