Religious Studies in a Post-Secular World: Global and Local Contexts

The article proposes a brief and noncomprehensive survey of the academic field known as “Religious Studies” and charts the main characteristics and developments of the field from its inception at the end of the eighteenth century to the present. The article then traces the main reasons for the absence of the field from Israeli academe until very recently, reasons that have to do with both the unique status of Jewish Studies in Israeli universities and a lack of religious pluralism in Israeli society. Finally, the article argues that in current political and social contexts, local and global alike, we are required to rethink categories of religion and religiosity, and that insights and critical tools rooted in the field of Religious Studies enable and enrich this endeavor.