Regimes of Truth: Review of Bruce Lincoln's Gods and Demons, Priests and Scholars

In this review of Gods and Demons, Priests and Scholars, I shall not so much focus on the concrete analyses, but rather discuss implications of a more theoretical and philosophical nature. First, I shall deal with Lincoln's method by grasping (if not recasting) it as a sort of discourse analysis. Secondly, I shall critically go through some of the cases by paying a special attention to his distinction between 'truth' and 'regimes of truth' as well as the concomitant reference to empirical criteria. Thirdly, and finally, I shall I challenge his stance on "weak comparison" and argue for the complementary value of various universalizing theories in the study of religion.