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Below are downloads (PDF format) of the M.A. (Religion) theses of some of our graduates to date.

Note: Certain requirements for current thesis students have changed since earlier theses were completed.

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Religious Studies Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2024 2024.

The Role of Muslim Women in Nigeria’s Socioeconomic Development Through the Implementation of The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals , Faqiat Afolake Adeaga

The Theoretical Epigenetic Relationship Between Complex-PTSD and ADHD in Holocaust Survivors’ Descendants , Y. Sahara Brodsky

Apertures in Recollections A Mental Trauma Response to the Holocaust Experience , Nicole T. Broxterman

Differentiating Magic: a Call for a Differential Approach , Weston L. Wright

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Interpreting 9/11: Religious or Political Event? , Fadime Apaydin

The need to address religious diversity at work: an all-inclusive model of spirituality at work , Ivonne Valero Cázares

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

The Mass is the Medium: Marshall McLuhan and Roman Catholic Liturgical Change , Ashil D. Manohar

White Too Long: Christianity or Nationalism? , Rachel E. Osborne

"Theology" in the Public University , Sarah T. White

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Warfare in Christianity and Islam: Unveiling Secular Justifications and Motivations Behind So-Called Religious Violence , Onur Korkmaz

Legitimizing Violence: Functional Similarities of the Religious and the Secular Violence , Tahir Topal

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

“Living Creatures of Every Kind:” An Ecofeminist Reading of Genesis 1-3 , T. G. Barkasy

Three Theorists on Religious Violence in an Islamic Context: Karen Armstrong, Mark Juergensmeyer, and William T. Cavanaugh , Ayse Camur

Complex Tripartite Hydro Politics of River Ganges , Muttaki Bin Kamal

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Solid Metaphor and Sacred Space: Interpreting the Paradigmatic and Syntagmatic Relations Found at Beth Alpha Synagogue , Evan Carter

Growth, and Development of Care for Leprosy Sufferers Provided by Religious Institutions from the First Century AD to the Middle Ages , Philippa Juliet Meek

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Altering Tian: Spirituality in Early Confucianism , Jacob Thomas Atkinson

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

The U.S. Department of State Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives: What does the U.S. engage when they engage `religion'? , Belgica Marisol Cucalon

Rising Above a Crippling Hermeneutic , Luke Steven, Carlos, Armando Thompson

Theses/Dissertations from 2011 2011

From Cosmogony to Anthropogony: Inscribing Bodies in Vedic Cosmogony and Samskara Rituals , Christine Boulos

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

Gadamer and Nāgārjuna in Play: Providing a New Anti-Objectivist Foundation for Gadamer’s Interpretive Pluralism with Nāgārjuna’s Help , Nicholas Byle

Shamanism, Spiritual Transformation and the Ethical Obligations of the Dying Person: A Narrative Approach , Ellen W. Klein

Theses/Dissertations from 2009 2009

Finding Confucianism in Scientology: A comparative analysis , John Albert Kieffer

Sympathy for the devil: A character analysis of Gibreel Farishta in Salman Rushdie's The satanic verses , Catherine Mary Lafuente

The Babel paradox , Michel Machado

Theology, Spirituality, and the Academic Study of Religion in Public Universities , Don Saunders

Broadening the Spectrum: The Religious Dimensions of the Rainbow Gatherings , Seth M. Walker

Theses/Dissertations from 2008 2008

Poetry and Ritual: The Physical Expression of Homoerotic Imagery in sama , Zachary Holladay

Religious Exiles And Emigrants: The Changing Face Of Zoroastrianism , Tara Angelique Migliore

Metropolitan Community Church: A Perfectly Queer Reading Of The Bible , Matthew D. Stewart

Theses/Dissertations from 2007 2007

(Dis)continuity between Sikhism and Islam: The development of hukam across religions , Mark Horowitz

Natural Law Ethics: A Comparison of the Theravāda and Thomistic Traditions , David Lantigua

An analysis Of Origen's charismatic ideology in his Commentary on the Gospel of John , Kimberly W. Logan-Hudson

The proliferating sacred: Secularization and postmodernity , Donald Surrency

Theses/Dissertations from 2006 2006

The commodification of yoga in contemporary U.S. culture , Michelle E. Demeter

The Middle-Class Religious Ideology and the Underclass Struggle: A Growing Divide in Black Religion , Franklin Hills Jr.

The ethics of the spirit in Galatians: Considering Paul's paranesis in the interpretation of his theology , Steven Douglas Meigs

Cicero and St. Augustine's Just War Theory: Classical Influences on a Christian Idea , Berit Van Neste

Theses/Dissertations from 2005 2005

The Origins of Jewish Apocalyptic Literature: Prophecy, Babylon, and 1 Enoch , Sarah Robinson

Theses/Dissertations from 2004 2004

Sports and the American Sacred: What are the Limits of Civil Religion? , Frank Ferreri

Radical Religious Groups and Government Policy: A Critical Evaluation , Tori Chambers Lockler

“Symbolism of Language: A Study in the Dialogue of Power Between the Imperial Cult and the Synoptic Gospels” , Sharon Matlock-Marsh

Near-Death Experiences, Religion, and Life After Death , Holly Wallace

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The Best 50 Religion Research Topics to Use for Students

In our multi-religious and multicultural society, crafting a great research paper on religion is a challenging task. Indeed, this challenge starts from the first stage of preparing your paper: identifying a good religious research paper topic. Further, it is almost impossible to write a paper without offending one or more religious feelings, especially when working on the history of religion. To make writing your paper easy, you must start by picking good religious paper topics.

In this paper, we list 50 religion research paper topics and a guide for selecting the best. If you want to get good grades, start with the right step- the best topic.

Why You Need the Best Religion Research Paper Topics

When working on any research paper, the most important step is identifying the topic. Indeed, the topic determines the direction you will take with the paper. Here are other benefits of selecting the best topics for a religious research paper.

• It allows you to work on the preferred area of interest.
• With a good topic, you do not get bored midway.
• A great topic offers you the opportunity to fill knowledge gaps in the field of religious studies.
• It is your opportunity to make your contribution felt.
• Picking the best topics is the first step to better grades.

How to Pick the Best Topics for a Religious Research Paper

Now that you know the benefits of selecting the best topics for your religious papers, you might be wondering, “How do I pick it?” Here are some useful tips to help you identify the best:

• Brainstorm your religious study subject. This will help you to get the best ideas to work on.
• Comprehensively research your area of interest. For example, you might be interested in the history of religion, church and social action, creationism, or modernism and religion.
• Look at the latest happenings. Things such as religious involvement in economics and education might inspire your paper ideas.
• Follow your teacher’s recommendation. Often, professors give guidelines to students on the areas they should work on. For example, if you were covering a certain area in your religious education studies class; your teacher might ask you to pick topics from that section only. But in most cases, teachers leave the topics open for students to select on their own.
• Read other research on religious studies. Most researchers point at gaps that exist in the niche so that later students can work on them. This is a great place to commence your research paper.

The Best Religious Topics for a Research Paper

Whether you prefer working on religious controversial topics or philosophy of religion essay topics, we have listed the best 50 ideas to get you started. Check them and pick them as they are or tweak them to fit your preferred format.

• Christian and economics.
• Religion and homosexuality.
• Black churches.
• Christianity history.
• Comparing and contrasting Christian and Islam history.
• A closer look at world religions without gods.
• The concept of religion and soul.
• The impact of religious laws on morality.
• The phenomenon of trickster gods.
• The impact of Greek religion on European culture.
• Impact of religion on American culture.
• Impact of religion on Chinese culture.
• Comparing the similarities of images of gods in different religions.
• How does gender affect religion?
• Islam in modern India.
• What is the future of religion?
• Afterlife: What are the differences in diverse religions?
• What are the main causes of the faith crisis?
• Analyzing the influence of female clergy on religion.
• Relooking at the reincarnation concept.
• What role do men have in religion?
• The impacts of yoga on religion.
• Can faith remove the harshness of adolescence?
• Why is Ramadhan referred to as the holy month?
• Comparing religious counselors to classical psychologists.
• A closer look at the main differences between the bible and Koran.
• What is the importance of Christmas for Christians?
• Creationism.
• Religion and science.
• How do people implement different religious practices today?
• Should atheism be considered another form of religion?
• Judaism: A closer look at its history.
• Analyzing attitudes towards sex in the Christian religion.
• Children: Are they considered innocent in all religions?
• A closer look at the history of Hinduism.
• A closer look at the existence of God as a supernatural being.
• Comparing and contrasting monotheistic cultures.
• Female goddesses.
• Chaplain-ship: How does it trigger peace and harmony?
• Impact of women in the history of Christianity.
• What are the implications of forced religion on people?
• Religion and terrorism.
• Religion in the workplace.
• Religion and evolution.
• Nordic mythology.
• A world without religion: Is it possible?
• Applying religion to address global problems.
• The primal religions.
• Do you think religion should play a role in modern politics?
• Do you think religion influences societal virtues?

Got the Best Religion Topics to Write About – What Next?

Now that you have a list of the best world religion research paper topics, it is important to appreciate that the journey of writing your assignment has just started. The next step is to write down your paper in line with your teacher’s guidelines. This is where your writing skills come into play. Well, it is never easy for many students. Often, some lack good writing skills, have other engagements, or acquire the right resources is a challenge. For others, the deadline is too tight and almost impossible to beat. The best idea is to seek affordable college assignment writing help.

After selecting the best topics, be they sociology or religion research topics or religious debate topics, writing help is provided by experts with years of experience in academic writing. They have handled such papers before and are willing to help you craft the best paper for top grades. Well, do not let that religious research paper stress you anymore, let a professional help you!

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215 Religion Research Paper Topics for College Students

Studying religion at a college or a university may be a challenging course for any student. This isn’t because religion is always a sensitive issue in society, it is because the study of religion is broad, and crafting religious topics for research papers around them may be further complex for students. This is why sociology of religion research topics and many others are here, all for your use.

As students of a university or a college, it is essential to prepare religious topics for research papers in advance. There are many research paper topics on religion, and this is why the scope of religion remains consistently broad. They extend to the sociology of religion, research paper topics on society, argumentative essay topics, and lots more. All these will be examined in this article. Rather than comb through your books in search of inspiration for your next essay or research paper, you can easily choose a topic for your religious essay or paper from the following recommendations:

World Religion Research Paper Topics

If you want to broaden your scope as a university student to topics across religions of the world, there are religion discussion topics to consider. These topics are not just for discussion in classes, you can craft research around them. Consider:

• The role of myths in shaping the world: Greek myths and their influence on the evolution of European religions
• Modern History: The attitude of modern Europe on the history of their religion
• The connection between religion and science in the medieval and modern world
• The mystery in the books of Dan Brown is nothing but fiction: discuss how mystery shapes religious beliefs
• Theocracy: an examination of theocratic states in contemporary society
• The role of Christianity in the modern world
• The myth surrounding the writing of the Bible
• The concept of religion and patriarchy: examine two religions and how it oppresses women
• People and religion in everyday life: how lifestyle and culture is influenced by religion
• The modern society and the changes in the religious view from the medieval period
• The interdependence of laws and religion is a contemporary thing: what is the role of law in religion and what is the role of religion in law?
• What marked the shift from religion to humanism?
• What do totemism and animalism denote?
• Pre Colonial religion in Africa is savagery and barbaric: discuss
• Cite three religions and express their views on the human soul
• Hinduism influenced Indian culture in ways no religion has: discuss
• Africans are more religious than Europeans who introduced Christian religion to them: discuss
• Account for the evolution of Confucianism and how it shaped Chinese culture to date
• Account for the concept of the history of evolution according to Science and according to a religion and how it influences the ideas of the religious soul
• What is religious education and how can it promote diversity or unity?7
• Workplace and religion: how religion is extended to all facets of life
• The concept of fear in maintaining religious authorities: how authorities in religious places inspire fear for absolute devotion
• Afro-American religion: a study of African religion in America
• The Bible and its role in religions
• Religion is more of emotions than logic
• Choose five religions of the world and study the similarities in their ideas
• The role of religious leaders in combating global terrorism
• Terrorism: the place of religion in promoting violence in the Middle East
• The influence of religion in modern-day politics
• What will the world be like without religion or religious extremists?
• Religion in the growth of communist Russia: how cultural revolution is synonymous with religion
• Religion in the growth of communist China: how cultural revolution is synonymous with religion
• The study of religions and ethnic rivalries in India
• Terrorism in Islam is a comeback to the crusades
• The role of the Thirty Years of War in shaping world diplomacy
• The role of the Thirty Years of War in shaping plurality in Christianity
• The religion and the promotion of economics
• The place of world religions on homosexuality
• Why does a country, the Vatican City, belong to the Catholic Church?
• God and the concept of the supernatural: examine the idea that God is a supernatural being
• The influence of religion in contemporary Japan
• Religion and populism in the modern world
• The difference between mythical creatures and gods
• Polytheism and the possibility of world peace
• Religion and violence in secular societies?
• Warfare and subjugation in the spread of religion
• The policies against migrant in Poland is targeted against Islam
• The role of international organizations in maintaining religious peace
• International terrorist organizations and the decline of order

Research Paper Topics Religion and Society

As a student in a university or MBA student, you may be requested to write an informed paper on sociology and religion. There are many sociology religion research paper topics for these segments although they may be hard to develop. You can choose out of the following topics or rephrase them to suit your research interest:

• The influence of religion on the understanding of morality
• The role of religion in marginalizing the LGBTQ community
• The role of women in religion
• Faith crisis in Christianity and Islamic religions
• The role of colonialism in the spreading of religion: the spread of Christianity and Islam is a mortal sin
• How does religion shape our sexual lifestyle?
• The concept of childhood innocence in religion
• Religion as the object of hope for the poor: how religion is used as a tool for servitude by the elite
• The impact of traditional beliefs in today’s secular societies
• How religion promotes society and how it can destroy it
• The knowledge of religion from the eyes of a sociologist
• Religious pluralism in America: how diverse religions struggle to strive
• Social stratification and its role in shaping religious groups in America
• The concept of organized religion: why the belief in God is not enough to join a religious group
• The family has the biggest influence on religious choices: examine how childhood influences the adult’s religious interests
• Islamophobia in European societies and anti-Semitism in America
• The views of Christianity on interfaith marriage
• The views of Islam on interfaith marriage
• The difference between spirituality and religion
• The role of discipline in maintaining strict religious edicts
• How do people tell others about their religion?
• The features of religion in sociology
• What are the views of Karl Marx on religion?
• What are the views of Frederic Engels on religion?
• Modern Islam: the conflict of pluralism and secularism
• Choose two religions and explore their concepts of divorce
• Governance and religion: how religion is also a tool of control
• The changes in religious ideas with technological evolution
• Theology is the study of God for God, not humans
• The most feared religion: how Islamic extremists became identified as terrorist organizations
• The role of cults in the society: why religious people still have cults affiliations
• The concept of religious inequality in the US
• What does religion say about sexual violence?

Religion Essay Topics

As a college student, you may be required to write an essay on religion or morality. You may need to access a lot of religious essay topics to find inspiration for a topic of your choice. Rather than go through the stress of compiling, you can get more information for better performance from religion topics for research paper like:

• The origin of Jihad in Islam and how it has evolved
• Compare the similarities and differences between Christian and Judaism religions
• The Thirty Years War and the Catholic church
• The Holocaust: historic aggression or a religious war
• Religion is a tool of oppression from the political and economic perspectives
• The concept of patriarchy in religion
• Baptism and synonym to ritual sacrifice
• The life of Jesus Christ and the themes of theology
• The life of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) and the themes of theology
• How can religion be used to promote world peace?
• Analyze how Jesus died and the reason for his death
• Analyze the event of the birth of Christ
• The betrayal of Jesus is merely to fulfill a prophecy
• Does “prophecy” exist anywhere in religion?
• The role of war in promoting religion: how crusades and terrorist attacks shape the modern world
• The concept of Karma: is Karma real?
• Who are the major theorists in religion and what do they say?
• The connection of sociology with religion
• Why must everyone be born again according to Christians?
• What does religious tolerance mean?
• What is the benefit of religion in society?
• What do you understand about free speech and religious tolerance?
• Why did the Church separate from the state?
• The concept of guardian angels in religion
• What do Islam and Christianity say about the end of the world?
• Religion and the purpose of God for man
• The concept of conscience in morality is overrated
• Are there different sects in Christianity?
• What does Islam or Christianity say about suicide?
• What are the reasons for the Protestant Reformation?
• The role of missionaries in propagating Christianity in Africa
• The role of the Catholic church in shaping Christianity
• Do we need an international religious organization to maintain international religious peace?
• Why do people believe in miracles?

Argumentative Essay Topics on Religion

Creating argumentative essay topics on religion may be a daunting exercise regardless of your level. It is more difficult when you don’t know how to start. Your professor could be interested in your critical opinions about international issues bordering on religion, which is why you need to develop sensible topics. You can consider the following research paper topics religion and society for inspiration:

• Religion will dominate humanity: discuss
• All religions of the world dehumanize the woman
• All men are slaves to religion
• Karl Marx was right when he said religion is the return of the repressed, “the sigh of the oppressed creature”: discuss
• Christianity declined in Europe with the Thirty Years War and it separated brothers and sisters of the Christian faith?
• Islamic terrorism is a targeted attack on western culture
• The danger of teen marriage in Islam is more than its benefits
• The church should consider teen marriages for every interested teenager
• Is faith fiction or reality?
• The agape love is restricted to God and God’s love alone
• God: does he exist or is he a fiction dominating the world?
• Prayer works better without medicine: why some churches preach against the use of medicine
• People change religion because they are confused about God: discuss
• The church and the state should be together
• Polygamous marriage is evil and it should be condemned by every religion
• Cloning is abuse against God’s will
• Religious leaders should also be political leaders
• Abortion: a sin against God or control over your body
• Liberty of religious association affects you negatively: discuss
• Religious leaders only care about themselves, not the people
• Everyone should consider agnosticism
• Natural laws are the enemy of religion
• It is good to have more than two faiths in a family
• It is hard for the state to exist without religion
• Religion as a cause of the World War One
• Religion as a tool for capitalists
• Religion doesn’t promote morality, only extremisms
• Marriage: should the people or their religious leaders set the rules?
• Why the modern church should acknowledge the LGBTQ: the fight for true liberalism
• Mere coexistence is not religious tolerance
• The use of candles, incense, etc. in Catholic worship is idolatrous and the same as pagan worship: discuss
• The Christian religion is the same as Islam

Christianity Research Paper Topics on Religion

It doesn’t matter if you’re a Christian or not as you need to develop a range of topics for your essay or project. To create narrow yet all-inclusive research about Christianity in the world today, you can consider research topics online. Rather than rack your head or go through different pages on the internet, consider these:

• Compare and contrast Christian and Islam religions
• Trace the origin of Christianity and the similarity of the beliefs in the contemporary world
• Account for the violent spread of Christianity during the crusades
• Account for the state of Christianity in secular societies
• The analysis of the knowledge of rapture in Christianity
• Choose three contemporary issues and write the response of Christianity on them
• The Catholic church and its role towards the continuance of sexual violence
• The Catholic church and the issues of sexual abuse and scandals
• The history of Christianity in America
• The history of Christianity in Europe
• The impact of Christianity on American slaves
• The belief of Christianity on death, dying, and rapture
• The study of Christianity in the medieval period
• How Christianity influenced the western world
• Christianity: the symbols and their meaning
• Why catholic priests practice celibacy
• Christianity in the Reformation Era
• Discuss the Gnostic Gospels and their distinct historic influence on Christianity
• The catholic church in the Third Reich of Germany
• The difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament
• What the ten commandments say from a theological perspective
• The unpredictable story of Moses
• The revival of Saul to Paul: miracle or what?
• Are there Christian cults in the contemporary world?
• Gender differences in the Christian church: why some churches don’t allow women pastors
• The politics of the Catholic church before the separation of the church and the state
• The controversies around Christian religion and atheism: why many people are leaving the church
• What is the Holy Trinity and what is its role in the church?
• The miracles of the New Testament and its difference from the Old Testament’s
• Why do people question the existence of God?
• God is a spirit: discuss

Islam Research Paper Topics

As a student of the Islamic religion or a Muslim, you may be interested in research on the religion. Numerous Islam research paper topics could be critical in shaping your research paper or essay. These are easy yet profound research paper topics on religion Islam for your essays or papers:

• Islam in the Middle East
• Trace the origin of Islam
• Who are the most important prophets in Islam?
• Discuss the Sunni and other groups of Muslims
• The Five Pillars of Islam are said to be important in Islam, why?
• Discuss the significance of the Holy Month
• Discuss the significance of the Holy Pilgrimage
• The distinctions of the Five Pillars of Islam and the Ten Commandments?
• The controversies around the hijab and the veil
• Western states are denying Muslims: why?
• The role of religious leaders in their advocacy of sexual abuse and violence
• What the Quran says about rape and what does Hadiths say, too?
• Rape: men, not the women roaming the street should be blamed
• What is radicalism in Islam?
• The focus of Islam is to oppress women: discuss
• The political, social, and economic influence of modernity on Islam
• The notable wives of prophet Muhammad and their role in Islam: discuss
• Trace the evolution of Islam in China and the efforts of the government against them
• Religious conflict in Palestine and Israel: how a territorial conflict slowly became a religious war
• The study of social class and the Islamic religion
• Suicide bombers and their belief of honor in death: the beliefs of Islamic jihadists
• Account for the issues of marginalization of women in Muslim marriages
• The role of literature in promoting the fundamentals of Islam: how poetry was used to appeal to a wider audience
• The concept of feminism in Islam and why patriarchy seems to be on a steady rise
• The importance of Hadiths in the comprehension of the Islamic religion
• Does Islam approve of democracy?
• Islamic terrorism and the role of religious leaders
• The relationship of faith in Islam and Christianity: are there differences in the perspectives of faith?
• How the Quran can be used as a tool for religious tolerance and religious intolerance
• The study of Muslims in France: why is there religious isolation and abuse in such a society?
• Islam and western education: what are the issues that have become relevant in recent years?
• Is there a relationship between Islam and Science?
• Western culture: why there are stereotypes against Muslims abroad
• Mythology in Islam: what role does it play in shaping the religion?
• Islam and the belief in the afterlife: are there differences between its beliefs with other religions’?
• Why women are not allowed to take sermons in Islam

Can’t Figure Out Your Religion Paper?

With these religious research paper topics, you’re open to change the words or choose a topic of your choice for your research paper or essay. Writing an essay after finding a topic is relatively easy. Since you have helpful world religion research paper topics, research paper topics on religion and society, religion essay topics, argumentative essay topics on religion, Christianity research paper topics, and Islam research paper topics, you can go online to research different books that discuss the topic of your choice.

However, if you require the assistance of professional academic experts who offer custom academic help, you’ll find them online. There are a few writing help online groups that assist in writing your essays or research paper as fast as possible. You can opt for their service if you’re too busy or unmotivated to write your research paper or essay.

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Home > STUDENT > STUDENT_THESES > MTH_THESES

Master of Theology Theses

Theses/dissertations from 2024 2024.

Theological Foundations for Shobi's Table Extending Hospitality in Hunger Ministry , Esther Kristianti Sianipar

How Can Pastors Who Are Working with Youth in Tanzania Help Youth Resolve Christian-Muslim Tensions? , Ombeni Martin Ulime

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Poverty Alleviation in the Rural Areas of Kunene Region in Namibia: The Role of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN) , Jeremia Ekandjo

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Missional Discipleship Within the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria , Innocent Webinumen Anthony

Empowering Laity to Engage in Pastoral Care Ministry: A Proposal for Capacity Building and Supervision for Larger Congregation with Special Reference to Kohima Ao Baptist Church, Nagaland, India. , Tsuwainla Jamir

The Social Role of Worship: A Reading of Micah 6:1-8 , Khin Win Kyi

Murmuring Met with Mercy and Grace: An Examination of the Pre-Sinai Wilderness Wanderings Traditions , Anna Rask

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

A Reinterpretation of Chin Christian Spirituality Beyond One Century in the Light Of Martin Luther's Freedom Of a Christian , Bawi Dua

New Every Morning: Epectasy as a Theology for Innovation , Joel Hinck

The Church’s Call to Minister to Refugees: A Case Study on Liberian Refugees in Minnesota , Rufus Kudee

Apostolicam Ecclesiam: Socio-Liturgical Interpretation of the Mission of the Church in the Perspective of Friedrich Nietzsche's "Antichrist" , Sebastian Ryszard Madejski

Developing Adaptive Leaders: An Initial Intervention for Transforming a Church Culture , Molly Schroeder

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

The Need for Older Adults’ Ministry in the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) , Bitrus Habu Bamai

Luther's Understanding of Grace and Its Implications for Administration of the Lord's Supper in the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria (LCCN) , Yelerubi Birgamus

Living the American Dream: Faith Formation and the Missio Dei Dilemma among Seventh Day Adventist African American Immigrant Families , Enock Ariga Marindi

Lakota Cultural Fusion and Revitalization of Native Christian Identity , Kelly Sherman-Conroy

The Word-of-God Conflict in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod in the 20th Century , Donn Wilson

The Rupture That Remains: A Trauma-Informed Pastoral Theology , Eric Worringer

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

The Challenge of Being in the Minority: Palestinian Christian Theology in Light of Christian Zionism Post-1948 , Medhat S. Yoakiem

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Towards Beloved Community: Racial Reconciliation through Multiracial Missional Churches , Gray Amos Kawamba

Sanctification in Adolescence: How Karl Barth’s Two-Fold Critique of the Church Could Influence Youth Ministry Practices Today , Joel Vander Wal

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

The Absolving Word : Luther's Reformational Turn , Matthew W. McCormick

The Defiled Imago Dei and Forgiveness: The Tensions Between Ethnicity and Humanity in the Image of God in the Context of the Ethiopian Churches , Wondimu Legesse Sonessa

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Widowhood Care and Empowerment in 1 Timothy 1:3-16: A Case Study of the Evangelical Methodist Church of Christ as a Paradigm for African Instituted Churches , Millicent Yeboah Asuamah

Theses/Dissertations from 2008 2008

Understanding the Nature and Impact of Alcoholism : Implications for Ministry in Kenya , Margaret Kemunto Obaga

Theses/Dissertations from 1963 1963

An Approach to the Interpretation of the Self-Designation of Jesus: The Son of Man , Marlin Eugene Ingebretson

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Home > ARTSSCI > Theology > dissertations and theses

Theology Dissertations and Theses

The Theology Dissertations Series is comprised of dissertations authored by Marquette University's Theology Department doctoral students.

