Theory of Knowledge - Course Companion for Students Marija Uzunova Dang Arvin Singh Uzunov Dang

I. Scope
judicial, economic, and political system.
military,
by comparison, isn’t a judicial or
Christianity,
has Perkins so precisely deduced the
How
of Islam that is a religion? What
percentage
you need to know in order to form a
would
about his claim? There is a growing
judgment
among scholars of religion that, in
concern
past decade, questioning the religiosity of
the
has moved into the legal and political
religions
in the United States. Scholars speculate
discourse
this may be due to religious illiteracy
that
narrow understandings of what is and is
and
religion, or political interests to covertly
not
other religions. The prevalence of
undermine
perspective is the topic of When Islam Is
this
a Religion: Inside America’s Fight for Religious
Not
by Asma Uddin (2019). It explores the
Freedom
spread and implications of the effort
origin,
redefine Islam as something other than a
to
and the threat this poses to religious
religion,
and human rights. Uddin argues that
freedom
loss of liberty and constitutional protection
the
Muslims means a loss of liberty for everyone
for
the United States.
in
explore this further, follow the link to a
To
between Uddin and Benjamin P.
conversation
terms: Religious Studies
Search
When Islam is not a
Project
Chitwood suggests that part of the issue
Ken
that the field of religious studies has failed
is
communicating to the public the academic
at
of “religion”. For the most
understanding
Chitwood (2019) suggests, the public
part,
and misunderstandings
understandings
religion are explored at conferences, but
of
have not effectively engaged with
scholars
what are some claims made about
Consider
groups in your context.
religious
What are the responsibilities of religious
1.
scholars towards religious literacy
studies
How is knowledge about religion
2.
or how should this take place?
disseminated,
Who are the stakeholders in the
3.
about religious literacy?
conversation
What are your personal responsibilities
4.
terms of encountering or propagating
in
intuitive answers to questions about
Our
often invoke stereotypes and clichés,
religion
as religions are based on belief, they
such
to the transcendental realm, or they
belong
in the private and not the public sphere.
belong
studies scholars Brad Stoddard and
Religious
explore these and other
CraigMartin(2017)
believed oversimplifications about
commonly
As we have seen, false, incomplete or
religion.
though they are, stereotypes can be
inaccurate
and Martin look at claims such as
Stoddard
are mutually exclusive” and explore
“Religions
these matter-of-fact statements are not
how
neutral. What we claim to know about
actually
has material consequences. The authors
religion
that in some prison systems, for example,
show
are asked to declare their religion in
people
one box only” style—reinforcing the idea
“tick
6
For ref lection
economic code—but a faith.”
Responsibilities and implications
the public sphere about this.
among the public?
claims about religion?
powerful political levers.
Figure 6.1 Muslims pray during the “Islam on Capitol Hill” event at
the West Front Lawn of the US Capitol (2009)
Marcus of the Religious Studies Project.
religion
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