Revisiting the notorious debate about Balinese culture that pitched Clifford Geertz and Christiaan Hooykaas in the 70s, I discuss some key methodological issues concerning the study of Balinese Hinduism, namely the text- and practice-oriented approaches championed by Philologists and Anthropologists respectively. Arguing that an ‘epistemic turn’ in the study of Balinese Hinduism is needed, I advocate an approach that crosses intellectual boundaries, not only between disciplines but also within the domain of Area Studies.