Anyone *not* studying Christianity? (Old Testament doesn't count)

[jacib]

No like seriously, am I the only one looking for a PhD in religion and not doing theology/New Testament/etc? Do I have an easy shot, or are the people who choose to comment a vary self-selecting group?

Anyone applying to interdisciplinary programs with hockey names like "religion and culture" or "religion and modernity"?

Bueller?

[LateAntique]

No like seriously, am I the only one looking for a PhD in religion and not doing theology/New Testament/etc? Do I have an easy shot, or are the people who choose to comment a vary self-selecting group?

Anyone applying to interdisciplinary programs with hockey names like "religion and culture" or "religion and modernity"?

Bueller?

Booooooo. Who cares about that stuff?

I'm into Religion, though I'm applying to Classics programs that have close ties to Religion programs. I'm interested in Religion of the Roman empire - does that count? My senior seminar this semester has been on Socially Engaged Buddhism and I have really liked it. What are your interests?

[jacib]

Booooooo. Who cares about that stuff?

I'm into Religion, though I'm applying to Classics programs that have close ties to Religion programs. I'm interested in Religion of the Roman empire - does that count? My senior seminar this semester has been on Socially Engaged Buddhism and I have really liked it. What are your interests?

Secularism, particularly as it is practiced in Turkey. More generally the interactions between politics, nationalism and religion, the limits of religion & civil religion, the methodology of religion (like anything J. Z. Smith wrote, for example... I hope you've read Drudgery Divine), and Islam outside the Arab-Persian world. Popular religion to some extent. Basically most things that don't involve philosophy, theology or mysticism.

How are you structuring your personal statement, about a specific religion in the Roman empire? .... how are you on languages? I can't apply to most Islamic studies programs because I'm not so interested in learning Arabic, and I'm definitely not interested in writing Quranic exegesis, so it's almost all weird interdisciplinary religion programs and sociology programs (and maybe one anthro program) with particularly strong sociology (/anthropology) of religion programs. Most of the Islamic studies programs are historical anyway, and most have at most two or three scholars. No one deals with modern Turkey that I know of, or for that matter secularism at any prestigious school (except three anthropologists, two at Berkeley, and then Talal Asad at CUNY, and one sociologist at Berkeley) so except at the biggest schools like Harvard and Chicago, I have to email every department individual department and ask "Is there someone whose expertise this project could possibly fall under?"

[Sparky]

I can't apply to most Islamic studies programs because I'm not so interested in learning Arabic

See now, this is why the rest of us are studying Christianity--we all learned Latin and then said, "Screw it, that's enough languages for me."

(That is the convenient thing about applying to history programs as well as religion ones...the history depts have been *impressed* that I know Latin and one medieval vernacular. Religion depts are like, "Only one?")

[LateAntique]

Secularism, particularly as it is practiced in Turkey. More generally the interactions between politics, nationalism and religion, the limits of religion & civil religion, the methodology of religion (like anything J. Z. Smith wrote, for example... I hope you've read Drudgery Divine), and Islam outside the Arab-Persian world. Popular religion to some extent. Basically most things that don't involve philosophy, theology or mysticism.

How are you structuring your personal statement, about a specific religion in the Roman empire? .... how are you on languages? I can't apply to most Islamic studies programs because I'm not so interested in learning Arabic, and I'm definitely not interested in writing Quranic exegesis, so it's almost all weird interdisciplinary religion programs and sociology programs (and maybe one anthro program) with particularly strong sociology (/anthropology) of religion programs. Most of the Islamic studies programs are historical anyway, and most have at most two or three scholars. No one deals with modern Turkey that I know of, or for that matter secularism at any prestigious school (except three anthropologists, two at Berkeley, and then Talal Asad at CUNY, and one sociologist at Berkeley) so except at the biggest schools like Harvard and Chicago, I have to email every department individual department and ask "Is there someone whose expertise this project could possibly fall under?"

That sounds interesting! Have you looked into UVA? One of my professors did his focus on Tibetan Buddhism there, but he has mentioned Islamic scholars as well. My languages are probably the strongest thing I've got going. For whatever reason, Greek and Latin both click naturally. My interests are still in early Christianity, I'm just going about it in a different way. I think Christianity should be studied as another Roman religion within the contexts of other Roman religions. However, because of the way universities developed in the West, most people studied Christianity under "Theology" instead of "Classics" and the divide seems a little arbitrary. So, I'm trying to see how early Christianity was shaped by the rejection and reception of Classical literature and ideas. I'm also interested in how the Latin and Greek languages shaped the way theology was done in the West and the East, respectively. The very fact that Latin lacked a participial form of the verb "to be" until the Medieval era has to have helped shape the theological categories that were available to them. So...I'm still interested in Christianity, but I think I'm going about it in a pretty atypical way.

