This question is relevant not only to stu­dents working towards a degree in religious studies, but to every thinking human being. For a person’s concep­tion of how religion ought to be studied will determine to a large extent that person’s view of the value (or lack of value) of be­ing reli­gious, whether or not that person actually studies religion in depth. I say “to a large extent” because this is only one of two key factors which determine a person’s religious disposition. The other im­por­tant factor is what a person actually finds as a result of engaging in a religious quest.