Die epistemologie van religie: ’n Bron van godsdiensverskille

Abstract

Die bedoeling van die artikel is om die kern van religieuse verskille te identifiseer. Die artikel toon aan dat die nagaan van definisies van religie, belangrik is vir ? beter begrip van religie, tog word dit duidelik dat soveel denkers soveel definisies na vore bring. Hoewel die etimologiese nagaan van die woord religie help om duidelike lyne oor die verskillende denke van religie aan te dui, is elke afleiding van die etimologie van “religie” bloot elke outeur se eie verstaan van wat religie is. Deur die etimologie van religie te verstaan kan ? mens hooflyne trek wat op hul beurt weer as basis dien vir die nagaan van die historiese denke oor religie. Die historiese nagaan van die religie vind sy klimaks in tyd van die Reformasie en Renaissance wanneer die begrip godsdiensfilosofie (Philosophy of Religion) ook die eerste keer sy verskyning maak. Die Reformasie en Renaissance simboliseer ? belangrike onderskeid in denke oor religie, wat ontwikkel het vanuit uiteenlopende epistemologiese beskouings. Die artikel toon aan dat die anatomie van religie nóú verbind is met die epistemologiese beskouing van ? persoon. Om sake soos religieuse verskille en daarmee saam religieuse verdraagsaamheid te ondersoek vereis nie bloot net om van die definisies van religie gebruik te maak nie, maar daar moet deurgedring word na die kernverskille, die epistemologiese verskille. Deur epistemologiese verskille uit te lig, gaan natuurlik nie die konflik oplos nie, maar gaan die proses van redenering en debatvoering oor religieuse verskille vergemaklik.

In considering definitions of religion, it becomes clear that as many thinkers as there are, so many definitions do they bring to the fore. Although the etymological study of the word helps to indicate clear lines regarding the various schools of thought on religion, every derivation of the etymology of “religion” is purely the understanding of each author on the nature of religion. Through understanding the etymology of religion, one is able to determine three main lines, which in turn serve as the basis for study of the historical books on religion. The three main lines that serve as the basis for religious thinking are; awareness of the divine, being bound to the divine, to worship the godhead. The historical study of religion reaches a climax in the time of the Reformation and Renaissance when the concept of Philosophy of Religion first made its appearance. The Reformation and Renaissance symbolise an important distinction in the thinking on religion, which had developed out of diverse epistemological viewpoints. These diverse epistemological viewpoints are clearly found in the thinking of Jonathan Edwards and Immanuel Kant. Edwards’ epistemology is characterised by revelation and that of Kant by human reasoning. The anatomy of religion is thus linked to the epistemological viewpoint of an individual person. Investigation of matters such as religious tolerance does not simply require definitions of religion; it is necessary to penetrate through to the core differences, the epistemological differences. Highlighting epistemological differences will not, of course, resolve the conflict, but will facilitate the process of reasoning and debate on religious differences.