The importance of Tarun Güngör in the history of religions science

Harun Güngör has studied in the following areas; shamanism, the religions that Turks have adopted throughout history, traditional Turkish religious, various beliefs of today's Turkish community, effects of traditional Turkish religious on the lifestyles of the Muslim Turks. Harun Güngör researched the history, culture and religious life of the Gagauz, which is a Christian Turkish community. Harun Güngör is also known with his studies both in Turkey and in the world and his studies guide to many historians of religions. Some articles of Harun Güngör based on comparison of the subject, he manipulates adroitly all the methods in the study. He compares with not only some folks and beliefs of religious groups but also with a culture and belief systems of a nation, that has compared well with some features of sacred texts and a belief system. He has acted with an objective point of view while making this comparison. He has especially personally witnessed the Gagauz's lives and beliefs. Güngör used also in his studies phenomenological method to answer questions "what, why". Güngör analyzed primarily this concept as philological, who has been studied with phenomenological research method, has explained. How it is used in a variety of languages and cultures. This thesis with the name of "Harun Güngör'ün Dinler Tarihi Bilimindeki Yeri" consists of three sections. In the first section life of Harun Güngör and his works have been examined. In the second section it is included that research methods in the History of Religions and methods and techniques which Harun Güngör used in his works. Research methods in History of Religions are descriptive, philological, phenomenological and comparative methods. As examining each method, introduction was done, the way how Harun Güngör used this method is explained, topics in which Harun Güngör used this method are investigated. In the third section it is investigated that improvements of Harun Güngör to History of Religions and Religious History of Turkey and his position in researches of Turkish Religious History. Some of thesis and dissertation directed by Harun Güngör have been mentioned related with both topics. Keywords: History of Religions, Traditional Turkish Religious, Phenomenology, Philology, Shamanism, Central Asian Turkish Religious