comparative study of “spirituality": methodological considerations

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Abstract

What are some ways to apply "comparative study" in the field of "spirituality"? The present essay examines this issue and relies on a new “post-Eliadean”  approach to comparative studies. In this new approach, "spirituality" is not a single and universal thing, but every spirituality is a unique reality. By avoiding the imposition of an artificial homogeneity, attention should be paid to the diversity of the cultural context of each spirituality and hermeneutic inevitability. In this paper, methods for avoiding bias, overcoming apparent similarities, creating a fit between scale and matching problem, and the like are discussed. Also, by presenting the theory of “parallel cuing”, an attempt has been made to find a theoretical justification for the researcher's understanding of inexperienced spirituality. Among the adaptation styles, the "enlightening style" seems to be the most reliable.

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