Abstract

In this contribution to the "Philosophy of Religion Series" edited by John Hick, Ninian Smart seeks "to concentrate somewhat on the methods required in the study of religion... [and] to present a certain amount of theory about religion which I hope is relevant to philosophy". In connection with the former, Smart inveighs against the "lack of concern with context and plurality" which has infected much post-war analytic philosophy of religion. As an alternative, he argues his own version of a scientific or phenomenological study of religion which is essentially a historical and structural effort at understanding, and which is sharply to be distinguished from the theological attempt at expression of religious conviction. The two are not unrelated and they can be of mutual interest, but Smart insists that his work does not involve him in the doing of theology as such.