Before religious studies became a field in its own right (e.g., flourishing in the US as of the late-1960s), several key intellectual figures explored religion from a variety of perspectives. One of these figures was the famous [[Pragmatism|pragmatist]] [[William James]]. His [[1902]] [[Gifford lectures]] and book ''[[The Varieties of Religious Experience]]'' examined religion from a psychological-philosophical perspective and is still influential today. His essay ''[[The Will to Believe]]'' defends the rationality of faith. | Before religious studies became a field in its own right (e.g., flourishing in the US as of the late-1960s), several key intellectual figures explored religion from a variety of perspectives. One of these figures was the famous [[Pragmatism|pragmatist]] [[William James]]. His [[1902]] [[Gifford lectures]] and book ''[[The Varieties of Religious Experience]]'' examined religion from a psychological-philosophical perspective and is still influential today. His essay ''[[The Will to Believe]]'' defends the rationality of faith. |