Religious Studies Research Articles

When Play Gets Serious: The Study of Religion Beyond the Limits of Critique

Abstract This article takes as its starting point the deep and enduring attachments between scholars of religion and their religious subjects to which the secular study of religion sometimes gives rise—attachments that can have profoundly transformative intellectual and existential consequences for the scholar. The methodological posture of critique, however, forecloses the possibility of such attachments. As an alternative to critique, the postcritical both renders these attachments legible and plumbs their epistemological potential to generate new insights into religion, religions, and religious phenomena. A promising methodological horizon for the future of religious studies, the postcritical makes room for the kinds of attachments that follow from taking religion seriously, making room for the possibility that close engagements of the religious kind might not inhibit but, to the contrary, advance scholarship on religion.

Peranan Kajian Remaja Masjid Al-Huda dalam Meningkatkan Kesadaran Beragama Remaja di Desa Hutana Godang Kabupaten Pasaman Barat

This research aims to find out what are the programs of mosque youth, how the participation of mosque youth and the role of mosque youth studies in increasing the religious awareness of adolescents in Hutana Godang Village, West Pasaman Regency. The method used in this research is descriptive qualitative, while the type of research used is qualitative research. The research time was carried out on September 23 to October 23, 2024 in Hutana Godang Village, West Pasaman Regency. The data sources in this study are the chairman of the youth mosque and the youth mosque Al-Huda Hutana Godang. Data collection was carried out using observation, interview, and documentation methods. The data that has been collected is then analyzed by data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. Data validation in this study uses source triangulation, in which researchers compare data or information obtained in the field and then re-correct data or information that has been collected from various sources related to the role of the study of al-huda mosque teenagers in increasing teenagers' religious awareness. The results showed that the role of the al-huda mosque youth study in increasing the religious awareness of adolescents in Hutana Godang Village, West Pasaman Regency was quite good in its implementation as seen from several al-huda mosque youth programs, namely routine recitation, studies that are held regularly provide opportunities for adolescents to explore Islamic teachings, both in terms of creed, Second, social religious activities such as helping the community in religious events, working together to clean the mosque, and social services, Third, celebrating Islamic holidays such as maulid nabi and isra' mi'raj, the involvement of mosque youth in this commemoration has a positive impact on developing their organizational skills and responsibilities. The participation of mosque teenagers in increasing the religious awareness of teenagers shows that although many are active in social activities, there are still a number of teenagers who do not participate in religious studies. The role of mosque youth studies in increasing adolescents' religious awareness is as a means to form good character by learning about the importance of worship, good morals, and concern for others, adolescents can understand their responsibilities as religious individuals.

‘Wundt's work is merely an incident in one of the challenging scholarly careers on recent history’: The media and academic reception of Völkerpsychologie, 1900–1920

Wundt's Völkerpsychologie (VP) is an exceptional case in the history of psychology. Outlined in 1863 in the second volume of Vorlesungen über Menschen- und Thierseele (Lectures on the Human and Animal Soul), VP was finally published 37 years later in 10 volumes during the last 20 years of the author's life. The work was characterized by an ambitious program of multimethod and transdisciplinary research. This article explores the intellectual and contextual reasons for the early successes and failures of VP. We analyzed n = 264 articles published in the German press and n = 220 books, reviews, and articles published in scientific journals that explicitly cited the 10 volumes between 1900 and 1920. VP received considerable criticism from linguists and philologists, who claimed that its results were of little practical use for their research. The first volumes of VP were criticized for their abstract character and psychological indifferentism; on the other hand, positive reviews emphasized their attempt to systematize and give a philosophical order to the individual investigations of philology, linguistics, comparative history, religious studies, and so on. The normative-methodological role that VP tried to play in relation to the other historical sciences was significantly criticized, and this was a determining factor in its diminishing impact over time. Some of Wundt's hypotheses were philosophically at odds with the project of German cultural imperialism that was being developed at the time and with which most of his intellectual enemies agreed.

