The Relation between Myth and Religion in the Perspective of Max Müller

Subject Areas : Christianity

Abbas Rahimi ¹ , Ghorban Elmi ² , Abolghasem Esmailpour Motlagh ³

1 - M.A. in Comparative Study of Religion and Mysticism, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
2 - Associate Professor of Comparative Study of Religion and Mysticism Department at University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
3 - Professor at Shahid Beheshti University

Received: 2021-12-17 Accepted : 2021-12-17 Published : 2021-08-23

Keywords: Max Müller, Linguistics, Myth, religion, infinity,

Abstract :

The connection between religion and myth in a scientific background has opened the way for human beings to become acquainted with a collection of beliefs and find their origin. This event progressed faster from the end of the eighteenth century, and with the activity of famous scientists in the following centuries, the hidden aspects of myth and religion became more apparent. Undoubtedly one of those famous scientists is Max Müller. Müller was one of the pioneers of scientific and comparative studies of religion and myth in the nineteenth century. And was influenced by philology, idealism, positivism and Eastern beliefs, especially India. He developed important theories about myth and religion that were considered and criticized by many of his contemporaries. Given the importance of Müller's theories in studies of myth and religion, in this article we have tried to examine the relation between myth and religion from Müller's perspective in a descriptive-analytical manner. Müller believed that the origin of myth is in the naming of natural phenomena, and he believed that religion (religious form) came into being when the "name" became sacred. That is, from inside the myth. He believed in the infinite but believed that it originated in nature.

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