(That is the convenient thing about applying to history programs as well as religion ones...the history depts have been *impressed* that I know Latin and one medieval vernacular. Religion depts are like, "Only one?")

Exactly!! I don't think they're satisfied until you've somehow crammed in 10 years of 3 languages in 4 years of undergraduate study. I felt pretty good about 3 of Greek, 3 of Latin, and 1 of Hebrew, and I still got pretty mediocre responses from some places.

[peppermint.beatnik]

I'm glad someone finally posted something like this.

My area is religion and society. I've pretty much given up on posting anything in the religion sub-forum because everyone is, as you said, "doing Christianity," or divinity.

The literature people have a good sub-forum.

When I did my MA, secularism in Turkey was a pretty hot topic in a lot of the lit we read.

Edited November 23, 2009 by peppermint.beatnik

[LateAntique]

I'm glad someone finally posted something like this.

My area is religion and society. I've pretty much given up on posting anything in the religion sub-forum because everyone is, as you said, "doing Christianity," or divinity.

The literature people have a good sub-forum.

When I did my MA, secularism in Turkey was a pretty hot topic in a lot of the lit we read.

Please don't feel like you can't post here because people have interests other than your own. We need all the Religion talk we can get!

[Sparky]

My area is religion and society. I've pretty much given up on posting anything in the religion sub-forum because everyone is, as you said, "doing Christianity," or divinity.

I've always sort of wondered, what is that supposed to mean, anyway, studying "divinity"? Is the person studying to become divine? (Heh, maybe THAT would explain some of the attitudes we're encountering...)

What aspect of "and society" are you focusing on? Do you have a specific historical/geographical context in mind yet? I do religion-and-society-esque work, except in the Middle Ages, so it falls under history of Christianity.

[Febronia]

I've always sort of wondered, what is that supposed to mean, anyway, studying "divinity"? Is the person studying to become divine?

I confess, I really do think that "Master of Divinity" has to be the most awesome degree title ever. It ought to come with superpowers and a cape!

[Mathētēs]

Hi all,

While many of the topics posted on this sub-forum are in regards to Christianity, it would be incorrect to assume this is the only religion or belief system in which we are interested. Much of my graduate studies has been on topics relevant to world religions, including animism/folk religions. I have now lived in Asia for about 10 years, engaging with people from diverse cultural, spiritual, and linguistic backgrounds in a secular yet also syncretistic context. I intend to return to graduate studies next year and pursue the historical, theological, and cultural context surrounding the first-century Mediterranean world. Although a common theme is to discuss the study of Christianity, I think many of us are also interested in learning about other belief systems and welcome such contributions.

[LateAntique]

Hi all,

While many of the topics posted on this sub-forum are in regards to Christianity, it would be incorrect to assume this is the only religion or belief system in which we are interested. Much of my graduate studies has been on topics relevant to world religions, including animism/folk religions. I have now lived in Asia for about 10 years, engaging with people from diverse cultural, spiritual, and linguistic backgrounds in a secular yet also syncretistic context. I intend to return to graduate studies next year and pursue the historical, theological, and cultural context surrounding the first-century Mediterranean world. Although a common theme is to discuss the study of Christianity, I think many of us are also interested in learning about other belief systems and welcome such contributions.

+1 - I'm interested in the Cult of Diana in Rome, Mithraism, Stoicism, etc. Christianity happens to be one of my main interests for a variety of reasons (I find it fascinating, it has helped shape Western culture more than anything else, etc). Interestingly, most of my education about that has been pretty autodidactic. Our religion program here is very small and very non-Western. If you want to take a class on gender issues in indigenous African religions, we have you covered. Want to take intro to OT? You have to take it with a professor in the Anthropology dept (who is well-qualified, though she is an archaeologist primarily). Western interests are diminishing on the whole, I think. It's one reason I'm looking into Classics programs. Competition for NT and Early Christian jobs is pretty intense right now and I think that as a Classicist I can probably bill myself in a variety of ways.