Problematika Pembelajaran Fikih Mawaris pada Mahasiswa Berlatar Belakang Pendidikan SMA di Program Studi Pendidikan Agama Islam Universitas Negeri Padang

The problem in learning can obstruct and slow down the learning process, which can become an obstacle to achieving learning objectives. This study aims to identify the problems faced by students with a high school background in the Islamic Religious Education study program in learning Fiqh Mawaris, as well as the efforts made by both students and Islamic Law lecturers to address these issues. The method used is descriptive qualitative with informants including the head of the Islamic Religious Studies Department, two Islamic Law lecturers, and ten students from the Islamic Religious Education program. Data were collected through observation, interviews, and documentation, and then analyzed using data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing techniques. Data validity was tested using source triangulation and technique triangulation. This study found three main problems in the Fiqh Mawaris learning process among students with a high school background: 1) difficulty in understanding the concepts of inheritance classification and distribution, 2) difficulty in analyzing inheritance distribution cases, and 3) challenges faced by students due to their high school educational background. The efforts made by the students to overcome these problems include: 1) writing and memorizing Fiqh Mawaris concepts, 2) seeking additional learning resources, and 3) discussing and studying together. Meanwhile, the lecturers addressed these problems by: 1) delivering material in stages, 2) using discussion and question-and-answer methods, and 3) conducting evaluations and providing feedback to students. The problems in Fiqh Mawaris learning for students with a high school background can be overcome through the active efforts of students seeking additional understanding and through a more structured and interactive teaching approach from the lecturers.

The Politics of Fear and the Experience of Bangladeshi Religious Minority Communities Using Social Media Platforms

Despite significant research on online harm, polarization, public deliberation, and justice, CSCW still lacks a comprehensive understanding of the experiences of religious minorities, particularly in relation to fear, as prominently evident in our study. Gaining faith-sensitive insights into the expression, participation, and inter-religious interactions on social media can contribute to CSCW's literature on online safety and interfaith communication. In pursuit of this goal, we conducted a six-month-long, interview-based study with the Hindu, Buddhist, and Indigenous communities in Bangladesh. Our study draws on an extensive body of research encompassing the spiral of silence, the cultural politics of fear, and communication accommodation to examine how social media use by religious minorities is influenced by fear, which is associated with social conformity, misinformation, stigma, stereotypes, and South Asian postcolonial memory. Moreover, we engage with scholarly perspectives from religious studies, justice, and South Asian violence and offer important critical insights and design lessons for the CSCW literature on public deliberation, justice, and interfaith communication.

Zwi Werblowsky, the IAHR, and Religionswissenschaft as ‘Basic Science’

Abstract In this essay I set out to defend the objectives of the International Association for the History of Religions (IAHR) to promote ‘religious studies’ in the modern university as a rigorous scientific enterprise in search of descriptive, explanatory, and theoretical knowledge of religious thought and behaviour. More often than not, however, the discipline has been, and currently still is, presented as a ‘life-enhancing-discipline.’ At the tenth IAHR world congress held in Marburg Germany in 1960, the conflict between these incommensurable approaches to the study of religion was resolved by the adoption of a set of ‘basic minimum presuppositions’ for the scientific agenda of the Association. In 2019, the Executive Committee of the IAHR again proposed an expansion of the IAHR’s mandate to include moral, theological, and political concerns. This paper calls for a reaffirmation of the framework for the field adopted in Marburg in 1960.

The Sacred of Today?

Abstract Even if the sacred is a classical concept in religious studies and sociology, relatively little is known of its current empirical subjective varieties. This article explores what people today consider sacred at the intersection of religion and nonreligion. Our data (N=6938) was collected with face-to-face interviews (N=1965) and from an internet panel (N=4313) in Finland. We present both an overall picture on what people consider sacred and the results of exploring the effect of religiousness, political stance, and social structural positions. Respondents of both moderately religious and nonreligious groups tend to hold health, love, and close ones sacred. Our findings challenge a linear, dualistic view of religious versus nonreligious and show that sacred exceeds religious boundaries and is experienced by religious and nonreligious people alike, but in various ways. The concept of sacred can be used to detect the inner diversity of both religious and nonreligious identities.

The Readiness of Islamic Religious Education Teachers to Enter The Era of Industrial Society 5.0

The challenges of entering the era of Society 5.0 require people to face more complex challenges. These changes have both positive and negative impacts. In connection with the progress of Society 5.0, educational institutions have new challenges, namely not only making their students academically ready but also printing them with character. The development of the world of communication today requires people to face various complex challenges. The era of society 5.0 has an impact on all human life, both positive and negative. In this context, educational institutions are expected to be pivotal in addressing the challenges. This can be achieved by equipping students with a comprehensive understanding of religious studies. This research is included in library research using the content analysis method. This research used the following procedures: Preparing tools, preparing the work bibliography, timing, analysis, and compiling research notes. The data in the study were obtained from literature in accordance with the research topic. The new concept emerges, intact and up-to-date, from the collected and processed data. This includes gathering references manually and digitally. This research indicates that educators must prepare themselves to face the challenges of the Society 5.0 era. This preparation should entail two key areas of focus, namely character education, which at least includes five characters: religious, independent, nationalist, integrity, and cooperation, and links learning with critical thinking skills.

