Hume’s ‘Natural History of Religion’ and the Origin of the Modern Science of Religion

Abstract

David Hume occupies a special place among the forefathers of the modern science of religion. He is famous for being not only a student of the rationality of religion, which is one of the key problems of the philosophy of religion, but also a student of the natural foundations of religion presented mainly in his “Natural history of religion.” Among Hume’s most significant achievements is a clear distinction, but at the same time complementarity, between two approaches to the study of religion: one focuses on the rationality of religious beliefs and practices, and the second focuses on the causes of particular beliefs and practices. This article argues that Hume’s way of thinking about religion was not only an important step on the way to the modern science of religion, but the latter was and still is greatly inspired by Hume’s critique of religion.