The Holy Place as a Subject for the Study of the Geography of Religion

Abstract

The geography of religion is one of the younger (but dynamically developing) areas of religious studies. The subject of her interests is the reciprocal ties that stand between religion and the geographical environment. On the one hand, the influence of the geographical environment on the formation of religious imaginations is investigated, and on the other hand, feedback, that is, what kind of religion does the change in the geographical environment. In addition, this area of ​​religious studies is engaged in the distribution (or reduction) of individual religions, demographic and statistical issues, as well as analysis of the topography of holy places (hierotopografia), problems of religious migration (including religious refugee), pilgrimage, missions, religious tourism, etc.