IMPLEMENTATION OF SHODAQOH INFAQ WARGA (SIAGA) PROGRAM IN PRODUCING ULAMA CADRES AT THE BAITUL MAKMUR KEMBANGSONGO MOSQUE BANTUL

Not all mosques have activities to produce ulama cadres. In fact, the cadre formation of ulama is important for the continuity of da'wah in an area. This research aims to describe the implementation of Shodaqoh Infaq Warga (SIAGA) to produce ulama cadres at the Baitul Makmur mosque, Bantul, Yogyakarta. This research is descriptive research with a case study. The research informants were the chairman of the mosque takmir, the chairman of the SIAGA division, community leaders, and leaders of Islamic boarding schools who collaborated with the takmir. The research methods used are interviews and observation. Data were analyzed qualitatively using the Miles and Huberman model. The research results show that SIAGA activities include: planning, organizing, coordinating, controlling, and two new stages namely maintaining and sustaining. The SIAGA activities have implemented Islamic communication principles in their execution, including: qaulan balighan, qaulan maysuran, qaulan kariman, qaulan ma’rufan, qaulan layyinan, and qaulan sadidan. The SIAGA program is considered effective in producing ulama cadres. The SIAGA activities in Kembangsongo village have also inspired neighboring villages to initiate similar programs to develop future religious scholars. Evaluation research on SIAGA activities needs to be carried out to analyze the effectiveness of the activities.

Becoming More Grounded: The Enduring Appeal of Ancient Pilgrimage for the Contemporary Seeker

This article builds on a previous essay and arises from research carried out between the summer of 2018 and the spring of 2020 among pilgrims who had participated in the Camino de Santiago in northwestern Spain and St Patrick’s Purgatory on Lough Derg in the northwest of Ireland. Research focused on embodied experience in relation to pilgrim motivation, groundedness and the enduring power of sacred travel as ritual. Convergent considerations about psychology, theology and pilgrimage studies were deployed as lenses of analysis of the pilgrims’ experience. The findings brought clarity in relation to pilgrims’ motivations and the subsequent satiation experienced as they became more grounded in relation to the physical rituals of the pilgrimage. The experience of full-blooded, fleshy embodiment, the analysis suggests, has considerable psychological dividend and is, the discussion argues, of theological significance, particularly from the perspective of Incarnation. As pilgrimage scholars have noted, a refreshing outcome of 21st Century research is the way in which it has been lifted out of the ‘narrow fields of religious or medieval studies’ and yet the analysis of this study suggests that we not dismiss the enduring possibility of religious quest as a still traceable element in the experience of contemporary pilgrimage.

An interview with Richard Swinburne

Abstract This article is part of Religious Studies’ new initiative to publish a series of interviews with distinguished philosophers of religion. Each interview explores the personal and academic background of the interviewee and discusses their core philosophical views. The aim is to inspire students and scholars and to provide an overview of some of the most important works developed by contemporary philosophers of religion. In the first interview, Max Baker-Hytch interviews Richard Swinburne, covering such topics as his upbringing, his days as a student in Oxford in the 1950s, and his views on natural theology, the problem of evil, and the mind-body problem.

Integrating educational technology into Lesotho Secondary Religious Studies: A conceptual exploration of practical challenges and opportunities

The use of educational technology (Ed-tech) is becoming more prevalent in shaping teaching methods to meet the needs of modern learners. This study examines how Ed-tech is integrated into secondary Religious Studies classrooms in Lesotho, using the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework as a guide. By reviewing global literature, it looks at the opportunities and challenges of incorporating digital tools into Religious Studies, a subject aimed at developing social skills and moral values. Research suggests that technology can improve student engagement, critical thinking, and ethical reasoning through platforms like cloud-based learning and multimedia resources. However, Lesotho faces obstacles in implementing Ed-tech, including inadequate infrastructure, insufficient teacher training, and outdated educational policies, which leads to a digital divide, especially in rural areas with limited access to electricity and the internet. The study concludes that while Ed-tech has the potential to transform Religious Studies education, addressing these systemic barriers is crucial for effective implementation. It recommends improving technological infrastructure, providing professional development for teachers, updating curriculum policies to meet 21st-century requirements, and integrating digital literacy into the Religious Studies curriculum. Overcoming these challenges will not only bridge the digital divide but also enhance the teaching and learning of Religious Studies, equipping learners with skills to navigate the ethical and digital complexities of the modern world.

