world religion topics for research paper

• How It Works
• PhD thesis writing
• Master thesis writing
• Bachelor thesis writing
• Dissertation writing service
• Dissertation abstract writing
• Thesis proposal writing
• Thesis editing service
• Thesis proofreading service
• Thesis formatting service
• Coursework writing service
• Research paper writing service
• Architecture thesis writing
• Computer science thesis writing
• Engineering thesis writing
• History thesis writing
• MBA thesis writing
• Nursing dissertation writing
• Psychology dissertation writing
• Sociology thesis writing
• Statistics dissertation writing
• Buy dissertation online
• Write my dissertation
• Cheap thesis
• Cheap dissertation
• Custom dissertation
• Dissertation help
• Pay for thesis
• Pay for dissertation
• Senior thesis
• Write my thesis

215 Religion Research Paper Topics for College Students

Studying religion at a college or a university may be a challenging course for any student. This isn’t because religion is always a sensitive issue in society, it is because the study of religion is broad, and crafting religious topics for research papers around them may be further complex for students. This is why sociology of religion research topics and many others are here, all for your use.

As students of a university or a college, it is essential to prepare religious topics for research papers in advance. There are many research paper topics on religion, and this is why the scope of religion remains consistently broad. They extend to the sociology of religion, research paper topics on society, argumentative essay topics, and lots more. All these will be examined in this article. Rather than comb through your books in search of inspiration for your next essay or research paper, you can easily choose a topic for your religious essay or paper from the following recommendations:

World Religion Research Paper Topics

If you want to broaden your scope as a university student to topics across religions of the world, there are religion discussion topics to consider. These topics are not just for discussion in classes, you can craft research around them. Consider:

• The role of myths in shaping the world: Greek myths and their influence on the evolution of European religions
• Modern History: The attitude of modern Europe on the history of their religion
• The connection between religion and science in the medieval and modern world
• The mystery in the books of Dan Brown is nothing but fiction: discuss how mystery shapes religious beliefs
• Theocracy: an examination of theocratic states in contemporary society
• The role of Christianity in the modern world
• The myth surrounding the writing of the Bible
• The concept of religion and patriarchy: examine two religions and how it oppresses women
• People and religion in everyday life: how lifestyle and culture is influenced by religion
• The modern society and the changes in the religious view from the medieval period
• The interdependence of laws and religion is a contemporary thing: what is the role of law in religion and what is the role of religion in law?
• What marked the shift from religion to humanism?
• What do totemism and animalism denote?
• Pre Colonial religion in Africa is savagery and barbaric: discuss
• Cite three religions and express their views on the human soul
• Hinduism influenced Indian culture in ways no religion has: discuss
• Africans are more religious than Europeans who introduced Christian religion to them: discuss
• Account for the evolution of Confucianism and how it shaped Chinese culture to date
• Account for the concept of the history of evolution according to Science and according to a religion and how it influences the ideas of the religious soul
• What is religious education and how can it promote diversity or unity?7
• Workplace and religion: how religion is extended to all facets of life
• The concept of fear in maintaining religious authorities: how authorities in religious places inspire fear for absolute devotion
• Afro-American religion: a study of African religion in America
• The Bible and its role in religions
• Religion is more of emotions than logic
• Choose five religions of the world and study the similarities in their ideas
• The role of religious leaders in combating global terrorism
• Terrorism: the place of religion in promoting violence in the Middle East
• The influence of religion in modern-day politics
• What will the world be like without religion or religious extremists?
• Religion in the growth of communist Russia: how cultural revolution is synonymous with religion
• Religion in the growth of communist China: how cultural revolution is synonymous with religion
• The study of religions and ethnic rivalries in India
• Terrorism in Islam is a comeback to the crusades
• The role of the Thirty Years of War in shaping world diplomacy
• The role of the Thirty Years of War in shaping plurality in Christianity
• The religion and the promotion of economics
• The place of world religions on homosexuality
• Why does a country, the Vatican City, belong to the Catholic Church?
• God and the concept of the supernatural: examine the idea that God is a supernatural being
• The influence of religion in contemporary Japan
• Religion and populism in the modern world
• The difference between mythical creatures and gods
• Polytheism and the possibility of world peace
• Religion and violence in secular societies?
• Warfare and subjugation in the spread of religion
• The policies against migrant in Poland is targeted against Islam
• The role of international organizations in maintaining religious peace
• International terrorist organizations and the decline of order

Research Paper Topics Religion and Society

As a student in a university or MBA student, you may be requested to write an informed paper on sociology and religion. There are many sociology religion research paper topics for these segments although they may be hard to develop. You can choose out of the following topics or rephrase them to suit your research interest:

• The influence of religion on the understanding of morality
• The role of religion in marginalizing the LGBTQ community
• The role of women in religion
• Faith crisis in Christianity and Islamic religions
• The role of colonialism in the spreading of religion: the spread of Christianity and Islam is a mortal sin
• How does religion shape our sexual lifestyle?
• The concept of childhood innocence in religion
• Religion as the object of hope for the poor: how religion is used as a tool for servitude by the elite
• The impact of traditional beliefs in today’s secular societies
• How religion promotes society and how it can destroy it
• The knowledge of religion from the eyes of a sociologist
• Religious pluralism in America: how diverse religions struggle to strive
• Social stratification and its role in shaping religious groups in America
• The concept of organized religion: why the belief in God is not enough to join a religious group
• The family has the biggest influence on religious choices: examine how childhood influences the adult’s religious interests
• Islamophobia in European societies and anti-Semitism in America
• The views of Christianity on interfaith marriage
• The views of Islam on interfaith marriage
• The difference between spirituality and religion
• The role of discipline in maintaining strict religious edicts
• How do people tell others about their religion?
• The features of religion in sociology
• What are the views of Karl Marx on religion?
• What are the views of Frederic Engels on religion?
• Modern Islam: the conflict of pluralism and secularism
• Choose two religions and explore their concepts of divorce
• Governance and religion: how religion is also a tool of control
• The changes in religious ideas with technological evolution
• Theology is the study of God for God, not humans
• The most feared religion: how Islamic extremists became identified as terrorist organizations
• The role of cults in the society: why religious people still have cults affiliations
• The concept of religious inequality in the US
• What does religion say about sexual violence?

Religion Essay Topics

As a college student, you may be required to write an essay on religion or morality. You may need to access a lot of religious essay topics to find inspiration for a topic of your choice. Rather than go through the stress of compiling, you can get more information for better performance from religion topics for research paper like:

• The origin of Jihad in Islam and how it has evolved
• Compare the similarities and differences between Christian and Judaism religions
• The Thirty Years War and the Catholic church
• The Holocaust: historic aggression or a religious war
• Religion is a tool of oppression from the political and economic perspectives
• The concept of patriarchy in religion
• Baptism and synonym to ritual sacrifice
• The life of Jesus Christ and the themes of theology
• The life of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) and the themes of theology
• How can religion be used to promote world peace?
• Analyze how Jesus died and the reason for his death
• Analyze the event of the birth of Christ
• The betrayal of Jesus is merely to fulfill a prophecy
• Does “prophecy” exist anywhere in religion?
• The role of war in promoting religion: how crusades and terrorist attacks shape the modern world
• The concept of Karma: is Karma real?
• Who are the major theorists in religion and what do they say?
• The connection of sociology with religion
• Why must everyone be born again according to Christians?
• What does religious tolerance mean?
• What is the benefit of religion in society?
• What do you understand about free speech and religious tolerance?
• Why did the Church separate from the state?
• The concept of guardian angels in religion
• What do Islam and Christianity say about the end of the world?
• Religion and the purpose of God for man
• The concept of conscience in morality is overrated
• Are there different sects in Christianity?
• What does Islam or Christianity say about suicide?
• What are the reasons for the Protestant Reformation?
• The role of missionaries in propagating Christianity in Africa
• The role of the Catholic church in shaping Christianity
• Do we need an international religious organization to maintain international religious peace?
• Why do people believe in miracles?

Argumentative Essay Topics on Religion

Creating argumentative essay topics on religion may be a daunting exercise regardless of your level. It is more difficult when you don’t know how to start. Your professor could be interested in your critical opinions about international issues bordering on religion, which is why you need to develop sensible topics. You can consider the following research paper topics religion and society for inspiration:

• Religion will dominate humanity: discuss
• All religions of the world dehumanize the woman
• All men are slaves to religion
• Karl Marx was right when he said religion is the return of the repressed, “the sigh of the oppressed creature”: discuss
• Christianity declined in Europe with the Thirty Years War and it separated brothers and sisters of the Christian faith?
• Islamic terrorism is a targeted attack on western culture
• The danger of teen marriage in Islam is more than its benefits
• The church should consider teen marriages for every interested teenager
• Is faith fiction or reality?
• The agape love is restricted to God and God’s love alone
• God: does he exist or is he a fiction dominating the world?
• Prayer works better without medicine: why some churches preach against the use of medicine
• People change religion because they are confused about God: discuss
• The church and the state should be together
• Polygamous marriage is evil and it should be condemned by every religion
• Cloning is abuse against God’s will
• Religious leaders should also be political leaders
• Abortion: a sin against God or control over your body
• Liberty of religious association affects you negatively: discuss
• Religious leaders only care about themselves, not the people
• Everyone should consider agnosticism
• Natural laws are the enemy of religion
• It is good to have more than two faiths in a family
• It is hard for the state to exist without religion
• Religion as a cause of the World War One
• Religion as a tool for capitalists
• Religion doesn’t promote morality, only extremisms
• Marriage: should the people or their religious leaders set the rules?
• Why the modern church should acknowledge the LGBTQ: the fight for true liberalism
• Mere coexistence is not religious tolerance
• The use of candles, incense, etc. in Catholic worship is idolatrous and the same as pagan worship: discuss
• The Christian religion is the same as Islam

Christianity Research Paper Topics on Religion

It doesn’t matter if you’re a Christian or not as you need to develop a range of topics for your essay or project. To create narrow yet all-inclusive research about Christianity in the world today, you can consider research topics online. Rather than rack your head or go through different pages on the internet, consider these:

• Compare and contrast Christian and Islam religions
• Trace the origin of Christianity and the similarity of the beliefs in the contemporary world
• Account for the violent spread of Christianity during the crusades
• Account for the state of Christianity in secular societies
• The analysis of the knowledge of rapture in Christianity
• Choose three contemporary issues and write the response of Christianity on them
• The Catholic church and its role towards the continuance of sexual violence
• The Catholic church and the issues of sexual abuse and scandals
• The history of Christianity in America
• The history of Christianity in Europe
• The impact of Christianity on American slaves
• The belief of Christianity on death, dying, and rapture
• The study of Christianity in the medieval period
• How Christianity influenced the western world
• Christianity: the symbols and their meaning
• Why catholic priests practice celibacy
• Christianity in the Reformation Era
• Discuss the Gnostic Gospels and their distinct historic influence on Christianity
• The catholic church in the Third Reich of Germany
• The difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament
• What the ten commandments say from a theological perspective
• The unpredictable story of Moses
• The revival of Saul to Paul: miracle or what?
• Are there Christian cults in the contemporary world?
• Gender differences in the Christian church: why some churches don’t allow women pastors
• The politics of the Catholic church before the separation of the church and the state
• The controversies around Christian religion and atheism: why many people are leaving the church
• What is the Holy Trinity and what is its role in the church?
• The miracles of the New Testament and its difference from the Old Testament’s
• Why do people question the existence of God?
• God is a spirit: discuss

Islam Research Paper Topics

As a student of the Islamic religion or a Muslim, you may be interested in research on the religion. Numerous Islam research paper topics could be critical in shaping your research paper or essay. These are easy yet profound research paper topics on religion Islam for your essays or papers:

• Islam in the Middle East
• Trace the origin of Islam
• Who are the most important prophets in Islam?
• Discuss the Sunni and other groups of Muslims
• The Five Pillars of Islam are said to be important in Islam, why?
• Discuss the significance of the Holy Month
• Discuss the significance of the Holy Pilgrimage
• The distinctions of the Five Pillars of Islam and the Ten Commandments?
• The controversies around the hijab and the veil
• Western states are denying Muslims: why?
• The role of religious leaders in their advocacy of sexual abuse and violence
• What the Quran says about rape and what does Hadiths say, too?
• Rape: men, not the women roaming the street should be blamed
• What is radicalism in Islam?
• The focus of Islam is to oppress women: discuss
• The political, social, and economic influence of modernity on Islam
• The notable wives of prophet Muhammad and their role in Islam: discuss
• Trace the evolution of Islam in China and the efforts of the government against them
• Religious conflict in Palestine and Israel: how a territorial conflict slowly became a religious war
• The study of social class and the Islamic religion
• Suicide bombers and their belief of honor in death: the beliefs of Islamic jihadists
• Account for the issues of marginalization of women in Muslim marriages
• The role of literature in promoting the fundamentals of Islam: how poetry was used to appeal to a wider audience
• The concept of feminism in Islam and why patriarchy seems to be on a steady rise
• The importance of Hadiths in the comprehension of the Islamic religion
• Does Islam approve of democracy?
• Islamic terrorism and the role of religious leaders
• The relationship of faith in Islam and Christianity: are there differences in the perspectives of faith?
• How the Quran can be used as a tool for religious tolerance and religious intolerance
• The study of Muslims in France: why is there religious isolation and abuse in such a society?
• Islam and western education: what are the issues that have become relevant in recent years?
• Is there a relationship between Islam and Science?
• Western culture: why there are stereotypes against Muslims abroad
• Mythology in Islam: what role does it play in shaping the religion?
• Islam and the belief in the afterlife: are there differences between its beliefs with other religions’?
• Why women are not allowed to take sermons in Islam

Can’t Figure Out Your Religion Paper?

With these religious research paper topics, you’re open to change the words or choose a topic of your choice for your research paper or essay. Writing an essay after finding a topic is relatively easy. Since you have helpful world religion research paper topics, research paper topics on religion and society, religion essay topics, argumentative essay topics on religion, Christianity research paper topics, and Islam research paper topics, you can go online to research different books that discuss the topic of your choice.

However, if you require the assistance of professional academic experts who offer custom academic help, you’ll find them online. There are a few writing help online groups that assist in writing your essays or research paper as fast as possible. You can opt for their service if you’re too busy or unmotivated to write your research paper or essay.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment * Error message

Name * Error message

Email * Error message

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

As Putin continues killing civilians, bombing kindergartens, and threatening WWIII, Ukraine fights for the world's peaceful future.

Ukraine Live Updates

• Write my thesis
• Thesis writers
• Buy thesis papers
• Bachelor thesis
• Master's thesis
• Thesis editing services
• Thesis proofreading services
• Buy a thesis online
• Write my dissertation
• Dissertation proposal help
• Pay for dissertation
• Custom dissertation
• Dissertation help online
• Buy dissertation online
• Cheap dissertation
• Dissertation editing services
• Write my research paper
• Buy research paper online
• Pay for research paper
• Research paper help
• Order research paper
• Custom research paper
• Cheap research paper
• Research papers for sale
• Thesis subjects
• How It Works

The Best 50 Religion Research Topics to Use for Students

In our multi-religious and multicultural society, crafting a great research paper on religion is a challenging task. Indeed, this challenge starts from the first stage of preparing your paper: identifying a good religious research paper topic. Further, it is almost impossible to write a paper without offending one or more religious feelings, especially when working on the history of religion. To make writing your paper easy, you must start by picking good religious paper topics.