Theses/Dissertations from 2024 2024

The Beauty of a Good Appetite in a Social Media Age , Megan Heeder

Place in Luke-Acts: A Geocritical Reading of Synagogue, House, and Temple , Daniel Mueller

Theses/Dissertations from 2023 2023

The Universality of God in Amo’s Oracles and Creation: A Historical-Critical Approach within a Catholic Context , Alexandra Bochte

Trinitarian Theology as a Resource for the Theology of Education , Anne Bullock

Existential Thomism and the Ecstasy of the Sexed Body , Kathleen Cavender-McCoy

Ecumenical Traditions: Byzantine and Franciscan Theology in Dialogue , Gino G. Grivetti

Person and Society: The Trinitarian Anthropology of Henri de Lubac , Sara Hulse

MIRACLES AND LAWS OF SCIENCE: INSIGHTS FOR CONTEMPORARY DIALOGUE ON DIVINE ACTION FROM SAID NURSI AND THOMAS AQUINAS , Edmund Michael Lazzari

Moved to Compassion: Envisioning Parables in the Gospel of Luke , Patrick J. O'Kernick

In the Power of the Spirit: Toward an Agapeic Ethic of Spirit-Baptism , Caroline Rose Redick

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

The Ethical Functions of Deuteronomic Laws in Early Second Temple Judaism , Paul Cizek

Finding Paul in the Fourth Gospel: John 8 and the Reception of the Apostle to the Gentiles , Jason Hitchcock

“Now I Will Recall the Works of God”: Allusion and Intertextuality in Sirach 42:15-43:33 , Gary Patrick Klump

The Human Person Fully Alive: The Transformation of the Body, Brain, Mind, and Soul of Humanity in the Encounter with the Divinity , Christopher Krall

Maximus the Confessor in Aquinas's Christology , Corey John Stephan

Rewriting the Ending: Malachi's Threat and the Destruction of the Temple in the Gospel of Mark , John Michael Strachan

Behold the Beasts Beside You: The Adaptation and Alteration of Animals in LXX-Job , James Wykes

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Biased in a World of Bias: A Cognitive and Spiritual Approach to Knowing Racial Justice , Stephen Calme

Where is Wisdom? Privileging Perspectives in the Book of Job , Israel McGrew

Being and Naming God: Essence and Energies in St. Gregory Palamas , Tikhon Alexander Pino

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Reception of the Economic Social Teaching of Gaudium et Spes in the United States from 1965-2005 , David Daniel Archdibald

Unity and Catholicity in Christ: The Ecclesiology of Francisco Suárez, S.J. , Eric DeMeuse

Filled with 'The Fullness of the Gifts of God': Towards a Pneumatic Theosis , Kirsten Guidero

Cathedrals of the Mind: Theological Method and Speculative Renewal in Trinitarian Theology , Ryan Hemmer

Fire in the Bread, Life in the Body: The Pneumatology of Ephrem the Syrian , David Kiger

Looks That Kill: White Power, Christianity, and the Occlusion of Justice , Wesley Sutermeister

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Beyond Slavery: Christian Theology and Rehabilitation from Human Trafficking , Christopher Michael Gooding

The Ambiguity of Being: Medieval and Modern Cooperation on the Problem of the Supernatural , Jonathan Robert Heaps

Widow As the Altar of God: Retrieving Ancient Sources for Contemporary Discussions on Christian Discipleship , Lisa Marin Moore

The New Day of Atonement: A Matthean Typology , Hans Moscicke

"The Present Evil Age": The Origin and Persistence of Evil in Galatians , Tyler Allen Stewart

A Sweet Influence: St. Bonaventure’s Franciscan Reception of Dionysian Hierarchy , Luke Vittorio Togni

Transforming the Foundation: Lonergan's Transposition of Aquinas' Notion of Wisdom , Juliana Vazquez Krivsky

Infideles Et Philosophi: Assent, Untruth, and Natural Knowledge of the Simple God , Jeffrey M. Walkey

Confessing Characters: Coming to Faith in the Gospel of John , Dominic Zappia

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Eighteenth-Century Forerunners of Vatican II: Early Modern Catholic Reform and the Synod of Pistoia , Shaun London Blanchard

The Media Matrix of Early Jewish and Christian Literature , Nicholas Andrew Elder

Imagining Demons in Post-Byzantine Jerusalem: John of Damascus and the Consolidation of Classical Christian Demonology , Nathaniel Ogden Kidd

Hoc Est Sacrificium Laudis: The Influence of Hebrews on the Origin, Structure, and Theology of the Roman Canon Missae , Matthew S. C. Olver

Reconciling Universal Salvation and Freedom of Choice in Origen of Alexandria , Lee W. Sytsma

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

The Doubt of the Apostles and the Resurrection Faith of the Early Church , J. D. Atkins

The Two Goats: A Christian Yom Kippur Soteriology , Richard Barry

Exodus as New Creation, Israel as Foundling: Stories in the History of an Idea , Christopher Evangelos John Brenna

Christus Exemplar: the Politics of Virtue in Lactantius , Jason Matthew Gehrke

Image and Virtue in Ambrose of Milan , Andrew Miles Harmon

A God Worth Worshiping: Toward a Critical Race Theology , Duane Terrence Loynes Sr.

The Cry of the Poor: Anthropology of Suffering and Justice in Health Care From a Latin American Liberation Approach , Alexandre Andrade Martins

The First Thing Andrew Did' [John 1:41]: Readers As Witnesses in the Fourth Gospel , Mark L. Trump

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Creator Spirit, Spirit of Grace: Trinitarian Dimensions of a Charitological Pneumatology , Wesley Scott Biddy

The Economic Trinity: Communion with the Triune God in a Market Economy , David Glenn Butner Jr.

Judgment, Justification, and the Faith Event in Romans , Raymond Foyer

Primeval History According to Paul: "In Adam" and "In Christ" in Romans , Timothy A. Gabrielson

Scripture in History: A Systematic Theology of the Christian Bible , Joseph K. Gordon

Gary Dorrien, Stanley Hauerwas, Rowan Williams, and the Theological Transformation of Sovereignties , David Wade Horstkoetter

The Mystical and Political Body: Christian Identity in the Theology of Karl Rahner , Erin Kidd

Love the Stranger for You were Strangers: The Development of a Biblical Literary Theme and Motif , Helga Kisler

Theo-Dramatic Ethics: A Balthasarian Approach to Moral Formation , Andrew John Kuzma

No Sympathy for the Devil: The Significance of Demons in John Chrysostom's Soteriology , Samantha Lynn Miller

Truly Human, Fully Divine: The Kenotic Christ of Thomas Aquinas , Gregorio Montejo

Didymus the Blind, Origen, and the Trinity , Kellen Plaxco

ITE, MISSA EST! A Missional Liturgical Ecclesiology , Eugene Richard Schlesinger

From Modes of Production to the Resurrection of the Body: A Labor Theory of Revolutionary Subjectivity & Religious Ideas , Benjamin Suriano

Blinded Eyes and Hardened Hearts: Intra-Jewish Critique in the Gospel of John , Nathan Thiel

Monarchianism and Origen's Early Trinitarian Theology , Stephen Edward Waers

Sanctification as Virtue and Mission: The Politics of Holiness , Nathan Willowby

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

The Word Became Flesh: An Exploratory Essay on Jesus’s Particularity and Nonhuman Animals , Andy Alexis-Baker

RENOVATIO: Martin Luther's Augustinian Theology of Holiness (1515/16 and 1535-46) , Phillip L. Anderas

Models of Conversion in American Evangelicalism: Jonathan Edwards, Charles Hodge and Old Princeton, and Charles Finney , Mark B. Chapman

The Kingdom of God and the Holy Spirit: Eschatology and Pneumatology in the Vineyard Movement , Douglas R. Erickson

The All-Embracing Frame: Distance in the Trinitarian Theology of Hans Urs von Balthasar , Christopher Hadley

"Make My Joy Complete": The Price of Partnership in the Letter of Paul to the Philippians , Mark Avery Jennings

The Unsettled Church: The Search for Identity and Relevance in the Ecclesiologies of Nicholas Healy, Ephraim Radner, and Darrell Guder , Emanuel D. Naydenov

Seeing Two Worlds: The Eschatological Anthropology of the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification , Jakob Karl Rinderknecht

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Palliative Care's Sacramental and Liturgical Foundations: Healthcare Formed by Faith, Hope, and Love , Darren M. Henson

"Now These Things Happened As Examples For Us" (1 Cor. 10:6):the Biblical-Narrative Depiction Of Human Sinfulness , Stephen Frederick Jenks

Love For God And Earth: Ecospirituality In The Theologies Of Sallie Mcfague And Leonardo Boff , Rebecca A. Meier-Rao

Stabilitas In Congregatione: The Benedictine Evangelization Of America In The Life And Thought Of Martin Marty, O.s.b. , Paul Gregory Monson

The Word Is An Angel Of The Mind: Angelic And Temple Imagery In The Theology Of John Mansur, The Damascene. , Elijah Nicolas Mueller

"heavenly Theologians": The Place Of Angels In The Theology Of Martin Luther , Christopher J. Samuel

"a Spreading And Abiding Hope": A. J. Conyers And Evangelical Theopolitical Imagination , Jacob Shatzer

Receptive Ecumenism And Justification: Roman Catholic And Reformed Doctrine In Contemporary Context , Sarah Timmer

Mary's Fertility As The Model Of The Ascetical Life In Ephrem The Syrian's Hymns Of The Nativity , Michelle Weedman

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

The Church as Symbolic Mediation: Revelation Ecclesiology in the Theology of Avery Dulles, S.J. , Abraham B. Fisher

Christological Name Theology in three Second Century communities , Michael D. Harris

Transcending Subjects: Hegel After Augustine, an Essay on Political Theology , Geoffrey J.D. Holsclaw

Circumcision of the Spirit in the Soteriology of Cyril of Alexandria , Jonathan Stephen Morgan

Toward a Renewed Theological Framework of Catholic Racial Justice: A Vision Inspired by the Life and Writings of Dr. Arthur Grand Pré Falls , Lincoln Rice

Emerging in the Image of God: From Evolution to Ethics in a Second Naïveté Understanding of Christian Anthropology , Jason Paul Roberts

Isaac of Nineveh's Contribution to Syriac Theology: An Eschatological Reworking of Greek Anthropology , Jason Scully

Between Eden and Egypt: Echoes of the Garden Narrative in the Story of Joseph and His Brothers , Brian Osborne Sigmon

Rediscovering Sabbath: Hebrew Social Thought And Its Contribution To Black Theology's Vision For America , Christopher Taylor Spotts

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Opening First-World Catholic Theology to Third-World Ecofeminism: Aruna Gnanadason and Johann B. Metz in Dialogue , Gretchen Baumgardt

Love and Lonergan's Cognitional-Intentional Anthropology: An Inquiry on the Question of a "Fifth Level of Consciousness" , Jeremy Blackwood

Andrew G. Grutka, First Bishop of the Diocese of Gary, Indiana (1957 to 1984): "Where There is Charity, There is God." , Anthony Bonta

The Election Controversy Among Lutherans in the Twentieth Century: An Examination of the Underlying Problems , John M. Brenner

Yves Congar, O.P.: Ecumenist of the Twentieth Century , Paul Raymond Caldwell

Theo-Poetics: Figure and Metaphysics in the Thought of Hans Urs von Balthasar , Anne Carpenter

Sacrament and Eschatological Fulfillment in Henri de Lubac's Theology of History , Joseph Flipper

Spirit and Flesh: On the Significance of the Reformed Doctrine of the Lord's Supper for Pneumatology , Christopher Ganski

A Comparison of the Kenotic Trinitarian Theology of Hans Urs von Balthasar and Sergei Bulgakov , Katy Leamy

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Home > Dedman College of Humanities & Sciences > Religious Studies > Theses and Dissertations

Religious Studies Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2024 2024.

Participation in the Martyred Christ: Augustine of Hippo on Martyrdom and Martyr Veneration , Matthew Esquivel

Accounting for the Gift: Theology and Ethics in Accounting , Daniel Sebastian

Radical Explorations Of Radical Empiricism: William James’s Transmissive Theory Of Mind In The Context Of Visionary Experience , Rita Spellman

Theses/Dissertations from 2023 2023

Eudaimonist Exemplarism and Saints , Brian C. Clark

Educating a Denomination: Albert C. Outler and American Theological Education, 1925 - 1974 , Lane Davis

Rebekah Retold: A Functional Reception-Historical Analysis of Rebekah in Narrative Retellings of Genesis , Kelsey Spinnato

Monetary Muddles: Money and Language, Ethics and Theology , Tyler Womack

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Faithful: The Formation of Women's Religious and Political Identities at First Baptist Dallas , Marie Olson Purcell

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Protest and Politics: A Biographical Theology of Bayard Rustin, Friendship, Charity, and Economic Justice , Justin Barringer

A Renewed Christian Sabbath, After Supersessionism and After Christendom , Abigail Woolley Cutter

Gender as Love: A Theological Account , Fellipe do Vale

Deliver Us: The New Eve, Coredemption, and the Motherhood of God , William Glass

Trinity and Divine Subjectivity: A Study in the Trinitarian Theologies of Franz Anton Staudenmaier and Isaak August Dorner , Andrew Hamilton

Jesus Christ, Revelation of Love: A Christology of the Disabled Christ , Lisa Hancock

Ecclesial Unity in Cyril of Alexandria , Andrew Mercer

The Humanity of Christ as Instrument of Salvation in the Theology of Thomas Aquinas , J. David Moser

Honor Gained, Lost, and Restored: The Honor and Shame of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark , April Simpson

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Pluralism as a Social Practice: A Pragmatist Approach to Engaging Diversity in Public Life , Mary Leah Friedline

Religion and Rural Internationalism in the Nineteenth-Century Middle West: The Global Consciousness of Rural Dutch Middle Westerners,1865–1901 , Andrew Klumpp

Religion Wrecked Her Mind: Religious Insanity in the Nineteenth Century , Courtney Lacy

“Our Heaven Begun Below”: A Contemporary Theology of Eucharistic Sacrifice in the Wesleyan Tradition , Geoffrey C. Moore

“Lo Que Predicábamos No E[ra] Americanismo”: Protestantism and Cross-Cultural Religious Encounter in the Shadow of Empire, A Twentieth Century Cuban Case , Grace Vargas

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Augustine's Concept of Volition and Its Significance for the Doctrine of Original Sin , Scot Bontrager

Ephesians and Ecumenism , Toby Eisenberg

The Unmarried (M)Other: A Study of Christianity, Capitalism, and Counternarratives Concerning Motherhood and Marriage in the United States and South Africa , Haley Feuerbacher

John Duns Scotus On the Trinitarian Center of the Graced Life , Mitchell Kennard

“Spirited” Engagement: Latin American Faith and the Construction of Emancipative Pentecostalism , David Luckey

The Church and Social Responsibility: Contributions to Contemporary Social Ethics from the Ecumenical Social Method of the Oxford Conference on Church, Community, and State of 1937 , Gary B. MacDonald

Infertility in 1 Samuel 1: Toward a Hermeneutic of Reproduction , David A. Schones

“And They Shall Eat Until They Are Satisfied:” Critical Disability Theory and Widows, Orphans, Aliens, and Levites in the Book of Deuteronomy , Cheryl Strimple

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Believing Into Christ: Restoring the Relational Sense of Belief as Constitutive of the Christian Faith , Natalya Cherry

My Lover is Mine and I am His--The Grazer in the Lilies: A Philosophical-Literary Reading of the Song of Songs , Leslie Fuller

Mapping the Nature of Empire: The Legacy of Theological Geography in the Early Iberian Atlantic , Ángel Jazak Gallardo

The Apostolic Council of Jerusalem: Taing-Yinn Tharr (တိုင္း၇င္းသား) Apostleship as Anti-Colonial Existence , Lahpai Shawng Htoi

Human Capabilities, Religion, and Rights , Oleg Makariev

But We Know: A Feminist, Christian Ethnography and Analysis of Single, Working-Class Mothers and Class, Gender, and Race Dynamics in the U. S. Political Economy , Julie A. Mavity Maddalena

Christian Political Economy and Economic Science: A Pathway for Interdisciplinary Dialogue , Nathan McLellan

The Installation of the Human: Whiteness, Religion, and Racial Capitalism , Benjamin Robinson

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

The Evangelists' Editorial Efforts; Matthean and Lukan Theology vis-a-vis a Few, Unique Parables , Benjamin C. Joseph Mr.

Christus Satisfactor: An Anselmian Approach to the Doctrine of Atonement , David M. Mahfood

Opaque Redemption: Whiteness, Theology, and the Politics of The Human , Timothy McGee

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Student Thesis/Project Titles

Niyafa Boucher, Body Positivity: The Secular Reform Movement for Christian Body Discipline Ideals (Senior Project)

Lauren Eskra, “We’re Not Like Other Churches” Identity Formation and Community Construction in a French Evangelical Church (Thesis)

Paul Flores-Clavel, The Impact of Exodus: Exploring African American & Central-American Identity Formation Through Historical and Literary Analysis

Zeke Hodkin, Catechisms and the Court: Evaluating the Relationship Between Supreme Court Justices, Evolving Catholic Teachings on Capital Punishment, and Modern Jurisprudence

Yining Lu, Debates and Practices of Humanistic Buddhism in China - Infusing the World with Love and Compassion (Senior Project)

Jacqueline Topping, Tracing the Westernization of Mindfulness: Americanization, Medicalization, and Corporatization (Senior Project)

Laura Friedrich,  “Written to be Remembered and Authored to Inspire: Collective memory and a new female model from the late ancient narratives of Perpetua and Thecla”  (Senior Thesis)

Sara Santiago,  “Faith in Prisons: The Transformative History and Potential of Religious Leaders in the American Prison System”  (Senior Project)

Ashley Tonini,  “Mount Eskel is Singing: Development of Divine Connection in Mormon Fantasy Novels”  (Senior Thesis)

Lucy Weiss,  “Examining Religion at Middlebury: Missionaries, Discourse, and Courses Over the Years”  (Senior Thesis)

Lauren Bates,  This Land is Our Land: Medieval Jewish Travelers’Assertion of Sovereignty over Sacred Spaces of Palestine  (Senior Project)

Susan Deutsch,  “Goddess in the Graveyard, Witch in the Woods: Narrative Depictions of the Goddess Durga in Indonesia as Templates”  (Senior Project)

Leila Faulstich-Hon,  Building a Pure Land on Earth: Fagushan’s ( 法鼓山 ) Philosophy of Engagement  (Senior Project)

Sebastian Grandas,  “Spiritual memory and imagination: A reading of García Márquez’ One Hundred Years of Solitude, and Toni Morrison’s Beloved, in light of Don Quixote.”  (Senior Project)

Xuan He,  Reimagining the Rural: Visions of Healing and Transformation in China’s Countryside  (Senior Project)

kOle Lekhutle,  A BODHISATTVA IS BORN The domestication of Guan Yin in Lesotho  (Senior Project)

Olivia Mitchell,  “Catholic Social Teaching and the “Preferential Option for the Poor” in the United States’ Health Care System: Integrating Top-Down and Bottom-Up Religious Ethics in Institutional Policy”  (Senior Thesis)

Caleb Turner,  Investigating Criticisms of Modern Hajj in the Age of Social Media  (Senior Project)

Varsha Vijayakumar,  The Looming Threat of Hindu Nationalism: Diasporic Considerations and Implications for Hindu Indian-American Political Participation  (Senior Project)

Chris Diak,  Transcendental Generative Grammar: A Chomskyan Reading of the   Sphoṭavāda  (Senior Thesis)

Ben Freedman,  Turn of Heart, Turn of Phrase: Qur’anic Translations in Japanese  (Senior Thesis)

Connor Freeman,  Semper Reformanda: Peter Berger’s Sociology of Religion and its Application to the Evangelical Lutheran Church America  (Senior Thesis)

Naina Horning,  Zhu Xi, al-Ghazali and Moral Education: A Comparative Study Through the Lens of Confucianism and Islam  (Senior Project)

Hal Juster,  The Music is More Ancient Than the Words: The Evolution of a Musical Black Liberation Theology and its Influence on Martin Luther King, Jr.  (Senior Thesis)

Anna Lueck,  “For the Sake of Our Children” Motherhood as Self-Conscious Performance Among Middle-Class Muslim Immigrants in Vermont  (Senior Project)

Miles Meijer,  Bibles and Ballots: The Christian Progressive Movement’s Fusion of Religion with Immigration Politics in Trump’s America  (Senior Thesis)

Mehek Naqvi,  “MEMES AND MUSLIMS: Examining the Conflation of Religion and Culture Among Second-Generation, Muslim-American Youth.”  (Senior Project)

Jonathon O’Dell,  A Case Study of Christian Missions Among the Lisu People of Nujiang, China  (Senior Project)

Lex Scott,  Identity Incongruity & Reconciliation: Queer & Muslim  (Senior Project) 

Liza Tarr,  Democracy Under Siege: The Combative Nature of American Political Discourse, and its Metaphoric Revival  (Senior Thesis)

Weiru Ye,  Uncovering House Churches in China’s Christian Heartland  (Senior Thesis)

Shan Zeng,  Shimenawa:   Weaving Traditions with Modernity – Interdisciplinary Research on the Cultural History of Japanese Sacred Rope  (Senior Thesis)

David M. Dennis,  Pancasila vs. Syariah: The Dialectical Evolution of Official State Nationalism and Islamic Authority that Shaped and Reshaped the Foundations of the Indonesian State (1945-2005)  (Thesis)  

Hayk Harutyunyan, Heidegger:  The Death of God and the Metaphysics of Subjectivity  (Senior Project)

Benjamin S. Karlin,  The Primacy of Experience and the Meaning of God: Mordecai Kaplan and the legacy He Created  (Senior Project)

Emma R. Walker,  The Shifting Amazigh Identity from French Colonization to the Present through the Portrayal of al-Kahina  (Senior Project)

Francesca M. Conde,  Women of the Islamic State: Social Media and Sisterhood  (Thesis)

Kelsey N. Follansbee,  From war photograph to a museum for forgetting: A built reproduction of Rosenthal’s Iwo Jima photograph  (Thesis)

Alexandra K. Gimbel,  Akbar’s Sacred Kingship: Religious Influences and Their Visual Manifestations in Akbarnama  (Thesis)

Johan W. Heiser,  Re-Thinking Mysticism: An Examination of the Transformative Path Through Language of Light and Darkness  (Thesis)

Karma Lama,  The Paradox of Purity and Pollution: Examining Ecology and Religion along the Ganges River  (Thesis)

Maya J. Peers Nitzberg,  Illustrating and Unpacking the Type - Scene Of Land-Woman: Examining Misogynist and Imperializing Ideologies in the Hebrew Bible  (Thesis)                                    

Andrew P. Smith,  “In suffering, a dazzling light”: Jewish Historiography in the Debate over Zionism, 1837-1919  (Thesis)

Matthew B. Sptizer,  Conceptualizing the Non-Conceptual: Language at its Limit in Buddhist Thought  (Thesis)

Kai S. Wiggins,  VIOLENCE, DIGITAL MEDIA, JUST WAR. Complications to Just War Doctrine in the 21st Century  (Thesis)

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Home > Divinity > Doctoral Dissertations

Doctoral Dissertations

Submissions from 2024 2024.

