Spiller religiøse idealer nogen rolle i verden i dag?

Forfatterne til de mere empiriske artikler i denne bog viser, at der ligger religiøse idealer til grund både for sydafrikanske zuluers oplevelse af den politiske vold og for den traditionelle, grønlandske børneopdragelse. Også i den islamiske verdens konflikter er religiøse idealer involveret. Mange idealers oprindelse skal søges i en fjern fortid, men deres fortolkning og realisering afhænger både af den historiske sammenhæng og af fortolkerens kulturelle baggrund.

I bogens mere teoretiske del diskuteres bl.a. følgende spørgsmål: Hvilke idealer har vestlige religionsforskere for studiet af religiøse traditioner? Er forskere bevidste om deres videnskabelige traditioners indflydelse på, hvordan repræsentationen af 'de andre' udformes? Hvilken betydning har det, at forskeren ofte mener at befinde sig 'uden for' religionen?

Bogen henvender sig til alle med interesse for religion og religionsforskning. Den kan med fordel inddrages i religionsundervisningen på universiteter, seminarier og folkeuniversiteter.

English
Do religious ideals matter today?

The writers of the more empirical articles in this book illustrate that religious ideals provide the background for both South African Zulus' experiences with political violence and for traditional Greenlandic child-rearing. Religious ideals are also involved in the conflicts in the Islamic world. The origins of many ideals must be found in the distant past, but the interpretation and implementation of them depend on both the historical context and on the cultural background of the interpreter.

In the more theoretical part of the book, the following questions, among others, are asked: To western religion scholars, what are the ideals of what studies of religious traditions should be? Are scholars conscious about the influence of their scholarly traditions on how the representation of 'the other' is formed? How important is it that the scholar often believes himself to be 'detached from' religion?

The book caters for everyone interested in religion and religious research. It can profitably be included in the teaching of religion at universities, colleges of education and extramural departments.