In this paper, we list 50 religion research paper topics and a guide for selecting the best. If you want to get good grades, start with the right step- the best topic.

Why You Need the Best Religion Research Paper Topics

When working on any research paper, the most important step is identifying the topic. Indeed, the topic determines the direction you will take with the paper. Here are other benefits of selecting the best topics for a religious research paper.

• It allows you to work on the preferred area of interest.
• With a good topic, you do not get bored midway.
• A great topic offers you the opportunity to fill knowledge gaps in the field of religious studies.
• It is your opportunity to make your contribution felt.
• Picking the best topics is the first step to better grades.

How to Pick the Best Topics for a Religious Research Paper

Now that you know the benefits of selecting the best topics for your religious papers, you might be wondering, “How do I pick it?” Here are some useful tips to help you identify the best:

• Brainstorm your religious study subject. This will help you to get the best ideas to work on.
• Comprehensively research your area of interest. For example, you might be interested in the history of religion, church and social action, creationism, or modernism and religion.
• Look at the latest happenings. Things such as religious involvement in economics and education might inspire your paper ideas.
• Follow your teacher’s recommendation. Often, professors give guidelines to students on the areas they should work on. For example, if you were covering a certain area in your religious education studies class; your teacher might ask you to pick topics from that section only. But in most cases, teachers leave the topics open for students to select on their own.
• Read other research on religious studies. Most researchers point at gaps that exist in the niche so that later students can work on them. This is a great place to commence your research paper.

The Best Religious Topics for a Research Paper

Whether you prefer working on religious controversial topics or philosophy of religion essay topics, we have listed the best 50 ideas to get you started. Check them and pick them as they are or tweak them to fit your preferred format.

• Christian and economics.
• Religion and homosexuality.
• Black churches.
• Christianity history.
• Comparing and contrasting Christian and Islam history.
• A closer look at world religions without gods.
• The concept of religion and soul.
• The impact of religious laws on morality.
• The phenomenon of trickster gods.
• The impact of Greek religion on European culture.
• Impact of religion on American culture.
• Impact of religion on Chinese culture.
• Comparing the similarities of images of gods in different religions.
• How does gender affect religion?
• Islam in modern India.
• What is the future of religion?
• Afterlife: What are the differences in diverse religions?
• What are the main causes of the faith crisis?
• Analyzing the influence of female clergy on religion.
• Relooking at the reincarnation concept.
• What role do men have in religion?
• The impacts of yoga on religion.
• Can faith remove the harshness of adolescence?
• Why is Ramadhan referred to as the holy month?
• Comparing religious counselors to classical psychologists.
• A closer look at the main differences between the bible and Koran.
• What is the importance of Christmas for Christians?
• Creationism.
• Religion and science.
• How do people implement different religious practices today?
• Should atheism be considered another form of religion?
• Judaism: A closer look at its history.
• Analyzing attitudes towards sex in the Christian religion.
• Children: Are they considered innocent in all religions?
• A closer look at the history of Hinduism.
• A closer look at the existence of God as a supernatural being.
• Comparing and contrasting monotheistic cultures.
• Female goddesses.
• Chaplain-ship: How does it trigger peace and harmony?
• Impact of women in the history of Christianity.
• What are the implications of forced religion on people?
• Religion and terrorism.
• Religion in the workplace.
• Religion and evolution.
• Nordic mythology.
• A world without religion: Is it possible?
• Applying religion to address global problems.
• The primal religions.
• Do you think religion should play a role in modern politics?
• Do you think religion influences societal virtues?

Got the Best Religion Topics to Write About – What Next?

Now that you have a list of the best world religion research paper topics, it is important to appreciate that the journey of writing your assignment has just started. The next step is to write down your paper in line with your teacher’s guidelines. This is where your writing skills come into play. Well, it is never easy for many students. Often, some lack good writing skills, have other engagements, or acquire the right resources is a challenge. For others, the deadline is too tight and almost impossible to beat. The best idea is to seek affordable college assignment writing help.

After selecting the best topics, be they sociology or religion research topics or religious debate topics, writing help is provided by experts with years of experience in academic writing. They have handled such papers before and are willing to help you craft the best paper for top grades. Well, do not let that religious research paper stress you anymore, let a professional help you!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Exploring Faith and Belief: Religious Research Paper Topics

Table of contents

• 1 Challenges in Religious Research Paper Topics
• 2.1 Christian Research Paper Topics
• 2.2 Islam Research Topics
• 2.3 Siddhartha Essay Topics
• 2.4 Buddhism Essay Topics
• 2.5 Hinduism Research Paper Topics
• 2.6 Judaism Religion
• 2.7 Theology Research Paper Topics

Exploring the realm of religion opens a multitude of avenues for scholarly inquiry. Research papers on religion delve into profound questions that have captivated humanity throughout history. These studies not only illuminate the intricacies of faith and belief systems but also examine their profound impact on culture, society, and personal identity.

Choosing a research topic about religion requires a thoughtful consideration of a wide spectrum of beliefs, practices, and philosophical interpretations. From the rituals that bind communities to the spiritual philosophies that drive individual conduct, religion research topics offer a rich tapestry of areas for academic exploration. With such diversity, the challenge lies in pinpointing a singular path that resonates with both current discourse and timeless questions of the human experience.

Challenges in Religious Research Paper Topics

Navigating religious research paper topics presents a unique set of challenges. Crafting research questions about religion demands sensitivity and a deep understanding of diverse belief systems. Scholars often grapple with the subjective nature of spirituality, striving to maintain academic rigor while exploring profoundly personal and often religious controversial topics. The multifaceted nature of religious research paper topics also requires an interdisciplinary approach, intersecting with history, sociology, psychology, and theology.

Additionally, researchers must balance insider and outsider perspectives, often working to gain the trust of faith communities while preserving critical distance. Research papers on religion must also contend with varying interpretations of sacred texts and practices, which can vary widely even within a single tradition. Moreover, the dynamic nature of religion, constantly evolving in the face of modernity and globalization, poses a challenge to researchers aiming to capture the contemporary religious landscape accurately. The task, then, is to approach these topics with a blend of scholarly curiosity, methodological precision, and cultural competence.

Need help with research paper? Get your paper written by a professional writer Get Help Reviews.io 4.9/5

List of 70 Religion Topics to Write About

Embark on an intellectual journey with this curated list of 70 religion topics, each offering a unique window into the diverse ways faith shapes and is shaped by the world we live in.

Christian Research Paper Topics

Diving into Christianity offers a rich vein of inquiry for scholars. These biblical topics for research papers present fresh perspectives on age-old discussions, inviting a deeper understanding of one of the world’s most-followed faiths.

• The Evolution of Christian Thought in Postmodern Society
• Analyzing the Role of Women in Early Christian Communities
• The Influence of Christian Ethics on Modern Business Practices
• Cross-Cultural Interpretations of Christian Symbols in Global Contexts
• The Impact of Digital Media on Christian Worship and Community
• Environmental Stewardship and its Theological Roots in Christianity
• The Psychological Effects of Christian Practices on Mental Health
• A Comparative Study of Christian Mysticism and Contemporary Spiritual Movements
• The Political Expressions of Liberation Theology in Latin America
• Christian Perspectives on Artificial Intelligence and Bioethics

Islam Research Topics

The study of Islam uncovers a tapestry of cultural, theological, and historical themes. These research topics on religion provide a platform for a nuanced exploration of Islam’s multifaceted impact on the world.

• Modern Interpretations of Sharia Law in Various Islamic Societies
• The Role of Sufism in Contemporary Islamic Practice
• Islamic Economic Principles and Their Application in the 21st Century
• Gender Dynamics within Islamic Theology and Practice
• Islamic Artistic Expression in the Digital Age
• The Influence of Islam on Classical Scientific Discovery and Philosophy
• The Political Significance of Islam in Non-Majority Muslim Countries
• Interfaith Dialogues between Islamic and Western Philosophical Traditions
• The Evolution of Islamic Educational Institutions from Classical to Modern Times
• The Representation of Islam in Western Media and its Societal Impact

Siddhartha Essay Topics

Hermann Hesse’s “Siddhartha” is a rich narrative ripe for exploration, intertwining themes of self-discovery and spirituality. These religion topics to write about offer a pathway to understanding the profound messages embedded in this classic tale.

• The Concept of Enlightenment in Siddhartha Versus Traditional Buddhist Teachings
• River Imagery as a Symbol of Life’s Journey in Siddhartha
• Siddhartha’s Relationship with Nature as a Reflection of His Spiritual Quest
• The Influence of Hermann Hesse’s Personal Beliefs on the Portrayal of Religion in Siddhartha
• Comparing Siddhartha’s Ascetic Life with Modern Minimalist Movements
• The Role of Mentorship and its Impact on Siddhartha’s Spiritual Evolution
• The Dichotomy of Material Wealth and Spiritual Fulfillment in Siddhartha
• Siddhartha’s Search for Authenticity Amidst Societal Expectations
• The Function of Love in Siddhartha’s Journey Towards Self-Actualization
• Relevance of Siddhartha’s Lessons in the Context of Contemporary Religious Practice

Buddhism Essay Topics

Buddhism, with its profound philosophical foundations and global influence, provides a fertile ground for scholarly exploration. These religious research topics and world religion paper topics delve into the heart of Buddhist doctrine and its practical implications in today’s world.

• The Intersection of Buddhist Philosophy and Contemporary Psychotherapy
• Ethical Consumption and Environmentalism through the Lens of Buddhist Teachings
• The Role of Meditation in Modern Healthcare as Influenced by Buddhism
• Analysis of Buddhist Responses to the Challenges of Globalization
• The Adaptation of Zen Aesthetics in Western Art and Architecture
• Buddhist Principles in Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding Efforts
• The Impact of Technological Advancements on Traditional Buddhist Practices
• A Study of Gender Roles within Buddhist Monastic Communities
• The Influence of Buddhism on Western Philosophical Thought
• Exploring the Growth of Buddhist Tourism and its Cultural Impacts

Hinduism Research Paper Topics

Hinduism’s rich tapestry of mythology, philosophy, and cultural practices presents an expansive field for academic inquiry. The following religion topics for research paper encompass both the depth of Hindu traditions and contemporary issues, offering a platform for insightful discourse.

• Analyzing the Impact of Hinduism on India’s Environmental Policies
• Feminine Divinity in Hinduism and its Influence on Gender Roles
• The Evolution of Hindu Temple Architecture Over Centuries
• Caste System Interpretations in Modern Hindu Society
• Yoga as a Global Phenomenon: Origins and Transformations from Hindu Traditions
• The Role of Hinduism in Forming India’s National Identity
• The Philosophy of Karma and its Relevance to Modern Ethics
• Ayurveda: Ancient Hindu Science of Health in the Modern Wellness Industry
• The Dynamics of Hindu Pilgrimage: Economy, Ecology, and Tradition
• Hindu Rituals and their Psychological Implications in Contemporary Practice

Judaism Religion

The exploration of Judaism offers insights into one of the world’s oldest monotheistic religions, rich with history and tradition. While the following topics are not centered on religion research paper topics, they reflect the depth and diversity inherent in Jewish studies.

• The Influence of Jewish Mysticism on Contemporary Religious Thought
• The Preservation of Jewish Traditions in Diaspora Communities
• Jewish Perspectives on Bioethics and Modern Medical Dilemmas
• The Role of the Synagogue in Jewish Cultural and Religious Life
• The Impact of the Holocaust on Theological Understandings in Judaism
• Jewish Contributions to Interfaith Dialogue and Peacebuilding
• The Evolution of Kosher Laws and Their Application in the Food Industry
• The Intersection of Jewish Law and Modern State Legislation
• The Role of Hebrew Language Revival in Jewish Identity Formation
• Jewish Feminist Theology and its Quest for Gender Equality in Religious Practice

Theology Research Paper Topics

Theology, the systematic study of the divine, invites scholars to probe the depths of religious belief and practice. These theology research paper topics are designed to inspire critical thought and original analysis on various aspects of spiritual inquiry.

• The Role of Prophecy in Abrahamic Religions Comparative Study
• Liberation Theology’s Influence on Social Justice Movements
• Theological Responses to the Problem of Evil in Different Faiths
• The Impact of Feminist Theology on Traditional Religious Practices
• The Integration of Theology and Science in the Modern World
• The Concept of the Afterlife in Theological and Philosophical Perspectives
• Ecumenism and the Pursuit of Christian Unity in Theology
• Theological Underpinnings of Contemporary Environmental Ethics
• The Influence of Digital Media on Theological Education
• The Role of Ritual in Expressing and Shaping Theological Beliefs

Readers also enjoyed

WHY WAIT? PLACE AN ORDER RIGHT NOW!

Just fill out the form, press the button, and have no worries!

We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy.

• Services Paper editing services Paper proofreading Business papers Philosophy papers Write my paper Term papers for sale Term paper help Academic term papers Buy research papers College writing services Paper writing help Student papers Original term papers Research paper help Nursing papers for sale Psychology papers Economics papers Medical papers Blog

134 Religion Research Paper Topics: Brand New Ideas List 2023

Throughout history, people have always believed in the existence of a mighty figure that has always been referred to as “the fascinating and terrifying mystery.” Even the people who showed that they had no faith will ask for help in times of danger from a saintly figure. Religious beliefs are a reality of life that requires understanding, and this is where the academic field of religious research comes in. Religious studies study different religious beliefs, institutions, and behaviors that exist in the world. The study aims to explain, compare and interpret other religions—religious studies analyze people’s behavior and beliefs by having a neutral perspective. The basis of religious studies courses focuses on psychology, anthropology, philosophy, sociology, and the history of religion.

Why is Religious Studies Important?

Religious studies focus on the primary component of human culture and society. The key to understanding human behaviors lies in knowing people’s religious beliefs and practices. The world is becoming increasingly diverse, and understanding religions and cultures makes it easy to communicate based on knowledge rather than stereotyping.

Also, religious studies have excellent employment prospects as its students get opportunities for cross-disciplinary research through the various courses offered in the majors. The religious program is a distinctive program that emphasizes understanding the nature and history of communities affected by religions. Hence, it makes it easier to understand society and the people. If you are already a religious studies student, you will know all the benefits of opting for this subject. However, writing a thesis in religious studies is not easy; hence, we will be giving a brief insight into different religions and listing some religious topics for the research paper.

