As an instructor of core courses on world religions at Penn State, I am often confronted with the problem of articulating how the academic study of religion differs from religious instruction one receives in religious institutions. Very few of my students are aware that unlike seminary courses where the focus is on theology, religious studies courses at public universities such as ours aim to study the phenomenon of religion from a secular perspective.

The above problem is actually quite widespread, its reach extending well beyond undergraduate classrooms: While most people recognize the critical role of religion in people’s lives, yet the discussion of religion often ends up in reinforcing social fissures based on religious labels rather than enhancing our grasp of the phenomenon of religion. Given the great diversity in people’s understanding of the term religion, the descriptions of religion frequently remain stuck at the level of superficial study of rituals and practices. Indeed, there exists little consensus even among scholars of religion on how to differentiate between cultural and religious practices.

Interestingly, the understanding of the biological basis of consciousness, was identified by the editors of the journal Science, (July 1, 2005 issue), as one of the most important scientific challenges of our time. Exciting observations are being regularly reported by scientists across the spectrum, from neuroscientists exploring the neurological basis of human spirituality, to computer scientists suggesting the applicability of network theory and the rules guiding emergent phenomena in the study of religions. While this kind of research still faces considerable skepticism (perhaps for good reason due to pseudo-scientific claims in the past) both from the public as well as the academic community, the extensive bibliography currently available on the subject suggests that the biology of religious experience is beginning to attract increasing attention from scholars in both humanities and the sciences. This website intends to bring together the most exciting research from the sciences that in my opinion will be of most relevance in furthering our understanding of the religious phenomenon.

For further reading, see Speaking across the chasm: literature as a bridge between science and religion Cross Currents,  Spring, 2007  by Suchismita Sen

Project coordinated by Dr. Suchismita Sen of the Pennsylvania State University Religious Studies Department.