Bron Taylor - "Introduction to the Religion and Nature Encyclopedia" - Discussion Questions

How does Taylor divide up the religion and nature field? What about the categories makes sense to you? In what ways are they helpful? In what ways not? Note the twelve key questions Taylor lists on pp. 2-3. Would you divide the pie up any differently? Would you frame the questions any differently? Would you add any, subtract any? If so, why? Considering the entire article, what areas are of most interest to you and why?

Taylor spends some time discussing how to define religion. What alternatives does he consider? What are some other possible definitions of "religion"? Is there a difference between a religion and a world view? Between religious thought and philosophy? In seeking to define "religion", what would be the best way to proceed? Should we look for a set of "if and only if" characteristics? Should we focus on the function of religion? Should we use the Wittgensteinian concept of family resemblances? Why do you think Taylor makes the choices he does? How does he define "nature religion"?

Taylor spends relatively little time defining nature and environmentalism, etc. What seem to be his unspoken definitions of these categories?

4. "The Evolution of Interest in Religion and Nature"

Taylor divides his discussion of interest in Religion and Nature into three periods:

a. "Religion and Nature in the American Conservation Movement" (7) - (US c. 1850-Age of Environmentalism starting in the Sixties"; b. "Religion and Nature from Seventeenth Century Europe to the Environmental Age" (9); and c. Religion and Nature - Age of Environmentalism. What are the important persons and issues he covers for each?

Studying Religion Website - "Introduction,"  "Essentials of Religion,"  "Functions of Religion,"  "Resemblances among Religions,"  "Religion and Classification," "Conclusion"

1.  What are the differences between essentialist, functionalist and family resemblance (or polythetic) approaches to defining religion? 

2.  Be able to give at least one example of each kind of definition. 

3.  Which sort of definition do you think Bron Taylor advocates?

4.  Which sort of definition do you find most attractive?  Why?