Meaning and End of Religion Essay - 934 Words

Justin Luvshis September 17, 2011 Intro to Phil of Religion Professor Skorobogatov-Gray Banner ID: 800494043 The Meaning and End Of Religion Wilfred Cantwell Smith In the article, The Meaning and End of Religion, by Wilfred Cantwell Smith writes about his idea of the concept of religion explaining it to be a universally valid category as it is theorized but is truly a European creation. Throughout the article Smith conveys his ideas of religion. In his piece, there are several interesting ideas and most important thoughts that he tries to communicate to the reader. In response, the reader can respond to some of the important questions posited by Smith. In his best known and most controversial†¦show more content†¦There are several important ideas and most interesting thoughts that are poised by Smith that communicated to me directly. Some of the most important ideas that Smith depicted were a result of events that he experienced. He was able to observe traits from others who believed they â€Å"knew† a religion and he was actually able to explain to them the difference in sentences and phrases that one was able to understand a nd comprehend. It is important for one to not only study a religion and practice it but for one to be devoted to the religion. Religion is a part of life, and to live you must have religion in your life. In his article he continuously states that he is not defining the religion although he may not realize that he actually is. He is defining the religion as a concept in which an outside reader is able to understand. â€Å"The man of religious faith lives in this world. He is subject to its pressures, limited within its imperfections, particularized within one or another of its always-varying Luvshis, 3 contexts of time and place, and he is observable. At the same time and because of his faith or through it, he is or claims to be in touch with another world transcending this. The duality of this position some would say is the greatness and some the very meaning of human life: the heart of itsShow MoreRelatedAnalyzing Smith ´s The Meaning and End of Religion2136 Words   |  9 PagesIn his seminal work, The Meaning and End of Religion, Wilfred Cantwell Smith proposes using two separate concepts for religious studies. Believing that the conventional approach of studying â€Å"a religion† or â€Å"the religions† is inadequate and misleading, Smith states, â€Å"If religion or a religion is anything at all, it is not only in fact but in theory something in which actual living, historical persons are involved† (1838). Therefore, he offers his theories of examining â€Å"faith† and â€Å"cumulative tradition†Read More Wallace Stevens and Emile D urkheim Essay example1468 Words   |  6 Pagessocial-philosophical thought. Emile Durkheims theories on religion closely parallel those of Stevens. 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