Institute for the Scientific Study of Religion

Department of History and Cultural Studies

Address	Goßlerstr. 2 - 4 14195 Berlin, Germany
Office	Marie-Christin Wilm (Prof. Dr. Schlesier's Office); Michaela Reimann (Prof. Dr. Zinser's Office)
Telephone	+49 30 838-51483 (Prof. Dr. Renger's Office); +49 30 838-52822 (Prof. Dr. Schlesier's Office); +49 30 838-54089 (Prof. Dr. Zinser's Office)
Fax	+49 (30) 838-52950 (Prof. Dr. Renger); +49 30 838-51434 (Prof. Dr. Schlesier ); +49 30 838-52820 (Prof. Dr. Zinser)
Email	Prof. Dr. Renger's Office Prof. Dr. Schlesier' Office Prof. Dr. Zinser' Office

Office hours

Prof. Dr. Renger's Office

• Mon. 11:00h - 14:00h
• or by appointment

Prof. Dr. Schlesier's Office

• Mon. + Wed. 11:00h - 12:30h
• Tue. 14:00h - 16:00h
• or by appointment

Prof. Dr. Zinser's Office

• Wed. 10:00 h - 14:00h
• Thu. 10:00h - 14:00h
• by appointment only
  

Welcome to the Website of the Institute for the Scientific Study of Religion!

The scientific study of religion (in German Religionswissenschaft) is an academic discipline which takes an historical, philological, and sociological approach towards the different world religions.

While theology seeks to make statements about a supernatural force or "transcendence" (commonly referred to as "God" or the "gods"), the scientific study of religion takes a neutral stance outside any particular religious viewpoint. In keeping with the approach of the discipline, not "God" or the "god(s)" are subject of scientific research, but rather the beliefs and ideas human beings have about their God/gods.

At the Freie Universität Berlin, the department focuses on European tradition since Greek Antiquity, although the cultural traditions and developments of both scriptural and non-scriptural non-European religions are also subjects of reasearch.

Against the broad backdrop of academic examination complemented by a historical-anthropological and material-hermeneutic basis, scholars at the Institute critically examine the principles, theories and methods relevant to the study of religion. They thus analyze specific religious and cultural developments as well as processes of the transference and transformation of religious beliefs and practices. This allows for serious research on the cultural - that is, artistic, social, and political - contexts of religious expression.

 

The Institute for the Scientific Study of Religion of the FU Berlin in cooperation with the Dahlem Humanities Center of the FU Berlin is proud to present a guest lecture with Prof. Daniel Dennett (Tufts University, Medford, Mass., U.S.A.) "The Evolution and Domestication of Religions" Time & Place: June 23, 2010, 18:00h c.t., "Rostlaube", Room KL 32/123, Freie Universität Berlin, Habelschwerdter Allee 45, 14195 Berlin The lecture is given in english language. We kindly ask you to register before June 16, 2010 at admin@dhc.fu-berlin.de. Abstract: Contemporary religions are robust and effective institutions that have evolved over thousands of years. Some of their features are descended from "wild" cultural symbionts and others are clearly the result of domestication. If we are to understand how the "machinery" of religions works, we need to understand how it came to exist. Further information (Download Poster)