重释“宗教”:史密斯对于宗教概念的消解

史密斯质疑宗教概念的普遍有效性,从词源学和观念史角度对宗教的含义及其变迁作了历史考察,指出它不过是西方近代文明的一个产物,并不适合解释其他文明的生活传统,主张用信仰和累积的传统两个独立的概念取而代之。依据这一概念框架来解释儒家传统会消除一些困难。

A Re-Interpretation of Religion: Dissolution of the Concept of Religion by W. C. Smith

W. C. Smith questions the universal application of the concept of religion. After a historical study of the connotation of religion and its transformation from an etymological perspective, he points out that it is only a product of modern Western civilization, not suitable to be applied to the life traditions of others. He suggests that we shoule replace it with two other independent terms, faith and accumulated tradition. Some of the difficulties in the interpretation of Confucianism would disappear if we ...