{"id":"https://openalex.org/W2051237388","doi":"https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v66i1.341","title":"What is religion? An African understanding","display_name":"What is religion? An African understanding","publication_year":2010,"publication_date":"2010-02-19","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W2051237388","doi":"https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v66i1.341","mag":"2051237388"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.4102/hts.v66i1.341","doi":"https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v66i1.341","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v66i1.341","pdf_url":"https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/download/341/748","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S52609742","display_name":"HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies","issn_l":"0259-9422","issn":["0259-9422","2072-8050"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":true,"is_core":false,"listed_in":["anvur-scientific","dhet","doaj","jpps-1","jufo-1","norway-1","poland-100","russia-white-list-1","scielo","vabb-shw"],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310315322","host_organization_name":"AOSIS","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310315322"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["AOSIS"],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies","raw_type":"journal-article"},"volume":null,"type":"article","indexed_in":["crossref","doaj"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"gold","oa_url":"https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/download/341/748","any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5019110890","display_name":"Jaco Beyers","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5432-2898","observed_orcids":["https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5432-2898"]},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I69552723","display_name":"University of Pretoria","ror":"https://ror.org/00g0p6g84","country_code":"ZA","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I69552723"]}],"countries":["ZA"],"is_corresponding":true,"raw_author_name":"Jaco Beyers","raw_affiliation_strings":["University of Pretoria, South Africa"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"University of Pretoria, South Africa","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I69552723"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":1,"institutions_distinct_count":1,"corresponding_author_ids":["https://openalex.org/A5019110890"],"corresponding_institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I69552723"],"apc_list":{"value":11976,"currency":"ZAR","value_usd":650},"apc_paid":{"value":11976,"currency":"ZAR","value_usd":650},"fwci":3.0215,"has_fulltext":true,"cited_by_count":67,"citation_normalized_percentile":{"value":0.93336177,"is_in_top_1_percent":false,"is_in_top_10_percent":true},"cited_by_percentile_year":{"min":89,"max":100},"biblio":{"volume":"66","issue":"1","first_page":null,"last_page":null},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T12160","display_name":"African cultural and philosophical studies","score":0.7494999766349792,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3304","display_name":"Education"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/33","display_name":"Social Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T12160","display_name":"African cultural and philosophical studies","score":0.7494999766349792,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3304","display_name":"Education"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/33","display_name":"Social Sciences"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T13150","display_name":"Study and Philosophy of Religion","score":0.23010000586509705,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1211","display_name":"Philosophy"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/12","display_name":"Arts and Humanities"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T13347","display_name":"Christian Theology and Mission","score":0.013399999588727951,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1212","display_name":"Religious studies"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/12","display_name":"Arts and Humanities"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/african-traditional-religion","display_name":"African traditional religion","score":0.9269999861717224},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/definition-of-religion","display_name":"definition of religion","score":0.7279999852180481},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/the-sacred-and-the-profane","display_name":"sacred and profane","score":0.9120000004768372},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/modernism","display_name":"modernism","score":0.7519999742507935},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/theology-of-religions","display_name":"theology of religions","score":0.8420000076293945},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/religious-experience","display_name":"religious