The study of the linguistic aspects of the being of religion is an important component of the science of religion. The separation of such an object of study as language in religion raises the question of the relevant theoretical and methodological strategies for its study, understanding, analysis, which are embodied in linguistic strategies according to the object of study. The diversity of strategies is determined by the peculiarities of the paradigmatic foundations of philosophy, religious studies and linguistics.
Analysis of these strategies in order to identify their basis, the logic of change, the connection with related disciplines shows their significant potential for understanding both the essence of religion and its manifestations.
The theoretical and methodological foundations of linguistic religious studies are the relationship of language and religion as two macrocharacteristics of human existence, when religion is a sense-making system and language is a sense-fixing system. The nature of the relationship between language and religion is determined in each strategy with certain differences, which are different understandings of the epistemological and ontological status of language or religion, implemented in different approaches – theistic, non-theistic, substantiality of religion in phenomenology, its reduction to language in structuralism, naturalness of language and religion as products of human evolution, in cognitivism, etc.
The language of religion is the basic concept of dissertation research, which has a conceptual nature, is a theoretical, abstract construct, which contains the whole set of linguistic phenomena in religion. Communication, discourse, narrative, style, sociolect are the ways in which language functions in religion. Conceptualization, ontosemantic process, verbalization of religious experience are ways of existence of religion in language. Conceptualization of religion is its plan of expression in basic concepts, semantization of spiritual values and experience with appropriate intensity and experience.
The ontosemantic process is a process of sense-making within the religious tradition in the corresponding conceptosphere.
The analysis of the language of religion conducted by the analytical philosophy of religion was aimed at establishing criteria for compliance of religious language with the criteria of rationality and reliability in order to prove religious truths through proving the truth of religious statements. The method of logical analysis and application of verification and falsification procedures showed the inability of religious language to meet the same criteria as the language of science, as the former indicates non-empirical reality, while the latter indicates empirical reality, and the criteria and procedures for establishing truth and authenticity developed by postpositivists precisely on the basis of the language of science.
Wittgenstein's introduction of the philosophy of everyday language and the theory of language games was able to go beyond the conditionality of the criteria of truth only on the basis of the language of science, showing its metaphysical foundations. A. Planting's reformed epistemology demonstrated the conformity of religious language to the criteria of rationality and authenticity, which originate not in the language of science, but in human consciousness and conviction on the basis of basic structures of perception of reality.
