The End(s) of Religion: A History of How the Study of Religion Makes Religion Irrelevant

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Eric Bain-Selbo (Indiana University Kokomo, USA)

The End(s) of Religion

A History of How the Study of Religion Makes Religion Irrelevant

Eric Bain-Selbo (Indiana University Kokomo, USA)

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English

Bloomsbury Academic
24 August 2023

Religious issues & debates; Religious institutions & organisations; Religious groups: social & cultural aspects

Eric Bain-Selbo argues that the study of religion—from philosophers to psychologists, and historians of religion to sociologists—has separated out the “ends” or goals of religion and thus created the conditions by which institutional religion is increasingly irrelevant in contemporary Western culture. There is ample evidence that institutional religion is in trouble, and little evidence that it will strengthen in the future, giving some reason to believe that we are in the process of seeing the end of religion. At the same time, various cultural practices have met in the past and continue to meet today certain fundamental human needs—needs that we might identify as religious that now are being fulfilled through what Bain-Selbo calls the “religion of culture.”

The End(s) of Religion traces the way that the very study of religion has led to institutional religion being viewed as just one human institution that can address our particular “religious” needs rather than the sole institution to do so. In turn, ultimately we can begin to see how other institutions or forms of culture can function to serve these same needs or “ends.”

By: Eric Bain-Selbo (Indiana University Kokomo USA)
Imprint: Bloomsbury Academic
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 156mm, Spine: 25mm
Weight: 454g
ISBN: 9781350287761
ISBN 10: 1350287768
Pages: 288
Publication Date: 24 August 2023
Audience: College/higher education , Primary
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Eric Bain-Selbo is Dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Indiana University Kokomo, USA.

Reviews for The End(s) of Religion: A History of How the Study of Religion Makes Religion Irrelevant

This wonderful book has managed to pull off a rather remarkable feat: the drawing of a clean line from foundational analysts of religion to the present and future state of religious studies. Eric Bain-Selbo is at once concise and sprawling; critical yet graceful; cautious while taking risks; and optimistic though starkly real in The End(s) of Religion. * Jeffrey Scholes, Associate Professor of Philosophy and Director of The Center for Religious Diversity and Public Life, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, USA *