Notes on Religion and Enlightenment
The Modern Idea of Religion
- Origin of modern idea of religion traced to the Enlightenment.
- Concepts of 'religion' and 'the religions' emerged from 17th and 18th-century controversies in England.
- 'The religions' refers to systems of beliefs and practices.
- Establishment of a comparative religion as an academic discipline.
Contribution of Enlightenment Thinkers
- Shift from focus on faith in Christianity (Middle Ages) to a more objective study of religion.
- Emergence of 'religion' as an outsider's term for diverse religious systems.
- Influential contributors: Protestant scholastics, Platonists, and Deists.
Comparative Religion and Its Development
- Comparative religion began earlier than the 19th century, influenced by scientific developments and crises of belief in Christianity.
- Secular study of religions developed alongside the new interpretative frameworks identifying 'religion'.
- 'Religion' became a rational object amenable to investigation, facilitating comparison of different belief systems.
Antecedents to Enlightenment Ideas
- Influences from the Reformation, Renaissance, and classical theories.
- Division between natural religion (accessible through reason) and revealed religion (divinely inspired).
- Natural religion was seen as a legitimate form by Platonists, countering reformative views.
Historical Context and Secularization
- England's unique religious pluralism due to Reformation led to comparative examination of various Christian forms and other religions.
- Changes in biblical criticism allowed for non-sacred historical accounts of religions.
- Key thinkers like John Toland promoted critical examination of Christianity and other religions.
- Emphasis on natural laws, epistemology, and the universality of religious experiences led to more diverse understandings of 'religion'.
- Theories on origins of religions: fear, imposture, and euhemerism emerged as naturalistic explanations for religious phenomena, influenced by ancient philosophers.