Ma`rifat Adyan

The scope of compared contents in comparative theology is still ambiguous. The question is whether, in comparative theology, only “theologies” are compared or “religions”—including theologies. The purpose of the research is to resolve this confusion. To answer this question, after introducing the dominant approach to comparative theology, first the conceptual framework of the two terms “religion” and “theology” is explained, as far as it relates to this research. Then, relying on the literature of the subject, the scope of the compared contents in comparative theology is determined. The research comes to the conclusion that in comparative theology, like comparative religions, “religions” are referred to and compared, and what distinguishes comparative theology from comparative religions is not the limitation of the compared contents to only theologies; rather, it is the normativity of comparative theology and the non-normativity of comparative religions. To adapt the narrow title of comparative “theology” to the extensive scope that is compared in practice, there are two solutions: first, considering a more inclusive meaning for the term “theology;” Second, considering the infinitive meaning of “thinking about God and religion” for this term. The second solution is regarded to be more justified.