Considerations about the use of literary fiction as a source of the study of the religion phenomenon: between history and fiction

The researchers and academic productions relate to the relations between religion and literature represents, in Brazil, a debate that, since the 90s of the 20th century, growls and consolides. The debate, that source is related to the theological field, has been amplified into the direction of the strict Religious Studies, with the inclusion of new theories perspectives and new ways of articulation between the literary discursive system and the religion studies. From this movement emerges also a new question, which this article proposes to destact, with the first theoric question, the one about the possibilities and limits of taking the literary text as a source or reference for the study of religion phenomenon. Theoretically speaking, presumes a fundamental distinction between the literary text, while world staging ( fictum ), and the religion fact, while singular experience of the world ( factum ). This assumption joins the main question: which relation exists between the fictional text and the reality (religion) that references it. To the discussion, anchored to the bibliographic research, will be used the contribution of Literary Theory, particularly studies related to literary realism and the theory of reception. Among the conclusions, highlights: i) The distinction, but not opposition, between experiences and religion institutions, while historic singular living, and their fictional representations by literature; ii) the requirement of reading the literary text with literary critic tools, to avoid the risk of treating the fictional text in a historicist way.