Different Types of Religion

There are many different religions in the world; we will be discussing some exciting details about the popular ones:

Islam Islam is a religion similar to Christianity and Judaism. Islam has its roots back in the era of Adam and the prophet Ibrahim. People who follow Islam are called Muslims. Muslims believe that Allah is the only God and Muhammad is his last messenger. Quran is the holy book of the Muslims which is a compilation of the revelations of God to the prophet Muhammad through the angel Jibrael. Quran, or the book of Allah, is said to contain the exact words of God; hence it offers a nonnegotiable blueprint on how to spend your life. The Islamic legal code known as the Sharia states every aspect of life, from marriage to business. Whoever abides by the teachings of Sharia will get paradise, and whoever disregards it and Muhammad’s teaching will get the hell in the hereafter. Christianity Christianity is a religion that is based on the teachings of Jesus. People who follow Christianity are known as Christians and believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Christian scripture includes the commandments in the Torah and the adherent version of it. Christians believe that Jesus met and completed all the laws defined by Torah, but he took upon him the sins of the world during his crucifixion and died. He will rise to live again to grant grace from God to those who put their faith in him. Christianity also has a concept of reward in the form of heaven for those who do good in life and a place called hell for people who did evil deeds in their life. Hinduism Hinduism is regarded as the oldest religion, dating back to 1500-600 BCE. It’s a religion with a compilation of many beliefs and traditions; due to this reason, it’s also referred to as a “Family of religion.” Hindus believe in the continuous cycle of life, death, reincarnation, and karma. Critical thoughts of Hinduism are of “atman” belief in the soul. Hindus who follow Hinduism aim to achieve “mukti,” or salvation that ends the cycle of rebirths to become one of the absolute souls. Buddhism Buddhism is considered a religion and a philosophy. The religion is based on the teachings of Gautama Buddha, a sage thinker who lived between the fourth and sixth centuries BCE. His teachings were based on moral rectitude, achievement of peace through meditation, and freedom from material desires and attachment. He dedicated his life to preaching kindness, wisdom, and compassion to people living in the eastern part of ancient India. The people who follow Buddhism are known as Buddhists. The goal of Buddhists is to achieve freedom from material attachment, ignorance, and anger in pursuit of a sublime place called Nirvana by following Buddhas’ teachings.

Research Paper Topics on Religion

Suppose you are searching for topics for your religious studies thesis, then you will come across complex topics which are hard to understand. Hence we have created a list of 134 relevant religious essay topics to provide you with a kick start for your research. Furthermore, remember you have the opportunity to buy custom research paper from professional helpers team.

World Religion Research Paper Topics

• Evaluating the perception of the soul in different religions
• Can religion be used to guide teenagers, and how?
• What ethical beliefs are involved in the Hindu faith
• Discussing the significant causes of the protestant reformation
• The primary purpose of mission in the modern religion
• Can taking someone’s life be justified religiously and ethically?
• The history of Judaism
• The history of Hinduism
• Role of religion in shaping the history of science and education
• Religion and the globalized world
• The political impact of religion
• Religion and crime: Concept of reward and punishment
• People and religion from social psychology perspective5
• Cultural specifics in religion

Research Paper Topics Religion and Society

• Beliefs that existed before organized religion
• Evaluate why politicians should not interfere in religious disputes.
• Describe the major differences between the Old Testament and New Testament laws.
• How does religion affect the political economy
• How can one create religion?
• What role does religion play in poetry and literature?
• Media source and religion
• Generational specifics of religions
• Evaluating polytheistic religions
• Religion in modern Japan
• Analyzing the connection between religion and law
• Should religious leaders have political and legal power?

Sociology Religion Research Paper Topics

• How does religion affect mental health
• Significance of religion in environmental issues
• How have modern times affected religion?
• Belief system without gods
• Who benefits from religion?
• Evaluating the religious beliefs prevailing in modern India to their ideas in the 20 th century
• What is the perception of guardian angels in different religions
• What is the hypostatic union
• Do babies go straight to heaven if they die?
• Analyzing the principle beliefs of Eastern and Western religious faiths.
• “God only exists in the minds of those who believe” to what extent it’s true.
• How does divinity exists in Egyptian beliefs?
• The perception of different religions about the end of the world
• C0-existence of Hinduism and Islam in India.

Religious Essay Topics

• Theology of reality and myth
• Theology of love and death
• A postmodern take on theology and atheism
• Principles and importance of theology and theological methods
• Religious effect on rational theology
• Are theology and philosophy inseparable from sciences?
• Global cultural models in religious systems
• How does sociology affect religious systems?
• Dynamics of religious systems
• How is democracy affected by religious systems?
• Religion systems and geographical dependencies
• How is the market affected by the religious systems?

Religious Topics for Research Papers

• Religions and their everyday rituals
• Does religion act as a social glue to keep together communities and nations?
• Religion and space: What is believed to be present beyond
• Are religion and morality connected or separate?
• How is the role of women defined in religions?
• Religion and medicine
• The importance of sacrifices in different religious practices
• How does religion impact family connections?
• What is the evolutionary perspective on religion?
• How do myths affect the modern society
• Religion and the role of symbolism
• What role does religion play in forming prejudices?
• The role of illusions and magic in religion
• How does religion affect adolescents and faith?
• Religion and the Age of Enlightenment

Argumentative Essay Topics on Religion

• Will religions ever end?
• The concept of an afterlife in different religions
• How is the economy affected by religion?
• Comparison between modern religions and shamanism
• How do disconnect spirituality from religion?
• Is it possible to follow a single world religion?
• Comparing modern psychologists and religious counselors
• Should religion get special treatment from the government?
• The different perspectives about sex in other religions
• The significance of baptism for infants and adults
• Different religious methods of converting followers
• The manifestation of totems and the world
• Is the great flood story found in religions?
• How is terrorism affected by religion?

Sociology of Religion Research Topics

• How do religion impact war and revolution?
• Religion and its effect on marriage
• Religion and violence: Are they related?
• Are rationality and religion mutually exclusive?
• Comparing prayer and meditative techniques
• Does religion create more problems than it solves?
• Analyzing the connection between religion and Anthropology
• Features of a person who applies to become a saint
• The different ways to celebrate Christmas
• Different methods used by religions to build peace

Christianity Research Paper Topics

• Is cloning an acceptable act in Christianity?
• The role missionaries played in the early church
• Is cloning an act against God?
• Analyzing the relation between sociology and religion
• Is it right to change religion?
• Evaluating the difference between Judaism and Christianity
• The role of female preachers in the congregation
• How is death perceived in Christianity
• Evaluate the tradition of visiting the church on Sunday
• The history of Christianity
• Faith is a reality; evaluate this statement!
• Evaluate religious tolerance
• Evaluate whether men are slaves to religion
• The Christian view of gay marriages

Religion Discussion Topics

• How do different religions cannibalize past religions?
• The importance of religious books like the Bible and Quran
• The concept of reincarnation in Hinduism
• Is atheism a religion?
• The various perspective of religions on contraceptives
• How have the Jewish people navigated persecution so well over the centuries
• How can artificial insemination be implied?
• Do you think it’s religiously correct to freeze your embryo?
• How can the government control the people through religion?
• Is Mormonism a true American religion?
• What is religious inequality
• The negative aspects of Buddhism
• Is Buddhism a philosophy or a religion?

Islam Research Paper Topics

• Is Islam a peaceful religion
• Is it possible to practice freedom of religion in Arab countries?
• The most famous reference book in Islam
• The history of Islam
• The basic concepts of religious books
• Is abortion a sin against God?
• Is it a sin to have control over your body and kids?
• Islam: A misunderstood religion
• Islam: Misunderstandings and prejudices
• The role of women as highlighted in Islam
• Islam and traditionalism: are they separable?
• Past and future of Islam
• The political impact of Islam
• How has the Islamic image formed in the West?
• How would the world be without Islam?

Efficient Research Paper Help

Finding the correct thesis topic is not easy, especially if you have so many ideas that you are confused about what to choose and how to start. It’s better to list topics that intrigue you and then select the topic you find the most information on. The thesis is significant, and your final grade depends on it; hence, if you have doubts about writing your thesis, it will be helpful to take online writing help from expert writers. We offer professional writers who provide fast and professional services at an affordable price. If you are a college or university student, you can request custom-based services for your homework, assignment, thesis, quizzes, etc. What are you waiting for? Contact us with a “ do my research paper ” message and get perfect result effortless.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Terms & Conditions Loyalty Program Privacy Policy Money-Back Policy

Copyright © 2013-2024 MyPaperDone.com

200 latest religion research paper topics to consider

Religion evolves every day, resulting in new research paper topics. This makes it challenging for students to select the best cases for their research papers. This article provides 200 religion research paper topics to consider for your paper.

When choosing a religion research topic, you can go for different approaches. You can choose to focus on certain religions’ history, their specifics of rituals and beliefs, and their impact on society. You can also analyze the differences between different religions. Before looking at the topics, it is essential to know a religion essay, the tips for choosing essay topics , and the different types of religions.

What is a religion essay?

A religious essay is writing that analyzes a particular set of values, beliefs, and morals that people exercise to guide them on the spiritual path. Religion involves cultures, traditions, and customs that inspire people to live a moral life and can share among societies and communities.

Different types of religions

• Christianity religion
• Hinduism religion
• Islamic religion
• Judaism religion
• Buddhism religion

Tips for choosing the best religion essay topics

If your professor has not provided a topic for your religious essays, you will need to choose a topic to write about. To select a good topic, consider the following tips:

• Select a topic you are interested in
• Ensure there are specific sources that relate to your topic of discussion
• Avoid topics based on a biased view, especially those based on religious leaders and their personalities
• Avoid critique and attacks topics
• Cover all the views about a topic when there are several vies on a topic

Religion research paper ideas

There are many areas where you can get ideas for your religious paper topics . You can look for religion research paper example online or consider the following:

Religion has an impact on people’s faith. They believe in the power of faith in some religions. You can believe in something and have it fulfilled through faith. You can get good religion research paper topics from this area.

 The majority of people follow the precepts of the Holy Book. This is the compass that humans use to navigate the many phenomena of life.

• World religions

The majority of religions are intertwined. The main difference is that they believe in different kinds of ceremonies, beliefs, powerful beings, and spiritual beings. When writing your research paper about religion , you can consider this area.

• Theology and philosophy

Philosophy and theology are closely intertwined with religion. Most religious leaders study theology to have a deeper understanding of their faith.

• Mental health and religion

Religion is also connected to mental health because of people’s beliefs. You can explore these areas for your religious research paper. 

• Technology and religion

Many new technologies are being used, including cloning, artificial insemination , and frozen embryos. There is a lot of discussion over whether they are ethical, making it a good research area.

• Religious history

The history of many religions is also included in many research topics. Some myths have been thoroughly debunked and agreed upon. 

Christianity research paper topics

With billions of adherents, Christianity is one of the most popular religions. Its significance in world history cannot be overstated. So, here are some of the fascinating topics which you can use in your religious essays :

• Examine the inclusion of Jesus’ known scriptures in the Bible
• Examine the social significance of the miracles recounted in the New Testament
• Discuss the key components of Christian worldviews
• Explain how members of the Jewish community are represented in the Bible
• Examine historical records to learn more about Jesus’ life
• Examine how Christians in the Middle East have reacted to terrorism
• Describe how the Crusades aided in the spread of Christianity
• Describe how Christianity was practiced in Rome between the 1st and 5th centuries
• Disseminate information about the Protestant Reformation and its impact on modern Christianity
• Examine how Renaissance artists portrayed the Church
• Consider the differences between Roman Catholicism and Protestant Christianity
• Explain how the Holy Trinity fits into the monotheistic idea
• Explain King Herod’s part in the Jewish persecution
• Describe how the Gnostic Gospels are relevant in today’s world
• Discuss the significance of the cross as a Christian symbol
• Discuss what Christians can expect in the mid-twentieth century
• Mormonism’s place in Christian beliefs and practices
• In Christianity, debate political resistance vs. cultural assimilation
• Describe the impact of Christianity on the Covid-19 epidemic
• Discuss the New Testament’s restricted incorporation of Jesus’ teachings in the book
• An examination of life after death from the perspective of the Bible
• Analyse and explain the Holy Trinity in today’s context.
• Examine how Roman society influenced the spread of Christianity
• In literary works, there are several depictions of Christianity
• The Christian doctrine in Original Sin is based on psychological principles
• The Papacy and its political clout around the world
• Christianity’s stance on the death penalty
• In scientific experiments, the role of Christianity 

Research topics on religion and culture

• Forgiveness and punishment in religion and crime
• Religion’s cultural peculiarities
• Religion in the Enlightenment Era
• Without gods, belief systems
• Religion’s impact on the history of education and science
• Is it possible to have a single universal religion?
• Why do beliefs decay and become lost religions?
• Compare prayer and contemplative approaches
• Marriage and religion
• Will religion ever come to an end?
• Religion and women
• Religion’s Influence on Adolescents and Teenagers
• Sacrifice’s Importance in Religious Practices
• From the standpoint of social psychology, religion and the individual
• Are religion and morality intertwined or distinct?
• A religious leader’s personality
• Religion and violence: how religion has influenced revolutions and conflicts
• What effect does religion have on family ties?
• Is it true that religion and reason are mutually exclusive?
• What is the best way to start a religion?
• Religion’s history and social stratification
• In today’s globalized society, religion plays an important role
• Religion’s Importance in Environmental Issues
• Technology’s religion: modern tribal practices
• In religion, symbolism plays an important role.
• Alien iconography can be seen in a variety of religions
• How can you separate religion from spirituality?
• Different religions have similar rites.
• Why should the government give religion preferential treatment?

Christianity is one of the largest religions in the world. If you want to write a research paper on Christianity , consider the following topics:

• Forgotten and well-known branches of Christianity
• Colonization and Christianity
• Christianity has a long history of corruption
• Industrialism and Christianity
• The individual’s role in Christianity
• Imperialism and Christianity
• The Christian Church’s mythology and rituals
• Differences in the race in Christianity
• What do we know about Jesus in terms of his historical significance?
• Tolerance in society and Christianity

Islamic research paper topics

Another important religion that requires extensive inquiry and contemplation is Islam. Its image is frequently vilified in the West, yet there is much more. Here are some Islamic essay topics to write about :

• Islamic civilizations have a long and illustrious history
• What would the world be like if Islam didn’t exist?
• In the West, the creation of an image of Islam
• Islam’s political influence
• In Islam, what is a woman’s role?
• The difficulties of Islam’s legal integration
• Prejudices and misunderstandings about Islam
• Are Islam and traditionalism inextricably linked?
• Civil Islamic customs
• Islam’s past and future

Religion essay topics on Siddhartha

Siddhartha is the Buddhist founder’s birth name and the title of a novel depicting a contemporary’s spiritual journey. Both are worthy of investigation in a religious and philosophical context. Here are some of Siddhartha’s religion topics for presentation :

• Siddhartha has mythological connotations
• Siddhartha: a work of fiction and philosophy
• Siddhartha’s teaching methods
• Non-attachment and Siddhartha
• Siddhartha’s concept of salvation
• Siddhartha Gautama and his quest for enlightenment
• Existentialism and Siddhartha

Argumentative world religion research paper topics

These are some of the best themes for a world religion argumentative paper . If you have any doubts, our qualified writers can assist you. They will only provide professional results to ensure you receive excellent grades.