The Effect of Music on Spiritual Well Being Among Hospice Patients , Mathai Abraham

Biblical Choice Model: A St. Augustine-Inspired Approach to Behavioral Economics , Adebukola Adebayo

The Evidential Problem of Assurance: Textual Approach from the Johannine Literature , Derick A. Adu

A Correlational Study of Culturally Responsive Christian School Leadership and Its Impact on Culturally Marginalized Students , Denecia B. Anderson

Ghanaian Christian Leadership Model: A Biblically Informed, Ghanaian, and Effective Leadership Model in a Western Cultural Setting , Moses Antwi

Equipping Equippers: Training Alaska Bible College Students for Equipping Ministry through Mentorship , Justin Glenn Archuletta

An Exegetical and Theological Exploration of Paul’s Self-Identity in Consideration of Modern Social Sciences , Chala Baker

Evangelism Development in a Multigenerational Rural Church , John E. Baldwin

Church Adoption: Three-pronged Elements that Support the Revitalization of Coastal Church Battery Park Location in Virginia , Michael Christopher Bard

The Impact of Artificial Intelligence in Online Education For Recruitment, Retention, and Sustainability of Religious Organizations , Gordon Vaill Barrows

Critical Thinking and Worldview Formation in Ministry , David W. Belles

Developing Health Ministries Beyond the Disparities in the Community , Tasha Renea Berry-Lewis

A Phenomenological Study of Church Polity and Its Impact on Pastoral Leadership and Congregational Health , Travis L. Biller

Long-Term Partnerships Between Communities and Mission Organizations: A Case Study , Rebecca Boggs Bishop

The Impact of Colonization, the Problem of Evil, and the African Traditional Religion Worldview on Biblical Hermeneutics in West Africa , Christopher Blay

The Importance of Bridging the Generation Gap Within Grace City Church: A Plan for an Intergenerational Discipleship Program , Keila A. Boychak

Do Not Neglect to Show Hospitality to Strangers: Developing and Implementing a Program of Home Hospitality at Furnace Creek Baptist Church , Philip D. Bramblet

Missional Leadership: An Instructional Program to Cultivate Leaders of a Missional Church , Conner Mathias Brew

Discipleship: A Biblical Approach and Alignment to the Spirit of the Ministry at Kingdom Collegiate Academies Early Childhood Program , Ella Louise Brown

A Non-Experimental Quantitative Correlational Study Of Emotional Intelligence As An Effective Tool for Pastoral Leadership , Louis Brown

Church and Community: Bridging the Gap to Create a Culture of Acceptance and Inclusiveness , Matthew L. Brown

A Correlational Study Between Spiritual Bible Reading and Spiritual Formation of Leaders of Pentecostal Churches , Mark Kwablah Buku

Equipping Spiritually Mature Men to Mentor the Next Generation of Leaders , Seth S. Carter

Redeeming Pastoral Evaluation: A Comprehensive Approach to Annual Pastoral Evaluation in a Congregation-Led Church , Drake Andrew Caudill

The Book of Ruth: Its Didactic Wisdom Themes , Brian Corn

Developing a Discipleship Training Guide at Greater Love Baptist Church for the Retention of Young Adults , Frances W. Cox

A Mixed Methods Study to Evaluate the Nature of the Lead Pastor's Psychological Capital and the Impact on Leading Church Revitalization , Toney Allen Cox

Impact of Worldview Development on Spiritual Vitality in Evangelical Protestant Churches: A Phenomenological Study , Nicholas Jared Curtis

Messaging the Mission: Developing and Implementing a Messaging Strategy for the Mission Statement of Monticello Christian Church , Tanetta S. Dawson-Snyder

Some Aspects of the Theology of the City in ANE Literature and Biblical Protology and Eschatology: A Comparative Study , Vlatko Dir

Implementing a Discipleship Strategy Plan for Lay Leaders at Redemption Baptist Church to Help Them Grow Spiritually , Robermann Dorceus

Beyond Galilee: The Shift in Focus of the Ministry of Jesus Culminating at Caesarea Philippi , Kathryn Erin Dreesen

Mentorship for African American Female Officers of Faith in the United States Air Force , Tanquer L. Dyer

Crisis Management and Peer Support , Kevin H. Eaton

Cultivating Multicultural Christian Youth Ministry Team Leaders Through Covenant Relationships With Youth in KC and STL Metro Area Churches , Christopher D. Edin

The Stratified Leadership Model of the First-Century Christian Church , Barton Schuyler Garratt Edsall IV

Spiritual Care and the Art of Holistic Healing at Swedish Hospital in Chicago , Mary Pamela Eke

Preparing the Next Generation for Faith Ownership by Training Fathers in the Biblical Worldview , John D. Embrey

Mentoring as a Catalyst for Change: Creating a Mentor Training Curriculum Using the Servant Leadership Model , Alana S. Freeman

Insurgency Apologetics: Refuting the Claims that Christianity is a White Man’s Religion , Brian L. Gadson

Establishing a Christ-Centered Understanding of the Minor Prophets at First Baptist Church, Greenville, KY , John Michael Galyen

Digital Ministry in the Church: Strengths, Weaknesses, and Opportunities , Willie Charles Howard Garrett

The Influence of Transformational Leaders in Reconnecting the Millennial Generation to the Community of the Local Church , Brandi Lynn Ginty

Great Leader, Great Learner: Shepherd-Teachers, Self-Directed Learning, and the Preaching Moment in Small Southern Baptist Churches , Matthew Thomas Gowin

Disciple-Making at St. Louis Baptist Church , Vasquez R. Granberry

Phenomenological Analysis of Training Effectiveness for Multiracial Ministry Received by Black Pastors Graduating from Southern Baptist Seminaries , Timothy D. Griffin

How Parents Established Foundations for Biblical Worldview Development in Elementary-Age Children Who Graduated from BW Leadership Institute , Wendy Bernstein Griffin

A Phenomenological Study of the Perception of Racial Unity in Evangelical Churches in Chicago , Amber L. Harvey

The Preeminent Biblical Role of the Father: A Qualitative Action Research Project , Frank Wilhelm Heilmeier

It’s All in Your Mind: Mindset and Eternal Destiny , Eric S. Henderson

The Scatological Scriptures: A Biblical Theology of Dung , Zachary C. Hill

YHWH’s Covenantal Dealings with Abraham: A Redemptive-Historical Perspective , Nathan A. Hoefer

A Phenomenological Study of Pastors Who Were Mentored and the Perceived Value of the Mentor Relationship , Reginald L. Horner

Paul’s Admonition of False Teaching: A Pattern to Follow , Jeffrey William Hossler

An Examination of “The Vine” Motif through the Lens of the Old Testament, the Books of John and Revelation, and Peripheral Extrabiblical Sources , Ellsworth C. Huling IV

Evaluating Instruments and Strategies for Change: A Pilot Study for Total Life Ministries , Lisa M. Hunter

Expanding the Apostolic Mission: A Biblical-Theological Analysis of Peter's Epistles as Evidence of His Universal Apostleship Beyond the Jewish Context , Peter J. Ireland

Modern-Day Idol Worship at Life Changers Church: How It Was Identified and Replaced with True Worship Of God , Franzetta L. Ivy

Generational Poverty and Education: Breaking the Cycle of Ignorance , Leland Jackson

Shaping Worldviews: Helping High School Seniors Manage the Influence of Social Media , Geoffrey Michael Janes

Early Forgiveness Intervention in Substance Abuse Recovery , Susan Janos

An Examination of the Parental Role in the Discipleship of Children , Robert B. Jarman

Prophetic Theology: The Essence of Prophecy , Charmain M. Jarrett

Church Systems: From Church Attenders to Committed Church Members , Loyd Johnson

Building High-Performance Ministry Teams: Pastors, Ministers, and Leaders of Selected Baptist Churches in Macon, Georgia , Michael Wendell Johnson

The House That Love Builds: An Allegorical Interpretation of the Song of Songs , Tricia Lee Kline

Proactive Pastoral Counseling: A Christlike Integrative Therapeutic for Creating Christian Intrapersonal Formation in Believers at First Baptist Church of Harmony, ME , Yaron I. Kohen

Emulating Paul’s Ministry Leadership in a Diverse and Changing Cultural Landscape , Mark J. Lee

Ripe For the Harvest: Developing Servants Through Spiritual Formation at Fairhaven Church of Rootstown , Vincent A. Maltempi

A Phenomenological Study: Experiences of the Church of God in Christ Women and the Power of Resilience , Debra Wylene Martin

Leveraging Ministry and Community Partnerships to Address Community Needs , Chaunceia Renee Mayfield

Private Christian Education and Utilization of Evangelism Curriculum , Amy N. McBrayer

Family Discipleship: Forming a Biblical Worldview for Godly Decisions , Eric Spencer McCrickard

Pronomian Paradigm: A Pro-Torah, Christocentric Method of Theology and Apologetics , Gregory Scott McKenzie

A Study on the Effects of Biblical Counseling Techniques on Teacher Relationships with Students with Autism , Matthew McNeill

Exploring How Church Leadership Strives for Effective Ministry by Developing a Viable Leadership Training Program at a Small Nondenominational Church in Scranton, South Carolina , Willa Dean Montgomery

Biblical Leadership Development: Essential Components in Servant Leadership , André T. Moore Sr.

Community Formation and Effective Leadership in African American Churches in High-poverty Communities , Kevin Laron Moore

Becoming a Disciple-Making Disciple Through a Written Guided Plan in a Handbook , Benjamin T. Morrell

A Phenomenological Study of Complexity Leadership Interactions of an International Protestant Convention during COVID-19 , Thomas S. Narofsky

A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study of First-Year Christian Student Success in Theological Studies During the Pandemic , Philip Lamar Nash

Mentoring Emerging Leaders as It Relates to Senior Leadership Succession , Kevin D. Neal

Rest, Rhetoric, and Suffering in the Letter to the Hebrews: How the Author of Hebrews Uses Classical Rhetoric to Resolve Tension between Invitation to God's Rest and Present Suffering , Dickson Kûng’û Ngama

Perceptions of Paid Pastoral Staff of Volunteer Engagement in the Assemblies of God , Glorielba Orta Meléndez

A Lifestyle Who Is Christ: An Integrative Model of Spiritual Formation , Katherine L. Pang

Ego Eimi and the Surpassing Greatness of Jesus Christ in the Gospel of John , Keith Kekoa Pang

The Canonical Significance of Mindset in Romans 8:5–14 (Φρονέω and its Cognates): Implications for Biblical Interpretation, Application, and Evangelism , Denise Anne Pass

Developing A Pathway for Ministry Leaders at Southside Church of the Nazarene , Reginald David Phillips

Action Crisis Intervention Response , Dwayne Pine

Homeless Veterans and the Impacts of a Dedicated Discipleship Program , B. Keith Poole Jr.

Fallenness, Sustainment, and Judgment: Analyzing Coherency in the Thematic Trajectory of Qohelet , Albert R. Portillo Jr

Coherent Chiastic Oeuvre in the Unity of Luke-Acts: Two Volumes Conjoined as a Single Book , John Matthew Powell

Burnout Prevention in Christian Public and Private Middle School Leaders: A Qualitative Study , Rhonda Grider Purchase

A Defense of the Neronic Date of the Book of Revelation , Jason L. Quintern

Grounded in Faith: Maintaining and Appreciating a Relationship with God, Oneself, and Others in an Ever-Changing World with New Ears and Eyes , Antoinette Marie Reaves

"A Friend of Tax Collectors and Sinners": An Intertextual Reading of Luke's Jesus According to Divine Identity and YHWH Shepherd Language , Dottie H. Rhoads

The Effects of Pre-Marital Counseling , Brandi Rhymes-Proctor

A Mixed-Method Approach Identifying Antecedents of Employee Engagement in a Nondenominational Church: Perspective from Volunteers and Employees , Gregory A. Rodriguez

An Examination of How Training Impacts the Leadership and Management Competency of Pastors of the New Beginning Family of Churches , Christine R. Rudolph

A Study of Followership in an Organizational-Wide Change of the Ministry of Child Evangelism Fellowship , Michelle M. Russell

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Exploring Faith and Belief: Religious Research Paper Topics

Table of contents

• 1 Challenges in Religious Research Paper Topics
• 2.1 Christian Research Paper Topics
• 2.2 Islam Research Topics
• 2.3 Siddhartha Essay Topics
• 2.4 Buddhism Essay Topics
• 2.5 Hinduism Research Paper Topics
• 2.6 Judaism Religion
• 2.7 Theology Research Paper Topics

Exploring the realm of religion opens a multitude of avenues for scholarly inquiry. Research papers on religion delve into profound questions that have captivated humanity throughout history. These studies not only illuminate the intricacies of faith and belief systems but also examine their profound impact on culture, society, and personal identity.

Choosing a research topic about religion requires a thoughtful consideration of a wide spectrum of beliefs, practices, and philosophical interpretations. From the rituals that bind communities to the spiritual philosophies that drive individual conduct, religion research topics offer a rich tapestry of areas for academic exploration. With such diversity, the challenge lies in pinpointing a singular path that resonates with both current discourse and timeless questions of the human experience.

Challenges in Religious Research Paper Topics

Navigating religious research paper topics presents a unique set of challenges. Crafting research questions about religion demands sensitivity and a deep understanding of diverse belief systems. Scholars often grapple with the subjective nature of spirituality, striving to maintain academic rigor while exploring profoundly personal and often religious controversial topics. The multifaceted nature of religious research paper topics also requires an interdisciplinary approach, intersecting with history, sociology, psychology, and theology.

Additionally, researchers must balance insider and outsider perspectives, often working to gain the trust of faith communities while preserving critical distance. Research papers on religion must also contend with varying interpretations of sacred texts and practices, which can vary widely even within a single tradition. Moreover, the dynamic nature of religion, constantly evolving in the face of modernity and globalization, poses a challenge to researchers aiming to capture the contemporary religious landscape accurately. The task, then, is to approach these topics with a blend of scholarly curiosity, methodological precision, and cultural competence.

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List of 70 Religion Topics to Write About

Embark on an intellectual journey with this curated list of 70 religion topics, each offering a unique window into the diverse ways faith shapes and is shaped by the world we live in.

Christian Research Paper Topics

Diving into Christianity offers a rich vein of inquiry for scholars. These biblical topics for research papers present fresh perspectives on age-old discussions, inviting a deeper understanding of one of the world’s most-followed faiths.

• The Evolution of Christian Thought in Postmodern Society
• Analyzing the Role of Women in Early Christian Communities
• The Influence of Christian Ethics on Modern Business Practices
• Cross-Cultural Interpretations of Christian Symbols in Global Contexts
• The Impact of Digital Media on Christian Worship and Community
• Environmental Stewardship and its Theological Roots in Christianity
• The Psychological Effects of Christian Practices on Mental Health
• A Comparative Study of Christian Mysticism and Contemporary Spiritual Movements
• The Political Expressions of Liberation Theology in Latin America
• Christian Perspectives on Artificial Intelligence and Bioethics

Islam Research Topics

The study of Islam uncovers a tapestry of cultural, theological, and historical themes. These research topics on religion provide a platform for a nuanced exploration of Islam’s multifaceted impact on the world.

• Modern Interpretations of Sharia Law in Various Islamic Societies
• The Role of Sufism in Contemporary Islamic Practice
• Islamic Economic Principles and Their Application in the 21st Century
• Gender Dynamics within Islamic Theology and Practice
• Islamic Artistic Expression in the Digital Age
• The Influence of Islam on Classical Scientific Discovery and Philosophy
• The Political Significance of Islam in Non-Majority Muslim Countries
• Interfaith Dialogues between Islamic and Western Philosophical Traditions
• The Evolution of Islamic Educational Institutions from Classical to Modern Times
• The Representation of Islam in Western Media and its Societal Impact

Siddhartha Essay Topics

Hermann Hesse’s “Siddhartha” is a rich narrative ripe for exploration, intertwining themes of self-discovery and spirituality. These religion topics to write about offer a pathway to understanding the profound messages embedded in this classic tale.

• The Concept of Enlightenment in Siddhartha Versus Traditional Buddhist Teachings
• River Imagery as a Symbol of Life’s Journey in Siddhartha
• Siddhartha’s Relationship with Nature as a Reflection of His Spiritual Quest
• The Influence of Hermann Hesse’s Personal Beliefs on the Portrayal of Religion in Siddhartha
• Comparing Siddhartha’s Ascetic Life with Modern Minimalist Movements
• The Role of Mentorship and its Impact on Siddhartha’s Spiritual Evolution
• The Dichotomy of Material Wealth and Spiritual Fulfillment in Siddhartha
• Siddhartha’s Search for Authenticity Amidst Societal Expectations
• The Function of Love in Siddhartha’s Journey Towards Self-Actualization
• Relevance of Siddhartha’s Lessons in the Context of Contemporary Religious Practice

Buddhism Essay Topics

Buddhism, with its profound philosophical foundations and global influence, provides a fertile ground for scholarly exploration. These religious research topics and world religion paper topics delve into the heart of Buddhist doctrine and its practical implications in today’s world.

• The Intersection of Buddhist Philosophy and Contemporary Psychotherapy
• Ethical Consumption and Environmentalism through the Lens of Buddhist Teachings
• The Role of Meditation in Modern Healthcare as Influenced by Buddhism
• Analysis of Buddhist Responses to the Challenges of Globalization
• The Adaptation of Zen Aesthetics in Western Art and Architecture
• Buddhist Principles in Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding Efforts
• The Impact of Technological Advancements on Traditional Buddhist Practices
• A Study of Gender Roles within Buddhist Monastic Communities
• The Influence of Buddhism on Western Philosophical Thought
• Exploring the Growth of Buddhist Tourism and its Cultural Impacts

Hinduism Research Paper Topics

Hinduism’s rich tapestry of mythology, philosophy, and cultural practices presents an expansive field for academic inquiry. The following religion topics for research paper encompass both the depth of Hindu traditions and contemporary issues, offering a platform for insightful discourse.

• Analyzing the Impact of Hinduism on India’s Environmental Policies
• Feminine Divinity in Hinduism and its Influence on Gender Roles
• The Evolution of Hindu Temple Architecture Over Centuries
• Caste System Interpretations in Modern Hindu Society
• Yoga as a Global Phenomenon: Origins and Transformations from Hindu Traditions
• The Role of Hinduism in Forming India’s National Identity
• The Philosophy of Karma and its Relevance to Modern Ethics
• Ayurveda: Ancient Hindu Science of Health in the Modern Wellness Industry
• The Dynamics of Hindu Pilgrimage: Economy, Ecology, and Tradition
• Hindu Rituals and their Psychological Implications in Contemporary Practice

Judaism Religion

The exploration of Judaism offers insights into one of the world’s oldest monotheistic religions, rich with history and tradition. While the following topics are not centered on religion research paper topics, they reflect the depth and diversity inherent in Jewish studies.

• The Influence of Jewish Mysticism on Contemporary Religious Thought
• The Preservation of Jewish Traditions in Diaspora Communities
• Jewish Perspectives on Bioethics and Modern Medical Dilemmas
• The Role of the Synagogue in Jewish Cultural and Religious Life
• The Impact of the Holocaust on Theological Understandings in Judaism
• Jewish Contributions to Interfaith Dialogue and Peacebuilding
• The Evolution of Kosher Laws and Their Application in the Food Industry
• The Intersection of Jewish Law and Modern State Legislation
• The Role of Hebrew Language Revival in Jewish Identity Formation
• Jewish Feminist Theology and its Quest for Gender Equality in Religious Practice

Theology Research Paper Topics

Theology, the systematic study of the divine, invites scholars to probe the depths of religious belief and practice. These theology research paper topics are designed to inspire critical thought and original analysis on various aspects of spiritual inquiry.

• The Role of Prophecy in Abrahamic Religions Comparative Study
• Liberation Theology’s Influence on Social Justice Movements
• Theological Responses to the Problem of Evil in Different Faiths
• The Impact of Feminist Theology on Traditional Religious Practices
• The Integration of Theology and Science in the Modern World
• The Concept of the Afterlife in Theological and Philosophical Perspectives
• Ecumenism and the Pursuit of Christian Unity in Theology
• Theological Underpinnings of Contemporary Environmental Ethics
• The Influence of Digital Media on Theological Education
• The Role of Ritual in Expressing and Shaping Theological Beliefs

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Interesting Religion Research Paper Topics To Write About

Updated 01 Jul 2024

Religion has been a part of our societies since the beginning of time. From primitive animalistic beliefs to complex polytheistic pantheons, it has changed and evolved to suit our civilizations. This is what makes religion research paper topics so fascinating.

When choosing a topic, you can take several approaches. You can focus on the history of a certain religion, its specifics in terms of beliefs and rituals, how it has impacted society, and its potential future, or focus on religion systems in general, analyzing the differences between them and what might’ve caused them.

While the list of potential religion essay topics is endless, choosing the right one is important. Religion is often an extremely personal matter, so a careless approach might lead to conflict and hurt. Moreover, it is hard to avoid personal bias while talking about religious experiences.

That’s why we offer you this list of relevant topics that are interesting to explore. Choosing intriguing religion research paper topics can be challenging, so if you're feeling stuck, you might consider the option to pay someone to write my paper to ensure thorough research and insightful analysis. Choose the one that suits you best and explore human beliefs' nature and history.

Choose the Best Religion Topics For a Research Paper

Selecting the right item from the list of religious essay topics can be challenging, so here are some tips that might help you:

• Select a topic you’re at least somewhat interested in – this way it will be easier for you to concentrate on the research and ensure the quality of your work;
• Make sure there are scientific sources related to the topic, and they are not limited to opinion pieces – facts have more weight in the research than opinions;
• Avoid topics that are based on a biased view of a certain religion;
• Avoid attacks and critique of religious leaders and personalities;
• If there are several views on a topic – make sure to cover all of them, or avoid it.

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List of Religion Research Paper Topics

The societal impact of organized religion and religious beliefs as a whole is immense. Researching it gives us a glimpse into how human civilization has changed and how our value system has evolved. However, a lot of religious research topics are too complex. So, here are some of the most relevant religion research paper topics you can have fun completing.

Historical and Comparative Studies

• The evolution of monotheism in ancient civilizations.
• Comparative analysis of creation myths across different cultures.
• The role of women in Hinduism versus Christianity.
• The impact of the Reformation on European society.
• Religious syncretism in the Caribbean: A study of Vodou and Santería.
• The Crusades: Religious fervor, politics, and impact on East-West relations.
• Ancient Egyptian religion and its influence on later Abrahamic religions.
• The spread of Buddhism along the Silk Road.
• The role of prophecy in Abrahamic religions: A comparative study.
• Shamanism in indigenous cultures: Practices and worldviews.

Religion and Society

• The influence of religion on modern legal systems.
• Secularism and its effects on contemporary religious practices.
• Religion and its role in the integration of immigrants.
• The impact of social media on religious organization and practice.
• Religious extremism: Causes, consequences, and responses.
• Interfaith dialogue: Challenges, successes, and impacts on global peace.
• The role of religion in public education: A comparative analysis.
• Religion and LGBTQ+ rights: A global perspective.
• The economics of religion: How faith contributes to wealth and poverty.
• Religion and environmental ethics: Spiritual responses to climate change.

Theology and Philosophy

• The concept of evil in different religious traditions.
• Free will and predestination in Islamic theology.
• Theological responses to the problem of suffering.
• Mysticism in Christianity and Islam: A comparative study.
• The influence of Greek philosophy on early Christian thought.
• Religious pluralism: Theological and philosophical perspectives.
• The concept of the soul in world religions.
• Faith and reason in the Age of Enlightenment.
• The role of meditation in Eastern and Western spiritual practices.
• Death and the afterlife: How religions interpret the end of life.

Contemporary Issues in Religion

• The role of women in contemporary religious leadership.
• Religious responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The impact of globalization on indigenous spiritual practices.
• Atheism and secular humanism: Philosophical foundations and societal impact.
• The intersection of religion and technology: Ethical considerations.
• Religious symbolism in popular culture.
• The politics of religious freedom in the 21st century.
• Conversion and religious identity in the modern world.
• The role of pilgrimage in contemporary religious practice.
• Religious dietary laws and their significance in a globalized world.

Specific Religious Studies

• The development of Zen Buddhism in Japan.
• Sufism and its contribution to Islamic art and culture.
• The significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls for understanding early Christianity.
• Hindu festivals and their socio-cultural significance in India.
• The evolution of Jewish thought from the Torah to modern Zionism.
• Indigenous African religions and their resistance to colonialism.
• Sikhism: History, practices, and global diaspora.
• The Bahá'í Faith: Principles, persecution, and global community.
• Neo-Paganism and the revival of ancient European religions.
• Scientology: Origins, beliefs, and controversies.

