Tag Archives: Belief

Divided by Faith?

Posted on February 25, 2013 by Craig Martin

by Craig Martin It seems to be a common sense notion that people fight over differing religious beliefs. Consider the following paragraph from an NPR news story, which I take to be typical: When Osama bin Laden declared war on … Continue reading →

Posted in Craig Martin, Politics and Religion, Theory and Method | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Beliefs or Interests?

Posted on November 23, 2012 by Craig Martin

by Craig Martin I’ve recently seen the following pic making the rounds on Facebook: One of things I find frustrating here is that it’s not clear that people fight over different “faiths,” “beliefs,” or mere differences in “religious identity.” As I’ve written … Continue reading →

Posted in Craig Martin, Politics and Religion, Religion and Society, Religion and Theory, Theory in the Real World, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

What’s belief got to do with it?

Posted on September 28, 2012 by Kenny Paul Smith

By Kelly Baker “They don’t really believe that, do they?” is a refrain that I find familiar, expected and, frankly, tiring. As someone who researches white supremacists and doomsday prophets, I should be used to it. The query confronts me … Continue reading →

Posted in Kelly J. Baker, Theory and Method, Theory in the Real World | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Scholarship From The Road: Belief, Practice and the Story of Andal

Posted on July 5, 2012 by Kenny Paul Smith

By Deeksha Sivakumar “The women of Ayodhya run eagerly to see the procession to Sita’s house… their hair fell loose, open on all sides, their waist girdles come undone, they do not even stop to cover their breasts… as they … Continue reading →

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Why Would They Do It If They Don’t Believe?

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Craig Martin

The idea that “belief” is at the center of those institutions and cultural practices we typically identify as “religious” is highly problematic. It’s an ongoing struggle to disrupt this common (Protestant) assumption in the classroom. To illustrate the gap between … Continue reading →

Posted in Craig Martin, Pedagogy, Theory and Method, Theory in the Real World | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Religious Essentialism

Posted on November 12, 2010 by Craig Martin

I spend a good bit of time in my courses trying to disrupt religious essentialism: the idea that all practitioners in a religious tradition share some essence, that such an essence determines their behavior, or that their beliefs are the … Continue reading →

Posted in Craig Martin, Pedagogy | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments