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Wtf? ("What the Faith?") - Peering Anew into the Conceptual Domains of "Religion", "God", "Spirituality", "Faith" and Related Constructs
Abstract Submissions Closed
RC22 Sociology of Religion (host committee)
Language: English and Spanish
Session Type: Oral
Given the increasing openness across academic disciplines again to study matters of faith in the rising post-secular intellectual climate, the basis questions arise anew: But what is "religion"? Wherein lies "godhood"? Why "spirituality"? What is "faith"? And more...
Much becomes uncertain on these constructs in the matrix of the operationalised conceptualature of empirical approaches, the confessionally filled usage within faith traditions, the specific intellectual traditions within different academic disciplines and the imprecise terminology characteristic of popular discourse. By hearing together denotations attached to "Religion", "God", "Spirituality", "Faith" and related constructs, we may gain greater understanding of who means what with these concepts, en route to greater communicative concord amongst researchers.
To this end, contributions are welcomed from specialists across academic disciplines and faith traditions. Concise, clear papers on the conceptual domains of "Religion", "God", "Spirituality", "Faith" and related constructs related to the topical purview of the proposed paper each ought to:
- Review the most important understandings of these constructs in the academic discipline(s) and/or faith tradition(s) analysed,
- Indicating important historical phases, schools of thought or other major distinguishing facets (conveying a good sense of major points, rather than minor nuances, is for the moment the principal intent),
- With an explicit view to outlining understandings or proposing formulations of these concepts in a manner that could communicate well across academic disciplines;
- Therefore referring explicitly (rather than only alluding) to the most important research literature related to the topical purview of the paper, in order to facilitate further research across traditional boundaries.