Teaching Religion and International Relations: Disciplinary, Pedagogical, and Personal Reflections

Abstract

The study of religion and international religions has witnessed an exponential growth in recent decades. Courses and programs exploring the complex entanglements between faith and global politics have likewise mushroomed around the world. Despite this ferment, reflections on teaching religion and international relations have so far lagged behind. This forum seeks to remedy this general silence. It brings together a diverse range of scholars from a multiplicity of national, religious, methodological, and theoretical backgrounds who teach across a variety of different geographical settings including North America, Europe, and East Asia. Contributors reflect on three broad themes. First, how do we engage with the contested character of religion as a category of analysis and practice, and with the multidisciplinary nature of its study? Second, how does the context within which we operate—be it geographical, cultural, institutional, or historical—influence and shape who, what, and how we teach? Third, how do we address the important and, at times, contentious personal and ethical challenges that our research and teaching on religion and politics inevitably raises in the classroom?

Drawing on the Implications of Indonesia's Founding Father's Transformative Theological Practice for the Development of Inclusive Education for Students

“…This reality can be an example of good practice to become the basis of inclusive education for generations of Indonesians. The need for inclusive theological education among students becomes very important especially in the global and digital era where ideological contestation is relatively fierce, free and transnational as well as a global social network system that is broad, without borders, without borders (Bettiza et al, 2019;Damrongpanit, 2022;Manzerolle & Daubs, 2021;Verkuyten et al, 2019;Wahid, 2009;Widholm, 2019). The paper focuses on elaborating on the transformative practice of religious theology of national leaders.…”