• Doctrinal competency is quite important
• When is it legal to have an abortion?
• Examine the world’s major faiths
• Is it necessary to have situation ethics to maintain a moral code?
• The concept of rebirth in the modern world
• The religious perspectives on abortion
• The reasons for Martin Luther’s defection from the Catholic Church
• The incidence of adversity and pain
• Women’s roles in congregations
• What factors contribute to the emergence of new religions?
• Examine Zoroastrianism’s relevance in today’s environment
• Examine the many world faiths that do not believe in a god
• The relationship between world religions and science in the modern era
• Religion’s perspective on LGBTQ individuals around the world
• Yoga’s relationship with religion

Good religion topics for research paper

• The religious writings’ fundamental themes
• Religions sanction slavery
• Religion and anthropology are intertwined
• Characteristics of someone who has the potential to become a saint
• Religion’s different strategies for promoting peace
• The Islamic world’s traditions
• The various ways to commemorate Christmas
• Consider the issue of cloning from a religious standpoint
• In Arabic countries, different religious groups have different requirements
• Is religion causing more problems than it is resolving?
• Satanism is a legitimate faith. Discuss
• Compare the methods used by various religions to convert people into their adherents
• The role of the Church in the development of national well-being
• Is polytheism a legitimate religious option?
• The Christian perspective on homosexual marriage

Interesting Bible research topics

• Talk about the catastrophic prophets in the old testament’s books of the Bible
• When historical data is compared to biblical interpretations of events, it becomes clear that the Bible is correct
• The link between gnostic literature and the English Bible
• Between the Old and New Testaments, there is symmetry and asymmetry
• Old Testament time perspectives: literal or metaphorical?
• Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X’s lectures on civil rights and the Bible
• In the Old Testament, there are laws
• The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis and the Bible
• In the Bible, there is a connection between murder and love
• In the Old Testament, how is marriage viewed?
• Gospel Inconsistencies in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John’s views
• Conflicts between biblical translations and science
• Explorations of retribution in the Old Testament: Moses and the Promised Land
• Genesis: Man’s beginnings and the Bible’s use of allegory
• The Bible’s use in literature
• The Bible’s treatment of other religions
• The Roman Empire’s Role in the Bible’s Creation
• Bible interpretations in the present day
• Gender roles as examined in the Bible
• The History of Jesus Christ 

Psychology of religion research topics

• Nonbelievers become more committed to their atheism in the face of discrimination
• Data suggest that countries with no religion are the most socially advanced
• Even atheists intuitively believe that the natural world has a designer
• When individuals feel as if things are sliding out of their control, conspiracy theories arise
• Is it possible that believe in ghosts aided the development of civilization?
• The state and religion: a story of declining power and new revival
• The majority of supernatural beliefs are for avoiding damage rather than providing good
• What do people imagine God to be like?
• Religious leadership raises the number of donations but lowers the value of such donations
• The numbers are precise: In the United States, a cultural transition away from religion is underway

Easy topics to write about

• The most important distinctions between atheism and agnosticism
• The progression of Christian music
• The conflict between religious and scientific parties
• The influence of the media on religion
• The Orthodox Church’s norms of conduct
• Examine marriage as an orthodox sacrament
• According to the Bible, this is the world’s most holy location
• Various religions have different funeral customs
• Religion’s place in society
• The world’s eldest religions
• In the Islamic world, polygamous marriages are common
• Abortion from a religious perspective
• The main issues that pagans encounter
• The relationship between religion and the big bang theory
• Religious practices have resulted in significant changes

Religious paper topics

• Is abortion a sin against God or a matter of having control over your body and children?
• Is it your opinion that polygamous marriage should be prohibited?
• The relationship between religion and sociology
• Should religious leaders run for office?
• Examine whether all men are religious enslaved people
• Faith is a proven fact
• Examine the concept of religious tolerance
• Is it possible to describe religion as a tool for capitalists?
• People change faith for a variety of reasons
• In the early Church, missionaries played an important role
• Consider agnosticism in a broad sense
• Is cloning a kind of child abuse?

Informative research paper on religion

• Religion’s Influence on Terrorism
• Diverse religions have different views on sex
• The afterlife in various religions is similar
• The modern world’s embodiment of totems
• In the modern world, animalism manifests itself
• Is the story of the “Great Flood” found in all religions?
• Compare and contrast shamanism and modern faiths
• The importance of baptism for both adults and children
• The significance of the month of Ramadan in Islam
• The strategies used by various religions to convert followers
• Christmas has a special meaning for Christians
• The impact of faith on the economy
• Compare and contrast modern psychologists with religious counsellors
• The use of religious ethics to justify military action
• Consider how atheism has become the new world religion

Sociology research paper topics on religion

This field of study uses sociological tools and methodologies to investigate religious beliefs, practices, and organizational forms. The area has a wide range of career prospects and is a popular subject in colleges and universities. Here are some sociology topics that you can find helpful in a religion research paper :

• Examine and debate the histories of various Islamic sects all across the world
• Describe how religious ceremonies affect people all across the world
• Explain how regional factors influence religious systems
• In religious systems, discuss global cultural models
• Explain Buddhism’s origins and development
• Explain the impact of the historical Jesus on societies all around the world
• Compare and contrast love and death theologies from around the world
• Compare and contrast forgiveness and punishment attitudes
• Investigate the interplay between religious systems and society
• Discuss how postmodern theology and atheism are similar and different
• Take a look at some of the religions that are on the verge of extinction
• Examine the view of myth and reality in different faiths
• Examine how religious ideas can have an impact on societal morals
• Examine and debate the condition of religion in today’s globalized society
• In modern religion, describe the basic principles of systematic theology
• The ethnography of current religious systems, explain
• Describe how different countries approach religious organizations differently
• Consider social ethics from a theocentric standpoint
• Describe the impact of religious commentary on rational theology
• Examine and debate the formation of Western perceptions of Islam
• Explain how the world would be different if neither Christianity nor Islam existed
• Describe Buddhism’s central meditative practices
• Describe how modern life and old values are intertwined
• Explain how religious systems in modernized countries affect social classes
• Investigate how the industrial revolution influenced religious reform
• Describe demographic processes and how they affect religion
• Examine how the Islamic faith has influenced world politics
• Describe some of the factors that influence women’s decision to become priests
• Explain why international governments blame Islam for the Middle East’s violence
• Explain what “Indeed Unity” means in the Islamic faith
• Explain and debate feminism in the various beliefs of the world
• From the standpoint of social psychology, religion and individual viewpoints are important
• Discuss how religion has a role in international affairs
• Over the years, religious developments have occurred in the setting of scientific discoveries
• Consider how religious systems affect democracy
• Explain the tenets of Chinese Buddhism
• Consider how psychoanalysis has influenced Buddhist ideas
• Describe how religion influences societal qualities in today’s environment.
• Identify and discuss the most common misunderstandings about Isla
• Examine how religious narratives and cultural histories are related

Mentioned above are some of the most suitable topics you can consider for your religious research paper. If you need a specific sample thesis title about religion or a qualitative research title about religion , feel free to reach out to us.

How to write a religion essay

Writing a religion essay can be a challenging task for some students. To score your desired grades on the essay, you must use the proper structure and procedure. The following are some tips for writing an essay about religion :

• Avoid adding personal prejudices and ideas

Criticizing any religion is risky, but doing it from an emotional or personal perspective is worse. Remember that one person’s opinions and values may not necessarily reflect the views of the entire group.

• Structure your religion research paper appropriately

A well-structured paper is simple to read and comprehend. It will highlight your points quickly and demonstrate your methodical and planned research strategy.

• Check the credibility of your sources 

There are a lot of pseudoscientific viewpoints and works on religious themes. Even if some are quality, leaving them out of your work is preferable. Check whether the source is credible before including it in your research paper.

• Investigate your religion study topics from several angles 

 The most incredible method to minimize prejudice in your research is to present opposing viewpoints. This will result in a well-rounded article that will use scientific approaches to religious studies rather than claiming to have a “one truth.”

• Try to set the scene 

Religious writings are frequently complicated and full of symbolism. You can easily find contradictory claims in them, but you must provide context for them to convey them reasonably. This does not necessitate a recitation of the entire text; instead, you must mention the overall situation.

Religion research paper outline

Now that we have looked at suitable religion research paper topics, it is essential to learn the outline. When writing an essay on religion , use the following outline:

• Introduction

The thesis statement is one of the most significant elements to include in an introduction. The primary points of the work are usually contained in a thesis statement, which is usually one phrase long. An excellent thesis statement is specific and straightforward. 

In other words, if a stranger (or your professor) reads your thesis statement, they figure out what your work is about. If you read your thesis statement and it doesn’t accomplish that one purpose, you should modify it.

• Body paragraphs

Generally, there are at least three body paragraphs in most essays and research papers. You may have more than three body paragraphs depending on the page length requirement specified by your teacher or professor.

Each body paragraph should have a different topic that pertains to your research essay’s main point. Begin each body paragraph with an introduction outlining the paragraphs’ primary points. 

The evidence in the following sentences should back up the claim made in the first sentence of the paragraph. The final sentence should be a conclusion that neatly concludes the body paragraph.

Restating your thesis statement is one of the best methods to start your conclusion. Instead of simply quoting oneself, restate or summarize your thesis statement. Then, in one sentence, summarize each of your body paragraphs. 

If you have more than three or four body paragraphs, you might just want to summarize a couple of the most important ones. Finally, conclude your conclusion paragraph with a one-sentence conclusion.

• Reference page

After completing all of your writing, it’s time to write up your reference page. MLA or APA formatting is likely required in most religious studies curricula. Make sure to place your citations in alphabetical order when creating a reference page.

The world of religion is diverted and changing daily due to advancements in technology. As a result, you can get a variety of research paper topics to write about. This article highlights 200 latest religion research paper topics to consider for your essay.

Chose a topic that is researchable and you are interested in. This will help you get motivated in your research and compile your religion research paper. Ensure you read the instructions provided by your professor well.

If you still need help selecting a specific religion research topic or writing a compelling paper, worry not. We provide essay writing services to students at affordable rates. Place your order with us now. 

140 Brilliant Religion Research Paper Topics and Ideas

Did you get an assignment for writing a religion research paper? Are you in search of the list of the best religion research paper topics? Then, you have landed in the right place.

The study of Religion is a huge field of academics and it talks about beliefs from all the different religions in the world. When writing a religion research paper, choose a topic that has a good history, culture, and tradition, and not something biased towards a particular religion. You can also write a Religion Research paper by connecting Religion with mental peace, philosophy, society, etc.

If you are pursuing your major in religion or theology, you can find plenty of religion research topics in this blog post. So, choose a good topic keeping in mind Religion is a sensitive and personal area and you need not unintentionally hurt the feelings of anyone.

To help you with choosing a topic that fits your interest, we have provided a long list of the most interesting religious research paper topics.

Writing a Religion Research Paper

Writing a religion research paper can be a very difficult task to do as religion is a subject of complex and one needs to address it quite carefully. The foremost step while writing the research paper is selecting a topic. You will usually be provided with some of the topic options to choose from but if your instructor does not provide any, you can take help from this blog post and choose a good religion topic that will help you write an excellent research paper. After choosing a good topic, you need to create a good outline and structure for your research paper.

 Some of the important tips for writing a religion research paper

• Do not share your personal opinion while writing about any religion.
• Avoid talking low about any religion.
• For an improved structure and illustration, you need to organize your paper by dividing them into three prominent sections- the introduction, the body, and the concluding paragraph.
• Do not attack any religious leaders
• Make use of scientific ways for a religious research

A List of the Best 140 Religion Research Paper Topics

Are you keen on writing a quality religion research paper on the best topics of all time? If you want to, then we recommend you to go through the below-provided list of some of the best religion research topics and ideas, and then choose a topic that you find interesting.

Some of the Brilliant Religion Research Paper Topics and Ideas

• What are the major religious cultures?
• Explain the importance of Baptism.
• Is atheism a newly found religion?
• Discuss Religion and crime.
• How can religion be used to combat terrorism?
• The influence of religious laws on morality.
• What are the various duties of religious groups in Arabic countries?
• Explain the differences between atheism and agnosticism.
• The characteristics of a Saint.
• Big bang theory and religion.

Top Religion Research Paper Topics

• Explain the role of religion in science.
• Discuss the political effects of religion.
• The origin of religion. Explain.
• Generational details of religions.
• Explain the significance of religion in environmental issues.
• Belief systems without gods.
• What is the significance of religion in the political economy?
• The role of religion in literature.
• Talk about the common rituals in different religions.
• Discuss the relationship between religion and mental health.

Best Religion Research Paper Topics for the Students

• What is the effect of religion on teenagers?
• Religion and medicine.
• Symbolism in religion.
• The role of religion in marriages.
• The importance of sacrifice in religious practices.
• What are the different types of non-belief?
• Discuss the history of religion.
• What are the effects of religion on wars?
• Magic and illusions in religions.
• Religious Myths in modern society.

Few Good Religion Research Paper Topics

• Compare prayer and meditative techniques.
• Explain your views on death.
• Is religion and morality interconnected?
• Will religion ever end?
• How can religion be formed?
• Discuss the practices, beliefs, and myths related to Zoroastrianism
• Compare and contrast between Sect and Church
• Discus about the sociology of religion including its inherent problems
• Interaction between the Orthodox Church and Catholicism: history and modernity
• Discuss the features of esoteric teachings
• Impact of religious intolerance on society and its development
• Secular Legislation and Sharia: Problems of Correlation
• Discuss the moral and social roots of religious extremism
• How does religious open-mindedness shape modern society?
• Discuss the problem of religious tolerance in modern society

Religion Research Paper Topics on Buddhism

• Is Buddhism a religion or philosophy?
• Discuss Chinese Buddhism.
• Can Buddhism coexist with science?
• Explain the origin and evolution of Buddhism.
• Human rights and Buddhism.
• What are the meditative practices of Buddhism?
• Discuss the political effect of Buddhism.
• The role of women in Buddhism.
• Explain what Buddhism talks about nature and ecology.
• Psychoanalysis and Buddhism.

Religion Research Paper Topics on Christianity

• What are the different Christianity branches?
• Discuss the myth and rituals in the Church.
• Explain the origin and history of Christianity.
• What is the role of an individual in Christianity?
• Explain the racial differences in Christianity.
• The life of Jesus Christ and the themes of theology.
• Discuss Christianity music development.
• Discuss the role of missionaries in spreading Christianity.
• What are the different Christianity symbols?
• Christianity and colonization.
• The role of the Catholic Church in Christianity.
• The belief of Christianity on death.
• Talk about the perspectives of Christianity on interfaith marriage.
• Christianity in secular societies.
• Christianity and industrialism.

Religion Research Paper Topics on Hinduism

• Discuss the origin and history of Hinduism.
• Explain the meaning of Dharma in Hinduism.
• The role of women in Hinduism.
• The major Gods of Hinduism.
• Discuss the connection between Yoga and Hinduism.
• The importance of cow protection and vegetarianism in Hinduism.
• The funeral rituals of Hinduism.
• Describe the different scriptures in Hinduism.
• Explain the cultural and religious opinions of Hinduism.
• The practice of worship in Hinduism.

Religion Research Paper Topics on Islam

• The history of Islamic civilizations.
• The formation of Islam in the West.
• The role of a woman in Islam.
• Civil Islamic practices.
• The political impact of Islam.
• The polygamous marriages in Islam.
• Important prophets in Islam.
• The religious and cultural reasons behind wearing a hijab.
• The origin and evolution of Jihad in Islam.
• Talk about the perspectives of Islam on interfaith marriage.