Christianity Research Paper Topics

Christianity is one of the biggest religions around the world, with billions of followers. Its impact on the history of the world cannot be overestimated. So, here are some of the most interesting aspects you can learn more about:

• The Development of the Early Christian Church
• The Influence of Martin Luther and the Reformation
• Christian Mysticism and Spiritual Practices
• The Role of Christianity in the Abolition of Slavery
• Comparative Study of Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy
• Christianity and Science: Historical Perspectives
• The Impact of Vatican II on the Catholic Church
• Christianity and Contemporary Ethical Issues
• The Growth of Christianity in Sub-Saharan Africa
• Christian Symbols and Their Meanings

Buddhism Essay Topics

Buddhism is another major ideology that should not be overlooked. Its Eastern roots make it distinctly different from a lot of other religions around the world. So, there is a lot to learn about it, especially if you’re not closely familiar with it:

• The concept of emptiness (Śūnyatā) in Mahayana Buddhism.
• The role of meditation in achieving enlightenment in Theravada Buddhism.
• The influence of Buddhism on contemporary Western culture.
• A comparison of Zen Buddhism in Japan and Chan Buddhism in China.
• The Four Noble Truths and their relevance to modern life.
• The spread of Buddhism along the Silk Road: Historical impacts and cultural exchanges.
• The ethical implications of the Buddhist Five Precepts in the context of global issues.
• The evolution of Buddhist art and architecture across Asia.
• The Dalai Lama's role in modern Tibetan Buddhism and global peace efforts.
• The intersection of Buddhism and science in understanding the mind and consciousness.

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Theology Research Paper Topics

Theology applies a scientific approach to religious practices. So, while talking about religion research topics, it’s important to mention the research of theological methods and the history of this branch of science. Here are some of the themes you can consider:

• The concept of God in Christian and Islamic theology: A comparative study.
• Liberation theology and its impact on social justice movements.
• Theological responses to the problem of evil in different religious traditions.
• The role of women in the theology of the early church.
• Process theology and its implications for understanding divine action.
• The influence of Augustine's theology on Western Christian thought.
• Eco-theology: Exploring religious perspectives on environmental conservation.
• The development of Trinitarian doctrine in the early Christian church.
• Theological perspectives on human suffering and divine providence.
• The intersection of theology and technology: Ethical considerations in the digital age.

Islam Research Topics

Islam is another major religion that deserves thorough research and careful consideration. The image of it is often demonized in the West, but there is a lot more to it. Here’s what you can write about it:

• The evolution of Islamic jurisprudence (Fiqh) through history.
• Sufism and its role in shaping Islamic spirituality and practice.
• The impact of Islam on the development of science and philosophy in the Golden Age.
• Gender roles and rights in Islamic law: A contemporary analysis.
• The concept of Jihad in Islam: Historical and modern interpretations.
• Islamic finance and banking: Principles and global impact.
• The significance of the Hajj pilgrimage in Muslim life and society.
• The role of the Prophet Muhammad in Islam compared to prophets in other religions.
• Modern Islamic political movements: Origins and objectives.
• Interfaith dialogue between Islam and other world religions: Challenges and opportunities.

Siddhartha Essay Topics

Siddhartha is the birth name of the founder of Buddhism, and it is the name of the novel about the spiritual journey of his contemporary. Both deserve research in the religious and philosophical context:

• The journey of self-discovery in Hermann Hesse's "Siddhartha."
• The role of the river as a symbol in "Siddhartha."
• Comparing and contrasting Siddhartha's relationships with Kamala and Govinda.
• The theme of enlightenment in "Siddhartha" versus traditional Buddhist teachings.
• The significance of names and identity in "Siddhartha."
• The influence of Indian philosophy on Hesse's "Siddhartha."
• The concept of time in "Siddhartha" and its impact on the protagonist's spiritual journey.
• The role of nature in Siddhartha's quest for enlightenment.
• Siddhartha's changing views on wealth and materialism throughout the novel.
• The portrayal of teacher-student relationships in "Siddhartha" and their importance in Siddhartha's spiritual development.

Religion Systems Topics

• The role of ritual in establishing and maintaining religious systems.
• Comparative analysis of monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
• The impact of colonialism on indigenous religious systems.
• The evolution of religious systems in response to modernity and secularism.
• Syncretism: How different religious systems merge and influence each other.
• The function of myth in religious systems across cultures.
• Religious systems and their influence on gender roles and norms.
• The relationship between religious systems and political power structures.
• The role of pilgrimage in various religious systems.
• The future of religious systems in a globalized world: Trends and predictions.

Advice on How to Write a Religion Essay

Writing an essay about religion has a lot of pitfalls. If you want to get a good grade on your task, you need to do it right. Here are some tips that might help you write an excellent essay on a religious topic:

• Avoid including personal biases and opinions – criticizing any religion is a slippery slope, but doing it from an emotional or experienced-based standpoint is even worse. Remember that the views and values of one person do not define the views of the whole group;
• Structure your paper – a well-structured paper is easy to read and understand. It will better illustrate your point and will show your organized and systematic approach to research;
• Check your sources for credibility – unfortunately, there are a lot of pseudoscientific opinions and works around religious topics. Even if some of them have certain merit, it is better not to include them in your work;
• Explore your religion research topics from different perspectives – the best way to avoid bias in your research is to present the opinions from opposite sides. This will result in a well-rounded paper that will not claim to know a “single truth”, but rather apply scientific methods to religious research;
• Try to provide the context – religious texts are often complex and filled with symbolism. You can easily find contradicting statements in them, but, in order to present them fairly, you need to provide the context for them. This does not require a retelling of the whole text, but the general situation needs to be mentioned.

If these tips still do not help, we’re ready to assist you. Visit our research paper writing services , choose a professional author that suits you, and get help with your religion research paper right now!

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Religion, Theology and Philosophy Dissertation Topics

Published by Alvin Nicolas at January 6th, 2023 , Revised On March 17, 2023

Introduction

As part of the religious, theology, and philosophy studies course, dissertation writing is inherently vital to the final result. Various religions are practised in the world today. Some of the major religions include; Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, and Sikhism.

In the contemporary world, religion is often not associated with politics and worldly life. Nevertheless, we can not deny its relationship and influence on humans and global peace. Therefore it is vital to choose a research topic that adds to the current body of literature.

To help you choose an appropriate topic and its subsequent research methodology, below is a list of issues classified using the thematic and exploratory approach for the religious studies dissertation.

PhD qualified writers of our team have developed these topics, so you can trust to use these topics for drafting your dissertation.

You may also want to start your dissertation by requesting  a brief research proposal  from our writers on any of these topics, which includes an  introduction  to the problem,  research question , aim and objectives,  literature review ,  along with the proposed  methodology  of research to be conducted.  Let us know  if you need any help in getting started.

Check our  dissertation example  to get an idea of  how to structure your dissertation .

W“Our expert dissertation writers can help you with all stages of the dissertation writing process including topic research and selection, dissertation plan, dissertation proposal, methodology, statistical analysis, primary and secondary research, findings and analysis, and complete dissertation writing.“

2022 Religion, Theology and Philosophy Research Topics

Does religion make society patriarchal, or does society make religion patriarchal a historical analysis of islam and hinduism in southasia.

Research Aim: This research aims to find the relationship between patriarchal society and religion. It will analyse a causal link between both phenomena by discovering whether faith makes society patriarchal or a particular social structure that makes religion patriarchal. And to show this relationship, this research will use Islam and Hinduism as a case study to establish whether these religions made SouthAsian countries patriarchal or these countries with their specific cultures and traditions made these religions patriarchal.

The Role of Feminist Religious Movements in Promoting Gender Equality- A Feminist Critique of Christianity and Islam on Lacking Gender Equality

Research Aim: This research explores the impact of feminist religious movements on gender equality worldwide. It presents a historical view of how changing women’s religious ideologies helped them attain their rights worldwide. Moreover, it offers a thorough feminist critique of the world’s two most followed religions, Christianity and Islam, on how they cannot provide women with their due rights. Keeping in view how these religions failed to give women their rights, it will show how the increasing role of women in these religions helped them get their rights.

Who Does it Better? Western vs Eastern Philosophy in Defining the Role of Genders in Society- An Analysis Through a Plutonic Lens

Research Aim: This research compares Western and Eastern philosophies in defining the gender roles in society through a Platonic point of view. It will reach and contrast both perspectives regarding treating men and women in various societal parts. Then it will use Pluto’s philosophical theories to show which philosophy has defined these roles better by providing a detailed critique on both. Lastly, as objectively as possible, it will show which philosophy is better through various metrics defined by Pluto and other Western and Eastern Philosophers.

Does God Promote Wars? The Role of Religion in the World Wars: A Critique of Richard Dawkins

Research Aim: This research sheds light on a crucial debate in religion and wars studies whether religion has something to do with wars. It will analyse the world wars to show whether religious elements made conflicts worse or other factors that overshadowed the spiritual aspects. Furthermore, it will include the viewpoint of famous evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins, a part of the neo-atheist movement. His critique of God and religions will help to understand the relationship comprehensively.

Does Power Corrupt Religion? The Role of State in Using Religious Actors for its Political Motives- A Case of the US and Al Qaeda

Research Aim: This research shows how enormous political powers can use religion as a tool for their political motives. It will analyse a state’s channels to influence religion in a country or other countries. Moreover, it will identify which immense political powers fulfilled primary political motives throughout history. And more specifically, it will use US and AlQaeda as a case study of how the US used them for their reasons and what happened when they weren’t able to control them.

Covid-19 Religion, Theology and Philosophy Research Topics

Religious communities and coronavirus pandemic.

Research Aim: This study will focus on reviewing the contribution of religious communities to combat the Coronavirus Pandemic.

Indian religious politics during the Coronavirus pandemic

Research Aim: This study will investigate the issues and conflicts that arose in India during the outbreak of COVID-19 and the response of the international countries on it.

Theology and Coronavirus crisis

Research Aim: This study will focus on theological studies on the Coronavirus pandemic.

Philosophy, science, and religion during Coronavirus

Research Aim: This study will address the importance of philosophy, science, and religion in combatting Coronavirus.

World Religions Dissertation Topics

Under the category of world religion, the teaching courses cover a range of topics, including the traditional aspects and forms of religion found globally, including the mainstream practising religions such as Buddhism or Catholicism, fastest-growing religion like Islam, and belief systems such as the traditions of the Samurai tribe.

Given the highly diverse nature of faith, it is pertinent to explore and analyse this diversity in terms of the continuous evolution of the human race. The list of topics below provides a focused thematic and exploratory approach that may be used for world religion research dissertation purposes.

Topic 1: Increasing Islamophobia in the Western Countries, Its Causes and Possible Remedies

Research Aim: The hatred, intolerance, prejudice, or hostility towards the religion of Islamic and its followers are termed Islamophobia. In the last few years, the increasing trend of Islamophobia has been witnessed in the Western Countries, which at some instances lead to the act of violence and killing of Muslims, for example, the New Zealand mosque shooting in 2019 where 51 Muslims were shot dead by an Islamophobic was extreme evidence of the existence of Islamophobia. Therefore, in today’s time, when millions of Muslims live in Western Countries, it is essential to identify the causes of increasing Islamophobia and how it can be controlled.

Topic 2: Prevention of blasphemy and its Role in Global Peace

Research Aim: When someone speaks or writes profanely about a sacred or religious personality, place, or object, it amounts to blasphemy. The seculars and proponents of freedom of speech and expression do not hesitate to malign, mock and insult religion and the holy personages. However, blasphemy can enrage thousands and millions of believers worldwide as they cannot tolerate any disrespect towards their religion or holy personages, and they can become violent. In this study, the global blasphemy laws and how much they prevent blasphemy are explored, and their role in developing global peace is explored based on a survey-based study.

Topic 3: Religious Violence and its Association with Religious Intolerance

Research Aim: When religion is a subject or an object of violence, it is categorized as religious violence. In situations where people show no or lack of religious intolerance towards another religion and its followers, they tend to disapprove, criticize, and even use violence to show their dominance. Given this, it is argued that people have intolerance towards another religion, then their intolerance, if it remains unchecks, can even lead to violence. Therefore, this research aims to evaluate religious intolerance’s causal relationship with religious violence to identify if religious intolerance can trigger religious violence.

Topic 4: The notion of Atheism in the modern world. A critical analysis

Research Aim: Atheism is a belief in the non-existence of any God. In the contemporary world, scientific advancements and modern technology have made significant breakthroughs that have unravelled many unexplained phenomena and have consequently changed people’s lives and beliefs. As people’s reliance on science and technology has increased, anything that cannot be proven logically or through scientific evidence is rejected, even if it is God’s existence. In this research past, literature will be critically analyzed to identify what atheism means in today’s modern world and how it has altered people’s beliefs.

Topic 5: An analysis of belief and culture of African Christians in Diaspora.

Research Aim: During recent history, many African Christians have migrated to Western or Developed Countries to save their lives or attain better life prospects and living standards. After living in other Countries, African Christians came into contact with new cultures, traditions, religions, languages, and beliefs, altering their ideas and culture. In this regard, this survey-based study aims to identify whether African Christians have preserved their beliefs and culture while living in Diaspora.

Topic 6: The evolution of religious beliefs in India posts 20th century: A critical analysis.

Research Aim: In this research, the molecular structure of various tumors is discussed along with the therapeutic issues faced for these ailments and their treatments. Target spots for treatment and different chemical mixes for its treatments are also explained in this research.

Topic 7: The inherent belief of all religions lies in following the teachings prescribed by a higher authority. Discuss.

Research Aim: All religions have some guidelines recorded in holy books and religious scriptures that their believers have to follow. Whether obeying a higher authority’s commands is a common notion in all religions is critically discussed by conducting a thematic analysis of past literature.

Topic 8: Religious diversity and terrorism: An empirical analysis.

Research Aim: There are hundreds of religions practised globally that are significantly diversified in terms of beliefs, characteristics, traditions, festivals, and customs. In the past three decades, the increased occurrence of religious-based terrorism worldwide gives rise to a need to explore any causal link present between religious diversity and terrorism.

Topic 9: A Comparative study between Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity

Research Aim: The similarities and differences between Hinduism, Islam and Christianity are compared by conducting a thematic analysis. These religions’ religious scriptures will be discussed and compared to identify the shared characteristics present amongst them.

Topic 10: Why Islam is the Fastest Growing Religion in the World?

Research Aim: Islam has been linked with global terrorism in the media, yet still, it is number one in the list of fastest-growing religions of the world. In this regard, an in-depth exploratory study is to be conducted to identify the underlying reasons. A growing number of people are accepting the religion of Islam.

History and Religion Dissertation Topics

History and religion have been a topic of interest throughout previous decades and gained particular importance amongst researchers focusing on the impact and influence of religion on culture throughout history.

Based on  a literature review of the religious references, the researchers have drawn a connection between literature and culture. History and religion are not confined to the evolution or impact of a particular religion. Still, it goes beyond the diversity of religion and focuses on developing the human race throughout time. Below is a list of suggested topics that can be used for history and religion research dissertations.

Topic 11: The comparative study between ancient Judaism and Hinduism

Research Aim: The similarities present between ancient Judaism and Hinduism are critically reviewed. For instance, both religions have a distinct class system that divides people into superior and lower classes. In Judaism, people are divided into Jews and non-Jews, referred to as gentiles, and as per Judaism, gentiles are animals in human form. Similarly, Hinduism divides people into four classes; Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras, where Shudras are given animal status.

Topic 12: How the Renaissance altered Christian religion and beliefs during the 15th and 16th Century Europe

Research Aim: Renaissance was a revolt against the supremacy of Christian theology, pope, the prohibition of learning science and logic, and interference of Church in the personal life of individuals during middle ages starting from 500 to 1400 Century. The renaissance proposed a new idea of humanism where religion must not intervene in an individual’s worldly and religious affairs, and people are free to have their own religion and beliefs. This study will critically analyse how the renaissance impacted the Christian religion and beliefs of European people during the 15th and 16th centuries.

Topic 13: Was Christ really crucified? A critical analysis of the contradictory evidence found in Christian and Islam

Research Aim: As per Christian belief, Jesus Christ was crucified, and he gave his life on the cross so that all Christians can be forgiven for their sins and go to paradise. However, as per Islamic belief, Christ was never crucified. Instead, God ascended Jesus Christ and made the betrayed companion look like Jesus Christ, and the Romans crucified him thinking that he was Jesus Christ.

Topic 14: Illicit affairs between Monks and Nuns in Christian Monasticism, a myth or a reality?

Research Aim: The mass grave of newly born babies found beneath the Catholic Church in Ireland provides evidence to support the myths about secret sex lives of monks and nuns throughout the history of Christian Monasticism. Based on the thematic analysis of the historical evidence found in literature and media, the immorality and hypocrisy of Catholic Monasticism will be critically reviewed.

Topic 15: Historical account of the destruction of Jerusalem and Jewish exile by King Nebuchadnezzar

Research Aim: The King of ancient Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, had destroyed Jerusalem along with the temple of Solomon and exiled all Jews from Jerusalem in 586 BC. Many Jews were taken to Babylon as slaves, while many were dispersed and wandered in the desert for many years. Thematic analysis will be conducted in this study. The historical evidence found in the past literature will be critically reviewed to understand the Jewish Diaspora and their hardships.

Topic 16: Islam: The religious foundations and evolution through the 7th century into the modern world.

Research Aim: The religion of Islam, which came in the 7th Century in Arab, has spread to every part of the world today. Today more than 350 million Muslims exist and follow the religion of Islam, which was introduced around 1400 years ago. Although they have been divided into different groups and sects, they still share some common fundamental beliefs. Therefore, an exploratory study will be conducted to identify how Islam has evolved and how its religious foundations are compatible with the modern world.

Topic 17: The life of Adolf Hitler: impact of religious doctrine and belief.

Research Aim: Adolf Hitler was born and raised in a Roman Catholic family. As per his public speeches, he considered Jews to be the true enemy of Christianity, and by fighting against them, he was actually doing God’s work. Therefore, a thematic analysis is to be conducted on the life of Adolf Hitler to ascertain whether his religious doctrine and belief impacted his life.

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Religion and the Contemporary World Dissertation Topics

This theme focuses on topics that analyse the effect of religion within the contemporary world, including the media’s influence and the application of religious beliefs to the modern-day world.

This is an interesting topic for those aiming to look at theology and religion together since the implications of religion to the contemporary world has become the focus of discussion and dichotomy. Below is a list of topics that can be used for Religion and the Contemporary World Research Dissertation purposes.

Topic 18: Islam subjugate or uplift women: A critical analysis

Research Aim: Islam is criticized for women subjugation and inequality. Still, women in Western countries willingly accept Islam and follow Islamic practices such as wearing Hijab and covering their heads and faces. If Islam actually subjugates women, then why are independent and educated women in Western countries like France and the UK becoming Muslim. To unrevealed this mystery, an exploratory study is to be conducted where the women who accepted Islam will be interviewed to find out whether Islam subjugated them or uplift their status.

Topic 19: Religion is redundant in today's contemporary world.

Research Aim: Religion tends to hinder scientific developments because religion does not permit anything in line with religious law and guidelines. Today’s contemporary world can no longer follow any such restrictions, which can become a hurdle in scientific advancements and medical breakthroughs. Besides, nowadays, people use scientific evidence and logic to justify something rather than blindly relying on religious explanations. In view of this, a survey-based study is to be performed to determine whether religion has become unnecessary in today’s modern world.

Topic 20: Religions and faith communities can be a source of social stability and progress in today’s contemporary world.

Research Aim: In today’s socially and economically unstable and uncertain environment, association with religions and faith communities can enable individuals to have social stability and progress. People tend to look after each other in faith communities. For instance, black Church organisations in London provide work, education and training to black Christians. A thematic analysis will be performed in this research to evaluate whether people can gain social security, better work and prospects by being associated with religious communities.

Topic 21: Various religions, including Christianity and Islam, do not recognize the relationship between same-sex genders. Discuss in light of recent legalization and the global evolution for equality of all people.

Research Aim: The recent laws and legalization made to give rights and equality to the LGBL community are legally permitting people of the same sexual orientations to marry or live in relationships as partners. However, various religions like Christianity and Islam does not permit any such relationships and legalizing the same-sex marriage and relationship would create more differences in the society. This study will focus on identifying the in-depth view of Christians and Muslims on same-sex marriages and their likely impact on their rights, belief and practices.

Topic 22: Equality of women is a blessing or a curse?

Research Aim: Women in western countries like America and the UK are given equal rights and responsibilities. In eastern countries like Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, women have lower rights and responsibilities than men. It is argued that when women have equitable rights, they get higher or lower rights than men based on situations. For instance, a woman as a mother has more rights than a man as a father. In view of this, equitable rights give women more privileges as they don’t have to bear the hardships and exploitation. An exploratory study will be conducted in Pakistan to ascertain whether women feel more blessed or cursed by having equality.

Topic 23: The miracle of splitting of the Moon in the light of scientific evidence.

Research Aim: According to the Islamic belief when people of Mecca in Arab asked the Prophet Muhammad to show a miracle if he is actually a messenger of God, then Prophet Muhammad split the moon in two halves with the movement of this index finger and then rejoined them together. In 1969 the photograph of moon taken by NASA spaceship clearly showed the splitting mark on the surface of moon. Modern astronomers also provide scientific evidence to support the splitting of moon. In this research the scientific evidence to support or oppose the splitting of moon will be critically analysed to determine whether moon was splitting actually splitted.

Topic 24: Why religions and faith are gaining popularity in today’s time.

Research Aim: In today’s time when economic and social problems are on rise, it is worth identifying the reasons because of which more and more people are evidently moving towards religions and faith. Therefore a thematic analysis is to be conducted to explore the reasons why people around the world are becoming more religious by demonstrating and practicing their faith.

Topic 25: Eastern religions, especially Islam have suffered greatly post 9/11 in terms of media representation and fair trial. Discuss.

Research Aim: Since the 9/11 terrorist attack, Eastern religions like Sikhism, Hinduism and especially Islam has been suffered greatly as the followers of these religions were perceived terrorists/extremists and were being victimized. The negative portrayal by media created negative image which may have negatively impacted the fair trial of Muslims and followers of other Eastern religions. Therefore an exploratory study is to be conduct to identify the problem which Muslims, Sikhs, and Hindus faced in America after 9/11.

Also Read: Politics Dissertation Topics

Ethics and Religion Dissertation Topics

The notion of ethics in religion encompasses morality and various morality components to apply to modern life and daily situations. Morality and religion have gone hand in hand throughout history, and it has been observed that multiple moral conducts are justified with the notion of religious beliefs.

For researchers who wish to get a deeper understanding of this relationship, below is a list of topics that can be used for dissertation purposes.

Topic 26: Religious beliefs and morality are deeply entrenched within each other. Critically discuss.

Research Aim: The concept of morality is found in every religion. The concept of right and wrong given by religious beliefs and morality are alike. For instance, telling a lie is bad, while speaking the truth is good for both religions and moral values. In this study, the similarities between religious convictions and moral ethics are reviewed to determine whether religious convictions and moral ethics are intertwined.

Topic 27: Military Action: Ethical justification through religion.

Research Aim: When military action is to be taken against a militant group or terrorists, it would be ethically right to do so in self-defence and protect innocent human lives. Because of this, different religions’ ethical justification to justify military action will be critically reviewed in this study.

Topic 28: Ethical egoism and its relation with moral code.

Research Aim: Ethical egoism is a notion which states that people tend to behave morally only if the moral act would maximize their self-interest. However, a moral code is a set of rules that people follow to live a good life, determining their morals and actions. In this study, the relationship between ethical egoism and moral code will be empirically analyzed.

Topic 29: There is no moral code to justify Islamic Terrorism

Research Aim: Islam is a religion that prohibits killing innocent people, and killing of an innocent soul is regarded as killing the whole of humanity. In this study, the Islamic teachings and moral code will be critically analyzed to identify whether the Islamic moral code justifies the Terrorism done by Islam’s followers.

Topic 30: How is morality entrenched within the teachings of Islam?

Research Aim: Morality means the sense of right and wrong or good or bad behaviour. It is claimed that Islam is a religion that is based on goodness, righteousness and teaches to do good in society and be good with everyone. The Islamic teachings will be critically reviewed in this study to determine how it is entrenched with morality.

Topic 31: Human rights and the ethical dichotomy of religious beliefs.

Research Aim: Human rights are based on all human beings’ equality. However, religious beliefs tend to show ethical dichotomy because it divides people’s rights based on believers and non-believers or piety, where the believers or pious people like religious leaders tend to have more rights than the non-believers or followers. This study is important to identify how religious ethics contradiction with human rights.

Topic 32: Situational ethics through religion. Discuss critically the impact of situational ethics in a multi ethnic community.

Research Aim: When an act in a particular context or situation is judged following a religion’s ethical standards, instead of by the usual morality standards, it is referred to as situational ethics through faith. It can be argued, and if everyone starts justifying their unethical acts with situational ethics in a multi-ethnic community, they will be going against usual standards of morality. This research aims to identify the impact of situational ethics through religion on a multi-ethnic community and how it can create chaos and injustice in society.

Religion and Philosophy Dissertation Topics

Religion and philosophy have been going hand in hand throughout history. Philosophy has been used to justify and question God’s supreme power and the fundamentals of religious faith.

The basic premise of philosophy and its application to religion is based on trying to ascertain the existence of religion as a possibility. You can find a topic that interests you from the list of religion and philosophy dissertation topics below.

