... the realities of religious subjects through the subjective visions of their authors—if scholars of religion are like artists creating art objects. The practice of interpretive writing on religion brings together important aspects of the neoclassical and romantic attitudes toward art. Successful writers manage...

... This chapter explores some reasons for the characteristic aesthetic appeal of interpretive writing on religion, examining the dynamics of individual works as well as the roles played by the fresh perspectives offered by a collective science of religions. The excitement elicited by interpretive...