Time Sensitive Islam Scholar Team-Up

So my Islam class at the University of Alabama is preparing for their second exam. It basically covers 7th to 13th centuries (but that's kind of a lie because we always jump around the timeline). I'd give you map coordinates but we jump around quite a bit there too. Anyway, I almost always hold a … Continue reading Time Sensitive Islam Scholar Team-Up

REL 205 (SSC)- Scoping Out Religion: Theories and Methods

“Religion” is a concept that people frequently talk about without much precision. In this class we will introduce humanistic theories and social scientific methods to raise the level of discourse around religion. Our local community and the news of the day will serve as the laboratory where we will learn to seek answers and ask better questions about religion.

Apprehending the “Essence” of Religion

Indeed, the comparative method has long been the preferred tool of those seeking to prove the similarity—and especially the equality—of religions across time and space.  That agenda, however, has not always been successful and has at times engendered ironically problematic scholarship.