Final answer:
Frederick Streng believed that religious studies are lacking if they do not consider the cultural, historical, and social context in which religious beliefs and practices develop. He advocates for cultural relativism and understanding religion from an insider's perspective to avoid oversimplifications.
Step-by-step explanation:
Frederick Streng thought that studies of religion are impoverished if they ignore the complex contexts in which beliefs and practices arise and are expressed. Streng's approach underlines the importance of understanding religions within their cultural, historical, and social contexts, rather than solely through their theological or philosophical texts.
By advocating for a more holistic study of religions, Streng aligns with the concepts of cultural relativism and the need to grasp an emic or insider's perspective. For instance, as referenced above, Sir James Frazer's work suffered from his minimal exposure to the beliefs he was documenting, leading to biased representations born out of a lack of direct observation and engagement.
This reinforces the argument that without comprehensive research and the cultural context, the studies may not capture the dynamic nature of religious experiences and expressions, and instead, foster misunderstandings or oversimplified perspectives.