RT Article
T1 A Synoptic Approach: Resolving Problems in Empirical and Phenomenological Approaches to the Psychology of Religion
JF Journal for the scientific study of religion
VO 14
IS 3
SP 219
OP 227
A1 Hanford, Jack Tyrus
LA English
YR 1975
UL https://ixtheo.de/Record/1668133393
AB This essay is specifically an argument for a synoptic orientation for the study of the psychology of religion. The argument derived from a historical review of the field begins with the problem of lacking a coherent and comprehensive methodology, proceeds with definitions of the two traditional research orientations (the empirical and the phenomenological), shows their major weaknesses, and concludes with historical evidence in support of the thesis. The main distinction between the orientations is that the empiricists insist that knowledge is reducible to sensory experience such as observation and the phenomenologists reject this claim insisting that knowledge is not reducible to sensory experience. Thus an orientation is needed which includes the strengths of both the empirical and phenomenological views and which excludes their weaknesses. Such an orientation is the synoptic which includes the rigor of empiricism without its reductionism and includes the challenge of the phenomenologists without their insufficient means for validity.
K1 Christianity
K1 Empirical Knowledge
K1 Phenomenology
K1 Psychological research
K1 psychology of religion
K1 Reductionism
K1 Religious Behavior
K1 Research Methods
DO 10.2307/1384906