: Jan-Olav Henriksen
: Religion as Orientation and Transformation A Maximalist Theory
: Mohr Siebeck
: 9783161550997
: Religion in Philosophy and Theology
: 1
: CHF 61.30
:
: Christentum
: English
: 229
: DRM
: PC/MAC/eReader/Tablet
: PDF
In this book, Jan-Olav Henriksen presents an argument for understanding religion as an expression of different types of practices: those of orientation, transformation, and reflection. Instead of understanding religion first and foremost on the basis of doctrine and propositionally articulated belief, he argues that religions should be seen primarily as practices that mediate symbolic resources for orientation and transformation. The meaning of doctrine and reflection is constituted by its relation to such practices. Thus, doctrine does not constitute religion. This approach allows for a maximalist understanding of religion, i.e. seeing religions as a variety of phenomena relating to all dimensions of human experience. This is not possible to understand from a reductionist perspective. The volume offers a concrete, practice-orientated and pragmatistic understanding of the role of religion in different realms of human life.

Born 1961; 1990 Dr. theol.; 2000 Alan Richardson Fellow at the University of Durham, UK; 2002 Dr. philos.; since 1994 professor of systematic theology at MF Norwegian School of Theology; currently also Dean of Research; member of the Center of Theological Inquiry, Princeton, NJ.
Cover1
Acknowledgements8
Table of Contents10
Introduction: A maximalist theory14
The structure of the book19
Chapter 1: Religions in and beyond philosophy of religion22
The impossibility of a neutral approach to religion22
Challenges for a philosophical approach to religions26
Religion: orientation, transformation and legitimizing of practices31
Chapter 2: Religion as symbolically mediated experience of things set apart41
The world is full of signs: Peirce’s semiotic theory42
Semiotics of orientation and religion: Dalferth46
Things we deem religious: Ann Taves50
Chapter 3: Natural religion on new terms?63
The realms of experience63
A maximalist approach: a critical view of CSR explanations of religions80
Natural religion is not natural religion as it used to be82
Schleiermacher as a model for assessing natural religion?84
From explanation to understanding of religion88
Nathaniel Barrett’s critique of the computational model92
Conclusion96
Chapter 4: Religion, Orientation, and Transformation in the Social World98
Woodhead: Different dimensions in religions98
Religion as culture99
Religion as identity107
Religion as relationship110
Religion as practice112
Religion as power113
Implications for a philosophy of religion114
Chapter 5: Religion as experienced in the personal realm: Emotions and Self-psychology116
Heinz Kohut on the Self: Affirmation and idealization as a basis for orientation and transformation117
Orchestrating religious emotions: Ole Riis and Linda Woodhead126
Emotional regimes126
Emotional, embodied experience129
Emotional experience as symbolically mediated131
Transcendence and emotional regimes132
Emotion: Orientation and transformation133
Conclusion135
How religious symbols work: Attachment theory136
The other in the personal realm: Beyond personal boundaries139
Chapter 6: The path and its conditions: Change and transformation144
Change and religion144
Historical change and epistemic stability (normativity)147
Philosophy of religions and human evolution: Religion and humanity have unfinished business152
Religion as motion – practices as learning and transformation154
Religions as different types of discourse155
Religion is mediation159
A pragmatic concept of religious knowledge159
The relation between O, T, and L in a learning perspective161
Religious learning, experience, and the need for orientation162
Chapter 7: Orientation and Legitimation Rooted in the Past: on Religion as a Chain of Memory163
Tradition and orientation163
Religion as a Chain of Memory165
Chapter 8: On interactions between the physical and the mystical realms of experience169
Schleiermacher: Religion in the interaction between the natural and the personal realm170
From nature to the mystical – reflections on the interaction between realms176
Conclusion: From experience to wisdom: the path revisited185
Chapter 9: Three metaphors for how religions work188
Religion as a virtual home188
Religion as Score and Play194
Chapter 10: Normative considerations: Religions as stewards of Wisdom?199
The Quest for Wisdom199
Basic experiences of the human condition200
A recipe against religious stupidity204
Chapter 11: Conclusions and implications209
The normative outcome209
Implications for a pragmatist view of religion210
Understanding religion in a late modern societal context211
A final note on secularization, detraditionalization, and authority214
Bibliography217
Indexes223