Disciplines
• Religion Studies
Impact of religion: Religion has shaped
much in the way of world history on every
continent, from the beginning of recorded
time. It impacts the public and private lives
of people around the world every day. The
Center on Religion & the Professions focuses on improving religious
literacy among professionals to help them
serve an increasingly diverse public.
Religion has broad impacts
on fields as diverse as agriculture, architecture,
engineering, biology, business, media, community
building, technology, economics, education,
health, law, social work and public policy,
as well as many academic disciplines.
Cultural impact:
Religion is no longer the study of theology,
but rather much larger in scope. This is
not a new idea, because those interested
in religion are responsible for many of
the scientific advances in fields such as
astronomy, philosophy, literature and other
fields. On the other hand, mass media and
academia are beginning to understand the
notion that religion is not a stand-alone
topic. Research in partnership with the
Center can further that discussion, giving
mass media and academic professionals access
to original work that shows the role religion
has played and continues to play in everyday
life and global affairs.
Religion in the professions:
There is growing demand for religious literacy
among many professions. Understanding of
historical and current religious beliefs
and trends makes people from many walks
of life better able to serve their clients,
care for their patients or support their
communities. There are growing opportunities
in the fields of religion journalism and
religion studies as more people seek greater
depth of understanding of past and current
issues.
There are also opportunities,
both in religious and secular fields, for
those who study religion or plan on going
into a religious field. Their knowledge
and experience will inform them as well
as others in many avenues of personal and
professional life.
Interdisciplinary work:
The Center offers chances to link religious
inquiry with those in other departments.
Religion research can be combined with other
disciplines to produce innovative research
into how religion interacts with public
life.
The Center's affiliation
with the School of Journalism gives researchers
unique opportunities for study. Much of
the work being done in journalism research
utilizes MU's PRIME lab to conduct research
into how people cognitively and emotionally
process media. The Center can help partner
researchers to do unique studies to answer
religious studies questions.
The Center's partnership
with the School of Journalism can also help
link researchers to ways in which journalists
can be better trained in religion, better
perform their jobs, and increase public
understanding of complex issues. The Center
on Religion & the Professions is working on projects to improve
the religious literacy of reporters by strengthening
journalistic coverage of religion in the
United States, as well as planning significant
research about how the public views religion
news coverage.
Religious Literacy:
The Center believes that as America grows
more religiously diverse, professionals
need to better understand the religious
traditions and beliefs of the public they
serve.
To that end, the Center
helps improve religious literacy of professionals
by supporting groundbreaking research on
how religion affects people and encouraging
its use by the appropriate professionals.
It provides resources and training programs
to improve religious literacy, as well as
the development and testing of curriculum
to help achieve these aims. The Center presents
public forums and discussions to improve
professionals' and the public's understanding
of religion.
The goal is to help educate
people in workplaces and other public places
of interaction to help them begin to understand
better the people with whom they interact
on a daily basis. Understanding the faiths
that motivate and affect people is necessary
for all citizens in a democracy that prizes
its freedom of religion.
Professionals generally
serve the public, require specialized knowledge
and training, have ethical codes and often
require some type of licensing. Doctors,
lawyers, nurses, engineers, teachers, journalists,
psychologists, clergy, social workers, veterinarians
and other professionals share most of these
qualities. But the Center defines professionals
broadly and aims to teach about a variety
of religions and traditions.
Current issues:
Much of what occurs in the world today needs
religious and historical background for
better understanding. Conflicts in the Middle
East and other parts of the world are based
on factors that often have religious ties.
Researchers can study the impact of religious
knowledge on people's perceptions of current
events, or more deeply research past events
to provide broader insight in the present
day.
Researchers could track
the influence of religion on historical
development over time and map an arc for
present religious influence on the future.
They may study whether and to what degree
religious beliefs impact choice of career
or how that career is practiced; or the
impact religious knowledge has on workplace
satisfaction, communication and prosperity.
They may be interested in interdisciplinary
study in specific fields that are informed
by religion.
RELIGION
International
Review for the History of Religions
Journal
of Contemporary Religion
Journal
of Religion
Journal
for the Scientific Study of Religion
Religion
East & West
Journal
of the American Academy of Religion
Method
& Theory in the Study of Religion
History
of Religions
Religious
Studies Review
Explorations in the Anthropology of Religion
A
Journal of Mere Christianity
Journal
of Asian Studies
Asian
Folklore Studies
Folklore
Studies
Buddhist-Christian
Studies
Journal
of the Society of Biblical Literature &
Exegesis
Studies
in Religion/Sciences Religieuses
Journal
of Society and Christian Ethics
RELIGIOUS
TRADITIONS
Journal
of Muslim Minority Affairs
Middle
Eastern Studies
Reviews
in Religion & Theology
Journal
of Spirituality & Paranormal Studies
Journal
of the National Association of Biblical
Instructors
Scottish
Journal of Religious Studies
American
Academy of Religion Syllabi Search
Ethical
Issues in Religion
Prof. Donald Heinz
California State University,Chico
Religion
and Ethics
Dr. Timothy Renick
Georgia State University
Western
Religious Ethics
Peter Haas
Vanderbilt University
Comparative
Religious Ethics
Michael Oppenheim
Concordia University
American Academy of Religion
Association for Jewish Studies
Association of Muslim Social Scientists of North America
Association of Professional Chaplains
Christian Academics
Council on American-Islamic Relations:
An Employers Guide to Islamic Religious Practices
Evangelical Philosophical Society
Evangelical Theological Society
Interfaith Etiquette Guide (Foundation for Religious Freedom)
International Association of Christian Chaplains
Mockler Center for Faith and Ethics in the Workplace
National Association of Catholic Chaplains
National Association of Jewish Chaplains
Religion Etiquette Beliefnet
Religion Newswriters Association
Society of Biblical Literature
• See a full list of professional associations and resources here.
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