Arnold Gehlens Begriff der Religion

Arnold Gehlen, probably the most prominent but also the most controversial representative of German postwar sociology, left behind an extremely multifaceted and wide-ranging body of work. His major works include studies of anthropology and the theory of institutions, social psychology and ethics as well as a sociology and aesthetics of modern painting. He did not however have a cohesive theory of religion. Nevertheless, it has been noticed, and even specifically stated, that virtually all of his writings refer to the phenomenon of religion. Friedrich Ley studies Arnold Gehlen's cultural anthropology as it pertains to the theory of religion. Identifying those themes which deal with the theory of religion does however require a precise reconstruction of the individual ranges of the theory. Thus this study also gives a complete portrayal of the author's works.