Topic 33: Relationship between existence of life and existence of God. Critically discuss with examples.

Research Aim: When a small object like a clock can never be made on its own unless someone creates it, then how it is possible that such a big and complex world and life can be created on its own without a creator. Because of this notion, in this research, God’s existence is critically analyzed based on its relationship with the existence of life.

Topic 34: If there is a God, who was he created by? An in-depth analysis based on fundamental religious beliefs

Research Aim: Based on the argument that nothing can be created on its own and there must be a creator for everything, this idea gives rise to a question that if God exists, then who created God. This question will be critically analyzed by reviewing the fundamental religious beliefs found in the religious literature of various religions.

Topic 35: Christianity is actually Paulism: A Critical Review

Research Aim: It is argued that today’s Christianity is not what Jesus Christ taught, but it is the beliefs and doctrines developed based on what Saint Paul wrote and taught about Christ and Christianity. Saint Paul wrote the thirteen books of the New Testament, and scholars believe that Paul’s teachings greatly deviated from the actual teachings of Jesus Christ. In this study, Paul and the contribution of Saint Paul in developing today’s Christianity will be critically reviewed to evaluate the argument.

Topic 36: Life after death and accountability is a necessity to remedy the injustice done in the world.

Research Aim: In this world, many of the times, the wrongdoers get away from punishment and justice is not provided to the innocent victims. Therefore it is essential that in the hereafter, people can be answerable for their good or bad deeds where they cannot get away after doing injustice, and the victims can be compensated. In this research, the justification for life after death is reviewed in line with the world’s injustice.

Topic 37: God is known to be an all loving, all-encompassing being. How can the evil in the world be justified in the face of an omnipotent God?

Research Aim: It is argued that when God is all-loving, and he is present everywhere, how so much evil, violence, and injustice may be possible in his presence, so much evil violence and injustice is possible taking place in the world. Given this statement, this research aims to justify the existence of evil in the world.

Topic 38: If God cannot be seen then it does not prove that he does not exist.

Research Aim: few things in the world cannot be seen or measured, but they exist, such as pain or magic. Based on this notion, it can be argued that it is not sufficient to deny God’s existence if we cannot see him. This research focuses on determining why it is not enough to disprove God’s presence only because he cannot be seen.

Topic 39: God is only a figments of a believer’s imagination. Discuss.

Research Aim: In different religions, God’s idea and characteristics are different. Some worship idols, some worship animals and supernatural beings, while others worship non-living objects like the moon, stars, sun, trees, and fire. Therefore in this research, God as an invention by the imagination of believers will be critically discussed.

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Architecture and Religion: Built Heritage Dissertation Topics

Architecture has played an essential role within the religious communities since it provides a tangible component of the community’s belief in substantiating their religious faith.

To understand the true essence of an architectural building within the religious faith, it is essential to look beyond the buildings’ structural aesthetics and understand the deeper engraved intangible value of religious faith that drives the community. Below is a list of topics that might be interesting for architecture and religion-based dissertation.

Topic 40: Architectural buildings such as churches and mosques have great religious significance. Discuss.

Research Aim: Religious architectural buildings like the synagogue, cathedral, church, shrine, temple, and mosques carry unique religious importance because it symbolizes religious history, culture, give exalted appeal and have a great influence on the religious community. In this research, architectural buildings’ religious importance, namely, synagogue, cathedral, church, shrine, temple, and mosques, will be discussed to identify their religious followers’ respective significance.

Topic 41: What are the components of a Church?

Research Aim: A church is a structure used by Christians to carry out their religious activities and worship. Traditionally, its interior is built in the Christian cross’s shape, and its components included; center aisle, alter, bema, and seats. However, the church building may also have a courtyard, apse, and mausoleum. The modern church buildings may have different structures and components. Therefore in this study, the traditional and modern church buildings are compared and contrasted to identify the mandatory components of a Christian Church.

Topic 42: Without religious buildings to substantiate faith, followers would lose their religion. Discuss.

Research Aim: Religious buildings like churches, temples, and mosques are the holy places where religious followers can worship, practise their faiths, and socialize with their fellow believers to substantiate their beliefs. This research aims to discuss whether, in the absence of religious buildings where followers can affirm their faiths, there are chances that they would lose their religion.

Topic 43: How far would you agree with the belief that divine presence can only be felt within religious architectural spaces?

Research Aim: The religious buildings are believed to have a divine presence, and people tend to go to such places so that they can feel that divine presence. Given this, it can be argued that a true believer may not necessarily need to visit a religious building to feel the divine presence. Therefore an exploratory study will be conducted to determine whether it is necessary to visit religious architectural spaces to feel the divine presence.

Topic 44: Demolishing a building that is fundamental to a religious belief is tantamount to disgracing the divine God. Discuss.

Research Aim: Destroying a religious building with significant importance to a religious belief would be equal to disrespecting the divine God and religion. The believers of that religion would not tolerate if their religious building is demolished, and they can react violently and create havoc. Therefore, in this study, what a religious building’s demolition would mean for their religious followers will be evaluated by conducting an in-depth analysis.

Topic 45: What is the purpose of religious architectural buildings? Discuss with a comparative analysis of different religious faiths.

Research Aim: All religious architectural buildings serve one common purpose: to provide a place for the religious followers to worship, congregate, and practice religious activities. However, different religious architectural buildings may also serve different or additional purposes. This study aims to conduct a comparative study between different religions to determine whether all religious architectural buildings serve the same purpose.

Topic 46: An expensive religious building does not encompass the basic human right of equality amongst all mankind. Discuss.

Research Aim: In today’s world where millions of people live below the poverty line, constructing an expensive religious building seems to contradict the notion of equality amongst all humankind and basic human rights. However, it can be argued that the poor people who do not have access to luxuries can avail comfort by visiting the expensive religious building. Therefore it is necessary to determine whether expensive religious buildings give all humankind equality and are in line with human rights. Get Free Custom Dissertation Topic .

Politics and Religion: Dissertation Topics

The study of religion and politics aims to draw an interconnecting relationship between the two subject areas and analyze their impact upon each other’s application. Below is a list of topics that may help aim to research the relationship between  Politics and Religion .

Topic 47: There needs to be clear distinction between political views and religious beliefs. Discuss.

Research Aim: As per secularist ideology, politics and religion are two different aspects and therefore should be clearly separated. However, religious doctrines tend to suggest that politics and religious beliefs go hand in hand. Given this argument, the present study adopts exploratory research to determine whether there must be a clear distinction between political views and religious beliefs.

Topic 48: Politics is used as a mask to cover up religious fanaticism. Critically analyse.

Research Aim: Politics include various activities which are used to govern a country. In a country where the governance is controlled or influenced by religious leaders or religious parties, religious fanaticism may be accepted and cultivated under political authority. In this research, the relationship between politics and religious fanaticism is critically analyzed to identify whether politics is used as a cover to foster religious fanaticism.

Topic 49: The fading association between religion and politics in a secular state.

Research Aim: secularism is a belief which segregates politics and state from religious affairs. Based on this notion, it can be argued that people tend to disassociate religion from worldly affairs in a secular state. Therefore the affiliation between religion and politics has been diminishing. In this study, the relationship between religion and politics is to be determined in a secular state to evaluate the extent to which religion is disassociated from politics.

Topic 50: Should religious leaders be equipped with some form of political or legal authority

Research Aim: Religious leaders have a great degree of power and influence over their religious communities, and their followers tend to obey their orders without questioning them. This shows that religious leaders can even use their position and religious authority to direct their followers wherever they want. Therefore this study focuses to critically analyze whether it would be correct to give religious leaders any political or legal authority.

Topic 51: The only reasons politicians bow to religious authority is to gain popularity. Critically analyse.

Research Aim: In countries where religious leaders have great influence and control over many people, the politicians sometimes join hands with religious leaders to win elections by gaining support from their religious followers. However, the politicians’ collation with the religious leaders may not necessarily mean that they bow down to the religious leaders. Still, it is a diplomatic step to gain their own political authority.

Topic 52: How has the religion Islam succumbed under political pressures? Critically analyse.

Research Aim: In the post 9/11 world, the religion Islam came under immense political pressure. The political activism by Islamic organizations and religious parties has been restricted to moderate the religion of Islam. In this research, a critical analysis is to be conducted to determine whether religion Islam surrendered under political pressures.

Topic 53: The role of Hindu extremists and politicians in Indian society.

Research Aim: In India, the Hindu extremist party RSS played a significant role in rising Hindu Nationalism in Indian politics. Since its independence, India has been identified as a secular state. Still, under the Hindu Nationalist party’s new rule, the Indian political landscape has been altered, and Hinduism dominance is forcefully implemented in Indian society. Given this, the present study aims to evaluate what impact the Hindu extremists and Hindu Nationalist politicians would have on Indian culture in terms of violence and injustice towards low-caste people and Muslims living in India.

Important Notes:

As a student of religion, philosophy and theology looking to get good grades, it is essential to develop new ideas and experiment on existing religion, philosophy and theology theories – i.e., to add value and interest in your research topic.

The field of religion, philosophy and theology is vast and interrelated to many other academic disciplines like  civil engineering ,  construction ,  law , and even  healthcare . That is why it is imperative to create a religion, philosophy and theology dissertation topic that is articular, sound, and actually solves a practical problem that may be rampant in the field.

We can’t stress how important it is to develop a logical research topic; it is based on your entire research. There are several significant downfalls to getting your topic wrong; your supervisor may not be interested in working on it, the topic has no academic credit-ability, the research may not make logical sense, there is a possibility that the study is not viable.

This impacts your time and efforts in  writing your dissertation  as you may end up in the cycle of rejection at the initial stage of the dissertation. That is why we recommend reviewing existing research to develop a topic, taking advice from your supervisor, and even asking for help in this particular stage of your dissertation.

Keeping our advice in mind while developing a research topic will allow you to pick one of the best religion, philosophy, and theology dissertation topics that fulfill your requirement of writing a research paper and adds to the body of knowledge.

Therefore, it is recommended that when finalizing your dissertation topic, you read recently published literature to identify gaps in the research that you may help fill.

Remember- dissertation topics need to be unique, solve an identified problem, be logical, and be practically implemented. Please look at some of our sample religion, philosophy and theology dissertation topics to get an idea for your own dissertation.

How to Structure your Dissertation

A well-structured   dissertation can help students   to achieve a high overall academic grade.

• A Title Page
• Acknowledgements
• Declaration
• Abstract: A summary of the research completed
• Table of Contents
• Introduction : This chapter includes project rationale, research background, key research aims and objectives, and the research problems. An outline of  the structure of a dissertation can also be added to this chapter.
• Literature Review :  This chapter presents relevant theories and frameworks by analyzing published and unpublished literature on the chosen research topic to address  research questions . The purpose is to highlight and discuss the selected research area’s relative weaknesses and strengths while identifying any research gaps. Break down the topic and key terms that can positively impact your dissertation and your tutor.
• Methodology: The  data collection  and  analysis  methods and techniques employed by the researcher are presented in the Methodology chapter, which usually includes  research design,  research philosophy, research limitations, code of conduct, ethical consideration, data collection methods and  data analysis strategy .
• Findings and Analysis: Findings of the research are analyzed in detail under the Findings and Analysis chapter. All key findings/results are outlined in this chapter without interpreting the data or drawing any conclusions. It can be useful to include  graphs ,  charts  and  tables  in this chapter to identify meaningful trends and relationships.
• Discussion and  Conclusion:  The researcher presents his interpretation of the results in this chapter and states whether the research hypothesis has been verified or not. An essential aspect of this section is establishing the link between the results and evidence from the literature. Recommendations with regards to the implications of the findings and directions for the future may also be provided. Finally, a summary of the overall research, along with final judgments, opinions, and comments, must be included in the form of suggestions for improvement.
• References:  Make sure to complete this following your University’s requirements
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• Appendices: Any additional information, diagrams, and graphs used to  complete the dissertation  but not part of the dissertation should be included in the Appendices chapter. Essentially, the purpose is to expand the information/data.

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100+ Religion Essay Topics

The realm of religion has always been a deeply fascinating and, at times, contentious area of study. The possibilities for exploration are vast, from theological doctrines to the impact of religion on societies. If you are a student or an enthusiast looking to delve into religious studies through essays, you’ve come to the right place.

Table of Contents

What is a Religion Essay?

A religion essay is a piece of writing that explores topics related to spirituality, theological doctrines, the historical evolution of religions, religious practices, and the impact of religion on various facets of society. It provides an avenue for individuals to critically examine and articulate their understanding of a religious subject, fostering both introspection and academic analysis.

Guide on Choosing a Religion Essay Topic

In 100-150 words? Here goes: Choosing a topic for a religion essay can be overwhelming, given the vastness of the subject. Start by narrowing your focus. Are you more interested in theological concepts, historical events, or social impacts? Research current events related to religion, as contemporary issues can provide fresh perspectives. Reflect on personal experiences or curiosities. It’s always easier to write on topics you’re passionate about. Lastly, ensure your chosen topic has enough credible sources available for a well-researched essay.

Religion Essay Topics Lists

Theological concepts.

• The Concept of God in Abrahamic Religions
• Karma and Reincarnation in Hinduism
• The Significance of Nirvana in Buddhism
• Sufism: The Mystical Dimension of Islam
• The Holy Trinity in Christianity: Interpretations and Beliefs

Historical Events

• The Crusades: Religious Zeal or Political Conquest?
• The Reformation and its Impact on Christianity
• Spread of Islam: Historical Perspectives and Causes
• Ancient Egyptian Religion and its Influence on Society
• The Role of the Vatican during World War II

Social Impacts

• Religion and its Role in Shaping Moral Values
• The Influence of Religion on Art and Architecture
• Religion and Politics: A Dangerous Liaison?
• Impact of Secularism on Modern Societies
• Feminism and Religion: Points of Convergence and Divergence

Contemporary Issues

• The Rise of Atheism in the 21st Century
• Religion and LGBTQ+ Rights: Conflicts and Resolutions
• Modern Religious Movements and Cults: A Study
• Religion in the Age of Technology: Evolution or Dissolution?
• Climate Change: Religious Perspectives and Responsibilities

Personal Reflections

• My Spiritual Journey: Discoveries and Challenges
• Religion in My Family: Traditions and Changes
• The Role of Prayer in My Life
• Personal Experiences with Religious Tolerance and Intolerance
• Finding Peace: A Personal Encounter with Meditation

Historical Contexts

• The Fall of Constantinople: Religious Implications
• The Establishment of the Church of England
• Comparative Analysis: Spread of Christianity and Islam in Africa
• The Dead Sea Scrolls: Relevance and Discoveries
• Influence of the Byzantine Church on Orthodox Christianity

Theological Doctrines

• Comparative Analysis of Heaven in Different Religions
• The Role of Angels and Demons across Religions
• Salvation in Christian Theology
• Islamic Views on Predestination
• Hindu Views on Creation and Cosmos

Philosophical Questions

• The Problem of Evil in Religious Thought
• The Existence of God: Arguments For and Against
• Morality: Divine Command Theory vs. Secular Ethics
• Free Will vs. Divine Determinism
• The Concept of Soul in Various Religions

Modern Interpretations and Movements

• Progressive Christianity: A New Age Movement?
• Jihad: Misunderstandings and Clarifications
• Spiritual but Not Religious: The Rise of Secular Spirituality
• Neo-Paganism and Modern Witchcraft
• The Baha’i Faith and Its Universal Message

Religious Practices and Rituals

• The Significance of Hajj in Islam
• Christian Sacraments: Symbols and Meanings
• Hindu Festivals and Their Socio-religious Importance
• Jewish Dietary Laws: Significance and Practice
• Zen Buddhism: Practices and Philosophies

Religion and Society

• The Role of Religion in Contemporary Politics
• Religion and Education: Benefits and Drawbacks
• Religious Perspectives on Healthcare Ethics
• The Impact of Religion on Family Structures
• Religion in Media: Representation and Bias

Interfaith and Comparative Studies

• Comparative Study of Abrahamic Religions
• Eastern vs. Western Spiritual Practices
• Similarities in Creation Myths Across Religions
• Comparative Study of Ascetic Practices in Religions
• Rituals of Death and Afterlife Across Cultures

Gender and Religion

• Female Figures in Christianity: Beyond Mary
• The Role of Women in Islamic Societies
• Feminine Divinities in Hinduism
• Gender Roles in Traditional and Modern Jewish Practices
• The Evolution of Gender Norms in Buddhist Traditions

Religion and Science

• Religious Perspectives on Evolution
• The Vatican and Astronomy: A Historic Relationship
• Islamic Contributions to Science and Mathematics
• Hindu Cosmology and Modern Astrophysics
• Buddhism and Psychology: Overlaps and Insights

Mysticism and Esoteric Beliefs

• Kabbalah: Jewish Mysticism Explored
• Christian Gnostic Traditions
• Sufism: The Heart of Islamic Mysticism
• Tantra in Hinduism and Buddhism: Misunderstandings and Realities
• The Rosicrucians: History and Beliefs of a Mysterious Order

Sacred Texts and Their Interpretations

• The Bhagavad Gita: A Philosophical Analysis
• Parables in the New Testament: Meanings and Implications
• The Talmud and Its Relevance in Contemporary Judaism
• The Tao Te Ching: Exploring Daoist Philosophy
• Themes of Justice and Mercy in the Qur’an

Religion and Art

• Depictions of Buddha in Art: Evolution and Significance
• Christian Iconography: Symbols and Their Origins
• Islamic Calligraphy: Beauty in Sacred Texts
• Religious Themes in Renaissance Art
• The Influence of Hindu Mythology on Classical Dance Forms

Faith and Modern Challenges

• Addressing Climate Change: Religious Responses and Responsibilities
• Religion in the Digital Age: New Forms of Worship and Community
• The Ethics of Genetic Engineering from Religious Perspectives
• Faith Healing vs. Modern Medicine: A Comparative Analysis
• The Role of Religion in Modern Mental Health Practices

Minor Religions and Sects

• Jainism: Principles of Non-Violence and Asceticism
• The Yoruba Religion: Understanding Orishas and Rituals
• The Alevi Community: Beliefs and Practices
• Zoroastrianism: History and Current Status
• The Raelian Movement: Extraterrestrial Beliefs and Controversies

Call to Action

Overwhelmed by the vastness of religious topics or unsure how to articulate your thoughts cohesively? Let WriteOnDeadline help! Our expert essay writers are well-versed in diverse religious subjects and can craft an impeccable essay tailored to your needs. Don’t hesitate – reach out to us today!

Useful References

• BBC Religions – Comprehensive information on a wide array of religions.
• Religion Online – Full texts by recognized religious scholars.
• Pew Research Center’s Religion & Public Life Project – Offers statistical research and reports on religion’s role in society.

Home > ARTS > RLC > RLC_ETD

Religion and Culture Theses and Dissertations

This online database contains the full-text of PhD dissertations and Masters’ theses of Wilfrid Laurier University students from 1982 forward. These documents are made available for personal study and research purposes only, in accordance with the Canadian Copyright Act and the Creative Commons license—CC BY-NC-ND (Attribution, Non-Commercial, No Derivative Works). Under this license, works must always be attributed to the copyright holder (original author), cannot be used for any commercial purposes, and may not be altered. Any other use would require the permission of the copyright holder. Students can choose to withdraw their dissertation and/or thesis from this database. For additional inquiries, please contact the repository administrator via e-mail or by telephone at 519-884-0710 ext. 2073.

Theses/Dissertations from 2023 2023

Kirtan in the Americas: Music and Spirituality in a Transcultural Whirlpool , Gustavo Moura

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Messages from the Margins: How Mature Women at Risk of Homelessness Sustain Their Psychosocial and Spiritual Lives , Catherine E. Tovell

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Tradition as Flow: Decolonial Currents in the Muslim Atlantic , Jason Sparkes

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Beyond Muslim Xenophobia and Contemporary Parochialism: Aga Khan IV, the Ismā‘īlīs, and the making of a Cosmopolitan Ethic , Sahir Dewji

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Theories of the Self, Race, and Essentialization in Buddhism in the United States during the “Yellow Peril,” 1899-1957 , Ryan Anningson

Immigration, Integration and Ingestion: The Role of Food and Drink in Transnational Experience for North African Muslim Immigrants in Paris and Montréal , Rachel D. Brown

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

The Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario: Integrating Christian Principles with the Practicality of Farming , Suzanne M. Armstrong

Canadian Christian Nationalism?: The Religiosity and Politics of the Christian Heritage Party of Canada , Leah A D McKeen

The Reinvention of the Canadian Armed Forces Chaplaincy and the Limits of Religious Pluralism , Michael T. Peterson Rev. Dr.

Masjids, Ashrams and Mazars: Transnational Sufism and the Bawa Muhaiyaddeen Fellowship , Merin Shobhana Xavier

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

“COMFORT, COMFORT MY PEOPLE”: A QUALITATIVE STUDY EXAMINING DYING PERSONS’ AND THEIR CAREGIVERS’ EXPERIENCE OF SPIRITUAL CARE AS AN AID TO HAVING A GOOD DEATH IN GREY AND BRUCE COUNTIES, ONTARIO , Dwight Biggs

Theses/Dissertations from 2011 2011

The Social Ethic of Religiously Unaffiliated Spirituality , Siobhan Chandler

You Can’t Go To Zion with a Carnal Mind: Slackness and Culture in the Music of Yellowman , Brent Hagerman

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

Dhamma Education: The Transmission and Reconfiguration of the Sri Lankan Buddhist Tradition in Toronto , Deba Mitra Bhikkhu

Interfaith Grand River: The Potential and Limits of Dialogue to Transform Participants and Impact Communities , Jonathan Andrew Napier

But Where Will They Build Their Nest? Liberalism and Communitarian Resistance in American Cinematic Portrayals of Jewish-Gentile Romances , Holly A. Pearse

Theses/Dissertations from 2009 2009

Saltwater Sacraments and Backwoods Sins: Contemporary Atlantic Canadian Literature and the Rise of Literary Catholicism , Andrew Peter Atkinson

Knowing Body, Moving Mind: Ritualizing and Learning in Two Buddhist Centres in Toronto , Patricia Q. Campbell

Theses/Dissertations from 2007 2007

Fitting Under the Marriage Canopy: Same-Sex Weddings as Rites of Conformity in a Canadian Liberal Jewish Context , Shari Rochelle Lash

Destruction at the root: Religious genocide in Tibet? , Jackson Elijah Sherratt

Theses/Dissertations from 2006 2006

Children's Bible story books in a Protestant church context , Louise Gilmour

Theses/Dissertations from 2004 2004

Buddhist values and ordinary life among members of the Toronto Zen Buddhist Temple , Patricia Q. Campbell

The making of the virgin: Mary in the 'Protevangelium of James' , Sherry Angela Smith

The Bodhisattva and relationship: Thich Nhat Hanh and Rita Gross on the integration of parenting and Buddhist practice among non-Asian, North American Buddhists , Marybeth White

Chinoiserie in the novels of Robert Hans van Gulik , Daniel Franklin Wright

Theses/Dissertations from 2003 2003

Evangelical critical discourse and the modern world: The sources and implications of the work of Craig Gay , Stephen L. Anderson

On the edges: Mennonite peacemakers on Christian peacemaker teams , Carolyn D. Reimer

Theses/Dissertations from 2002 2002

Heracleon: Fragments of early Valentinian exegesis. Text, translation, and commentary , Timothy James Pettipiece

Theses/Dissertations from 2001 2001

Contemporary Western representations of Jesus in Islam , Harold Chad Hillier

Two voices (Sylvia Jamieson Sandy, Mohawk, Ontario) , Judith Anne Jamieson Mitton

Situating 2 Timothy in early Christian history , Mona Joy LaFosse

Theses/Dissertations from 1998 1998

'Speech unhindered': A study of irony in the Acts of the Apostles , Alexander Lorne Damm

Florence Nightingale's autobiographical notes: A critical edition of BL Add. 45844 (England) , Heather Kelly

Theses/Dissertations from 1996 1996

The Holocaust: A catalyst for theological evolution as exemplified by the writing of Dr. John T. Pawlikowski, O.S.M. , David Joseph Levy

The life stories of a woman from Rosebud: Names and naming in 'Lakota Woman' and 'Ohitika Woman' (Mary Brave Woman Olguin, South Dakota) , Larissa Petrillo

Theses/Dissertations from 1995 1995

The gospel of Denys: The central character in 'Jesus de Montreal' (Denys Arcand, Québec) , Laurence William Broadhurst

The use of "exempla" in 'Fasciculus morum' , Sarah Anne Gray

Theses/Dissertations from 1994 1994

Manufacturing concern: Worthy and unworthy victims. Headline coverage of male and female victims of violence in Canadian daily newspapers, 1989 to 1992 , James William Boyce

Rebuilding the broken wall: The EFC and Canadian evangelicals , Mark Denis Chapman

Native theological training within Canadian evangelicalism: Three case studies , Graham Gibson

Theses/Dissertations from 1992 1992

Going by the moon and the stars: Stories of two Russian Mennonite women , Pamela E. Klassen

