The journal of the British Association for the Study of Religions (BASR)

Edited by the Executive Committee of BASR

ISSN 0967-8948

DISKUS Volume 8 (Autumn 2007)

Contents:
Editorial
Index of Articles

Editorial Comment

It is a pleasure to be able to introduce Issue #8 of DISKUS, both as a reminder of the excellent papers that have been submitted and also to highlight the various themes that they highlight in engaging with such a central issue within the study of religion. The topic which unites them is ‘Religion: The Ethical Dimension’, which was the theme of the annual conference of the British Association for the Study of Religions, which was held at Bath Spa University in September, 2006. The five articles gathered together here have been selected from the many fine papers presented at that event. In choosing which papers to include, I, along with the rest of the BASR executive committee, have attempted to reproduce something of the breadth of the conference, which provided a lively and stimulating context for the discussion of a variety of themes. Indeed, the diverse range of topics addressed at the conference surpassed our expectations, from analyses of ethical teachings within religious traditions and movements, to reflections on the ethical responsibilities incumbent upon those wishing to study religious phenomena in the contemporary world, to the place of ethics as a concern among those seeking to make sense of religion as a distinct phenomenon. It is the latter issue that is the focus of Robert Segal’s article, which was originally presented as the annual BASR lecture during the Bath Spa conference. Segal offers an incisive engagement with the classical work of E.B. Tylor and Sigmund Freud, and traces through their commentaries on religion a shift towards a greater emphasis upon ethical issues among theorists of religion within the twentieth century.

This historical and theoretical discussion is complemented by the other four articles in this issue, all of which address issues of ethics in so far as they impact upon the study of religion within the present-day context. We were especially keen to reproduce this important dimension of the conference, as it illuminates concerns that lie at the heart of so much current academic scholarship. Indeed, as the problem of religious extremism and its often violent expression becomes an ever more urgent social, political and moral concern, questions central to the academic vocation are made especially more pressing: what is the purpose of the study of religion, and who decides on its agenda? Is it ever the place of academics to offer normative judgements on the movements we study? Is there a legitimate way in which academic scholarship on religion might serve government-led agendas? These questions are essentially ethical ones, as they relate to the norms of proper academic conduct and the status of religious activity from an ethical perspective. Paul Weller draws from considerable experience engaging in research in collaboration with government agencies in reflecting on some of these concerns, and his article carries particular resonance within the current cultural climate. Taking a somewhat different angle, Paul Tremlett also addresses issues of the ethical responsibilities of scholars of religion, this time drawing from his own experience of researching religion in the Philippines. In an age in which cultural relativism has led academics to shy away from offering judgements which might challenge the legitimacy of practices indigenous to cultures other than their own, it is refreshing to include a discussion of situations in which this might nevertheless be the proper thing to do. Tremlett highlights the fact that, in order to be ethically responsible, academic research will sometimes have to issue claims that sit uncomfortably among the groups we study, as well as among the communities we represent.

Such insights are embodied in Bettina Schmidt’s article, which explores the way in which Vodou as a religious movement has been caught up in conflicting political agendas within the context of Haitian society. In exploring the notion of the ‘misuse’ of religion, Schmidt draws our attention to how the resources associated with religious power are not immune from human abuse, but are often enveloped within broader projects of empowerment and oppression. We are especially pleased to include Russell Sandberg’s paper in this issue, as it affords us the opportunity to showcase the important research he is doing on religion as a dimension of the British legal system. Sandberg offers a detailed, critical discussion of the changing place of religion within British law, highlighting how questions of ethical propriety are negotiated within legal frameworks, and how aspects of Christian religion continue to inform the assumptions that lie behind legislation on religious issues.

There is much to be commended in these astute discussions, but even more left to be addressed. In engaging with the ethical dimension of the discipline of the study of religion, it is inevitable perhaps that we will find ourselves presenting more questions than answers. Indeed, within this field, the most urgent ethical imperative of all may be to ensure that academic scholarship continues to do so, so that forms of empowerment - religious or otherwise, academic or popular - are always subjected to critical scrutiny and are ethically called to account.

Mathew Guest
(Coordinating Editor)

1. Robert A. Segal
   The Place of Ethics in Modern Theories of Religion
   Article
   
   
2. Paul Weller
   Rendering Unto Caesar?: Ethical and Methodological Issues in Working for Government on Researching Religion
   Article
   
   
3. Paul-François Tremlett
   The Ethics OF Suspicion in the Study of Religions
   Article
   
   
4. Russell Sandberg
   Religion and Morality: A Socio-Legal Approach
   Article
   
   
5. Bettina Schmidt
   Misuse of a Religion: Vodou as Political Power Rooted in ‘Magic’ and ‘Sorcery’
   Article