Theories of Religion 

Take a look at how different reference sources define and explain what religion is.

Take a look at religion from the perspective of these academic disciplines.

Read about some of the the major theorists of religion.

Useful library tools and services...

One of the best ways to begin your study is to search in various disciplinary resources for their perspective on religion. 

With regard to reference materials, look at entries in encyclopedias of relgion and anthropology and psychology and sociology and philosophy for "Religion", "Theories of Religion" and related topics.  See how the these sources define and theorize religion.  The section below Background/Overviews provides the reference databases for doing this.  (Gale Virtual Reference Library is especially good because it contains encyclopedias from each of these disciplines.) 

For journal articles, search the major databases of each particular discipline--religion, anthropology, philosophy, sociology, and psychology--for articles on theories of religion.  What religious topics are of most interest to these disciplines?  Who are the major authors?  The section Find Journal Articles provides the databases for this. 

On the rest of this page, you'll find many other links that take you to the heart of theories of religion.  The two articles below describe the develpment of the academic study of religion.

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