The person of Paul: A study in the apostle's ethical appeal , John W. Marshall

Thomas Scott's 'The Force of Truth': A diplomatic edition from the first and final editions with introduction and notes , Gordon Bruce Rumford

'The Book of Mutual Love' of Adam of Perseigne: A translation with a revised critical edition and commentaries (France) , Bryan Trussler

Theses/Dissertations from 1991 1991

Funeral rites among Ashanti immigrants in Toronto: A case study (Ontario) , Paul Adjin-Tettey

Otto Rank's theory of cultural transition , Thomas James Clearwater

The impact of Archbishop Oscar Romero's alliance with the struggle for liberation of the Salvadoran people: A discussion of church-state relations (El Salvador) , Helen-May Eaton

Jerome's commentary on Jonah: Translation with introduction and critical notes , Timothy Michael Hegedus

Purity and power: A rhetorical study of the ideology of purity and defilement in the Book of Ezekiel , Armin Siedlecki

Theses/Dissertations from 1990 1990

Gender and The Search for Identity in Gwendolyn MacEwan’s Julian and Noman Stories , Anne Marie Martin

The early Latin sources for the legend of St. Martha a study and translation with critical notes , Diane Peters

Theses/Dissertations from 1989 1989

The role of ideology in Hebrew nation-making , Gerald Cressman

Sumptuary guidelines in Clement of Alexandria's Paedagogus and Seneca's Epistulae morales , Stephen Crump

A neurophysiological model of trance with practical application , Alexander Sasha Antony Marusich

Feminist ritual healing, transformation and empowerment , Eileen R. Ormond

Socialization or hermeneutics? The fundamental cause of conflict over sexual morals in the United Church of Canada , Derek Albert Parry

Judean pithoi of Iron Age Eretz Israel , Penny Lynn Pearson

The arguments of the Apocriticus a re-evaluation of the apology of macarius magnes , Benedict C. Sheehy

Gottfried Arnold on worship a translation from Die erste Liebe, 1696 , Paul Wagner

Theses/Dissertations from 1988 1988

A Weave of Women in the context of contemporary feminism and traditional Judaism , Patricia J. Bush

The hermeneutics of Lonergan and Gadamer: A comparison (Bernard Lonergan, Hans-Georg Gadamer) , Terry Graham

Ancient Mesopotamian concepts of death and the netherworld according to ancient literary texts , John William David McMaster

The symbolism of the eye in Mesopotamia and Israel , Helen L. Seawright

Stamped Greek amphora handles in Israel , Thomas C. Seawright

Invisible presences: Virginia Woolf and biography , Stephanie Kirkwood Walker

Theses/Dissertations from 1987 1987

Didymus the Blind on 1 Corinthians 15 , Alice Thompson Croft

The significance of female imagery in the book of Proverbs wisdom and wife compared , Anna Doris Piskorowski

Theses/Dissertations from 1986 1986

Religious Sanctuaries in Ancient Cyprus During the Iron Age , Lenia Chamberlain

Anglican and Reformed: Ecumenism and Confessionalism in the Perspective of the Reformation , Timothy Ronald Cooke

“The Greatest Human Travail”: Faith and the Context of Rhetoric in Zora Neale Hurston’s Dust Tracks on a Road , James Cameron Hall

A Short History of the Anabaptists of High and Low Germany: A Diplomatic Edition with Introduction and Notes , E. Hugh K. Hill

A Reconstruction of the Contributions of Mitanni to the Ancient Near East , Richard E. Jarol

The Scarboro Foreign Mission Society, 1955-1968: The Implications of the Social Dimensions of Faith for a Missionary Endeavour , Erin Frances Phillips

The Samaria Region During the Israelite Period: An Urban Study , Olaf Johannes Bogh Poulsen

Theses/Dissertations from 1985 1985

The evolution of modern Catholic social teaching on labour and social justice , Hugh J. Campbell

The Paleolithic mother: Man's first God? , Patricia Frances Dutton

The temporal-eternal continuum of C.S. Lewis , Paul Medford Knowles

The institution of betrothal in the early rabbinical literature , Emma McLennan

The stations of the cross: A calculated trap? , Susan D. Shantz

Hosea's contribution to Israel's covenant thought , Byron L. Wheaton

A critique of the nouthetic counseling technique of Jay E. Adams , Roger Clayton White

Theses/Dissertations from 1984 1984

American fundamentalism and nuclear deterrence a critique , Glen Robert Amy

A theological assessment of Paulo Freire's view of education in terms of the perspective of Juergen Moltmann , Janice Davies

Imagining God a critical review of the theology and method of Gordon D. Kaufman , H. Victor Froese

A comparison of the theology of salvation in the teachings of Martin Luther and Joseph Smith, Jr , Gordon Frank Hodgins

The Late Bronze Age temple in Palestine , Thomas Glen Lee

Mythos and metaphor in the Apocalypse Northrop Frye's literary criticism applied to the Book of Revelation , Daniel Nightswander

Emil Brunner's theological anthropology a Neo-Thomistic critique , Arden Paul Schellert

Meaning in ancient synagogue art a study in methodology , Ruth M. Vale

Theses/Dissertations from 1983 1983

The rib in the Book of Job , John MacLaren Evans

The concept of the object relation in the writings of Gotthard Booth, M.D.: An example of an emerging paradigm in medicine , Thomas Charles Foster

The role of the mystic actor at the decline of civilization , Susan Dunlop Harper

The Cylinder Seals of Late Bronze Age Palestine as Indicators of Hurrian Influence , Mary-Louise Mussell

Approaching The Scarlet Letter: Spatiality as theme and method , Susan L. Scott

The Kingston Harbourfront site: An evaluation of urban development (Ontario) , Warren Bruce Stewart

Theses/Dissertations from 1982 1982

Suspicious-disclosure and the dialectic of self-appropriation in Paul Ricoeur's hermeneutics , Blaine Allen Barclay

Daughters of a jesting God: The religious sensibility of Margaret Laurence , Patricia Stibbards-Watt

Theses/Dissertations from 1981 1981

The Significance of Dietrich Bonhoeffer Today , Veronica Ertis-Kojima

Anti-Judaism in the Gospel of St. Matthew , Linda Joanne Lubin

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Article Contents

Why american sociology taking religion seriously had to fail (or nearly so), positive signs, future directions and challenges.

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Roundtable on the Sociology of Religion: Twenty-Three Theses on the Status of Religion in American Sociology—A Mellon Working-Group Reflection

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Christian Smith, Brandon Vaidyanathan, Nancy Tatom Ammerman, José Casanova, Hilary Davidson, Elaine Howard Ecklund, John H. Evans, Philip S. Gorski, Mary Ellen Konieczny, Jason A. Springs, Jenny Trinitapoli, Meredith Whitnah, Roundtable on the Sociology of Religion: Twenty-Three Theses on the Status of Religion in American Sociology—A Mellon Working-Group Reflection, Journal of the American Academy of Religion , Volume 81, Issue 4, December 2013, Pages 903–938, https://doi.org/10.1093/jaarel/lft052

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American sociology has not taken and does not take religion as seriously as it needs to in order to do the best sociology possible. Despite religion being an important and distinctive kind of practice in human social life, both historically and in the world today, American sociologists often neglect religion or treat it reductionistically. We explore several reasons for this negligence, focusing on key historical, conceptual, methodological, and institutional factors. We then turn to offer a number of proposals to help remedy American sociology's negligence of religion, advance the study of religion in particular, and enhance sociology's broader disciplinary capacity to improve our understanding and explanation of human social life. Our purpose in this analysis is to stimulate critical and constructive discussion about the significance of religion in human life and scholarly research on it.

DOES AMERICAN SOCIOLOGY take religion seriously? Does sociology understand all that it should about religion, if only in order to do its descriptive and explanatory job well? And how does the specific field of sociology of religion fit within or relate to the larger discipline of sociology? We believe that the answers to these questions are that American sociology too often neglects religion or treats religion reductionistically, and ought to improve itself by taking a more robust understanding of religion more seriously in research and teaching. We addresses questions about religion as a social object, sociological knowledge about religion, religious claims about social life, and the character and future of the larger discipline of sociology itself.

At the initiative of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, in partnership with the University of Notre Dame, we—a group of mostly American sociologists interested in the study of religion—take up these questions and reflect critically and constructively about the relationship between religious knowledge and the discipline of sociology. 1 We offer this article to stimulate greater disciplinary self-reflection and more constructive discussions about religion in sociology. We offer our thoughts as a small contribution to much larger conversations that have unfolded around the world in recent decades about the meaning, social role, and future of religion and secularity. We speak mostly as Americans about American sociology, yet hope that our particular perspective might make some useful contribution to these larger global conversations.

This article proceeds in three parts. We first describe problems and challenges facing the study of religion within sociology. We then describe positive signs. Finally, we offer constructive proposals for future directions.

In this section, we examine the reasons—historical, conceptual, methodological, and institutional—why American sociology has had difficulty taking religion seriously. To approach this issue, and the questions that opened the article, it is necessary to first set them in their larger historical context and then place them in the contemporary landscape of American sociology.

Historical Problems

First, since its inception, American sociology has had a complicated, shifting relationship with “religion.” 2 In its earliest years, American sociology germinated in the soil of a socially activist American Protestantism. Many first-generation sociologists came from Christian backgrounds, hoped to use sociology to promote religiously inspired and informed social reforms, and even spoke confidently about visions for “Christian sociology.” The Social Gospel leader, Shailer Mathews, for instance, published an eight-part series of essays titled “Christian Sociology” in the first two volumes of the American Journal of Sociology in 1895–96. Mainline and progressive evangelical Protestantism was the traditional institutional authority exercising control over socially legitimate cultural knowledge ( Smith 2003b ). Beginning in the twentieth century, however, American sociology began to marginalize “religious sociology” as a misguided attempt to make claims to knowledge. University-based sociologists, seeking to turn their nascent field into a legitimately viewed profession, began intentionally drawing a sharp distinction between scientific sociology (said to be good and authoritative) and religious “do-goodism” (said to be bad and illegitimate). As such, American sociology was established discursively and institutionally as a structural rival of religion, in some sense, a secularized version of American Protestant Christianity (as the discipline of anthropology was, similarly, a secular complement to the Christian missionary movement abroad). From the start, then, American sociology got off on the wrong foot in its ability to take religion seriously. 3

Second, in the particular history of American thinking about religion and society, certain dimensions of religion and the “spiritual” were unjustifiably removed from the roster of serious academic topics that merit scholarly description, understanding, and explanation . An evolutionary theoretical heritage that posited religion, particularly the dominant form of Christianity, as the most highly evolved form of the “natural spiritual quest of man” dominated the latter half of the nineteenth-century. In retrospect, scholars now see that heritage as not only self-aggrandizing, but also false. In turn, other forms of practices concerning transcendent, spiritual, supernatural, and mystical matters—such as magic, cultic practices, mysticism, and nonobvious forms of spiritual searching—were largely removed from sociological consideration. Given the evolutionary assumptions about religion common in the nineteenth century, it was easy to discard these as primitive and inferior superstitions and residues destined for extinction. These all remain important religious or quasi-religious realities in the contemporary world, however, and deserve more and better study than they typically receive by sociologists. 4

Third, the larger academy's current renewed attention to religion is driven not by a native academic interest in things sacred and transcendent but, rather, by the external imposition of undeniably important religious movements and events building over the past forty years . The founding thinkers of sociology understood religion to be important, but also believed that it would wither away in relevance and strength with the development of modernity. In fact, to the contrary, a host of social, political, and theological movements, revolutions, events, and trends in recent decades have forced mainstream American academics, whether they like it or not, to take religion seriously. These developments include the rise of the Moral Majority and religious right in the United States; the Iranian revolution; Catholic Solidarity in Poland; the role of Pope John Paul II in challenging communism; liberation theology in Latin America; the religious energy in the antiapartheid movement in South Africa; ongoing conflict between Hindus and Muslims in and around India and Pakistan; a resurgent evangelicalism in American culture and politics; the massive growth of Pentecostalism and charismatic evangelicalism in the Global South; and the surging growth of multiple religions in China, South Korea, and other Asian countries. September 11, 2001, put a massive exclamation point at the end of these profound phenomena to open up the twenty-first century.

The recent renewal of scholarly interest in religion has thus resulted not from any internally driven enlightenment about the subject of religion among faculty in universities. It has rather been forced upon the academy by the reality of religion's continued presence in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. These facts have forced American academics to reconsider problems in the secularization-theory model, to learn more about the empirical realities of religion in the contemporary world, and to adjust their interests, understandings, and analyses to better account for the religious realities and religious facts of the real world. But the deeper effect on the discipline of sociology itself has been arguably limited. That is, something big has happened in the world in last forty years that has thrown the standard, received views of religion into flux, provoked renewed interest in things religious or spiritual, and underscored the limits of the old paradigm. But many American academics, often ill-prepared intellectually, seem to have met these changes and challenges with surprise and perhaps with some begrudging resistance.

Fourth, the apparent “resurgence” of public religion around the world transpired when American social scientists were focused primarily on theories and explanations that could not properly account for that resurgence . During the 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s, American sociology was preoccupied with rejecting the Parsonian structural functionalism that had dominated the discipline during the mid-twentieth century and replacing it with theoretical alternatives. Some of that reaction took the form of various micro-sociologies—symbolic interactionism, phenomenology, enthnomethodology, dramaturgy, and so on—which were relatively neutral in their ability to accommodate a renewed interest in religion. But the more influential movements in American sociology during these decades were expressed in “rational choice” theory and various “structural” approaches to social analysis, including versions of neo-Marxism and state-centered theories. Central to these latter approaches are the commitment, rooted deeply in Thomas Hobbes, David Hume, and others, to rational egoism, materialism, and a focus on resource or utility gain. Consequently, much of the discourse of the “structural” outlook of those years concerned interests, resources, domination, and the determinative power of social structure. Other matters, such as culture, belief, ideology, nonrational behavior, ritual, and “superstition,” were considered marginal. So when religion began in the 1970s to show that it was not going away, many social scientists of the era were unprepared intellectually to make sense of it. That influence continues to this day. To the extent that the theoretical worldviews of sociologists today still revolve primarily around matters of material interests, economic forces, political interests, social dominance, relational power, and so on, religion remains largely reducible and ignorable. By theoretical presupposition, the former are taken to be “real” while religion is believed to be peripheral or epiphenomenal. But, we believe, religious commitments in the end cannot be completely reduced to interests, power, and material resources, so an interest- and resource-based general sociological model cannot account for religion well.

Even today, Western nations largely frame processes such as global socioeconomic development in ways that do not involve religion in any serious way. Worse yet, leaders of liberal democracies cling to an old faith in the positivist account of modernization, presuming that the processes of development are solvent enough to neutralize or subdue the antimodernizing impulses of religious belief. This has perpetuated patterns of Orientalism and colonialist relations between “developed” and “developing” countries. Instead of understanding religion as it operates on its own terms within the developing world—not to mention in “advanced” countries—Western leaders react with dismay, ignorance, and despair over the “staying power” of religion across the globe. As a result of this ignorance about the roles that religion plays in various national contexts, development projects, state-building, peace building, the promotion of democracy, and even trade agreements have often failed. Thus, as global religion becomes increasingly difficult to ignore, we believe an appropriate sense of urgency for taking religion seriously is still lacking in important power centers of the West, let alone amongst scholars. Yet, as the waves of “world problems” inevitably crash onto local shores in a globalizing world, we can no longer afford to ignore the important matter of religion as it exists in human life around the globe.

Fifth, the resurgent American cultural sociology since the 1980s has proven only marginally interested in religion and, in fact, tends to treat religion as indistinguishable from other social realities. Hitting the real limits of the rational choice and structural sociologies that dominated the discipline in the United States during the 1970s helped to give rise to a resurgent cultural sociology in the 1980s and beyond. We view that as a good movement overall, although much of the work in the new cultural sociology turned out to ignore religion. With few exceptions, little was done on the theoretical front of the new cultural sociology to take on religion as a particular social object and to significantly improve our sociological understanding of it. If anything, religion became viewed as simply another “ideology”—ontologically and conceptually indistinct from any other belief system. Indeed, dominant sociological views of culture secularize religion, treating it as a subcomponent of culture, when, we think, a plausible historical and sociological argument can be made that culture is actually a subcomponent of religion.

As a result, many cultural sociologists saw little reason to theorize religion as a particular kind of social entity—even though cultural sociology should be well-equipped theoretically to study religion as a distinctive kind of social object. Within this larger intellectual and analytical movement that might have served to revive a robust understanding of religion, the latter was instead melted into the larger mix of all things ideological, symbolic, and meaningful. Arguably, too, the ability of cultural sociology to adequately understand religion was weakened by the neo-positivism and empiricism advocated by some in the subfield. Recent developments in the field have increasingly called into question the link between discourse and practice, leading to focused studies of either discursive structures or popular material culture. Consequently, cultural sociology has constrained its own ability to make adequate sense of the subjective aspect of human existence, which we think is important (though not exclusive) in religion.

Conceptual and Methodological Problems

Sixth, many of our standard methodological tools reflect assumptions about and treatments of religion that are so thin, skewed, and misleading that they constitute a serious obstacle to understanding and explaining the complexity of real religious phenomena. Methodologically, sociology has generally not thought of religion as an important variable. Mainstream surveys simply do not ask enough in-depth questions about religion, nor are our concepts about religion deep or interesting enough to generate many really good survey questions. Several sociological studies of religion presuppose, for example, that religion can be adequately captured for most analyses by a limited set of standard survey-measure variables entered into multiple regression equations—“church attendance,” “affiliation,” “Bible views,” and the like. In certain circumstances, that may work. But the common tendency is to proceed with little reflection on or conceptualization of the subject of study, slapping standard measures and methods on a variety of matters “religious,” and concluding that what is to be learned will either come out in the findings or, if nothing comes out, that there is nothing important to learn. Attempting to “pay more attention to religion” while relying on such flawed assumptions and measures may actually make matters worse and inhibit future investigation. As a simple example, for a long time, sociological surveys of religion asked one religion question about affiliation: “Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Other.” Those categories proved grossly simplistic for capturing real distinctions of consequence that existed in American religion. Often, dummy variables for these gross religious types produced no significant results, and so analysts concluded that “religion does not matter.”

Subsequent improvements in religion survey measures (e.g., Steensland et al. 2000 ) have improved our ability even with statistical analyses of religion to find significant and sometimes powerful religion effects. But we think the conceptual and theoretical work that needs doing is much more extensive than the incremental improvements in measurement we have seen in recent years. Knowing something about the complexities of religion in most cases, we suspect that far more rethinking of the tools we use for capturing different aspects of religious practices, rituals, affiliations, attitudes, habits, beliefs, and so on—inductively driven by significant qualitative field research—would have a big payoff in revealing the intricate and subtle ways that religion actually influences people's lives and the social world. We also think sociology of religion needs to consider the ways in which too many of its assumptions, concepts, and measures are governed by a normative evangelical Protestant view of religion. In short, religion is much “thicker” than what many of our standard measures and methods capture, and most of our (neo-positivist) methodologies cannot adequately test our theories about religion. If we hope to adequately grasp the social significance of religion in social life, we need to improve our measures and methods.

Seventh, disciplinary preoccupations and trends often include conceptual inadequacies and biases that impede the serious study of religion . In general, mainstream American sociology has a strong antimentalist outlook. Because the discipline commonly discounts “beliefs,” attitudes, and mental life in motivating and guiding social action and behavior ( Campbell 1996 ), sociology has difficulty taking religion seriously. Underlying this trend are many basic theoretical misunderstandings, including, for example, the failure to recognize that “social structures” are always culturally constituted, including by sets of cultural beliefs such as religion. More broadly, we detect here an inadequate familiarity with important issues in the philosophy of science that affect our work, including questions about causation, empiricism, emergence, and the ontology of unobservable entities. At a much more simple level, for decades, secularization theory dominated social science's view of the fate of religion in modern society. As this theory has proven untenable, scholars since the 1980s have found themselves without an adequate conceptual apparatus at hand to respond to the very-real religious world that imposed itself upon their crumbling academic verities.

For another example, some scholars, especially postmodern and postcolonial critics in religious studies, have challenged the very idea of “religion” as a universal, basically human, and coherent concept. We think such critiques are partly insightful and correct (see below), but also misleading on the particular question of defining religion. It is true that the use of the idea of “religion” as a singular category can be misleading in various ways, including wrongly suggesting that all “religions” in the world are natural kinds that share identifiable sets of properties, tendencies, teachings, and practices. At the same time, we believe that, by shifting our focus from largely exclusive concerns with discourse and concepts to a more expansive view that takes seriously practices and actions, we can identify a particular type of human activity and orientation that shares features that can be rightly described under the rubric of “religion.” 5 However, we think it best (as much as possible) to refer to “religions” in the plural, to remind ourselves of the multiplicity and diversity of the subjects of study. And we think it important to intentionally distinguish different aspects of religious phenomena, such as religious practices, rituals, beliefs, organizations, dispositions, material artifacts, and so on. To improve the definitional adequacy of our concepts in a way that will enhance our ability to understand religion well will require much more theoretical work ( Edgell 2012) .

In this larger context, however, sociologists have also paid insufficient attention to how the study of religion has itself participated in and authorized the discourses of colonialism and “Orientalism.” On this point, we think many of the postcolonial critics are correct. Too often, we have overlooked the complicity of academic concepts such as “religion” in authorizing historical power restructuring, domination, and direct and cultural violence, both domestically and globally. Interrogating this legacy entails ramifications for the global and comparative academic study of religion, calling religion scholars to overcome our too-common national and Christocentric parochialisms. Further, the modern project itself has involved “migrating the holy” to the political construct of the nation state (see Cavanaugh 2011 ). The nation has become not merely a replacement of religion but, at times, instrumental to the fulfillment of religious objectives. This is not only the case with Jewish settlers in the Occupied Territories, for example, but also motifs located in the mythologies of Sinhala Buddhism, Hindutva, Hamas, and a host of other explicitly religious nationalisms. None of these, however, can be explained outside intersecting discursive formations, from colonialism to Orientalism and to the very logic of nationalism. Nor can they be reduced to these formations either. To make sense of the reality of religion around the world, we need to become more self-reflexive about these kinds of processes and dynamics.

Contemporary Institutional Problems

Eighth, the sociology of religion in the United States continues to remain somewhat institutionally isolated . For much of the twentieth century, sociology of religion in the United States was organized into largely autonomous professional associations. These, most notably, include the Association for the Sociology of Religion, the Religious Research Association, and the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion. It was not until 1995 that a religion section even began in the American Sociological Association, ninety years after the ASA's founding. These independent associations have helped the field's development in some ways. They all enjoy significant material resources to carry on their work, publish their own field-specific journals (e.g., the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion ), and organize their own conferences. But, in doing so, they have also segregated sociologists studying religion from their sociological colleagues in other, often more central fields of study in the discipline (e.g., social inequality, organizations, gender, and race and ethnicity). An unintended consequence of this particular organizational structuring has been to culturally define “religion” among sociologists as a distinct, isolated field of study. This has a silo effect, isolating scholars who think a lot about religion from colleagues who do not, and sending a message that “religion is being taken care of” by specialists, so those who are not sociologists of religion can largely ignore it. (This dynamic is not unique to the sociology of religion—many fields of sociology encounter it too—but it is still a fact that we think helps to explain the difficulty of sociology taking religion adequately seriously.)

Ninth, the isolation of religion has been reinforced organizationally at the university-level through the creation and expansion of religious studies departments . Historically, universities concentrated the study of religion into distinct departments, most of which emerged out of religious seminaries, divinity schools, and other semi- and quasi-confessional programs in academia. Departments of religious studies worked hard to define and protect the specific subject matter over which they presided. They also developed distinct methodologies believed to be uniquely suited to research on the sacred. For example, phenomenological approaches provided a means for taking seriously people's reports about religious experiences and beliefs in a way that potentially protected the latter from reductionistic, subject-dissolving analyses (like those that neuroscience might provide). While religious studies departments rightly gave “religion” a real place at the academic table, this often had the negative consequence of excusing scholars in other disciplines from also taking religion seriously. In effect, other scholars, including those in sociology, were able to overlook or ignore religion as a relevant social reality in their research because of religious studies' specialization in and dominance of the topic. This fact becomes clear when we compare how much attention major European sociologists, such as Ulrich Beck, pay to religion relative to their counterparts in the United States. As a result of this academic division of labor, many scholars in many disciplines, including sociology, are not particularly well prepared to understand and explain religion well.

Tenth, the sociology of religion is at the lower end of the disciplinary status hierarchy in the academy . Within sociology generally, the subfield of religion occupies a low status; moreover, within the social sciences, sociology has become somewhat marginal especially compared with the rise of positivistic economics in shaping policy and public discourse in recent years. These status hierarchies have become even more heightened with the growing prominence of a new scientific discourse shaped by neuroscience and neo-Darwinian approaches, which are arguably marginalizing all of the social sciences. Further, dominant trends in science suggest a growing scient ism that reduces numerous phenomena, including religion, to the neurological, genetic, and biological levels—privileging magnetic resonance images (MRIs), for instance, as the method by which we can arrive at our best knowledge of complicated social realities. Certainly, there is a diversity of voices among scientists in their views of and attitudes toward religion, but often the loudest voices are those that assume reductionist accounts of religion.