Theology-based Religion Research Paper Topics

• What are the various theological models?
• Theology of love and death.
• Religious commentary on rational theology.
• Describe Political theology.
• The concept of narrative in theology.
• Theology of myth and reality.
• Theology and philosophy.
• Postmodern theology and atheism.
• Ethics from a theocentric perspective.
• Discuss the principles of systematic theology.

Read more: Impactful Sociology Research Topics and Ideas For Students

Some of the Excellent Religion Research Paper Topics

• What are the global cultural models in religious systems?
• Talk about the connection between the soul and religion.
• The effects of the Greek religion.
• Analyze the reincarnation concept in modern religion.
• The impact of gender on religion.
• Discuss the Salvation concept in Siddhartha.
• Talk about the dynamics of religious systems.
• The impact of religious systems on democracy.
• Classification of world religions.
• Explain the difference between the Bible and the Quran.
• Compare and contrast the lessons and teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, the Bible, and the Tripitaka
• Syncretism in religion
• Explain the relationship between religion, war, and terrorism
• Discuss the history of Jainism
• Different between Buddhism and Jainism

Interesting Religion Research Paper Topics

• Define religious tolerance.
• Explain the concept of patriarchy in religion.
• Discuss the views of Karl Marx on religion.
• Explain the features of religion in sociology.
• The religious view of abortion.
• What are the basic ideas of religious books?
• Is Satanism a valid religion?
• What are the effective methods to build peace in religion?
• Religion and anthropology.
• Ancient religions in the world.
• Is it religiously right to freeze embryos?
• Nordic mythology and religion.
• The impact of mass media on religion.
• The causes of the Protestant reformation.
• How to lead a spiritual life?

Read more: College Research Topics and Ideas On Various Academic Disciplines

Latest Religion Research Paper Topics

• The effects of religious intolerance on society’s growth
• Sharia and secular legislation: correlation issues
• Talk about the ethical and societal causes of religious fanaticism.
• Compare and contrast the Bible with the Quran.
• Compare and contrast the messages and teachings of the Tripitaka, the Bible, and the Bhagavad Gita.
• How does religious tolerance impact contemporary society?
• Talk about the issue of religious tolerance in contemporary culture.
• What role does religion have in preventing terrorism?
• What are the various responsibilities of religious organizations in Arabic nations?
• Describe the variations between agnosticism and atheism.

The Concluding Words

For writing an excellent quality religion research paper, you need to begin by first choosing a topic from the given list of religion research paper topics in this blog post above. You are suggested to emphasize the guidelines set by your professor while you are preparing and writing a religion essay or research paper. As Religion is a sensitive topic, it s advised to never write a religion research paper with your points of view or personal opinions.

However, if you are confused while choosing a topic or while writing research paper , feel free to contact us for expert help.

Related Post

• List of Engaging Ceremonial Speech Topics and Ideas To Get Started

• 165 Creative Architecture Thesis Topics and Ideas For Students

• 175 Excellent Human Resources Research Topics For Students

About Author

writepaperadmin

https://www.writemypaperpro.com/blog

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Featured Posts

230 Best Psychology Research Topics and Ideas For Students

110+ excellent marketing research topics for students to deal with, 120 most interesting film research paper topics and ideas, 140 amazing economics research topics and ideas for students to deal with, 140 compelling anthropology research topics and ideas for students, top 140 inspirational entrepreneurship research paper topics, 155 engineering research topics for academic writing, get help instantly.

Raise Your Grades with Write My Paper Pro

Recent Posts

• 260 Amazing Biology Research Topics and Ideas For Students
• 195 Interesting Social Media Research Topics and Ideas To Focus On

Recent Comments

Philosophy of Religion Research Paper Topics

This page provides a comprehensive list of philosophy of religion research paper topics , delving into the nuanced relationship between philosophical inquiry and religious beliefs. Students and researchers will find insights into the profound connections and debates that have shaped both religious and philosophical traditions throughout history. Additionally, with the guidance and expertise of iResearchNet, learners can embark on a detailed exploration of these themes, promoting a deeper understanding and appreciation of the myriad ways in which philosophy and religion intersect and influence each other.

100 Philosophy of Religion Research Paper Topics

In the vast panorama of human inquiry, the philosophy of religion holds a unique and seminal place. It sits at the crossroads of existential questioning and spiritual exploration, offering a deep reservoir of topics for those seeking to delve into the nature of divinity, humanity, and the universe. Choosing the right philosophy of religion research paper topics is essential, not only for academic achievements but also for personal growth, critical understanding, and fostering inter-religious dialogue in a globalized world.

Academic Writing, Editing, Proofreading, And Problem Solving Services

Get 10% off with 24start discount code.

• Ancient Egyptian religious beliefs and their philosophical underpinnings.
• Greek philosophy: From polytheism to monotheism.
• The merging of Roman political ideology with Christianity.
• Medieval scholasticism and the fusion of reason with faith.
• The Enlightenment and the challenge to religious orthodoxy.
• Romanticism’s spiritual revival against materialism.
• Eastern philosophy: From Vedanta to Zen Buddhism.
• Abrahamic faiths: Philosophical interpretations of monotheism.
• Indigenous religious beliefs and their philosophical depth.
• The modern-day revival of ancient pagan philosophies.
• The monotheistic traditions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
• Dharmic paths: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism.
• Philosophical Taoism versus religious Taoism.
• Confucianism’s moral ethics and its societal impact.
• Shamanism and animism: Connecting with the natural world.
• Zoroastrianism and its influence on Western monotheism.
• The Baha’i faith and its universalist approach.
• The indigenous spiritual traditions of Africa.
• Australian Aboriginal Dreamtime philosophy.
• The Raelian movement and other modern religious philosophies.
• Cosmology: Creation myths versus the Big Bang theory.
• Evolutionary theory and religious interpretations of human origin.
• Quantum mechanics: Where science meets mysticism.
• Neuroscience, consciousness, and the soul.
• Artificial intelligence, robotics, and theological implications.
• Environmentalism as a religious and scientific imperative.
• The moral considerations of genetic engineering.
• Medical ethics: Euthanasia, abortion, and religious perspectives.
• Extraterrestrial life: Religious implications of discovering “others”.
• The fine-tuning argument and the existence of a Creator.
• Kierkegaard’s leap of faith and existential Christianity.
• Nietzsche’s proclamation: “God is dead.”
• Camus, the Absurd, and the quest for meaning without divinity.
• Sartre’s atheistic existentialism and the essence of humanity.
• Heidegger’s “Being” and religious interpretations.
• Dostoevsky’s exploration of faith in The Brothers Karamazov .
• Kafka and the religious undertones of alienation.
• Religious overtones in Beckett’s Waiting for Godot .
• The existential search for authenticity and religious identity.
• Tillich’s concept of the “God above God.”
• The religious roots of morality: Is God necessary for ethics?
• Comparing the moral codes of world religions.
• Just war theory in Christianity and Islam.
• Buddhist ethics: The Middle Path and compassion.
• The challenge of religious extremism and its ethical ramifications.
• Religious perspectives on capital punishment.
• Vegetarianism and non-violence in Jainism and Hinduism.
• Charity, almsgiving, and social justice in religious traditions.
• The problem of evil: Theodicy across religions.
• Asceticism and its ethical implications in different religious paths.
• Revisiting Eve: Feminist readings of religious origin stories.
• Goddess worship and matriarchal traditions.
• The role of women in organized religious hierarchies.
• Mary Daly and the concept of a post-Christian feminism.
• Islamic feminism: Reinterpreting the Quran.
• Feminist critiques of Buddhist monasticism.
• Ecofeminism and the sacred feminine.
• Women mystics in the Christian tradition.
• Feminine symbolism in Kabbalistic teachings.
• Liberation theology’s focus on women’s rights.
• Theocracy versus secularism: Philosophical implications.
• Render unto Caesar: Christianity’s evolving stance on state power.
• Islamic governance: From Caliphates to modern nation-states.
• Confucianism and its influence on Chinese statecraft.
• Religion’s role in the American political landscape.
• Hindu nationalism in contemporary India.
• The Dalai Lama and Tibetan theocratic governance.
• Secularism, laïcité, and European politics.
• Liberation theology and Marxist movements in Latin America.
• The rise and impact of political Zionism.
• The nature and experience of mystical states across religions.
• Sufism: The mystical heart of Islam.
• Christian mystics: From St. John of the Cross to Meister Eckhart.
• Kabbalah: Jewish esoteric traditions and their universal messages.
• Advaita Vedanta and the non-dual reality.
• Zen Buddhism: Satori and sudden enlightenment.
• Gnostic traditions and the search for hidden knowledge.
• Native American vision quests and transcendental experiences.
• The role of psychedelics in religious and mystical experiences.
• Modern scientific interpretations of mystical experiences.
• The cross in Christianity: Interpretations and symbolism.
• The significance of the Kaaba in Islam.
• Sacred geometry and religious symbolism.
• Myths of creation and apocalypse across traditions.
• Rituals of passage: Birth, adulthood, marriage, and death.
• The ritual use of music and dance in spiritual practices.
• Sacred texts: Their role and interpretation in religious traditions.
• Pilgrimage: Seeking the divine in sacred spaces.
• Religious festivals and their philosophical meanings.
• Carl Jung’s interpretation of religious symbols.
• The Future of Religion: Postmodern and Contemporary Views
• The rise of secularism and the “nones.”
• Interfaith dialogue in a globalized world.
• Postmodern critiques of organized religion.
• Spirituality versus organized religion in the modern age.
• Neo-paganism and the revival of ancient religious practices.
• The intersection of technology and spirituality.
• Transhumanism and its challenge to traditional religious beliefs.
• New religious movements in the digital age.
• The role of meditation and mindfulness in contemporary spirituality.
• The prospects of universalist religious philosophies.

The tapestry of philosophy of religion research paper topics is both diverse and profound, offering myriad avenues for exploration. It represents an ever-evolving dialogue between human beings and the mysteries of existence, pushing us to question, reflect, and understand more deeply. We encourage scholars, students, and curious minds to immerse themselves in these topics, fostering both academic excellence and a richer understanding of the multifaceted nature of human belief.

The Range of Philosophy of Religion Research Paper Topics

Introduction

Religion has always played a pivotal role in the lives of humans, influencing cultures, politics, and personal choices. However, it is the philosophy of religion that critically assesses and shapes religious thought and practices. Like a mirror, it allows adherents and scholars to reflect upon the core tenets, beliefs, and implications of religious traditions.

Expansive Nature of Topics in Philosophy of Religion

The philosophy of religion offers a vast expanse of topics, each probing deep into the questions of existence, deity, morality, and human purpose. From the age-old debate on the existence of God and the problem of evil to the ethical implications of religious doctrines and the feminist interpretations in religious philosophies, the terrain is broad and deep. It’s not just about understanding individual religions, but about grappling with questions that transcend individual beliefs: How does religion intersect with science or politics? What is the nature of the divine? How do symbols, myths, and rituals anchor the human understanding of the cosmos?

Evolution of Religious Philosophies Through Time

Historically, religious philosophies have evolved in tandem with the socio-cultural and scientific developments of their times. Ancient Greek philosophers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle laid the groundwork for many discussions about the divine, ethics, and the nature of the good life. Their dialogues and debates shaped much of early Christian philosophy and continue to be pivotal in theological seminaries and philosophy departments.

Centuries later, during the medieval period, scholars like Thomas Aquinas and Ibn Rushd (Averroes) would further refine and challenge classical views, synthesizing them with the revelations of the Abrahamic faiths. The Renaissance and Enlightenment periods ushered in a new wave of skepticism and humanism, leading to modern and postmodern critiques and defenses of religious beliefs.

Each era has brought with it fresh perspectives, challenges, and revisions to religious philosophies, demonstrating the dynamic nature of this field.

How Global Religious Systems Have Been Shaped by Philosophical Ideas

The global religious landscape has been immensely influenced by philosophical postulations. Take, for instance, the Buddhist doctrine of anatta or non-self, a profound philosophical stance that challenges the very notion of persistent identity. This idea shapes not just individual meditation practices but also how societies understand the self and its relationship to the world.

Similarly, the Islamic concept of Tawhid, the oneness of God, is not just a theological assertion but a philosophical stance on the nature of reality, affecting everything from art (like the avoidance of depicting living beings in many Islamic art forms) to ethics and law.

In the West, Christian notions of love, redemption, and Trinity have been the subject of philosophical scrutiny and interpretation, influencing everything from art and literature to politics and social structures.

Even secularism, often seen in opposition to religious belief, has its roots in philosophical discussions about the nature of belief, the state, and individual rights.

Importance of Philosophy of Religion Research Paper Topics

Diving into philosophy of religion research paper topics is more than just an academic exercise; it’s a journey into the deepest questions of human existence. For students and scholars, these topics offer a chance to engage with these questions in a structured, critical manner.

Such research fosters critical thinking, a deeper appreciation for the diversity and richness of global religious traditions, and an understanding of the profound ways in which religious beliefs shape, and are shaped by, the broader cultural and philosophical milieu. Furthermore, by engaging deeply with these topics, students can also explore their beliefs, confront doubts, and refine their understanding of their religious traditions or the traditions of others.

The philosophy of religion research paper topics remains as relevant today as they were in the times of ancient philosophers. In an increasingly globalized world, where religious beliefs often intersect, clash, and coalesce, understanding the philosophy of religion becomes paramount. Whether one is a believer, agnostic, or atheist, delving into these topics offers a richer understanding of the human quest for meaning, purpose, and connection. Through these explorations, we not only understand religions better but also the very essence of humanity’s perennial questions about existence, morality, and the divine.

iResearchNet’s Custom Writing Services

In the intricate realm of philosophical academia, particularly when dissecting the vast scope of religion, sourcing the ideal partner for research paper composition is paramount. iResearchNet emerges as a beacon of excellence in this domain, meticulously crafting premium philosophy of religion research papers that resonate with scholarly rigor and insightful analysis.

• Expert Degree-Holding Writers : Our team comprises seasoned writers with advanced degrees in philosophy, ensuring depth, accuracy, and thoroughness in every research paper.
• Custom Written Works : Every paper is a unique creation, tailored to the client’s requirements and devoid of generic content or reused material.
• In-depth Research : Our commitment to scholarship is evident in the exhaustive research that underpins each document, diving deep into philosophical intricacies.
• Custom Formatting : Whatever your formatting needs, we adapt seamlessly, ensuring your paper aligns perfectly with academic standards.
• Top Quality : Quality isn’t just a buzzword for us. It’s an unyielding commitment, mirrored in the precision, clarity, and scholarship of our writings.
• Customized Solutions : Recognizing the unique needs of every academic endeavor, we mold our services to provide solutions that are as individual as the queries they address.
• Flexible Pricing : Quality comes at a price, but we believe in accessibility. Our pricing structures are designed to offer premium services within an affordable bracket.
• Short Deadlines : Time constraints shouldn’t hamper excellence. Even with deadlines as tight as three hours, we deliver without compromising on quality.
• Timely Delivery : Respecting the sanctity of deadlines in academia, our papers are always in your hands when you need them.
• 24/7 Support : Queries, clarifications, or last-minute changes? Our support team is on standby around the clock, ensuring smooth collaborations.
• Absolute Privacy : In the digital age, confidentiality is sacred. Rest assured, your data and dealings with us remain securely guarded.
• Easy Order Tracking : With our intuitive order tracking system, stay abreast of your paper’s progress, ensuring transparency at every stage.
• Money-Back Guarantee : Trust is a two-way street. If our writings don’t meet the stipulated standards, we uphold our promise of a refund, underscoring our confidence in delivering unmatched quality.

