Revisiting the Death/s of Religions

This essay responds to the essays comprising the theme issue, Do Religions Die? Theorising Death and Demise of Greek and Roman Religions. Reviewing various case studies and theoretical introductory essays of the volume, The Demise of Religion, and the special issue of Numen 68, no. 2&3 (2021), I...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Religion & theology
Main Author: Heever, Gerhard van den 1957- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Brill 2022
In: Religion & theology
Year: 2022, Volume: 29, Issue: 1/2, Pages: 141-173
Further subjects:B redescriptive theory of religion
B Cultural Change
B History of religion
B Christianisation
B Discourse Theory
B death of religion
B critical historiography
B Greek and Roman cults
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Summary:This essay responds to the essays comprising the theme issue, Do Religions Die? Theorising Death and Demise of Greek and Roman Religions. Reviewing various case studies and theoretical introductory essays of the volume, The Demise of Religion, and the special issue of Numen 68, no. 2&3 (2021), I argue that at stake are two desiderata: the first relates to defining religion (what counts as religion?), and the second relates to the historiography of the history of religions (who narrates the story of religion deaths, from which perspective, and with what rhetorical purpose?). It is shown how definition of religion and critical historiography in tandem enable an approach from the perspective of discourse theory. From this perspective it is possible to describe, explain, and theorise ‘religion deaths’ as shifts in culture, migration patterns and social formations, concomitant changes in religious formations, yet with continuity in functionalities.
ISSN:1574-3012
Contains:Enthalten in: Religion & theology
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1163/15743012-bja10038