Lecture slides from "Introduction to Religious Studies" at the University of Alabama. Written by Prof. Michael J. Altman There are lots of ways to study religion. How are we going to do it in this class?

1. WHAT IS “THE STUDY OF
RELIGION?”

2. CAN WE STUDY RELIGION?
• YOU CAN ONLY STUDY YOUR OWN.
• RELIGION IS TOO TRANSCENDENT.
• RELIGION ISN’T SCIENTIFIC.

3. IS IT THEOLOGY?

4. RELIGIOUS LITERACY?

5. WORLD RELIGIONS

6. CURIOSITY

7. INFERENCE

8. AGENTS

9. ANTHROPOMORPHISM

10. RELIGION OR POLITICS?

11. WHY CALL IT
“RELIGION?’