Citation

Cavanaugh MA. Sociol. Relig. 1982; 43(2): 109-129.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1982, Association for the Sociology of Religion)

DOI

10.2307/3710792

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Human knowledge is such that understanding of religion is inevitably disconsolate and pagan--specifically , Euhemeristic. So it was with classical sociological interpretations of religion, for which sociological accounts were alternatives to realist accounts or religious self-images. In guise of briefs for "detente" or against "reductionism," American sociology of religion has converged upon a realist theory which reendorses religious self-images. Euhemeristic and realist accounts are compared in order to argue that realist theories of religion are not only bad general theories, they are actually anti-sociological theories. Realism has effectively impeded Euhemeristic accounts within American sociology of religion, although they are being given elsewhere.