To the discerning student aiming for academic distinction in the realm of philosophy of religion research papers: Let iResearchNet be your scholarly compass. Harness our expertise, and embark on an enlightening journey of academic excellence. Your pursuit of knowledge deserves nothing but the best.

In a vast academic ocean teeming with writing services, iResearchNet stands as a lighthouse, guiding students towards scholarly shores of excellence. With an unwavering commitment to quality, bespoke solutions, and impeccable research, the advantages of opting for iResearchNet for your philosophy of religion research endeavors are not just unmatched—they’re transformative. Elevate your academic pursuits with us.

Secure Your Success with iResearchNet

In the ever-evolving domain of philosophy of religion studies, each research paper isn’t just a submission—it’s a testament to one’s dedication, understanding, and passion for the subject. As you stand at this academic crossroads, consider the unparalleled benefits of partnering with iResearchNet.

Our legacy isn’t just in the papers we deliver, but in the scholars we help shape. By intertwining your inherent potential with our proven expertise, together, we can craft papers that aren’t merely read but remembered. Think of iResearchNet not just as a service but as a scholarly ally, dedicated to illuminating the nuances of every topic you choose to explore.

So, students, as you gaze towards academic horizons filled with potential, remember that with iResearchNet by your side, those horizons aren’t just closer—they’re clearer and more achievable. Step forward confidently, ensure your academic excellence, and let us be the wind beneath your scholarly wings. Embrace excellence. Choose iResearchNet.

ORDER HIGH QUALITY CUSTOM PAPER

Engaging Religion Essay Topics That Can Be Talked About Openly

How to choose a topic?

Best Themes

How to Write

Final Words

Religion has always been and will be one of the most complicated topics for students to discuss. It is not a surprise that the subject of religion has often been the reason for disputes and even wars between nations. Therefore, experts often advise not to start conversations about beliefs in official circles. Still, to enrich general education, it is important to understand and distinguish the peculiarities of different religions, whether ancient greek religions, biblical Christianity, or the history of the roman catholic church.

Tasks related to religious teachings often cause embarrassment and difficulty for students. Indeed, even experienced specialists usually do not dare to take on such controversial subjects for their research. However, with this article, you can be calm because we did half the work – here, you can find the most interesting religious topics for your future essay.

How Not To Be Mistaken and Choose Appropriate Religion Essay Topics

Before proceeding to the practical part of the work, it is necessary to get acquainted with some theoretical recommendations and scientific methods. To select the topic that will be both interesting for you and appropriate for the professor, stick to the following suggestions.

First, ensure the characteristics and statements you want to give have no prejudices or myths and correspond to the current situation. Thus, compile a list of reliable educational sources you will refer to while writing. Conducting comprehensive research is crucial if you want to make your work scientific.

Second, do not choose a subject you find boring. Personal assessments and judgments are unacceptable in publications. Separate them from the facts in the materials of analytical and journalistic genres.

Third, think of the topic that interests you the most. For instance, if history is your subject of interest, you can dive into the chronological development of a particular religion. On the other hand, if you are more into cultural studies, choose beliefs central to national cultures and values.

The list you will find below covers all the possible religion paper topics that are interesting for a contemporary reader. Investigate it and find inspiration for your research. Finally, develop a thesis statement that can instantly hook your readers.

Academic Essay About Religion: Best Themes to Consider

‍The article's topic should always be interesting to read the text to the end. Especially when you want to impress your professor. Students tend to choose bland themes and therefore get lower grades.

So, it would be best if you directed all your efforts to making up the essay's title. Of course, you may also ask for help or say, ' write my paper ' PaperWriter experts, and get a perfect piece complete. But do not start to worry in advance – we will help you to find excellent religious paper topics and improve your academic performance!

• Church and state in the modern world
• Religion and politics as forms of spiritual and practical development of the world
• Religion as a means of ideological influence
• Features of religious life under different political regimes
• Church symbolism: an explanation of the most significant symbols
• The rift between science and religion
• Interreligious dialogue
• Church and education: Recognition of Theology.
• Features of modern religious movements
• Comparing the moral ideals of different world religions
• The causes of the spiritual and moral decline of humanity in the XXI century
• Studying rational and irrational sides of religions
• Theocratic states of the modern world
• Semantic and life values ​​of a believer
• Consequences of secularization of modern social life
• World religions and their attitudes towards women
• World religions and their attitudes towards cloning
• Conflicts between different religions in Europe
• Polytheism vs. monotheism
• Psychology of religion: how it affects a person's life and views
• Atheism, deism, and agnosticism – explaining the difference
• Features and examples of religious fanaticism
• Religion and the science of the origin of man and society

Humans are curious creatures, so asking a question and trying to find an answer to it is the best strategy for writing a high-quality academic essay:

• Will religions ever disappear?
• Do all religions lead to God?
• Who are Masons and what do they believe?
• Why don’t all people believe in God?
• What is paganism, and how do other religions perceive it?
• Are psychology and religion incompatible?
• What do well-known scientists say about faith, God, and the Church?
• Does the Church participate in public life?
• What is the purpose of sacrifices?
• Is it possible to change religion temporarily?
• Religious education in secondary schools
• Spiritual life in Roman Empire

Christianity is one of the most significant religions in the world today, so take a look at the most engaging Christianity essay topics:

• Difference between Christianity and other western religions
• Christianity and homosexuality
• Orthodoxy, Catholicism, and Protestantism as the main branches of Christianity
• Ancient Christianity in academic writings
• Christian doctrine and cult
• The issue of Schism
• Jesus Christ as a Christian messiah
• Religious perspectives of Christianity
• The role of the holy spirit in the Christian religion
• The figure of Jesus Christ for modern people

Topics to Illustrate the Buddhist Religion in Academic Papers

• The features of the Buddhist holidays
• Buddhism and vegetarianism
• Buddhism and philosophy in studying
• Studying the main teachings of the Buddha
• Buddhism as a spiritual path
• How is Buddhism different from Hinduism?
• Is Buddha a god or not?
• What does Buddhism say about heaven and hell?
• Is Buddhism a Pessimistic Religion?

Topics for College Students to Understand Islam Better

• Shiites and Sunnis: the difference between branches
• Fundamental principles and pillars of Islam
• A detailed explanation of Sharia, Muslim law
• Debunking the myths about Islam
• The study of the modern geographical spread of Islam
• What are the Muslim holidays?
• How do Muslims perceive other religions?
• What are the biggest sins in Islam?

Topics for Covering Christian Religion and Other Former and Existing Religion Systems

• Historical types of religious beliefs and modern religious systems
• Technological development from a spiritual perspective
• Understanding of religion from materialistic and idealistic value systems
• Fundamental dissimilarities between Christianity, Buddhism, and Islam
• Religion in British literature
• Fetishism, totemism, animism, and magic – are there still people who adhere to these beliefs?
• Learning the origins and consequences of the Reformation
• The influence of Christianity history on Native Americans

Just don't feel like it? Let us handle your task and go on with your life!

How to Write About Religion Avoiding Controversy

There is no doubt that religion is the most delicate phenomenon to discuss. Thus, in choosing religious topics for essays, a student must avoid discrimination, hate speech, and prejudice.

The golden rule says – you can not criticize or ridicule the meaning of beliefs, rites, or traditions of other nations. Moreover, avoid offensive definitions, negative stereotypes, and baseless labels in your academic paper. It is unacceptable to make a comparison of religions, from which it can be concluded that one prevails over the other.

Writing an essay about religions can turn out to be a real challenge for a student. Still, employing all the recommendations correctly is a direct way to creating quality and informative content. If this topic is still too complicated for you, you can contact our paper writing service .

Make Sure You Have Found an Appropriate and Interesting Topic for Your Paper

Hopefully, this article has helped you to get rid of that eternal student burden: what should I write about? The list we provided above is comprehensive yet inexhaustive. You are free to pick any topic and either extend or narrow it to your taste. Even if that doesn’t help and you are still confused – our experts are ready to provide their assistance.

In case you need professional help on choosing suitable religious essay topics, you can apply on the site and get feedback immediately. Just tell us "I need help writing my paper ". Specify the requirements for your academic research, give more details about your preferences and the style of writing – and you will get a personalized selection of the best topics.

How to Write an Article Review: A Simple Step-by-Step Guide

How to Write an Article: Simple Steps for Success

How to Write a Nursing Essay: The Definitive Guide

How to Write a French Revolution Essay Guide

How to Write an Economics Essay: Key Steps for Writing

Best AI Essay Writer Tools

How to Write a Reflective Essay?

How to Write a Persuasive Essay that Spurs Action - Expert Tips

How to Write an Illustration Essay?

Religion Essay Examples and Topics

Prophet muhammad and his characteristics.

• Subjects: Theology
• Words: 1159

Hinduism and Christianity: Comparison and Contrast

• Subjects: World Religions
• Words: 1921

The Synoptic Gospels: Differences and Similarities

• Subjects: Religious Writings

Bhagavad Gita and Its Teachings

Bible psalms 23: 1-6: interpretation and application.

• Subjects: Literature on Religion

Christian Festivals: Calendar and Events

• Subjects: Religion, Culture & Society
• Words: 1551

Exegesis of John 15:1-11

• Subjects: Religious Education
• Words: 2694

Negative Effects of Christianity

• Words: 1779

Role of Women in Islam

The prophet muhammad achievements.

• Words: 1069

Zoroastrianism and Judaism Comparison

Islamophobia and its effects.

• Words: 1352

The Reasons of the Christianity Decline in Europe

• Subjects: Religion History
• Words: 1353

Job’s Friends and Their Contributions to the Message of Job

• Words: 1381

Jimmy Lee Swaggart’s Life and Controversies

• Subjects: Religion Figures
• Words: 1161

The Mu’tazilites’ and the Ash‘arites Theological Stances

• Words: 1795

Elijah and Elisha: Compare and Contrast

• Words: 1070

How Are the Ten Commandments and the Five Pillars of Wisdom Similar?

• Words: 2163

Importance of Religious Tolerance Essay

• Subjects: Sociology of Religion
• Words: 2031

The Five Pillars of Islam: Foundation of Muslim Life

Accusations against jesus and defense against them, comparison between the ancient and accepted scottish and york rite.

• Words: 1662

Displaying Religious Assignment in a Classroom: First Amedment Case

Difference between islam and christianity essay.

• Words: 1148

Eastern and Western Religions: Similarities and Differences

• Words: 1174

Comparative Study of the World’s Five Major Religions Essay

• Words: 2017

Comparison of Adam and Eve in the Bible and the Quran

• Words: 1414

Japanese Buddhism vs. Chinese Buddhism: Differences

• Words: 1466

Psychology and Christianity: “Abnormality” From a Biblical Perspective

Christianity in the roman empire and its spread factors.

• Words: 1088

Religion as Means of Social Control

Sorcery in islam, its types and penalty.

• Subjects: Religion Theories
• Words: 1403

Buddhism and Sikhism Comparison: Four Noble Truths

• Words: 2016

Judaism and Buddhism: Overview and Comparison

• Words: 1155

Western and Eastern Conceptions of Self and Socialization

• Words: 1199

History of Christianity

• Words: 1354

Analyzing the Story of Joseph in the Koran and the Bible

• Words: 1424

Christianity Impact in Society

• Words: 2721

Ramadan: The Islamic Sacred Event

Religion and science: similarities and differences.

• Words: 3017

Exegetical Paper: Luke 15:11-32 (Prodigal Son)

• Words: 2589

Judaism Essay: Summary of Judaism, Its Origin and History

• Words: 1495

Jesus and Mohammed: Comparison and Contrast

• Words: 2074

Judaism, Islam and Christianity: Differences and Similarities

Pastoral care: history and foundations.

• Words: 2824

Religious Tolerance in Ottoman Empire

• Words: 1398

Community Definition and Description

Palo mayombe.

• Words: 2911

Caste and Hindu Religion in Ananthamurthy’s Samskara

• Words: 1118

Ethical Analysis of the Sermon on the Mount – Matthew Chapters 5-7

• Words: 1392

Philosophy and Religion Relationships

• Words: 2224

Turning Points in the History of Christianity by Noll

• Words: 1660

Esther’s Leadership Qualities Essay

• Words: 1430

What Is the Nature of the Gods in the “Epic of Gilgamesh”?

The book of job in the bible.

• Words: 1416

Emile Durkheim and Karl Marx’ Views on Sociology of Religion

Church as a social institution, how society is formed and how rules are set, exegesis analysis of mark 4:26-29.

• Words: 3372

Religion in the Modern World

• Words: 2521

Media Effect on Islam as a Religion

Omnism: belief in all religions.

• Words: 1478

Christianity and Hinduism: Comparative Analysis

The story of christianity, volume 1 by j. gonzález.

• Words: 1654

Christianity in the Roman Empire

• Words: 3008

The Beauty of God’s Creation. Theology

Inspiration theories in the bible.

• Words: 1623

Cult and Religion Differences

• Words: 1181

Why Study the Sociology of Religion?

Hinduism, buddhism, confucianism, and taoism elements.

• Words: 2265

Santeria: Religion or Witchcraft?

James 1:22-27 passage interpretation.

• Words: 1089

Rig Veda and Genesis Comparison

• Words: 1259

The Impact of Scientific Revolution on Christianity

Comparison between the serpent in the old testament and in gilgamesh, “orienting adults to learning…” book by lowe, chapel message for a high school boys or girls team.

• Words: 1913

The Idea Salvation in Buddhism Religion

• Words: 1101

Martin Luther’s Protestant Reformation

• Words: 1121

The Mu’tazilites and the Ash’arites Islamic Schools

• Words: 1764

Dharma in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism

• Words: 1463

Definition of Religion as a Form of Diversity

Islam and christianity: a comparative analysis, five major themes of the qur’an.

• Words: 1374

Servant Leadership in Indian Culture and Hindu Religion

• Words: 1429

The Origins and Development of Sufism

• Words: 1427

Book of Jonah and Its Theological Message

• Words: 3748

Should Churches Be Taxed?

• Words: 1420

Three Major Religious Orientations

Organized religion: positive and negative effects, evangelism witnessing report: reflection.

• Words: 1625

Decline of Christianity in Europe Since 1675

• Words: 1460

Islamic Society and Beliefs

• Words: 1331

Hinduism and Christianity

• Words: 1951

Paul’s Life and Significance for the Church Today

• Words: 2695

John 1: 1-18: Exegetical Analysis

• Words: 4131

Mackie’s Argument on Evil and Omnipotence

The inner circle of jesus.

