Description

Immediate dispatch from Somerset. Nice older book in good condition. Some tanning wear and marking due to age. Dustcover has some wear and tear but actual book is good. Year 1973. Hardcover. English. See images for condition.

About the book >.>.> This book is concerned with theoretical questions about interpretation which arise in two religious traditions namely Buddhism and Christianity. The first paper considers the feasibility of a comparative approach to such ‘hermeneutical questions and the following papers analyse problems about criticism and authenticity arising out of the historical development of these two religions. Professor Smart has kindly contributed some concluding reflections on some of the issues raised. The main papers were originally read at the fourth annual colloquium on Religious Studies at the University of Lancaster (England) in January 1972. The general intention of the colloquium was that after a discussion of the comparative approach to matters of this kind some broadly parallel questions should be asked about the two religions in question. The contributors were left free however to develop their arguments in the manner which seemed to them to be appropriate and this accounts for a certain variety of approach and emphasis. Nevertheless all the papers are in some way concerned with one set of questions namely those which arise out of the historical expansion and diversification of complex religious traditions. Despite the great differences between Buddhism and Christianity it does seem that in this area similar sorts of problems arise for those concerned with the interpretation of either. If this much is confirmed by what follows there seems to be a case for exploring the comparative approach further by broadening the range of questions and considering other religious traditions. It will be noticed that it was an essay by Ernst Troeltsch “The theologian of the history of religions school’ which provided the initial talking point out of which the plan for the colloquium arose. This is particularly appro-priate in that the Department of Religious Studies at Lancaster itself provides a historical and phenomenological framework in the study of religion in which questions of meaning and interpretation can also be examined. (LL)