Critical Terms for Religious Studies, Second Edition

Reviews / Votes

"Rather than focusing on theological concepts that might be used by only one religious tradition, such as the Christian understanding of its own tradition, this handbook focuses on larger methodological definitions used by scholars of many traditions, such as "memory," "life," and "law." . . . This is a useful handbook, especially for introductory classes on methodologies in religious studies or in graduate seminars on theory and method, which are common in many graduate programs. Additionally, professors and researchers will find this handbook useful for updated scholarship on concepts they may already be employing in their work." * Choice * "Critical Terms for Religious Studies does not seek to police scholarship in the field. Instead, each chapter conjoins various discourses to help students imagine more interesting avenues of research and to help those lucky enough to be faculty create more diverse and appealing classes. Thanks to Hammerschlag's shrewd editorial vision, the next twenty-five years of the study of religion should prove to be even more compelling than the last." -- Martin Kavka, Florida State University "The critical terms assembled here are not a list of so many keywords that one needs to launch a study of religion (no such list exists). Rather, each of the essays, authored by some of the leading scholars of today and tomorrow, offers a new vantage point from which to consider religion by focusing on a seemingly ordinary concept-life, law, matter, etc. A welcome update on the broad scope of the scholarship on religion and its immediate promise." -- Tomoko Masuzawa, University of Michigan