World Religions

Queen of the Sciences

You know that there is such a thing as "world religions," and you know which ones they are. But why? Where did such a notion even come from? And why are some in but some aren't? Is "religion" even the right word for everything categorized under it? And if not, why has "religious studies" come to dominate, not to say replace, "theology" at virtually every college in America? In this episode Dad and I trace the genealogy of the concept of both "religious studies" and "world religions," take a look at what one might dare to call a crisis of faith within these disciplines, and give some ideas about how religious studies and theology can actually do each other some good.

Notes:

1. James, The Variety of Religious Experience

2. Masuzawa, The Invention of World Religions

3. Shoemaker, Creating the Qur'an

4. Orsi, Between Heaven and Earth

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