[Joe001]

I would like to study ancient Greek and Roman religions, but the places that I've found that offer a degree that I could do that, I doubt I could get in since I don't have much training in religions. So classics it is

[Sparky]

I confess, I really do think that "Master of Divinity" has to be the most awesome degree title ever. It ought to come with superpowers and a cape!

I am TOTALLY taking a lightsaber to my graduation ceremony. A robe with a hood? Oh, hell yes.

[LateAntique]

I am TOTALLY taking a lightsaber to my graduation ceremony. A robe with a hood? Oh, hell yes.

+1 - Badass. I think the base of the lightsaber should be a crucifix.

[jacib]

That sounds interesting! Have you looked into UVA? One of my professors did his focus on Tibetan Buddhism there, but he has mentioned Islamic scholars as well.

UVA has pretty much the best Tibetan Buddhism program going on, and is quite impressive in that, but they only have an Islamic studies concentration rather than an interdisciplinary program. They're very interested in "what these texts actually say", which matters a lot less to me than "what people swear up and down that these texts mean". It is a very historical program with little focus on the modern era. While cool, it's just not for me.

My languages are probably the strongest thing I've got going. For whatever reason, Greek and Latin both click naturally. My interests are still in early Christianity, I'm just going about it in a different way. I think Christianity should be studied as another Roman religion within the contexts of other Roman religions. However, because of the way universities developed in the West, most people studied Christianity under "Theology" instead of "Classics" and the divide seems a little arbitrary. So, I'm trying to see how early Christianity was shaped by the rejection and reception of Classical literature and ideas. I'm also interested in how the Latin and Greek languages shaped the way theology was done in the West and the East, respectively. The very fact that Latin lacked a participial form of the verb "to be" until the Medieval era has to have helped shape the theological categories that were available to them. So...I'm still interested in Christianity, but I think I'm going about it in a pretty atypical way.

Son, seriously, I hope you have read Drudgery Divine. It's so good. J. Z. Smith is my intellectual idol. That book focuses exactly on the effects of classing Christianity with the so-called Mystery Religions. Also, just for shits, you should check out Tomoko Masuzawa's book, though its obviously more general than your interests.

[jacib]

I'm glad someone finally posted something like this.

My area is religion and society. I've pretty much given up on posting anything in the religion sub-forum because everyone is, as you said, "doing Christianity," or divinity.

The literature people have a good sub-forum.

When I did my MA, secularism in Turkey was a pretty hot topic in a lot of the lit we read.

What did you do your MA in? Where are you applying for religion and society?

Don't mention Orhan Pamuk in public in this country, it can get ugly fast. My first day of work, I mentioned I liked him. Later, one of my coworkers asked a [very nationalistic] student what he thought of me, "Him? He is a good person... if he is not spy of America."

[jacib]

Hi all,

While many of the topics posted on this sub-forum are in regards to Christianity, it would be incorrect to assume this is the only religion or belief system in which we are interested. Much of my graduate studies has been on topics relevant to world religions, including animism/folk religions. I have now lived in Asia for about 10 years, engaging with people from diverse cultural, spiritual, and linguistic backgrounds in a secular yet also syncretistic context. I intend to return to graduate studies next year and pursue the historical, theological, and cultural context surrounding the first-century Mediterranean world. Although a common theme is to discuss the study of Christianity, I think many of us are also interested in learning about other belief systems and welcome such contributions.

Didn't intend to imply that you are not interested in other religions. I am saying that you are not applying to the same programs as me and therefore the competition, strictures, requirements are quite different. Because I want to study secularism and Islam does not mean I am abandoning my interest in Jesus and the OT. My first exposures to the study of religion were Mircea Eliade and source criticism of the Old Testament. Both interested and still interest me. More than half of the course I took for my religious studies BA were exclusively or majority Judeo-Christian, including, I should add, the best and most interesting (if anyone ends up at Chicago, kiss whatever ass you have to get into a class with Constantin Fasolt, who studies the Reformation and Early Modern Europe in the History Department). While all of that still interests me, it is not relavent to my PhD search because, well, there's a lot less competition for my spots than yours. I think? I wanted a more accurate gage of the difference though.

I don't think the non-Christian studyers on this board are excluded or unwelcome--more like alone in a crowd.

[jacib]

I am TOTALLY taking a lightsaber to my graduation ceremony. A robe with a hood? Oh, hell yes.

Are you from New Zealand or something?