• Words: 1956

Jesus Christ and His Mission to the World

Buddhism and hinduism: similarities and differences.

• Words: 1111

Dharma in Hinduism

The life of st. carlotta, the importance of religion in human lives, redemption as a biblical image of salvation, muhammd: as a seal of prophet.

• Words: 1358

”The History of God” by Karen Armstrong: An Overview of the History of Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, and Hinduism

• Subjects: Concepts of God
• Words: 1726

Hinduism and Buddhism: Comparative Analysis

• Words: 1479

“Esther” by George Frideric Handel: Biblical Legend

The demographics of catholics in the united states.

• Words: 2468

The Islam’s Six Dimensions

Observations in the local church.

• Words: 1112

The Exegetical Analysis of Exodus 34:1-10

• Words: 1645

Christianity in the Religious Society

• Words: 2183

The New Testament and Greco-Roman Influences

Hinduism in ‘the world’s religions’ by huston smith, the bhagavad gita: the role of religion in relation to the hindu culture.

• Words: 1081

Ceremonial Washing in the Old and New Testaments

Polytheism of ancient greek and babylonians compared.

• Words: 1095

Shinto and Its Relationship With China and Buddhism

Jesus christ the saviour and his mission to the world.

• Customer Reviews
• Extended Essays
• IB Internal Assessment
• Theory of Knowledge
• Literature Review
• Dissertations

Essay Writing

• Research Writing
• Assignment Help
• Capstone Projects
• College Application
• Online Class

Religion Essay Topics: 40+ Interesting Ideas to Explore

0    comments

There nothing more complicated under the sun than religion. It’s a system of belief packed with controversies, differing opinions, and thousands of questions about human origin and the meaning of life. Let’s not even get started on the fact that religion has been and continues to be a driver of ethnic disputes and endless wars between nations.

As confusing and sensitive as it is, religion opens up an opportunity to explore different topics, even in your essay assignment. From the existence of God and proof of a deity to the concepts of love and harmony in human existence, there’s no limit to what you can write about religion. You just have to find a topic that fascinates you and start working on it.

Key Takeaways

• Choose a topic that you can explore objectively without a stint of bias or emotional attachment.
• Remember, religion is a controversial subject that requires the use of appropriate language that sounds fair and respectful.

Best Religion Essay Topics

The following is a list of 50+ topic ideas that you may find interesting to explore in your religion essay assignments:

Christianity Essay Topics

• How Christian perspectives on same-sex relationships has evolved over time
• The concept of salvation, as well as how it differs among various Christian denominations
• Progress made regarding the role of women in leadership positions within Christian communities
• Ways Christian traditions have influenced and shaped Western literature throughout history
• How globalization has affected the formation and maintenance of Christian identity worldwide
• How does Christianity intersect with and contribute to various social justice movements?
• What were the lasting effects of the Protestant Reformation on the diversity and structure of Christianity?
• The theological perspectives on suffering within Christian traditions
• How the historical relationship between Christianity and science has evolved
• What aspects of Christian values remain relevant and essential in addressing modern societal challenges?
• Has the Bible served as the cornerstone for shaping and informing Christian theology throughout history?

Free Features

Need help to complete and ace your paper? Order our writing service.  

Get all academic paper features for $65.77 FREE

Society and Religion Topics

• How religion has historically influenced and shaped cultural norms across different societies
• What transformations have occurred within religious institutions due to the rise of secularism?
• How religion has played a role in various social justice movements throughout history and in contemporary times
• The dynamics and consequences of the intersection between religion and politics in today’s society
• How globalization has affected the diversity of religions and belief systems worldwide
• In what ways has technology affected religious practices and rituals in the modern era?
• Does religion generally promote or hinder efforts toward achieving gender equality, and why?
• How does religion affect educational systems and curriculum development?
• What are the challenges and opportunities posed by religious pluralism for fostering interfaith dialogue?
• What societal impacts emerge from religious fundamentalism in various parts of the world?
• How does religion influence mental health perceptions and treatments within different cultures?
• To what extent do religious beliefs shape attitudes and actions towards environmental sustainability?
• How have religious traditions influenced healthcare practices and medical ethics across different societies?

World Religion Essay Topics

• How do various world religions conceptualize the afterlife?
• Roles that prayer and meditation play across different world religions
• How religion has entangled with or contributed to instances of violence throughout history
• The ways in which globalization has affected the diversity and interactions of different religious beliefs and practices
• The portrayals of women within the narratives and teachings of various world religions
• How Eastern religions have influenced and contributed to the development of spiritual thought in Western societies?
• The significance of prophets and messengers within different world religions
• How does the concept of karma manifest differently in Hinduism and Buddhism
• Tracing the evolution and changes in religious beliefs and practices across different historical periods
• How monotheistic and polytheistic religions differ in their approaches to spirituality and understanding of the divine
• What impacts did colonization have on the indigenous religious traditions of different cultures?
• How world religions inspired or influenced artistic and architectural expressions throughout history

Islamic Religion Topics

• How has the rich history of Islamic civilizations contributed to global culture and knowledge?
• What fundamental changes might we anticipate in the world if Islam had not existed throughout history?
• How the West shaped and created an image of Islam
• The nature and extent of Islam’s influence on political structures and governance in various regions
• How we can redefine and perceive a woman’s role within Islamic teachings and practices
• Challenges that arise in integrating Islamic legal principles into modern legal systems
• Prevalent prejudices and misunderstandings exist about Islam and the way they affect societal perceptions
• Is there an inherent connection between Islam and traditionalism?

Religion Argumentative Essay Topics

• Does doctrinal competency influence religious practice and belief systems within various faiths?
• Should we consider abortion as permissible or is it an evil practice from a religions and legal perspective?
• Are there core beliefs and practices in the world’s major faiths?
• Is situation ethics necessary to uphold a moral code in modern society, and what implications does it have?
• Does the concept of rebirth resonate and evolve within contemporary societies?
• Are there any reliable religious perspectives on the moral and ethical considerations surrounding abortion?
• Is there evidence that Martin Luther really leave the Catholic Church?
• Is adversity and pain across religious teachings and cultures?
• Women should not hold any role within religious congregations.
• What societal, cultural, and individual factors contribute to the emergence and spread of new religions?
• How relevant is Zoroastrianism in addressing contemporary environmental issues?
• Explore and analyze non-theistic world faiths and their core principles.
• How do various world religions reconcile their beliefs with scientific advancements in the modern era?
• What perspectives do different religions hold regarding LGBTQ individuals, and how do these views vary globally?

Don’t wait for the last minute. Hire a writer today.

$4.99 Title page

$10.91 Formatting

$3.99 Outline

$21.99 Revisions

Get all these features for $65.77 FREE

You may also like

Can turnitin detect the essays i’ve bought online, how to write a last minute essay: 6 tips for better grades, subscribe to our newsletter now.

Home — Essay Samples — Religion — World Religions

Essays on World Religions

Similarities between jainism and theravada buddhism, folkways mores and taboos, made-to-order essay as fast as you need it.

Each essay is customized to cater to your unique preferences

+ experts online

Nirvana in Hindu Culture

Moksha the ultimate goal of life, essay on hinduism and buddhism, temple puja, let us write you an essay from scratch.

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Differences Between Christianity and Judaism

Essay on taoism, christianity and hinduism compare and contrast, judaism and zoroastrianism: exploring common ground, get a personalized essay in under 3 hours.

Expert-written essays crafted with your exact needs in mind

Old Testament: Similarities Between Judaism and Christianity

Summary of judaism: origin, history, and major beliefs, taoism vs. buddhism, overview of hinduism: beliefs, practices, impact, the relationship between judaism, christianity and islamic religions, misogyny in buddhism and shinto religious practices, japanese religions: shinto and buddhism, analysing the similarities between daoism and shinto beliefs, the concept of chinese taoism religion, topics in this category.

• Scientology

Popular Categories

• Religious Texts
• Religious Concepts

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World

Read our research on:

Full Topic List

Regions & Countries

Publications

• Our Methods
• Short Reads
• Tools & Resources

Read Our Research On:

Many Catholics in the U.S. and Latin America Want the Church to Allow Birth Control and to Let Women Become Priests

Views vary on other ideas, such as recognizing same-sex marriages. Most see Pope Francis as a change in the church’s direction, and he’s broadly popular.

The Religious Composition of the World’s Migrants

White protestants and catholics support trump, but voters in other u.s. religious groups prefer harris, key findings from the global religious futures project, sign up for our religion newsletter.

Sent weekly on Wednesday

How people in Latin America and the U.S. view Pope Francis

Pope Francis is broadly popular in much of Latin America and the U.S., but favorability has fallen in the Latin American countries surveyed.

5 facts about Confucianism

As millions celebrate Confucius’ birthday, here are key facts about Confucianism and how its beliefs and values shape public life for East Asians.

How U.S. Public Opinion Has Changed in 20 Years of Our Surveys

We took a closer look at how Americans’ views and experiences have evolved on a variety of topics over the last 20 years.

Korean Americans are much more likely than people in South Korea to be Christian

Korean American adults are much less likely than adults in South Korea to be religiously unaffiliated or to be Buddhist.

Many around the globe say it’s important their leader stands up for people’s religious beliefs

Adults in Indonesia, Bangladesh and the Philippines are the most likely to say it is important to have a leader who stands up for people with their religious beliefs.

Religious composition of the world’s migrants, 1990-2020

Explore our interactive table showing the religious composition of immigrants around the globe and how it’s changed from 1990 to 2020.

Where is the most religious place in the world?

People in sub-Saharan Africa are typically among the most likely to say that religion is very important in their lives.

4 facts about religion and diversity in Taiwan

Buddhists, the religiously unaffiliated and Daoists each make up about a quarter of Taiwan’s adult population.

Across Asia, respect for elders is seen as necessary to be ‘truly’ Buddhist

Buddhists across the region also say that someone cannot be truly Buddhist if they do not respect deities or spirits.

Rituals honoring deceased ancestors vary widely in East and Southeast Asia

Among the places surveyed, people in Japan (85%) and Vietnam (84%) are most likely to say they have a family gravesite.

REFINE YOUR SELECTION

Research teams, signature reports.

The Global Religious Futures (GRF) project is jointly funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts and The John Templeton Foundation. Here are some big-picture findings from the GRF, together with context from other Pew Research Center studies.

Religion and Spirituality in East Asian Societies

Few are religiously affiliated, but many in the region hold religious or spiritual beliefs and engage in traditional rituals.

Majority of U.S. Catholics Express Favorable View of Pope Francis

Most say Francis represents change in the church. And many say the church should allow priests to marry and let Catholics use birth control.

America’s Changing Religious Landscape

The Christian share of the U.S. population is declining, while the share of Americans who do not identify with any organized religion is growing. These changes affect all regions in the country and many demographic groups.

Religious restrictions around the world

Religious composition by country, 2010-2050, in their own words: how americans describe ‘christian nationalism’, in their own words, how americans explain why bad things happen.

901 E St. NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20004 USA (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax (+1) 202-419-4372 |  Media Inquiries

Research Topics

• Email Newsletters

ABOUT PEW RESEARCH CENTER  Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan, nonadvocacy fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It does not take policy positions. The Center conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, computational social science research and other data-driven research. Pew Research Center is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts , its primary funder.

© 2024 Pew Research Center

Notifications

• Email Signup

Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology

World Religions Overview Essay

The Movement of Religion and Ecology: Emerging Field and Dynamic Force

Mary Evelyn Tucker and John Grim, Yale University

Originally published in the Routledge Handbook of Religion and Ecology

As many United Nations reports attest, we humans are destroying the life-support systems of the Earth at an alarming rate. Ecosystems are being degraded by rapid industrialization and relentless development. The data keeps pouring in that we are altering the climate and toxifying the air, water, and soil of the planet so that the health of humans and other species is at risk. Indeed, the Swedish scientist, Johan Rockstrom, and his colleagues, are examining which planetary boundaries are being exceeded. (Rockstrom and Klum, 2015)

The explosion of population from 3 billion in 1960 to more then 7 billion currently and the subsequent demands on the natural world seem to be on an unsustainable course. The demands include meeting basic human needs of a majority of the world’s people, but also feeding the insatiable desire for goods and comfort spread by the allure of materialism. The first is often called sustainable development; the second is unsustainable consumption. The challenge of rapid economic growth and consumption has brought on destabilizing climate change. This is coming into full focus in alarming ways including increased floods and hurricanes, droughts and famine, rising seas and warming oceans.

Can we turn our course to avert disaster? There are several indications that this may still be possible. On September 25, 2015 after the Pope addressed the UN General Assembly, 195 member states adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). On December 12, 2015 these same members states endorsed the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Both of these are important indications of potential reversal. The Climate Agreement emerged from the dedicated work of governments and civil society along with business partners. The leadership of UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and the Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, Christiana Figueres, and many others was indispensable.

One of the inspirations for the Climate Agreement and for the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals was the release of the Papal Encyclical, Laudato Si’ in June 2015. The encyclical encouraged the moral forces of concern for both the environment and people to be joined in “integral ecology”.  “The cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor” are now linked as was not fully visible before. (Boff, 1997 and in the encyclical) Many religious and environmental communities are embracing this integrated perspective and will, no doubt, foster it going forward. The question is how can the world religions contribute more effectively to this renewed ethical momentum for change. For example, what will be their long-term response to population growth? As this is addressed in the article by Robert Wyman and Guigui Yao, we will not take it up here. Instead, we will consider some of the challenges and possibilities amid the dream of progress and the lure of consumption.

Challenges: The Dream of Progress and the Religion of Consumption

Consumption appears to have become an ideology or quasi-religion, not only in the West but also around the world. Faith in economic growth drives both producers and consumers. The dream of progress is becoming a distorted one. This convergence of our unlimited demands with an unquestioned faith in economic progress raises questions about the roles of religions in encouraging, discouraging, or ignoring our dominant drive toward appropriately satisfying material needs or inappropriately indulging material desires. Integral ecology supports the former and critiques the latter.

Moreover, a consumerist ideology depends upon and simultaneously contributes to a worldview based on the instrumental rationality of the human. That is, the assumption for decision-making is that all choices are equally clear and measurable. Market based metrics such as price, utility, or efficiency are dominant. This can result in utilitarian views of a forest as so much board feet or simply as a mechanistic complex of ecosystems that provide services to the human.

One long-term effect of this is that the individual human decision-maker is further distanced from nature because nature is reduced to measurable entities for profit or use. From this perspective we humans may be isolated in our perceived uniqueness as something apart from the biological web of life. In this context, humans do not seek identity and meaning in the numinous beauty of the world, nor do they experience themselves as dependent on a complex of life-supporting interactions of air, water, and soil. Rather, this logic sees humans as independent, rational decision-makers who find their meaning and identity in systems of management that now attempt to co-opt the language of conservation and environmental concern. Happiness is derived from simply creating and having more material goods. This perspective reflects a reading of our current geological period as human induced by our growth as a species that is now controlling the planet. This current era is being called the “Anthropocene” because of our effect on the planet in contrast to the prior 12,000 year epoch known as the Holocene.

