Religion or religious studies: what difference does it make?

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2002-3.pdf (35.67 KB)

Authors

Ensign, Robert

Issue Date

2002

Volume

4

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Journal Article

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Research Projects

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Abstract

Unique among other disciplines in the academy, religion is almost exclusively approached as an<em>object</em>of study. Study<em>of</em>religion becomes study<em>about</em>religion. This approach, where religion becomes religious studies, is the product of the science-based<em>Wissenschaft</em>principle, which is often perceived to be wholly objective, without presupposition, and value-free. However, a post-modern critique shows that this principle itself is really none of these. This paper represents a call for re-orienting our approach to religion in the academy. Using a specific case at a specific institution - a historically Black, church-related liberal arts college - we will develop an approach in which the discipline of religion becomes<em>subject</em>of study: study<em>of</em>religion becomes study<em>by</em>religion. We will show that such an approach is not only possible in the academy, but also desirable.

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Citation

Ensign, Robert. (2002), Religion or religious studies: what difference does it make? Journal of Religion & Society, 4.

Publisher

Rabbi Myer and Dorothy Kripke Center, Creighton University

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CC-BY 4.0

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http://hdl.handle.net/10504/64374

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Additional link

https://moses.creighton.edu/jrs/toc/2002.html

ISSN

1522-5658

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Journal of Religion and Society