In my view we have two options. Either we give up the concept [of religion] and replace it with better concepts, or we find a justification for the concept which addresses the concerns of the critics without drawing their conclusions. The first option has been tried, but the more neutral concepts like ideology, culture, knowledge, or discourse fail to capture differences and complexities the concept of religion is able to address. This may also explain why some critics who maintain that the concept of religion should be given up still use it in their book titles....If even the critics cannot come up with a more convincing alternative, then it makes sense to pursue the other option of thinking about a better justification of the concept of religion.

In order to do so I propose to counter the discursive deconstruction of religion as a universal concept with its referential legitimation.