Eleventh, understanding religion is hampered by a larger inability in the discipline to think broadly, which is reinforced by current institutional structures and standard practices . The institutional reward structures in sociology do not incentivize studying religion, let alone big-picture social-theoretic questions that are relevant to religion. Yet such big-picture questions are foundational to sociology and ignoring them undermines the quality and significance of our sociological work. These forces are especially evident during graduate training and for junior professors. Graduate training in sociology across most American universities increasingly pressures students to generate publishable articles as quickly as possible, to make students more competitive on the job market, and to improve the rankings of their departments. Junior scholars face similar pressures as they navigate the tenure process; success and security depend on establishing an early and steady production of publications. What junior scholars often develop as a result, whether intentionally or as an unintended by-product, is a mentality that privileges the use of available survey data sets to run quick quantitative analyses to address some minor lacuna in a particular body of literature. Such training generally does not encourage in-depth and broad reading on difficult problems. It rather fosters a careerist mentality that sees the pursuit of big and difficult questions as grit thrown into the machinery of scholarship. Engaging big questions slows down the prolific manufacturing of published articles and is a risk to short-term achievement and, hence, a threat to professional survival. The requirements of major, sought-after funding sources (such as the National Science Foundation) to couch research in scient istic frameworks that privilege “hypothesis testing” also arguably inhibit the pursuit of serious, in-depth research on religion exploring territory beyond well-worn paths and formulas. The institutional reward structures in the academy may thus obstruct the pursuit of big theoretical questions as well as moral visions of sociology's possible contributions to society which might shape the discipline. We may rely on training in sociological theory to address such questions, yet even this as normally taught in graduate programs can be quite narrow, even perfunctory, and is often skewed by a common, underlying picture of human persons as essentially interested in political, status, and material ends.

Twelfth, the relative lack of personal religious commitment, identity, and knowledge among mainstream American sociologists arguably provides an obstacle to taking religion seriously in scholarship . We assume that, in general, the more personal, substantive knowledge a scholar has about an object of study, the more comfortable and competent the scholar can be in studying it ( Polanyi 1962) . We also assume that academics, who value competence and nuanced understanding in the topics they study, are less likely to turn their focus to subjects that would require significant investment in basic and professional knowledge. It is problematic, then, for the study of religion that American social scientists, and sociologists specifically, are disproportionately less religious than the U.S. population overall ( Ecklund 2010) . One consequence, we think, is that many social scientists may consider religion to be unfamiliar, unknown, and perhaps alien. This unfamiliarity may not necessarily make sociologists hostile to religion—although anecdotal evidence suggests that hostility toward religion is by no means absent in the discipline—but it may still have other consequences for taking religion seriously in scholarship. Without first making a substantial investment to learn more about religion, religiously unfamiliar scholars who address religion in their work risk getting their analyses and interpretations wrong. The majority of academics who are not personally familiar with religion, therefore, have incentives to simply steer clear of religion as “not something they study.”

In addition, some social scientists are suspicious of bias among religion scholars, whose knowledge of religion may stem from personal experience as believers and practitioners. Indeed, many American sociologists of religion in the 1950s and 1960s were often pastorally oriented—that is, they were practitioners interested in using sociological research to improve their religious institutions. However, there is no reason to think that a scholar with experience in a religion and commitment to a religious identity is any more likely to be biased than a scholar committed to any other identity (such as gender, class, or race) or political stance (such as feminism or Marxism). In fact, we question whether lack of personal experience with religion is a justifiable reason for ignoring the presence and effects of religion in sociological work. Sociologists often lack personal experience with the things we study: privileged scholars often study underprivileged peoples and communities, male scholars often study women, scholars of different racial and ethnic backgrounds often study people and communities of different backgrounds, and so on. In some cases, personal unfamiliarity or distance is analytically advantageous. That same principle ought to function similarly when it comes to religion, one of the fundamental fields and sources of solidarity and social cleavages in social life. In the particular case of religion, the obstacle may not simply be unfamiliarity, but also what we believe is widespread and growing misinformation about religion in recent years, driven by the fear in various communities of “fundamentalism” and some New Atheism discourse. When personal unfamiliarity is coupled with readily available public discourse characterizing religion as essentially evil and irrational, it may not be surprising that scholars are reluctant to undertake the serious study of religion.

Despite the problems and weaknesses we have presented above, we do not think the future of the field is bleak. American sociology has seen a growing openness to the importance of studying and understanding religion since the 1990s. Many sociologists have realized that the traditional critique of religion, in the form of secularization theory, is misguided, empirically flawed, and uninteresting. As a result, the discipline has seen a growing interest in the study of religion at many levels. Evidence suggests, for example, a growing demand from undergraduate students for courses that can help them to better understand religion and its role in the contemporary world—a demand that many sociology departments do not yet seem to be meeting. The quantity and quality of sociology graduate students interested in studying religion also seems to have increased in recent years. So, too, has interest in religion among established sociology faculty, journal editors, and book publishers in the last two decades.

In addition, sociology of religion as a field in the United States has produced a lot of theory and empirical work seeking to account for the persistence of religion in the modern world. Most scholars (though not all) in American sociology of religion have overcome the traditional presupposition—found in Karl Marx, Sigmund Freud, and other classical thinkers—that religion is inherently irrational and is a negative force in personal and social life. Indeed, some contemporary observers claim that the pendulum has swung too far in the other direction, suggesting that American sociology of religion has developed too much of a “pro” view of religion and of the human goods that it promotes; they call instead for a more balanced view of religion's ambivalent capacity for causing both positive and negative outcomes ( Levitt et al. 2010 ). Recent analysis has also identified a significant shift in sociological treatments of religion over time: religion is analyzed less often as a “dependent variable” (the outcome or effect of other causal influences) and more often as an “independent variable” (the influence or cause operating on other outcomes) ( Smilde and May 2010) . These shifts indicate that scholars are at least interested in trying to understand the phenomenon of religion more adequately.

We can consider a further example here. Above, we noted that the designated “study of religion” as it evolved in the modern university consequently defined “religion” as a self-contained entity separable from other aspects of life; its study was cordoned off (by a theory of political liberalism) as having to do mainly with a particular dimension of people's private lives. This tended to set up scholars to miss the many ways that religion was in fact part of everyday life in all spheres of society, but recent work on “everyday religion” has helped to correct this myopia regarding empirical reality (for example, Ammerman 2007 ; McGuire 2008) . This suggests that some in the discipline are committed to more adequately grasp religion as an object of study. It also suggests that, in the course of rethinking the role of knowledge about religion in the discipline of sociology, we need to pay close attention to the very conceptual boundaries and categories of religion that we presuppose and sustain in our scholarship.

Many sociologists still do not know what religion is and how and why it may have such consequences. But, more and more, sociologists seem in principle to be open to the fact that people are religious and that religion may have consequences in those people's lives. In fact, compared to the disciplines of economics and political science, for example, where religion is nearly excluded from serious consideration by the presupposed axioms and focuses of the mainstream of those disciplines, sociology is positively enlightened and dynamic on matters religious. Some evidence also suggests that many good sociologists who study religion avoid parochialism, purposely framing their scholarship, which by any account is essentially about religion, in terms of interests in different fields, such as political sociology, marriage and family, economic sociology, and so on. While this may suggest something amiss about the community of sociologists who study religion, it may also broaden the intellectual and network reach of the study of religion in the discipline.

More generally, most of the old disciplinary boundaries and categories are being reconsidered or challenged. Western “Enlightenment” when it comes to religion appears to be intellectually and academically stunting. People around the globe are transcending the standard Western story about “modernization” and its attendant doctrines about the “warfare of science and religion,” the obvious good of the liberal individual subject, and the teleological evolutionary destiny of religion to become privatized and subjectivized. This kind of fundamental intellectual churning and rethinking is happening not only (or even mostly) in the United States, but also in Europe, China, south Asia, and elsewhere. For instance, in Germany today, about one-third of the academic “clusters of excellence” are about religion. Thinkers outside of the cultures most influenced by Western Enlightenment skepticism appear to be more creative and open in their reflection on these matters than most scholars within those cultures. This appears to be a moment of flux provoking a foundational rethinking around the globe of terms and issues that have until recently been largely stable and taken for granted (in the West) since the seventeenth century.

Sociologists interested in improving the way that religion is understood and treated in sociology more broadly should recurrently ask and answer questions like these: What specifically would success look like? What do we need to understand about the nature of society in the twenty-first century that requires us to understand religious groups, practices, identities, rituals, beliefs, sensibilities, affiliations, and movements? How specifically would better debates about religion and social life sound? With whom should sociologists, both those who specialize in religion and those who do not, be talking? How could understanding religion better and taking religion more seriously improve the quality and fruitfulness of our disciplinary discourse? The task of reimagining the future is a crucial to moving forward the state of the relationship between sociology and religion. In what follows, we advance a set of proposals that we believe could help move sociology in the right direction.

Overcoming Parochialism: Transcending National and Disciplinary Boundaries

Our thirteenth thesis is that sociology must expand its conceptual and theoretical focus to address a wider variety of disciplines, nations, and religions. Debates about the proper role of religion are churning all over the world, in academia and beyond. All of the social sciences today are struggling to come to terms with the fact that religion has not disappeared as a result of modernization but continues to exert significant influences in a host of ways in many institutions and nations around the world. The issues addressed here, in short, are very big and must be understood in such global, foundational terms. To the extent that we fail to expand the focus of our research, not only will religion remain regrettably marginal in sociology, but sociology will also increasingly marginalize itself in the broader world of practical and theoretical knowledge about human social reality.

Commensurate with the real globalization of social life today, the sociology of religion in America needs to globalize its vision—to address broader histories, cultures, and religious experiences. The discipline needs to focus on big issues, questions, and debates, and show how religion must be taken into account to address and answer them well. American sociology of religion has a strong bias toward studying the United States, particularly American Christianity ( Smilde and May 2010 ; Cadge et al. 2011 ). In and of itself, this is perfectly legitimate and valuable. But changes in the world around us require a more international, multireligious, comparative perspective in order to acquire a more adequate understanding of religion—even for scholars just studying the United States. One positive example is the creation of programs in religion and politics at major universities like Berkeley, Columbia, Notre Dame, Georgetown, Harvard, and Princeton. Until sociology expands its focus to incorporate a greater variety of religions from all regions of the world, it will not only remain parochial in its substantive focus, but will be hindered in its ability to imagine new theories and paradigms for making sense of religion in the world as it is unfolding.

In addition to globalizing in meaningful ways, for the study of religion in sociology to flourish, it must shift into a more extradisciplinary or interdisciplinary mode. Sociology has developed a particular perspective on understanding the world that we think is valid and useful, but much of the best work on religion in recent years has been produced by scholars outside of sociology. All sociologists trying to better understand religion must make efforts to learn outside of the discipline from the best in anthropology, religious studies, psychology, history, philosophy, and theology, as appropriate. No one discipline can adequately address and make sense of the new realities of religion in the world today. However, we do not think that sociology's role in such global and disciplinary exchanges should be exclusively passive and receptive. Sociology has much to bring to the table in terms of its theoretical and methodological resources, as well as its history of debates. Enriching sociology with the knowledge and perspectives of scholars in other disciplines will both elevate the quality of our own sociological work and generate interest and visibility outside of our own silo. We need both new ideas and new organizational forms, such as multidisciplinary centers for the study of religion, which are more adequate to the real world in which we now live. Connecting with other disciplines and scholars from different cultures around the world will not only promote cultural diversity but also move us past the constraints of the dominant epistemologies that govern and constrain American sociology.

The Need to Historicize Sociology and Religion

Fourteenth, it is essential to take a longer-term view and recognize the deep cultural assumptions and categories that have set up all of modern social science to think and behave in certain ways toward religion . 6 By self-reflexively historicizing the study of religion and sociological theory itself, we can see the discipline's real points of connection to moral, historical, philosophical, and ontological questions. Most pressing for our purposes is why religion is an “other” in sociology. That is, why does religion seem to occupy a separate category among all human phenomena that scholars past and (often) present think can be ignored or explained away?

To answer these questions, we point to the impact of the Enlightenment, a transformation of fundamental cultural categories in Europe between the mid-seventeenth and late eighteenth centuries, a shift which changed what was taken for granted about religion. During this time, the “otherness” of Christianity's God was redefined to be brought within the known world of “creation,” through a theological shift from analogical knowledge of God to nominalism's univocal knowledge of God. Transcendence was “domesticated” in ways that had huge cultural, social, religious, and political implications ( Placher 1996) . (That decisive shift was itself set up by the nominalist movement of William of Ockham, among others, in the late medieval period [ Gregory 2012] .) Christian apologetics also abandoned claims to theology as a rational enterprise, operating with the sharp divide between “nature” and “the supernatural.” With Immanuel Kant, religion became subjectivized, as simultaneously humanly unknowable and personally experienced in a subjective way. The basis for future arguments about religion and its legitimacy were then grounded in inner, subjective experience (e.g., Friedrich Schleiermacher and much of liberal Protestantism). Religion also was redefined to be about ethics and morals, often construed as rule-following. In the end, theology became cast as a nonrational enterprise and ethics as a discipline that did not reference empirical reality (as ethics does, say, in the Aristotelian approach of virtue ethics [ eudemonian ]). These lines of thought passed through Ernst Troeltsch, Max Weber, Talcott Parsons, and others. Hence, the very foundations of sociology are rooted in an “othering” of religion and everything else “pre-Enlightenment” while keeping liberal Protestantism's outlook and progressivism.

The formative role of a variety of historical developments in the West is also critical for understanding religion and how intellectuals now define its “proper place” in social scientific research and higher education. One such important development was the outcome of the Western so-called wars of religion in early modern Europe (see Cavanaugh 2009) . Another is the emergence of the secular state and forms of nationalism. Yet another was the rise of the modern research university and philosophies of science that informed its work in different ways along the path. For instance, the expansive German notion of Wissenschaft , in which philosophy and theology are inclusively considered particular forms of science, is remarkably different from the early twentieth-century approach of positivist scient ism , which excluded theological claims, among others, as literally meaningless. Even further back in time, one can examine the impact of the “Axial Age,” a period between 800 and 200 BCE in which key philosophical and religious developments took place across civilizations, including the emergence of perspectives such as individualism and universalism, as well as new social forms such as a religious elite and traveling scholars (see Jaspers 1953 ; Eisenstadt 1986) . New theoretical perspectives such as Multiple Modernities and Comparative Civilizational Analysis encourage a comparative cultural and historical approach ( Eisenstadt 2003) . Such work has been done by people like Robert Bellah, David Martin, and Peter Berger ( 1967 ), and we encourage other scholars to undertake answering these questions.

Conceptual and Methodological Reconfigurations

Questions about the role of religion in sociology also highlight the need for much better theorizing about religion broadly. In other words, simply giving more attention to religion, if religion is conceptualized in its current, problematic terms, could make matters worse. Improving religion's treatment in the structure and practices of the discipline of sociology will be fruitful only if it provokes scholars to rethink many of the assumptions, categories, and expectations that define the current approaches to religion in sociology. To begin, fifteenth: among the numerous conceptual issues needing to be addressed is the very distinction between “religious” and “secular.” In most of social science, the received presupposition is that the secular or secularity is a kind of space created with the disappearance or exclusion of religion. For most who operate under categories inherited from the Enlightenment and nineteenth-century social-evolutionism, the “secular” suggests a kind of natural resting place—that is, a neutral territory or condition achieved when the superstitions and irrationalities of religion are dispelled, or perhaps a final destiny for ever-evolving humanity. In this sense, secularity itself is naturalized, made neutral or objective, and de-problematized as a particular historical and social formation needing explanation itself. Scholars are now challenging that Eurocentric and totalizing notion ( Asad 2003) . In fact, some scholars have recently asserted that secularity is not some kind of natural, neutral, and ultimately universal space or condition toward which humanity moves as it discards the irrationalities and oppressions of religion. Rather, it is a particular social condition created at a specific time in mostly post-Christian circumstances ( Buckley 1987 ; Taylor 2007 ; Warner et al. 2010) . Scholars must therefore view “the secular” as a construction that comes after and out of particular religious traditions (i.e., there is a distinctly Catholic secular, a Turkish secular, and so on). This process of relativizing secularity opens important questions about how such constructions happen, historically and culturally, both religious and not. It also raises larger questions about the nature of humanity, personhood, and history as they relate to matters of transcendence, the sacred, and the like. We need, in short, a sociology of secularism, even a sociology of comparative secularisms. 7

In reflecting on these matters, we realize how easy it is to confuse terms in ways that trip up our thinking. For example, sociologists can easily forget that Emile Durkheim actually wrote about the sacred versus the profane , not the sacred versus the secular . The difference matters significantly for how we conceptualize things religious and their place in the larger order of cognition, culture, and society. For instance, we can certainly distinguish the “sacred secular” from the “secular profane,” including in the former category things such as the U.S. Constitution, human rights, and so on. Thus, we need to seriously consider distinctions between concepts such as “religious,” “sacred,” and “transcendent,” and, as we argue below, do more to define and conceptualize religion. We need to re-read and re-think the classics and examine—perhaps dissolve or reframe—intellectual problems that may be inherent to our original foundations.

The task of historicization described above can also aid the task of reconceptualization. We can ask why, for instance, such a thin definition of religion has persisted for so long. In American sociology, we can easily recognize the legacy of certain kinds of Protestant theology, whose heavily creedal and voluntaristic natures, along with their relatively narrow, privatized accounts of divine involvement in history and life, have defined the way most Americans understand religion. This theology also belies an intellectualist error that treats practices as propositions. Recognizing this legacy should strengthen the imperative to eschew reductionistic accounts of religion and to turn instead to a more practice-theoretic understanding of what religion is, focusing not so much on ideas in the minds of individuals as their participation in communities of discourse (but without making the error of dismissing the role of beliefs altogether).

We must also attend to the fact that debates over and renegotiations of the “secular” take place within the nexus of the nation-state, which is always a contested construct. The colonial legacy's definitional hold on religion has led to what we call “methodological nationalism”—the presupposition that “the social” and “the national” are interchangeable, settled categories and realities. Moving forward, sociology needs to overcome this analytic parochialism. This would involve, for example, thinking more critically about Islam and the Orient as “The Other” and acknowledging the modern, liberal West as a normatively guided geopolitical project. Denaturalizing what may seem to be axiomatic (e.g., who or what is the nation? Religion?) does not require giving up the analytic distinctness and efficacy of religion. In fact, it may actually attune analysts to a nonreductionistic account of religion, in part because such approaches would necessarily depart from modernist biases and paradoxes. So, while imagining modern nationalism as a first instance where religion intersects with sociological realities to generate cultural and political boundaries coincides with the complementary invention of religion as a transcultural and ahistorical essence to be domesticated and interiorized, a more critical view provides us greater and much-needed self-reflexivity.

Sixteenth, sociology would do well to pay closer attention to its motivations for studying religion, as well as our assumptions about religion reflected in these motivations . Our motivations affect our perceptions, interpretations, and theorizations. Human interests always shape human thinking, even scientific thinking. All human knowledge, including scientific knowledge, has always been, always is, and always will be personal knowledge—always historically, culturally, and morally situated in ways that affect it, for better or worse ( Polanyi 1962 ). We know that the distinction in scholarship between value-driven motivations and (compulsory) value-free objectivity is hard—and probably impossible—to maintain in practice, regardless of Weber's injunctions. This need not mean the automatic loss of balance, fairness, and the search for truth in scholarship. And this need not mean that truth statements are impossible to make. But it complicates matters and certainly disrupts our foundations in epistemological foundationalism and positivism. Increasing our self-reflexivity about our motivations for studying religion may provide clues about how we approach, perceive, and interpret religion in our work. And this may enable us to study religion in a way that improves sociology and, in turn, broadens our knowledge about human social life.

What Is Religion? (And Why Does the Question Matter?)

Seventeenth, we need more clarity on what “religion” even is . When we discuss what religion is and how it works, we are often addressing different issues. One concerns differentiating the “thing” religion as an object in reality from things not religious. 8 For another, there is the phenomenological question or approach, which deals with how people experience religious phenomena. While this captures something important about religion for people, it is inadequate to treat a phenomenological account as a definition of religion's ontology. This raises the issue of whether there are ontic facts behind “religion.” That is, is religion something more than human construction? While sociology is not suited as a discipline to answer this question, we need to recognize that our work carries presuppositions about the nature of the world, reality, and religion's place in it. These discussions often also address whether a general theory of religion is even possible, compared to a more strictly historicist approach. Another set of distinctions has to do with levels of analysis at which we could examine the phenomenon of religion. One could talk about individual-level religious beliefs, practices, and experiences of the sacred or spiritual or transcendent. Then there are practices and shared beliefs at the level of groups, communities, and congregations. At another level, there exist global “imagined communities,” for instance, in Hinduism, Islam, or Roman Catholicism. One could even talk about the emergence of a “global sacred” with the sacralization and global diffusion of human rights.

Then there is the question of why the study of religion is worthwhile at all. One rationale for the study of religion is that it is “out there” as a matter of institutional fact that seems to matter in the world. A second rationale is phenomenological: many people, by all their accounts, actually experience “religion” as something transcendent, sacred, and important. They experience it as making a difference in their lives. For at least those kinds of reasons, religion deserves its own field of study. We simply cannot understand the nature of the world well, we think, without understanding religion and its role in human life. More broadly, it would be difficult to understand the historical emergence of the human species itself without religion. Religion, language, narratives, and rituals are crucial in the formation of the human species. Myths and sagas are crucially important to humans, who are mimetic animals. Contrary to the assumptions of some in modern science, whether humans can even live as purely rational animals without religion, narratives, rituals, and myths is questionable in our view.

In addressing these issues, the fundamental question that sociologists of religion need to answer is: Exactly what about religion warrants identifying it as a distinct human activity, formation, or cultural or organizational expression deserving its own specialized focus and field of study? It is clear that religions operate in social life through many of the same causal mechanisms that other, nonreligious phenomena do. In other words, religious and nonreligious phenomena alike shape beliefs and desires, organize communities of discourse that exert social influence on members, provide content for socialization, transfer information and resources through social networks, and so on. Indeed, many in sociology tend to treat religion as mere “ideology,” which, while not totally reductionistic, does not recognize any distinctively religious aspect of religion. (The assumption here is that the same mechanisms involved in religious phenomena, such as beliefs, are also at work in other, nonreligious beliefs that cause action. If this is the case, the thinking goes, why not dissolve “religion” into organizations, resources, ideologies, or other categories?)

But what, if anything, makes religion distinctive among other ideologies, cultural formations, and social organizations that warrants particular attention? Answering this question requires developing a theory that treats the religious dimensions of human experience as real in their own right—a theory we believe is still lacking. Some thinkers focus on transcendence—the engagement with superhuman powers. Others object that people pursue transcendence in all sorts of ways, including nonreligious ones. Still others argue that religion involves a particularly powerful version of transcendence that is both qualitatively and quantitatively distinct from other experiences or ideologies. Martin Riesebrodt's recent work (2010) is an important step in explicating a practice -based conceptualization centered on people seeking help from superhuman entities. 9 Even so, transcendence itself can be seen as a historically emergent category arising in the Axial Age, as religious community became differentiated from society based on kinship and city-gods and critiques of cultic sacrifice took hold. Prior to this period, religious experience was arguably characterized more by modes of immanent sacreds, similar to what Durkheim describes. Definitions of religion focused exclusively on the concept of salvation arguably neglect such earlier modes of religion.

Further work to define religion must resist the prevailing attempts to subsume religion into culture, ideology, psychological coping, or other categories. We do not anticipate a quick and easy resolution, especially the roots of our very discipline contain the seemingly incommensurable definitions of religion by Durkheim and Weber. But we need to promote fruitful discussion on this question, if only because real-world groups have beliefs and practices that they themselves consider religious and which we as scholars need to do a better job of understanding.

This all requires yet another shift: from ideas in the minds of individuals to participation in communities of discourse. Eighteenth, methodologically, this entails adopting more thickly historical, ethnographic, and comparative approaches when these are better suited to answer our questions about religion . Although we are wary of the presumptions built into survey methods, we do not advocate the rejection of these research methodologies altogether. They do have important advantages in that, when done well, they are able to make claims about populations, map the prominence of various phenomena, and spot trends whose importance could be assessed over time. At the same time, we do need to be careful of the problems and limits with these approaches—for instance, despite the advantages of longitudinal surveys, a serious problem with them is that the meaning of a survey question can—and often does—change over time. Further, many of our standard methodologies do not have the capacity to grasp deeper and more complex aspects of religion. But this does not mean we should simply stick to what we already know how to do with our existing methods or let them serve as perennial constraints on what we are able to see. We certainly need to acknowledge that “religion” is harder to measure than concepts such as “income,” but at the same time, it is comparable to other elusive and less tractable concepts, such as “power” or “capitalism.”

