A COURSE «COMPARATIVE RELIGION STUDIES»: METHODOLOGY AND METHODS OF TEACHING

Abstract

The article presents some essential points of teaching of a university course «Comparative Religion Studies» for future religion scholars. The authors pay attention at both methodology and methods of this course teaching, taking into consideration the mentioned in the heading of the article comparative method predominance. The study reveals prospects of the comparative method usage for more thorough comprehension of religion processes and religions interaction in past and present times.    

The purpose of the article is to outline methodological background of the course «Comparative Religion Studies» teaching and some author`s methodic works, which reveal multifaceted potential of this course for professional religion scholars.

The methodology is based upon phenomenological and systematic methods; such an approach gives us possibility to study religion as spiritual phenomenon in all of its manifestations. Besides, the authors use some other methods, especially methods of comparative and structural analysis, due to which the proposed system of the object study has been created.

Scientific novelty. This is a presentation of the authors` vision of the course teaching. It can be useful for further improvement and scientific comprehension of the comparative religion studies role in the process of education of the future religion scholars.

Conclusions. Teaching of the university course «Comparative Religion Studies» for the future professional religion scholars is extremely necessary. Such a discipline is preceded by the main religion studies courses; thus, it performs function of the acquired knowledge systemati­zation. Moreover, this university course shows research perspectives of the religion studies, enables deeper understanding of the spiritual culture and outlines perspectives of its development.