Relating Religion: Essays in the Study of Religion

by Jonathan Z. Smith

One of the most influential theorists of religion, Jonathan Z. Smith is best known for his analyses of religious studies as a discipline and for his advocacy and refinement of comparison as the basis for the history of religions. Relating Religion gathers seventeen essays—four of them never before published—that together provide the first broad overview of Smith's thinking since his seminal 1982 book, Imagining Religion .

Smith first explains how he was drawn to the study of religion, outlines his own theoretical commitments, and draws the connections between his thinking and his concerns for general education. He then engages several figures and traditions that serve to define his interests within the larger setting of the discipline. The essays that follow consider the role of taxonomy and classification in the study of religion, the construction of difference, and the procedures of generalization and redescription that Smith takes to be key to the comparative enterprise. The final essays deploy features of Smith's most recent work, especially the notion of translation.

Heady, original, and provocative, Relating Religion is certain to be hailed as a landmark in the academic study and critical theory of religion.

Genres: Religion, Nonfiction

424 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Jonathan Z. Smith is the Robert O. Anderson Distinguished Service Professor of the Humanities at the University of Chicago where he is also a member of the Committee on the History of Culture.

Reviews

[Roger Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beginning with a heavily annotated autobiographical essay, this collection gives a nice illustration of the development and breadth of Smith's thought. Rigorous in his pursuit of method and the more subtle aspects of what comparison means, one might say that Smith is an academic par excellence. Whether being a good academic is enough to study religion is another topic. I say this because, while I see his points, I do not think religion, even if invented as a category by academics, remains able to be domesticated. Smith's mind is truly powerful and eccentric.

[Zachary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably the most helpful collection of Smith's essays. He provides an autobiographical intro charting his interests and research questions over the course of his career, and many of the treatment provided here are indicative of some of his major works. So, if you want to know how Smith understands his own argument in "To Take Place" or his obsession with the dictum "Map is not Territory," this is the place to start.

There is a lot of repetition in this collection; he occasionally uses the same few paragraphs at the same points in his argument... but overall the collected essays are helpful, coherent, and provide interesting forays into history of religions, comparative methodology, and Smith's own distinctive approach.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

A provocative series of essays on what it means to study religion.

[Samuel Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

A phenomenal book. One of my favorite collections of writing on religious studies by the top theorist in the field.