Abstract:
„Belief‟ in the study of religion has been vexed by complexities underlying the
relationship between language, cognition, and religious behavior. Drawing on
anthropological, sociological, and psychological literature, this article discusses the
degrees and textures of „belief‟ to highlight the inadequacies of language and the
variety of motivations for participating in rituals. Particular emphasis is given to
discrimination, implicit bias, and the issue of discrepancy. The article argues that
dual-process models of cognition provide a richer account of „belief‟ and maps an
epistemological distinction between belief and acceptance as a viable methodology for the investigation of „belief‟ in the study of religion.