As noted above, better work to conceptualize and measure religion, even in standard instruments such as surveys, requires breaking with the biased standards of American conservative Protestantism, such as frequency of Bible-reading. One tangible improvement would be the development of survey questions designed to capture aspects of everyday “lived religion” (e.g., how people are involved in practices of informal prayer such as asking God or a higher power for help) or to gauge the importance of place and materiality (e.g., ways in which particular places might be “set apart,” either physically or metaphorically, from routine life; or ways in which religion has to do with objects that people own, wear, or contact in certain situations). Importantly, improved measures of religion need to find their way into general surveys—not just religion-focused ones. Religion should be as common a variable as race, class, and gender in quantitative analyses. That this is not yet the case is, we believe, largely due to the inadequacy of our standard measures.

Is a Two-way Dialogue Possible, and What Would It Look Like?

Nineteenth, we propose the idea of a two-way stream between religion and sociology . But what would that possibly look like? Why and how might each benefit from the other? We observe that the social sciences have much to offer other disciplines in driving empirical inquiry on religion. In theology, for example, interest has grown in how scientific and social scientific knowledge can inform reflections and understandings in that discipline (for example, Placher 1989 ; Martin 1997 ; Flanagan 2007 ; Mathewes 2007 ; Ward 2012 ). The field of religious studies also benefits by importing tools of systematic data collection and analysis first developed in the social sciences. However, much less is said, among social scientists in any case, on what theology (very broadly conceived) might be able to offer our conversations and debates. Indeed, it is not clear that social scientists can even imagine the possibility or be willing to consider the discussion. Still, we might ask, what theological or more broadly religious research could shed light on work in the social and behavioral sciences? What are the philosophical anthropologies of different forms of religion, and how might they shape the way social scientists think about their objects of study and explanations?

One starting point might be to examine how religious traditions influence conceptualizations of agency and personhood, which would then influence our use of those concepts in the social sciences ( Smith 2003a , 2010) . More generally, engaging in greater reflexivity concerning basic sociological ideas of explanation, causation, and motivation could reveal the extent to which these are still deeply rooted in Protestantism. Comparing religious traditions—for instance, by examining Buddhist conceptions of the person—may likewise alter our understandings of causality as involving co-dependent co-arising phenomena. Such investigations might help us work on a thicker understanding of religions specifically and human personal and social life more broadly.

Another rationale for intentionally integrating both knowledge about religion and religious knowledge into the discipline of sociology follows from the observation that at least some schools of thought in our discipline unapologetically begin with particular intellectual and moral locations, commitments, presuppositions, and interests; some even argue that these particular positions privilege their sociological understandings. Examples include feminist theory, Marxism, queer theory, some forms of critical theory, and projects of “real utopias.” One might ask why or how such value-committed scholarly approaches that start with particularistic intellectual and moral presuppositions are legitimate in sociology, while religious perspectives on human person and social life are a priori excluded. The uneven privileging of certain intellectual and moral positions deserves ongoing questioning and consideration. At the very least, examining such issues seriously will force sociologists to be more self-aware and self-reflexive.

All of this obligates sociologists to invest more into learning about religion, just as they invest in learning about race and ethnicity, class, gender, and other important aspects of social life. We do not mean that sociologists of religion should be personally convinced about the truth-claims of any religion. Rather, we refer to the sort of seriousness about religion and religious phenomena that is evident in scholars as professedly “religiously unmusical” as Max Weber. This would entail being open to the possibility that disciplines such as theology or traditions of spiritual disciplines may contain valuable insights for sociologists of religion. This would also entail a greater basic literacy about religion, in the sense of what religious beliefs and practices mean to the people who adopt them and the communities that sustain them. Rather than imposing secularist assumptions about how people operate and about the proper role of religion in society, it would obligate sociologists to consider religious beliefs, practices, and experiences as reflecting modes of knowledge about the world worth engaging to better understand human history, culture, and social life—even when we disagree with their claims.

We therefore urge scholars today to not prematurely limit ourselves to what may feel like “safe” and “obvious” categories and lines of thought. The construction and policing of strong traditional boundaries will only stunt the intellectual vibrancy of the contemporary university. Our discipline and its comfortable tendencies and practices—including the dominant secularist assumptions that tend to reduce religion to other categories such as ideology, power, insecurity, and so on—are a product of a particular, path-dependent, noninevitable historical process. Questioning some of these basic presuppositions and categories will not hurt sociology or sociologists ( Milbank 2006 ).

In fact, most social theory is about the intellectual push and pull of life in a post-Kantian dispensation. And most of the theoretical issues we wrestle with today have roots that go all the way back to the ancients. Might it help us to begin to question the very reasons for believing in the modern fact–value divorce? How might we benefit from questioning the widespread assumption that human action is always based on interests and rules? Might we have something to learn from reconsidering the possibility that there is something like a natural law? Might ancient knowledge accumulated through millennia of religious experience—including teleological and eudaimonian views—have something to tell modern inquirers into human social life (insights that Enlightenment skepticism and rationalism have ignored)? Raising such questions underscores the need for further reflection on what the dominant epistemology or epistemologies in the field are and should be, since this has bearing on how sociologists approach the study of religion.

What Are (or Should Be) the Big Questions in Sociology of Religion?

Twentieth, we need to better identify and focus on big questions . There are numerous important, broad questions that contemporary research in the sociology of religion should be addressing. Some of these are longstanding problems, others have only received recent attention, and still others have hardly been considered. Some of these questions are more empirically tractable, whereas others deal with deep cultural forces that are not observable on the surface.

A first category of questions asks what is the role of religion in generating or sustaining or challenging different cultural structures in the modern world. Several examples merit consideration here. One is the relationship of religion to certain types of individualism. 10 Another pressing question is the role of religion in creating and rectifying social inequalities. We need a better understanding of the relationships between religion and race, class, and gender stratification (see, for example, Emerson and Smith 2000; , Keister 2011) . Analyses focused on race, class, and gender may help us to better understand religion in the first place. Turning to the political arena, open questions concern the relationship between religion and sources of power such as states and governments, especially the role of religion in state formation and peace-building. For example, what are the various institutional and juridical mechanisms by which democratic polities manage and accommodate pluralism? Under what conditions do religious cleavages lead to intractable forms of conflict, including violence? In economics, what is the role of religion in sustaining and challenging economic systems? How did American Protestantism make peace with neoliberal capitalism? Relatedly, one avenue for examination is the historical imprint of religion on present-day processes such as globalization. The Jesuits, for example, were a globalizing force long before neoliberal capitalism. An even more macrohistorical exploration would consider the cultural innovations generated during the Axial Age such as the emergence of transcendence as a preoccupation of religions, or the ways in which religion began to challenge violence. 11 Such historical questions are critical to challenging the pervasive (and we think erroneous) assumption that everything begins with modernity and that we can conveniently ignore what came before.

A second set of questions concerns factors that foster the emergence and sustenance of secularism—including the ways in which religion is a contributing factor in this regard. One dimension of this question is to study people and societies who are irreligious or indifferent to religion. Phil Zuckerman, for instance, claims that in Scandinavian societies such as Denmark, which have the lowest rates of religious belief and participation, people are more content and society is more effective in resolving issues such as poverty. His recent edited collection sets an agenda for the social-scientific study of atheism and secularity ( Zuckerman 2008 , 2010) . But much more scientific work remains to be done along those lines. More historical questions merit investigation as well. One such issue is the now-pervasive notions of “freedom” or “liberty.” How did these concepts emerge historically? What role did religion play in shaping whether they were considered natural or cultivated capacities or rights? Comparing our dominant Western views to other conceptions of freedom, autonomy, and agency would be instructive in this regard (as Saba Mahmood does with Islam, for example) ( Mahmood 2005) . Agency is typically framed from a Western liberal viewpoint, but in order to better understand how it is differently conceived in non-Western and nonliberal societies, we need to consider the role of religion in sustaining our own liberal presuppositions. Along these lines, it is worth examining the role of religion in the emergence of political liberalism in general. Scholars such as Michael Gillespie, Pierre Manent, and Charles Taylor have examined the role of religion in the intellectual history of modernity, although more sociological treatments of this question are needed ( , Manent 1994 , 1998 ; Taylor 2001 ; Gillespie 2008). This could help us understand, for instance, why, in spite of the seeming collapse of Christianity in Europe, religion—and Christianity in particular—is arguably still fundamental in structuring politics and economics in Europe.

A further question regards the role of religion in shaping the current belief in (a certain form of) science as a way to explain the world. Understanding this would entail examining, for instance, the relationship between scientism and creationism in the contemporary United States. All such questions would require historical, cultural, and comparative methods of research. A still further set of questions, also entailing comparative cultural inquiry, concerns the forms and meanings of “spirituality” worldwide. As Peter van der Veer suggests, “spirituality” in its meanings and manifestations in modern societies shows significant cross-cultural diversity ( van der Veer 2009) . A related issue worth addressing is the emergence of the historically recent category of “spiritual but not religious.” For instance, when, where, and to what extent do we find spirituality that is meaningfully disconnected from religion? To what extent is this discourse a boundary-maintenance mechanism having to do with, perhaps, embeddedness in social networks in which being “religious” is perceived as a bad thing? Also relevant here is the importance of understanding and explaining variation in how people engage with the supernatural and with superhuman powers. For instance, examining the role of “spiritual insecurity” and the continued prominence of witches in the lives of many modern Africans can illuminate the relationship between religion and uncertainty and how this shapes people's behavior and decisions ( Ashforth 2005 ; Trinitapoli and Yeatman 2011) . This allows for a more adequate understanding of the role of risk and insecurity in modernity than, for instance, its treatment by Pippa Norris and Ronald Inglehart (2004) . In addition, we need to better understand the emergence, sustenance, and diffusion of new religious movements in the world today, such as Pentecostal and charismatic Christianity. We do not sufficiently understand how new religious movements are generated. For example, how it is possible for a movement to be cobbled together from disparate traditions yet “stick” and gain traction among followers around the world? What binds people to these beliefs and practices, and how do global and local processes interact? And how are these processes similar to or different from other globally diffusing phenomena, such as multinational corporations?

Institutional Reconfigurations

Twenty-first, we need some tangible changes in the broader institutional setup and reward structures of the discipline . We note a contradiction between the agenda we are setting forth here, which calls for more in-depth intellectual work on big questions, and the nature of graduate training, which increasingly emphasizes quick publications and tries to push students through programs ever faster. With few exceptions, graduate programs in sociology are designed to produce technicians and not intellectuals. The limited financial resources of departments play an important role here; in many cases, departments are unable to support students beyond the third, fourth, or fifth years of their graduate programs. The sort of training and research we are proposing would take longer than most departments can—or are willing to—support. And in addition to in-depth reading to address big questions (rather than simply a topic-focused approach that characterizes most students' interests), our call for more interdisciplinary and international research calls for institutional interventions that would support good graduate students studying religion as they pursue such ends.

Part of the difficulty in rewarding big thinking is the increasing corporatization and commodification of education. The past decade has seen an increasing shift toward the quantification of academic goals and achievements that resemble the dynamics of a for-profit corporation, driven by boards of trustees and corporate CEOs looking for achievement metrics that might be comparable to those of a corporate sales division. Add to this the sacralization of the college degree in our culture, and we can better understand the dwindling support for the kind of research that we are calling for. One solution to this problem would be the establishment of generous dissertation fellowships, postdoctoral fellowships, grants for international research, and sabbatical grants for early- and mid-career scholars pursuing bigger questions. Another possibility is the development of think-tanks and institutes for the study of religion that can bring scholars together and support them in the focused pursuit of their research for a period of time. But given that some foundations have been reducing their investments in scholarship on religion, this might prove a formidable challenge. Given the globalized perspective required in the study of religion today, the additional investments in travel, languages, fieldwork, education in new literatures, and so on will need significant institutional financial support.

In addition to reward structures, a crucial institutional issue is the supply of courses. For graduate students, this is a serious issue because it affects the availability of jobs and thus what scholars-in-training choose to study. The dearth of courses in the sociology of religion adversely affects the availability of the next generation of scholars. But university departments across the country need not provide more course offerings in this area in order to generate employment for our specific subfield. Rather, universities ought to measure student interest and demand in sociology of religion and adjust their supply of courses. Deans should then act accordingly to create new positions and courses. This is an issue that institutional gatekeepers need to take more seriously.

Publishing Outside Specialty Sociology-of-Religion Journals

The community of sociologists interested in religion have four different associations, three religion-specialty journals, and three annual conferences. 12 While a unique strength of our subfield, the drawbacks of this structural arrangement are worth considering, too. We suspect that having three sociology-of-religion journals, for example, fosters scholarly isolation by enabling scholars to limit their contributions to specialty journals, where their work will remain invisible to readers who do not already follow these. “Religion” as a topic is thus concentrated: strong but also cordoned off from the rest of the discipline. Having three of its own journals does not push scholarship on religion to “spread out” and speak more broadly to a wider constituency of colleagues. But if that were to happen, religion might be better integrated in the discipline as a whole—even if this made it harder (at least initially) to publish peer-reviewed articles on religion. We think at the very least that, twenty-second, sociologists of religion should make efforts to overcome their insularity by being more vocal in journals and conferences outside the subfield . Established scholars who publish articles in other journals, making in those contexts the points about the study of religion we have discussed here, will both add legitimacy to the subfield and do a service to the discipline as a whole. More generally, we think we need to seriously ask what purposes our many religion associations and specialty journals do and should serve. Should some of our associations and journals merge?

Rethinking Teaching

Finally, twenty-third, we need to reconsider our teaching of sociology, sociology of religion, and social theory. How should we introduce undergraduates to the study of religion? What are the most important things we want to communicate to students? What do they most need to learn to be good citizens of the world today? What should be in a syllabus, how should we engage students, what projects ought to be assigned? Such questions raise larger questions about the boundaries of the sociological canon. How, for instance, do Weber and Durkheim fit into a longer tradition of history and philosophy? Are there other thinkers in theology, philosophy, and religious ethics that students in the sociology of religion ought to read early on, perhaps people like Reinhold Niebuhr or Michael Polanyi? What do we assume and teach about the philosophies and meta-theories that underwrite our sociology? Then there is the issue of mentoring: what sorts of research are we encouraging graduate students to conduct? Should we be encouraging something different instead? What problems and questions are worth investigating?

Certainly, there are many important topics to address in the sociology of religion courses we teach. Notable among these are religion and immigration; religion in global cities; religion and youth; global Pentecostalism; the globalization of Islam; religious individualism in the West and other places; religion and conflict, violence, and peace-building; the “resurgence” of religion; and addressing and demystifying “fundamentalism.” These courses can help students understand, for example, the uniqueness of religion in America, the role of race in American exceptionalism, and the complexity of religion in the contemporary global context, such as global Islam or religion in China. Our discipline offers analytical categories and techniques that are useful for making sense of these phenomena. Moreover, the work that some of us assign students as part of these courses, such as observing a religious congregation that is different from their own tradition and writing religious autobiographies from a sociological perspective, can have significant and even transformative impacts on them. Such projects guide students (most of whom consider themselves to be religious to some degree) in the experience of looking at a religious tradition or institution—even their own—from the “outside,” without having to either discard their own beliefs and traditions or to attack (or embrace) those of another. Our courses provide a structure within which such difficult experiences can be navigated.

In addition, sociological tools can allow students to critically engage with religion based on a hermeneutic of not only suspicion but one of generosity and genuine understanding. More than simply “critical thinking,” our courses can cultivate a way of constructively engaging in meaningful discourse about religion, across all sorts of boundaries. To have such an engaged civil discourse first requires students to develop more accurate understandings of what people actually believe and what religion means to its adherents and practitioners. Simply correcting misperceptions and simplistic ideas about religion can be a great service. For instance, it comes as surprising news to many evangelical Protestant college students that they belong to a broader tradition that was once part of Roman Catholicism. Similarly, it is worth debunking the myth that “all religions are the same” (see Prothero 2010) .

Classes in sociology of religion can cultivate the habit of civilly disagreeing with others. The pedagogical aim of this endeavor should therefore be to generate practices of civil relations and discourse that enables students, regardless of whether they are personally supportive, hostile, or indifferent to religious claims, to engage in conflictual or agonistic but constructive thinking over differences that really matter. It would show that, despite the toxic conflicts of our broader culture, it is still possible to generate “civic friendship”—to have discussions across difference, not in a simplistic “politically correct” way that merely maintains decorum, but to engage productively in discussions that take seemingly intractable differences seriously. This requires the cultivation of humility; it entails openness to learning from people students disagree with, rather than rendering such differences irrelevant by a relativistic approach.

Our position on teaching the sociology of religion represents a deeper moral vision for the field and a commitment to a kind of “public sociology.” Teaching religion at this moment inescapably entails taking on such a responsibility. Sociologists will do a bad job in helping students become good citizens of the world if we do not understand religion, provide adequate knowledge about religious phenomena, and model how such constructive conversations can take place around contentious and divisive issues related to religion. The sociology of religion and individual sociologists who take religion seriously can provide a much-needed challenge to certain contemporary views, which—encouraged by vocal proponents of the New Atheism—foster reductive views of religion and outright dismissal of if not hostility toward religion. Further, we can challenge the idea that civility requires leaving religion at the door, and we can support a more robust understanding of pluralistic, democratic engagement and citizenship. Our discipline can also serve as an endeavor in peace-building if we move beyond our current semi-parochialism toward conversations with peace studies and political science.

In our twenty-three points, we have tried to lay out what we see as the main causes of sociology's difficult dealings with religion and offer some suggestions for improving the situation into the future. We hope that by publicly advancing these views, we might foster more critical and constructive conversations among a variety of sociologists coming from different approaches—all toward the larger goal of improving sociology's engagement with and understanding of religion. Finally, it is our hope that such improvements within the sociology of religion will improve more generally the quality and contribution of sociology, social science, and higher education broadly.

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The term “religious knowledge,” provided by the Mellon Foundation, means what academic studies have come to understand about the nature of religion and its role in human life, as well as knowledge that religions claim to have about different aspects of reality. Our appreciation goes to the Mellon Foundation and to the University of Notre Dame for their funding and support of this project. The views contained within do not necessarily represent theirs. Many thanks, too, go to Atalia Omer and Katherine Sorrell for extremely helpful suggestions for revisions of this article—although they share no responsibility for any possible errors or problems in the article. Not every author necessarily agrees with every specific point advanced here, although this article reflects the general thinking of the authors as a group.

The twenty-three “theses” of our working group are given in italics.

To keep this story realistically complicated, however, we do note the contributions to studying religion made by the early-twentieth-century Community Studies tradition (e.g., “Middletown”); by Talcott Parsons, for whom religion played a central (if abstract) role in social theory; and by the occasional serious scholars like Gerhard Lenski ( 1963 ).

For an anthropological example that takes “primitive” religion seriously, see Ashforth (2005 ), in addition, obviously, to much anthropological work in this area.

See Riesebrodt (2010 ), which most, though not all, of us find highly persuasive.

We do not promote historicizing as a means to dissolve the subject of “religion,” or to suggest that all of these matters are “relative” in the sense that any one position is as good as another; we historicize to foster a historical awareness that enables us to take stock of our situation and of the means we have for dealing with it.

Some of this work is being done, especially outside the United States, but it remains an open question as to whether that work will influence mainstream American sociology. See, for example, Warner et al. ( 2010 ).

From certain perspectives, “religion” is only or mainly a modern phenomenon or category, but such perspectives make the mistake of reducing religion (only) to institutionalized religions or belief systems. See Asad (1993) .

Riesebrodt also provides a strong argument for the continued relevance of religion as a universal concept.

This was addressed in Bellah et al. (1985) .

Good examples are recent works by Hans Joas and William Cavanaugh that demolish the idea that it is only through modern secularism that violence is challenged, and Jurgen Habermas' work on the emergence of prophets as a critique of state power.

These include the American Sociological Association religion section, the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion (SSSR), the Association for the Sociology of Religion (ASR), and the Religious Research Association (RRA), the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion , Sociology of Religion , Review of Religious Research (in addition to Social Compass and other non-US-based specialty associations, journals, and meetings).

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35 Inspiring Theology and Religion Research Topics for Undergraduates

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From the Interim President: Establishing an Office of Religious and Ethnic Inclusion (Title VI) at Penn

• September 10, 2024
• vol 71 issue 71

September 5, 2024

I am very pleased to be able to share with the entire Penn community that we are announcing the creation of an Office of Religious and Ethnic Inclusion (Title VI). This will be the first of its kind nationally, and is being formed in response to recommendations from the  fall 2023 Action Plan to Combat Antisemitism , and the May 2024 reports of the  University Task Force on Antisemitism  and the  Presidential Commission on Countering Hate and Building Community . The establishment of this new office ensures that Penn can continue to fulfill its obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and under Penn’s own policies, to protect students, faculty and staff from discrimination based on their religion, ethnicity, shared ancestry, or national origin, and provides us with a critical central point of contact for Title VI training and compliance related to religion, shared national ancestry, and ethnicity.

Over the past year, our campus and our country witnessed a disquieting surge in antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of religious and ethnic intolerance. This type of prejudice is simply unacceptable, and has no place at Penn. The Office of Religious and Ethnic Inclusion (Title VI) is being formed to confront this deeply troubling trend, and to serve as a stand-alone center for education and complaint resolution. It represents an institutional commitment to address both the short-term and long-term recommendations that we have received.

We expect the office to open later this fall, and we will soon launch a search for ongoing leadership. In the interim, the office will be co-led by two distinguished professionals who have broad experience in confronting religious and ethnic intolerance: Majid Alsayegh and Steve Ginsburg.

Steve Ginsburg is a national expert at addressing incidents and resolving crises involving bias and extremism. Over a decade as an executive of the Anti-Defamation League, he collaborated with a diverse group of experts to counter hate and deliver anti-bias education programs on topics including antisemitism, Islamophobia, homophobia, and racism. An experienced attorney, Steve helped create Connecticut’s statewide Hate Crimes Advisory Council and was appointed a founding member by Gov. Lamont. He was also a member of the state’s racial profiling and police accountability task forces and led advocacy efforts resulting in legislation requiring Holocaust and genocide education, strengthening hate crimes enforcement, and outlawing doxing and cyber-harassment. In the 1990s, Steve lived in Sarajevo as an American Bar Association Rule of Law liaison working with Bosnians of all ethnicities to reform the legal system.

Majid Alsayegh was born and raised in Mosul, Iraq, and immigrated to the U.S. in 1975. He is the founder of Alta Management Services, LLC, a project management firm, which has overseen management of large complex projects, including those that assisted clients with criminal justice reform. Majid chairs the board of the Dialogue Institute, a nonprofit that teaches leadership, dialogue skills, and critical thinking. He serves on the national Muslim-Jewish Advisory Council, a bipartisan group of business, political, and religious leaders who have worked together to address hate crimes and protect religious freedom. He also serves on the board of Abrahamic House in Washington, D.C. and is a co-founder and chairman emeritus of Intercultural Journeys, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit that connects diverse communities through music and the arts.

Under the leadership of Mr. Ginsburg and Mr. Alsayegh, the Office of Religious and Ethnic Inclusion (Title VI) will work to ensure that Penn takes all reasonable steps to prevent and respond to antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of hate, and in so doing maintain an environment that is welcoming and not hostile to any individual or group based on shared ancestry, ethnicity, or religion. Working in partnership with the Offices of the President, Provost, the Office of the Chaplain and Spiritual and Religious Life Center (SPARC), and Institutional Research, as well as the Divisions of Human Resources and Public Safety, the office will assist in identifying and supplementing the development of new programs and strategies to support an educated, respectful, diverse community on our campus.

To ensure a uniform response across all our schools and to be certain that complaints from (and about) different stakeholders ( i.e. , students, faculty, staff and postdocs) are treated seriously and sensitively, investigated, resolved or referred, and recorded, the office will be the sole, University-wide point of contact for receiving and responding to reports of alleged violations of our policies against religious and ethnic discrimination, and will be designed to ensure that investigations happen swiftly and thoroughly.

We believe the establishment of this office is essential to ensuring that Penn can continue to offer its students, faculty, and staff the most welcoming, supportive and safe environment possible. Its creation reflects Penn’s unwavering determination to confront antisemitism and Islamophobia and establishes our University as a national leader in this critical effort.

Further information about the office, its activities and programs, procedures, and contact information, will be forthcoming. Prior to the formal opening of the office, individuals may continue to report concerns about having been treated in a biased or discriminatory manner by completing a Bias Incident Reporting form or file a complaint with OAA-EOP. To file a report, please visit this page:  https://diversity.upenn.edu/diversity-at-penn/forms  or file a complaint by contacting the Office of Affirmative Action or completing the form that can be found here:  https://upenn.app.box.com/s/l31ml76rpao0ffmeo7vf4xl7povg47tc .

—J. Larry Jameson, Interim President

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