Metaphors in and for the Sociology of Religion: Towards a Theory after Nietzsche

2012/04/23 by Andrew McKinnon · 1 citation
Social Sciences · #Epistemology #Philosophy #Religion and Society Interactions #Religion, Society, and Development #Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology #Social science #Sociology #Sociology of religion

paper · doi:10.1080/13537903.2012.675688

openalex publication_date 2012/04/23 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29

Abstract

Metaphors are indispensable for sociological thinking about religion, but they have received much less consideration than they deserve. This article argues the importance of systematic theoretical reflection on metaphors, both in the sociological analysis of religion and in the religious discourse of society. The article provides an outline of Nietzsche's early sociological theory of metaphor, situating it as a neglected classic for sociologists of religion in the context of other work on metaphor in the discipline.

Citations

• Sociological definitions, language games, and the "essence" of religion
• Elective Affinities of the Protestant Ethic: Weber and the Chemistry of Capitalism

Cited by

• On Truth and Lies in a Nonmoral Sense [wikipedia]

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