This article details the author's reimagining of the undergraduate theory and method course, in which intentional, disciplined comparison is employed to challenge and problematize traditional narratives about Religious Studies as an academic discipline. Doing so helps to answer calls to decolonize our curricula, not only by critiquing historical…

The article acknowledges the limits of the categories of similarity and difference in undergraduate comparative religion courses. To challenge these limitations, including the potential for dualistic or "us/them" thinking, several pedagogical attempts to increase relationality in Christian-Muslim courses are explored. Relational methods…

The research literature on leisure indicates that it is perceived differently by sector and culture. In Israel, one's affiliation with religious or non-religious groups affects one's perception of leisure and its legitimacy. The common activities of religious and secular people include studies in general, and Torah study in particular, as…

In recent years universities have given increasing attention to religious pluralism on campus. There exists potential for different fields in U.S. higher education to partner toward strategic goals for religious understanding. This conceptual article finds that while key stakeholders are aware of each other's work, it is largely uncoordinated,…

In this article, the author describes one way to teach about religion in elementary school social studies using the C3 Framework IDM model. The compelling question that guides the lesson focuses specifically on whether Judaism is a race, religion, or ethnicity. Each compelling and supporting question in the lesson is connected to one or more…

This paper gives an example of an inductive Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) process, adapting Anthony Ciccone's five conditions of a meaningful SoTL question. Presenting a study on pre-class reading in an undergraduate religion class, I describe how my question went through five life stages. I began with nine different pre-class…

Traditional methods of teaching religion often fail to capture the sensory and spatial dimensions of religious practices, leaving students with abstract understandings disconnected from lived experiences. This study pilots the use of extended reality resources--immersive 360-degree videos, enhanced video interviews, and virtual tours--as tools for…

Teaching about religion in public schools is a complicated and nuanced topic. Though religious illiteracy has been named as a widespread concern throughout the United States, little research has been conducted that critically analyzes what teachers are asked to cover. Preservice teachers often confess they do not understand what they are and are…

Research methods based on modelling and simulation (M&S) are gaining popularity among social scientists to study societal dynamics. Emphasising the importance of this research approach, the Department of Religion, Philosophy and History at the University of Agder initiated a methodology module to help students on the religious studies…

This article explores my teaching experiences that informed my distinction between religious literacy and critical religious literacy, ultimately leading to the creation of the Challenge Islamophobia Project. I highlight the impacts of post-9/11 criminalization and dehumanization of Muslims, which have significantly shaped public perceptions of…

This essay shows how one professor teaching "Introduction to Buddhism" sought to counteract his students' view that Chinese and Tibetan forms of Buddhism represented a deviation from a "pure" Indian Buddhism rather than worthwhile forms of creativity and religiosity in themselves. A simple comparative assignment that asked a…

Along with the wave of the Industrial Revolution 4.0 era, shifts in the aspects of approach in teaching and the integration of learning technology should always be given careful research and planning. Therefore, this study aims to see the elements needed to integrate technology and delivery strategies to design and develop an online problem-based…

The present study aimed to explore the link between intercultural sensitivity, the four dimensions of cyberbullying, i.e. aggression, victimisation, cyber-defending, and passive bystander behaviour), and religious education as a formal study discipline in schools. Our sample consisted of 241 high school students (M = 18.54, SD = 0.49, 61% males).…

This work seeks to do two things. First to make an argument for a robust engagement with theology as a theoretical framework for critical educational research. And second, the piece draws upon contemporary queer and progressive Christian theology, in particular, theological interventions from Marcela Althaus Reid's "Indecent Theology" to…

What does religious studies education aim to teach? For years, this question has confounded educators and policymakers within the United States. To exacerbate matters, a common yet problematic narrative has emerged: content knowledge and skills are at odds with each other. In one camp, the story goes, are those who emphasize the…