experience","score":0.5609999895095825},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/tradition","display_name":"tradition","score":0.628000020980835},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/ritual","display_name":"ritual","score":0.6019999980926514},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/ethics","display_name":"ethics","score":0.8539999723434448},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/transcendence","display_name":"transcendence","score":0.4480000138282776},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/christianity","display_name":"Christianity","score":0.34700000286102295}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C551968917","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5043","display_name":"Christianity","level":2,"score":0.6027413606643677},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C201717286","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q938185","display_name":"Rationality","level":2,"score":0.5614141821861267},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C144024400","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21201","display_name":"Sociology","level":0,"score":0.554661750793457},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C136815107","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q154242","display_name":"Nothing","level":2,"score":0.5146094560623169},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C81698637","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q209295","display_name":"Philosophy of religion","level":2,"score":0.5088846683502197},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C20182410","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1075827","display_name":"Comparative religion","level":2,"score":0.5058578848838806},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2779343474","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3109175","display_name":"Context (archaeology)","level":2,"score":0.494365930557251},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C89096908","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2054106","display_name":"Religious philosophy","level":3,"score":0.46736595034599304},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C558102812","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q17153111","display_name":"Lived religion","level":2,"score":0.4621274173259735},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C12713177","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1900281","display_name":"Perspective (graphical)","level":2,"score":0.4586688280105591},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C188370112","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q173091","display_name":"Transcendental number","level":2,"score":0.4362751245498657},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C4445939","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q432","display_name":"Islam","level":2,"score":0.4279436469078064},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C532726627","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q478958","display_name":"Western culture","level":2,"score":0.4177418351173401},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2778991448","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q386423","display_name":"African philosophy","level":2,"score":0.4139668643474579},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C111472728","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9471","display_name":"Epistemology","level":1,"score":0.40467631816864014},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C24667770","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q34187","display_name":"Religious studies","level":1,"score":0.3509984016418457},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C95124753","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q875686","display_name":"Environmental ethics","level":1,"score":0.3364275097846985},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C170143251","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q842333","display_name":"Western philosophy","level":2,"score":0.26561063528060913},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C138885662","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5891","display_name":"Philosophy","level":0,"score":0.23453810811042786},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C19165224","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23404","display_name":"Anthropology","level":1,"score":0.2257208228111267},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C95457728","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q309","display_name":"History","level":0,"score":0.1714324653148651},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C27206212","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q34178","display_name":"Theology","level":1,"score":0.15036487579345703},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C154945302","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11660","display_name":"Artificial intelligence","level":1,"score":0.0},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C166957645","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q23498","display_name":"Archaeology","level":1,"score":0.0},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.0}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":3,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.4102/hts.v66i1.341","doi":"https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v66i1.341","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v66i1.341","pdf_url":"https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/download/341/748","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S52609742","display_name":"HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies","issn_l":"0259-9422","issn":["0259-9422","2072-8050"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":true,"is_core":false,"listed_in":["anvur-scientific","dhet","doaj","jpps-1","jufo-1","norway-1","poland-100","russia-white-list-1","scielo","vabb-shw"],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310315322","host_organization_name":"AOSIS","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310315322"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["AOSIS"],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies","raw_type":"journal-article"},{"id":"pmh:oai:doaj.org/article:b5474decf0c94d239587e73fc902fe65","doi":null,"is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doaj.org/article/b5474decf0c94d239587e73fc902fe65","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306401280","display_name":"DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":null,"host_organization_name":null,"host_organization_lineage":[],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by-sa","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by-sa","version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":"HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies, Vol 