Teaching Critical Religious Studies - by Jenna Gray-Hildenbrand & Beverley McGuire & Hussein Rashid

Book Synopsis

Are you teaching religious studies in the best way possible? Do you inadvertently offer simplistic understandings of religion to undergraduate students, only to then unpick them at advanced levels?

This book presents case studies of teaching methods that integrate student learning, classroom experiences, and disciplinary critiques. It shows how critiques of the scholarship of religious studies-including but not limited to the World Religions paradigm, Christian normativity, Orientalism, colonialism, race, gender, sexuality, and class-can be effectively integrated into all courses, especially at an introductory level.

Integrating advanced critiques from religious studies into actual pedagogical practices, this book offers ways for scholars to rethink their courses to be more reflective of the state of the field. This is essential reading for all scholars in religious studies.

Review Quotes

"Collected within this important and accessible volume is an interrelated array of pedagogical interventions aimed at elevating the communities of learning that many of us seek to foster in our classrooms. It will prove to be an indispensable companion for all those dedicated to the craft and care of teaching religion." --Martin Nguyen, Professor of Religious Studies, Fairfield University, USA

"This book provides insights and techniques that will be of use to teachers at any level of experience. It is innovative, cutting edge, and radical, engaging beyond pedagogy to the politics of religious studies and higher education. Every teacher and library should get their hands on a copy." --Paul Hedges, Associate Professor in Interreligious Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

"I was struck by the obvious passion these authors have for their subjects, the respect with which they treat their students and the learning process, and the earnestness and commitment with which they approach teaching. Through their work, they were also alerting us in the field to important trends in higher education and research into teaching and learning, such as intersectionality or the role of emotions. I wanted to take every single one of these classes." --Religious Studies Review

About the Author

Jenna Gray-Hildenbrand is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Middle Tennessee State University, USA.
Beverley McGuire is Professor of East Asian Religions at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, USA.
Hussein Rashid is an independent scholar, USA.