Double Decolonization

Following the outbreak of COVID-19, there emerged a popular narrative that East Asians are submissively complying control measures because they have been conditioned by Confucianism. Taking this narrative as a point of departure, this article reflects on why and how East Asia has been essentialized as a historical and distant other and left out of post-decolonial conversations from a religious studies perspective. Proposing a framework of “double decolonization,” the article historicizes the co-production of such orientalist narrative by both global and regional hegemonies for nationalistic, imperialistic, or other ideological reasons, hence the need to double-decolonize such essentialization. Furthermore, this article emphasizes the diffused and socially engaged nature of East Asia religions against acontextual imaginations underlying the World Religions Paradigm (WRP) and introduces the notion of “transnationally Asian” to highlight the transnational nature of local hegemonies and the transnational formation of agency against such hegemonies.

Book Review: Social Research Methods for Students and Scholars of Theology and Religious Studies by Joshua Iyadurai, Chenai

Book Review: <i>Social Research Methods for Students and Scholars of Theology and Religious Studies</i> by Joshua Iyadurai, Chenai

The Office of Shaykh al-‘Aql of the Druze in Lebanon

This book forum centers on Said Abou Zaki's Arabic book, “The Office of Shaykh al-‘Aql of the Druze in Lebanon.” It includes contributions from various scholars, each offering a unique perspective on the historical and institutional analysis of Druze religious leadership in Lebanon: Tuba Yildiz, Yusri Hazran, Akram Khater, and Abdul Rahman M. Chamseddine. Yildiz acknowledges the lack of historical readings and erroneous information in early 20th-century works on the Druze. She appreciates Abou Zaki's comprehensive study of Lebanese and Ottoman perspectives, offering a broader understanding of the Druze religious institution's development and its connection with the Ottoman Empire's socio-religious policies. Hazran commends the book for providing a comprehensive historical study of the Druze community's religious and spiritual leadership, shedding light on its evolution from the 11th century through to the Ottoman Empire's fall. Although the book excels in its research methods and historical insights, Hazran suggests strengthening it by addressing specific methodological and historical issues, such as placing the discussion on existing narratives and substantiating Emir Bashir Shihab II's role in the schism. Khater highlights the internal tensions in Abou Zaki's book arising from its threefold goals: serving as a historiographical essay, an origins story, and a history of Mashyakhat al-‘Aql. Khater commends the work's critical review of existing literature and acknowledges the book's significant contribution to understanding the position of Shaykh al-‘Aql amidst political crises. Chamseddine praised Abou Zaki's critical historiographical approach and genealogical method. Chamseddine highlights the importance of integrating oral histories and local traditions into academic research. He notes that Abou Zaki's work sheds light on the Druze community's religious evolution, although he critiques the book's occasional lack of coherence due to abrupt transitions and unexplained terminology. The reviewers concluded that the book constitutes a significant contribution to Druze Studies.

Developing a Taught Module on ‘Law, Religion, and Environment’

Building on the Arab Barometer seventh wave survey, which highlights the regional priorities on climate change, water resources, and environmental development in Middle East and North Africa, this paper explores the potential for a module on “Law, Religion and Environmental Sustainability”. The module aims to mainstream environmental sustainability in the legal education curriculum through forging the intersections between law, religion, and the environment. The growing body of interdisciplinary research on religion and environmentalism mainly involves scholars from academic disciplines such as sociology, theology, and religious studies, but not law. The Arab Barometer results indicate that citizens’ environmental concerns are mostly linked to the micro level, without directly reflecting on related macro level issues. However, religious beliefs and faith systems often cut across the micro and macro levels, and could potentially advance environmental and sustainable development objectives. Moreso, there have been pockets of non-international armed conflicts that are in some ways tied to religious beliefs and cultural values on access to natural resources such as land and water. This paper addresses how to train law students to embrace and contribute to the emerging field of religion and environmentalism. Such training would equip law graduates to (a) have a good understanding of the contemporary social, economic and political context of environmental governance and sustainable development laws; (b) appreciate the interlinkages between law, religion and environment at a theoretical and practical level; and (c) be better equipped to maximise the opportunities and resolve tensions that may arise from mainstreaming legal principles, including human rights and justice, in advancing sustainable development goals, including environmental sustainability. , , CurriculumDevelopment, MENA region, Legal Education,

Correlation of Justice in the Mahabharata Film with the Concept of Justice of Murtadho Muthahhari

