Does anyone have an example of religious history

That is an example of history's approach to religion? I do not get it!!! I have read 2 articles but I don't understand what history has to say about relig other than what actually happened xx

Reply 1

Haraldje

History helps you to understand the context in which religions are born. For example, if you don't know anything about ancient history of the Middle East then you will never understand what the Bible says.

Reply 2

Tangledseries

Original post by Haraldje

sorry to bother but do you know any articles or book chapters that say this coz obviously my uni will want to me to reference, a pain :frown:

xxxx

Reply 3

Haraldje

Oh, that applies basically to the whole bible. But one nice example might be Matthew 15:32-39.

Taken literally, Jesus fed 4.000 people with 7 loafs of bread. Now, that's quite impossible and many critics say that this is proof that the Bible is not true. But in the Middle East people talk in pictures and stories. And the Jews at the time of Jesus were also a purely Middle Eastern people, so they, too, talked in pictures and stories. For them it is not important if there were 4.000 people or 40 people, the latter one being the more likely number. The important point is the underlying message.

Or take the role of women. At that time the testimony of a woman didn't count much, if anything at all. And then take John, 20, where "Mary Magdalene came to the place and saw that the stone had been taken away from it". Today, this would be nothing special. A woman has made an important discovery, so what. But at that time it was "revolutionary" and it shows how important women were for Jesus and for the Evangelists.

Reply 4

Kerzen

This isn't my area, but could you refer to the Crusades?

Do you have an essay title in mind?

Reply 5

Tangledseries

Original post by Kerzen

This isn't my area, but could you refer to the Crusades?

Do you have an essay title in mind?

discuss the contributions of two disciplinary approaches to the stufy of religion and theology within TRS...thanks x

Reply 6

tinygirl96

History and religion really do go hand in hand.
Consider the history of churches as well. For example a sound up to date knowledge of Christianity will help you to fully understand the Bible. A brief understanding of the entire history of the Middle East is so useful for understanding Muslims. A awareness of French history is good if you want to know about European culture and history. An sound ability to read up on history of religion is recommended truly.

Reply 7

Haraldje

Original post by tinygirl96

History and religion really do go hand in hand.
A awareness of French history is good if you want to know about European culture and history.

France is also a very good example. Religion was used by the clergy to exploit the working people, together with the nobility. This exploitation led to the French revolution, where the revolutionaries thus did not only fight the king and nobles, but also the clergy. Because the clergy has played such a vital role in exploiting the people the French state is until now a clearly pronounced atheistic state.

Reply 8

Kerzen

Original post by Tangledseries

discuss the contributions of two disciplinary approaches to the stufy of religion and theology within TRS...thanks x

I think that you need to be very aware of what the question is asking you.

Something I have often heard the tutors at my University say is that we need to be answering the question which is being asked, not the question we think is being asked or would like it to be!

Re the question at hand, could I ask what TRS means in this context?

Reply 9

Tangledseries

Original post by Kerzen

It means Theology and Religious Studies, so TRS departments etc. xx

Reply 10

Kerzen

At which educational level are you writing? I don't want to suggest things which are from the wrong level.

Reply 11

Tangledseries

Original post by Kerzen

At which educational level are you writing? I don't want to suggest things which are from the wrong level.

first year uni xxx

Reply 12

Kerzen

Original post by Tangledseries

first year uni xxx

I think that you need to take the title of the essay apart with 'tweezers' to be honest, because I'm not sure that you have really grasped what the title is about.

"Discuss the contributions of two disciplinary approaches to the study of Religion and Theology within Theology and Religious Studies".

'Discuss' is a standard in essay titles.

The crucial section in my view is the piece which says 'the contributions of two disciplinary approaches'.

The question you need to ask yourself is what a 'disciplinary approach' is. When you have decided what that is, you can then consider the study of Religion and Theology and make a list of the disciplinary approaches you know of. You can then select two and then write at length about how they have contributed to the study of Religion/Theology.

I have to confess that I have no particular knowledge of the relevant disciplinary approaches myself, being a linguist; I do know that we sometimes discuss the Marxist approach to certain elements in my area; is the Marxist approach to the study of Religion/Theology something you would recognise in your field?