66, Iss 1, Pp e1-e8 (2010)","raw_type":"article"},{"id":"pmh:oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/14537","doi":null,"is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/2263/14537","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306401870","display_name":"UpSpace Institutional Repository (University of Pretoria)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"listed_in":[],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I69552723","host_organization_name":"University of Pretoria","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I69552723"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":"","raw_type":"Article"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"doi:10.4102/hts.v66i1.341","doi":"https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v66i1.341","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v66i1.341","pdf_url":"https://hts.org.za/index.php/hts/article/download/341/748","source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S52609742","display_name":"HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies","issn_l":"0259-9422","issn":["0259-9422","2072-8050"],"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":true,"is_core":false,"listed_in":["anvur-scientific","dhet","doaj","jpps-1","jufo-1","norway-1","poland-100","russia-white-list-1","scielo","vabb-shw"],"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310315322","host_organization_name":"AOSIS","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310315322"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["AOSIS"],"type":"journal"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies","raw_type":"journal-article"},"sustainable_development_goals":[],"sustainable_development_goals_aurora":[],"study_designs":[],"awards":[],"funders":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/F4320321071","display_name":"Department of Electronics and Information Technology, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology","ror":"https://ror.org/02z31cn83"}],"has_content":{"pdf":true,"grobid_xml":true},"content_urls":{"pdf":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W2051237388.pdf","grobid_xml":"https://content.openalex.org/works/W2051237388.grobid-xml"},"referenced_works_count":6,"referenced_works":["https://openalex.org/W47377478","https://openalex.org/W2046822836","https://openalex.org/W2060381189","https://openalex.org/W2085330652","https://openalex.org/W2273970741","https://openalex.org/W3204461466"],"related_works":["https://openalex.org/W141583320","https://openalex.org/W2078314665","https://openalex.org/W4248840740","https://openalex.org/W2202933446","https://openalex.org/W3186087181","https://openalex.org/W4229584141","https://openalex.org/W6921244005","https://openalex.org/W2024610923","https://openalex.org/W7161803226","https://openalex.org/W7100153287"],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Western":[0,10,37,163],"thought":[1],"has":[2],"influenced":[3],"the":[4,13,16,19,64,93,100,118,131,134,177],"way":[5],"that":[6,151,179],"religion":[7,27,59,68,91,126,175],"is":[8,155],"understood.":[9],"philosophy":[11],"supported":[12],"separation":[14],"between":[15],"sacred":[17],"and":[18,35,115],"profane.":[20],"Modernism,":[21],"focusing":[22],"on":[23],"human":[24,94],"rationality,":[25],"reduced":[26],"to":[28,63,96,107,129,185],"a":[29,43,50,61,71,103,108,171],"set":[30],"of":[31,46,52,58,66,77,84,102,121,144,162,174],"correctly":[32],"formulated":[33],"dogmas":[34],"doctrines.":[36],"thought,":[38],"dominated":[39],"by":[40],"Christianity,":[41],"created":[42],"hierarchical":[44],"structure":[45],"world":[47],"religions":[48],"through":[49],"theology":[51],"religions.":[53],"Can":[54],"an":[55,74,82,88,152,159,180],"African":[56,75,85,89,125,136,153,167,181],"understanding":[57,65,76,83,143,154,182],"make":[60,184],"contribution":[62,178],"what":[67],"is?":[69],"Such":[70],"question":[72],"requires":[73],"religion,":[78],"as":[79,81,170],"well":[80],"religion.":[86,145,186],"From":[87],"perspective,":[90],"emphasises":[92],"effort":[95],"systematise,":[97],"in":[98,113],"society,":[99],"continuation":[101],"religious":[104,123],"experience":[105],"relevant":[106],"specific":[109],"context.":[110],"Tradition,":[111],"expressed":[112],"rituals":[114],"ethics,":[116],"becomes":[117],"social":[119],"expression":[120],"these":[122],"experiences.":[124],"tends":[127],"not":[128,139],"differentiate":[130],"transcendental":[132],"from":[133],"earthly.":[135],"scholars":[137,147],"do":[138],"present":[140],"one":[141],"unified":[142],"Some":[146],"would":[148],"even":[149],"argue":[150],"nothing":[156],"more":[157],"than":[158],"internalised":[160],"form":[161],"perspectives.":[164],"To":[165],"characterise":[166],"Traditional":[168],"Religion":[169],"separate":[172],"type":[173],"minimises":[176],"can":[183]},"counts_by_year":[{"year":2026,"cited_by_count":2},{"year":2024,"cited_by_count":9},{"year":2023,"cited_by_count":5},{"year":2022,"cited_by_count":9},{"year":2021,"cited_by_count":6},{"year":2020,"cited_by_count":4},{"year":2019,"cited_by_count":3},{"year":2018,"cited_by_count":3},{"year":2017,"cited_by_count":17},{"year":2016,"cited_by_count":3},{"year":2015,"cited_by_count":3},{"year":2014,"cited_by_count":1},{"year":2012,"cited_by_count":2}],"updated_date":"2026-10-16T09:59:22.235173","created_date":"2016-06-24T00:00:00"}