The writing of this scientific paper discusses how the correlation between justice in the Mahabharata film and the concept of justice by Murtadho Muthahhari. Justice has become a topic of discussion by philosophers, religious scholars, politicians, and of course legal experts such as Murtadho Muthahhari. The purpose of this study is to find out the situation in the Mahabharata film, the concept of justice of Murtadho Muthahhari, and how it correlates with each other. The research method used is a qualitative method, with data sources obtained from the Mahabharata film, as well as books, and scientific works that support the research. After conducting this research, it can be found that there are similarities between justice in the Mahabharata film and the concept of justice by Murtadho Muthahhari. Murtadho Muthahhari explained that a person's good and bad deeds will not be separated from the judgment of God Almighty. In the story of Mahabharata which describes a person who does good, there will be a reward for his deeds. Likewise with evil deeds. Conclusion As in his story, the Pandavas who always do good will get a good reward from God, as well as Kaurawa who always does evil, will always get misfortune. This belief has been embraced by every religion, Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam as the religion that the author follows.

Strengthening Islamic Religious Education Values in Developing Independent Character

This study explores the strengthening of Islamic Religious Education values at the Nyai Ahmad Dahlan Ponorogo Child Welfare Institution (LKSA NAD) in developing foster children's independence. This study uses a qualitative approach with a case study. Data were collected through interviews, observations, and documents. Validity was tested by triangulation, and data analysis was carried out using the Miles interactive model, including collection, condensation, presentation, and conclusion. Strengthening the values of Islamic Education (PAI) at LKSA NAD plays a vital role in developing the character of independence of foster children. Strengthening the values of PAI at LKSA NAD is carried out through material, habituation, and lectures. Strengthening the material includes memorisation of the qur'an, interpretation, the qur'an and hadith, aqidah akhlaq, fiqh, and imla, qira'ah (recitation), arabic language learning, muhadarah (speech), al-Islam and Muhammadiyah, tartil reading the qur'an. Habituation is carried out through activities at the Ramadhan short-term boarding school, obligatory and sunnah worship, while lectures are given in religious study (kajian). This program has successfully increased foster children's independence, especially in making independent decisions, understanding moral values, and preparing themselves professionally with Islamic ethics. Foster children realise the benefits of this program in facing independent life in the future, although it was initially challenging. Materials such as memorising the qur'an, aqidah akhlaq, fiqh, and muhadarah are essential in strengthening PAI values. This study shows that strengthening Islamic Education values significantly contributes to increasing foster children's independence through Islamic ethics and responsible decision-making skills.

Dialogue Between Theology and Science: Present Challenges and Future Perspectives

In order to consider the natural sciences as a contemporary locus theologicus, I here examine the meaning and implications of the “dialogue between theology and the sciences”. Although widely used, this expression has different meanings. I try to clarify who the interlocutors of the dialogue are, where the dialogue takes place, and what the goals of the dialogue itself are. A coherent agenda to encourage the use of the sciences in theological work should include (a) the design and implementation of interdisciplinary curricula to help those scholars who are seriously interested to be trained in this field; (b) an emphasis on the role of philosophy and philosophical sources in the study of the sciences and theology; (c) going beyond the epistemological level and developing the dialogue also at the anthropological level; (d) the identification of a number of key issues for theological and religious studies that are expected to become more urgent in the coming years. Finally, the use of the sciences as a locus theologicus is expected to bear two main fruits: first, to offer a positive, speculative insight to the work of theologians and, second, to contribute to a responsible development of the dogmatic teachings of the Church.

Sholawat Tradition and Conflict Resolution: A Case Study of the Kotarindau Pilgrimage Council in Sigi Regency

This research aims to explore the role of religion in dealing with inter-village conflicts through a case study at the Kotarindau Village Pilgrimage Council, Dolo District. Through a qualitative approach, this research will explore various activities carried out by the Pilgrimage Council and the role of religion in overcoming and preventing conflicts that may arise between villages in Dolo District. The research methods used include participatory observation, in-depth interviews with members of the Pilgrimage Council and related stakeholders, and analysis of documents related to activities and conflicts. The Pilgrimage Council creates a safe and loving space through religious activities such as congregational prayers, religious studies, and pilgrimages to the graves of predecessors. This deepens people's spirituality and builds soul strength to maintain daily harmony. This research also suggests further research regarding the Kotarindau Pilgrimage Council, especially in comprehensive documentation and understanding of programs such as the celebration of the Majlis's Milad, the Prophet's birthday, pilgrimages to the graves of respected elders, as well as socio-religious activities such as the Pilgrimage Council's contribution to people with disabilities. In Sigi Regency, this could be the focus of future research at the Pilgrimage Council.