Max Müller and the Science of Religion

The scientific study of religions commenced with the attempts of the influential scholars of 19th century such as Max Müller. These studies were naturally different from what theologians said about religions. Max Müller can be regarded as one of the founding fathers of the "science of religion", but the science was also indebted to Cornelius Petrus Tiele, whose attempts brought about new outcomes in the studies of religious phenomena. This article surveys the viewpoints of Max Müller. By emphasizing the experimental approach in the study of religion, Müller decided to use comparative method in this field. Max Müller devoted his life to the study of classical Indian religious documents, the comparative study of religious history and myth, and the publication of the religious history of the world. He was an expert Sanskritist and mythologist; but his innovative theories about mythology have not been accepted by other scholars working on religions. Nevertheless, his scientific and experimental standpoints about myths and the origin of religion drew the attention of scholars for many years. His theory about origination of Hinduism from myth, particularly his solar mythology, was strongly criticized by many scholars.