Comparing the Tertium Comparationis in Comparative Religion and Comparative Theology

Abstract

The process of determining a topic for comparison or a tertium comparationis forms one of the most crucial steps in the disciplines of comparative religion (Religionswissenschaft) and comparative theology. Though the two disciplines have much in common in terms of their methodologies, they differ in terms of their ultimate goals. While comparative religion is oriented toward advancing the understanding of religion and religious phenomena, comparative theology aims at deepening and advancing religious truth. This affects the ways in which each discipline addresses critical questions of idiosyncrasy and hegemony in selecting the tertium comparationis.