This human capacity to imagine and implement a utilitarian-based worldview regarding nature has undermined many of the ancient insights of the world’s religious and spiritual traditions. For example, some religions, attracted by the individualistic orientations of market rationalism and short-term benefits of social improvement, seized upon material accumulation as containing divine sanction. Thus, Max Weber identified the rise of Protestantism with an ethos of inspirited work and accumulated capital.

Weber also identified the growing disenchantment from the world of nature with the rise of global capitalism. Karl Marx recognized the “metabolic rift” in which human labor and nature become alienated from cycles of renewal. The earlier mystique of creation was lost. Wonder, beauty, and imagination as ways of knowing were gradually superseded by the analytical reductionism of modernity such that technological and economic entrancement have become key inspirations of progress.

Challenges: Religions Fostering Anthropocentrism

This modern, instrumental view of matter as primarily for human use arises in part from a dualistic Western philosophical view of mind and matter. Adapted into Jewish, Christian and Islamic religious perspectives, this dualism associates mind with the soul as a transcendent spiritual entity given sovereignty and dominion over matter. Mind is often valued primarily for its rationality in contrast to a lifeless world. At the same time we ensure our radical discontinuity from it.

Interestingly, views of the uniqueness of the human bring many traditional religious perspectives into sync with modern instrumental rationalism. In Western religious traditions, for example, the human is seen as an exclusively gifted creature with a transcendent soul that manifests the divine image and likeness. Consequently, this soul should be liberated from the material world. In many contemporary reductionist perspectives (philosophical and scientific) the human with rational mind and technical prowess stands as the pinnacle of evolution. Ironically, religions emphasizing the uniqueness of the human as the image of God meet market-driven applied science and technology precisely at this point of the special nature of the human to justify exploitation of the natural world. Anthropocentrism in various forms, religious, philosophical, scientific, and economic, has led, perhaps inadvertently, to the dominance of humans in this modern period, now called the Anthropocene. (It can be said that certain strands of the South Asian religions have emphasized the importance of humans escaping from nature into transcendent liberation. However, such forms of radical dualism are not central to the East Asian traditions or indigenous traditions.)

From the standpoint of rational analysis, many values embedded in religions, such as a sense of the sacred, the intrinsic value of place, the spiritual dimension of the human, moral concern for nature, and care for future generations, are incommensurate with an objectified monetized worldview as they not quantifiable. Thus, they are often ignored as externalities, or overridden by more pragmatic profit-driven considerations. Contemporary nation-states in league with transnational corporations have seized upon this individualistic, property-based, use-analysis to promote national sovereignty, security, and development exclusively for humans.

Possibilities: Systems Science

Yet, even within the realm of so-called scientific, rational thought, there is not a uniform approach. Resistance to the easy marriage of reductionist science and instrumental rationality comes from what is called systems science and new ecoogy. By this we refer to a movement within empirical, experimental science of exploring the interaction of nature and society as complex dynamic systems. This approach stresses both analysis and synthesis – the empirical act of observation, as well as placement of the focus of study within the context of a larger whole. Systems science resists the temptation to take the micro, empirical, reductive act as the complete description of a thing, but opens analysis to the large interactive web of life to which we belong, from ecosystems to the biosphere. There are numerous examples of this holistic perspective in various branches of ecology. And this includes overcoming the nature-human divide. (Schmitz 2016) Aldo Leopold understood this holistic interconnection well when he wrote: “We abuse land because we see it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.” (Leopold, 1966)

Collaboration of Science and Religion

Within this inclusive framework, scientists have been moving for some time beyond simply distanced observations to engaged concern. The Pope’s encyclical, Laudato Si , has elevated the level of visibility and efficacy of this conversation between science and religion as perhaps never before on a global level. Similarly, many other statements from the world religions are linking the wellbeing of people and the planet for a flourishing future. For example, the World Council of Churches has been working for four decades to join humans and nature in their program on Justice, Peace, and the Integrity of Creation.

Many scientists such as Thomas Lovejoy, E.O. Wilson, Jane Lubchenco, Peter Raven, and Ursula Goodenough recognize the importance of religious and cultural values when discussing solutions to environmental challenges. Other scientists such as Paul Ehrlich and Donald Kennedy have called for major studies of human behavior and values in relation to environmental issues. ( Science , July 2005) This has morphed into the Millennium Alliance for Humanity and the Biosphere. (mahb.standford.edu). Since 2009 the Ecological Society of America has established an Earth Stewardship Initiative with yearly panels and publications.  Many environmental studies programs are now seeking to incorporate these broader ethical and behavioral approaches into the curriculum.

Possibilities: Extinction and Religious Response

The stakes are high, however, and the path toward limiting ourselves within planetary boundaries is not smooth. Scientists are now reporting that because of the population explosion, our consuming habits, and our market drive for resources, we are living in the midst of a mass extinction period. This period represents the largest loss of species since the extinction of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago when the Cenozoic period began. In other words, we are shutting down life systems on the planet and causing the end of this large-scale geological era with little awareness of what we are doing or its consequences.

As the cultural historian Thomas Berry observed some years ago, we are making macrophase changes on the planet with microphase wisdom. Indeed, some people worry that these rapid changes have outstripped the capacity of our religions, ethics, and spiritualities to meet the complex challenges we are facing.

The question arises whether the wisdom traditions of the human community, embedded in institutional religions and beyond, can embrace integral ecology at the level needed? Can the religions provide leadership into a synergistic era of human-Earth relations characterized by empathy, regeneration, and resilience? Or are religions themselves the wellspring of those exclusivist perspectives in which human societies disconnect themselves from other groups and from the natural world? Are religions caught in their own meditative promises of transcendent peace and redemptive bliss in paradisal abandon? Or does their drive for exclusive salvation or truth claims cause them to try to overcome or convert the Other?

Authors in this volume are exploring these issues within religious and spiritual communities regarding the appropriate responses of the human to our multiple environmental and social challenges. What forms of symbolic visioning and ethical imagining can call forth a transformation of consciousness and conscience for our Earth community? Can religions and spiritualites provide vision and inspiration for grounding and guiding mutually enhancing human-Earth relations? Have we arrived at a point where we realize that more scientific statistics on environmental problems, more legislation, policy or regulation, and more economic analysis, while necessary, are no longer sufficient for the large-scale social transformations needed? This is where the world religions, despite their limitations, surely have something to contribute.

Such a perspective includes ethics, practices, and spiritualities from the world’s cultures that may or may not be connected with institutional forms of religion. Thus spiritual ecology and nature religions are an important part of the discussions and are represented in this volume. Our own efforts have focused on the world religions and indigenous traditions. Our decade long training in graduate school and our years of living and traveling throughout Asia and the West gave us an early appreciation for religions as dynamic, diverse, living traditions. We are keenly aware of the multiple forms of syncretism and hybridization in the world religions and spiritualties. We have witnessed how they are far from monolithic or impervious to change in our travels to more than 60 countries.

Problems and Promise of Religions

Several qualifications regarding the various roles of religion should thus be noted. First, we do not wish to suggest here that any one religious tradition has a privileged ecological perspective. Rather, multiple interreligious perspectives may be the most helpful in identifying the contributions of the world religions to the flourishing of life.

We also acknowledge that there is frequently a disjunction between principles and practices: ecologically sensitive ideas in religions are not always evident in environmental practices in particular civilizations. Many civilizations have overused their environments, with or without religious sanction.

Finally, we are keenly aware that religions have all too frequently contributed to tensions and conflict among various groups, both historically and at present. Dogmatic rigidity, inflexible claims of truth, and misuse of institutional and communal power by religions have led to tragic consequences in many parts of the globe.

Nonetheless, while religions have often preserved traditional ways, they have also provoked social change. They can be limiting but also liberating in their outlooks. In the twentieth century, for example, religious leaders and theologians helped to give birth to progressive movements such as civil rights for minorities, social justice for the poor, and liberation for women.  Although the world religions have been slow to respond to our current environmental crises, their moral authority and their institutional power may help effect a change in attitudes, practices, and public policies. Now the challenge is a broadening of their ethical perspectives.

Traditionally the religions developed ethics for homicide, suicide, and genocide. Currently they need to respond to biocide, ecocide, and geocide. (Berry, 2009)

Retrieval, Reevaluation, Reconstruction

There is an inevitable disjunction between the examination of historical religious traditions in all of their diversity and complexity and the application of teachings, ethics, or practices to contemporary situations. While religions have always been involved in meeting contemporary challenges over the centuries, it is clear that the global environmental crisis is larger and more complex than anything in recorded human history. Thus, a simple application of traditional ideas to contemporary problems is unlikely to be either possible or adequate. In order to address ecological problems properly, religious and spiritual leaders, laypersons and academics have to be in dialogue with scientists, environmentalists, economists, businesspeople, politicians, and educators. Hence the articles in this volume are from various key sectors.

With these qualifications in mind we can then identify three methodological approaches that appear in the still emerging study of religion and ecology. These are retrieval, reevaluation, and reconstruction. Retrieval involves the scholarly investigation of scriptural and commentarial sources in order to clarify religious perspectives regarding human-Earth relations. This requires that historical and textual studies uncover resources latent within the tradition. In addition, retrieval can identify ethical codes and ritual customs of the tradition in order to discover how these teachings were put into practice. Traditional environmental knowledge (TEK) is an important part of this for all the world religions, especially indigenous traditions.

With reevaluation, traditional teachings are evaluated with regard to their relevance to contemporary circumstances. Are the ideas, teachings, or ethics present in these traditions appropriate for shaping more ecologically sensitive attitudes and sustainable practices? Reevaluation also questions ideas that may lead to inappropriate environmental practices. For example, are certain religious tendencies reflective of otherworldly or world-denying orientations that are not helpful in relation to pressing ecological issues? It asks as well whether the material world of nature has been devalued by a particular religion and whether a model of ethics focusing solely on human interactions is adequate to address environmental problems.

Finally, reconstruction suggests ways that religious traditions might adapt their teachings to current circumstances in new and creative ways. These may result in new syntheses or in creative modifications of traditional ideas and practices to suit modern modes of expression. This is the most challenging aspect of the emerging field of religion and ecology and requires sensitivity to who is speaking about a tradition in the process of reevaluation and reconstruction. Postcolonial critics have appropriately highlighted the complex issues surrounding the problem of who is representing or interpreting a religious tradition or even what constitutes that tradition. Nonetheless, practitioners and leaders of particular religions are finding grounds for creative dialogue with scholars of religions in these various phases of interpretation.

Religious Ecologies and Religious Cosmologies

As part of the retrieval, reevaluation, and reconstruction of religions we would identify “religious ecologies” and “religious cosmologies” as ways that religions have functioned in the past and can still function at present. Religious ecologies are ways of orienting and grounding whereby humans undertake specific practices of nurturing and transforming self and community in a particular cosmological context that regards nature as inherently valuable. Through cosmological stories humans narrate and experience the larger matrix of mystery in which life arises, unfolds, and flourishes. These are what we call religious cosmologies. These two, namely religious ecologies and religious cosmologies, can be distinguished but not separated. Together they provide a context for navigating life’s challenges and affirming the rich spiritual value of human-Earth relations.

Human communities until the modern period sensed themselves as grounded in and dependent on the natural world. Thus, even when the forces of nature were overwhelming, the regenerative capacity of the natural world opened a way forward. Humans experienced the processes of the natural world as interrelated, both practically and symbolically. These understandings were expressed in traditional environmental knowledge, namely, in hunting and agricultural practices such as the appropriate use of plants, animals, and land. Such knowledge was integrated in symbolic language and practical norms, such as prohibitions, taboos, and limitations on ecosystems’ usage. All this was based in an understanding of nature as the source of nurturance and kinship. The Lakota people still speak of “all my relations” as an expression of this kinship. Such perspectives will need to be incorporated into strategies to solve environmental problems. Humans are part of nature and their cultural and religious values are critical dimensions of the discussion.

Multidisciplinary approaches: Environmental Humanities

We are recognizing, then, that the environmental crisis is multifaceted and requires multidisciplinary approaches. As this book indicates, the insights of scientific modes of analytical and synthetic knowing are indispensable for understanding and responding to our contemporary environmental crisis. So also, we need new technologies such as industrial ecology, green chemistry, and renewable energy. Clearly ecological economics is critical along with green governance and legal policies as articles in this volume illustrate.

In this context it is important to recognize different ways of knowing that are manifest in the humanities, such as artistic expressions, historical perspectives, philosophical inquiry, and religious understandings. These honor emotional intelligence, affective insight, ethical valuing, and spiritual awakening.

Environmental humanities is a growing and diverse area of study within humanistic disciplines. In the last several decades, new academic courses and programs, research journals and monographs, have blossomed. This broad-based inquiry has sparked creative investigation into multiple ways, historically and at present, of understanding and interacting with nature, constructing cultures, developing communities, raising food, and exchanging goods. 

It is helpful to see the field of religion and ecology as part of this larger emergence of environmental humanities. While it can be said that environmental history, literature, and philosophy are some four decades old, the field of religions and ecology began some two decades ago. It was preceded, however, by work among various scholars, particularly Christian theologians. Some eco-feminists theologians, such as Rosemary Ruether and Sallie McFague, Mary Daly, and Ivone Gebara led the way.

The Emerging Field of Religion and Ecology

An effort to identify and to map religiously diverse attitudes and practices toward nature was the focus of a three-year international conference series on world religions and ecology . Organized by Mary Evelyn Tucker and John Grim, ten conferences were held at the Harvard Center for the Study of World Religions from 1996-1998 that resulted in a ten volume book series (1997-2004). Over 800 scholars of religion and environmentalists participated. The director of the Center, Larry Sullivan, gave space and staff for the conferences. He chose to limit their scope to the world religions and indigenous religions rather than “nature religions”, such as wicca or paganism, which the organizers had hoped to include.

Culminating conferences were held in fall 1998 at Harvard and in New York at the United Nations and the American Museum of Natural History where 1000 people attended and Bill Moyers presided. At the UN conference Tucker and Grim founded the Forum on Religion and Ecology, which is now located at Yale. They organized a dozen more conferences and created an electronic newsletter that is now sent to over 12,000 people around the world. In addition, they developed a major website for research, education, and outreach in this area (fore.yale.edu). The conferences, books, website, and newsletter have assisted in the emergence of a new field of study in religion and ecology. Many people have helped in this process including Whitney Bauman and Sam Mickey who are now moving the field toward discussing the need for planetary ethics. A Canadian Forum on Religion and Ecology was established in 2002, a European Forum for the Study of Religion and the Environment was formed in 2005, and a Forum on Religion and Ecology @ Monash in Australia in 2011.

Courses on this topic are now offered in numerous colleges and universities across North America and in other parts of the world. A Green Seminary Initiative has arisen to help educate seminarians. Within the American Academy of Religion there is a vibrant group focused on scholarship and teaching in this area. A peer-reviewed journal, Worldviews: Global Religions, Culture, and Ecology , is celebrating its 25 th year of publication. Another journal has been publishing since 2007, the Journal for the Study of Religion, Nature, and Culture . A two volume Encyclopedia of Religion and Nature edited by Bron Taylor has helped shape the discussions, as has the International Society for the Study of Religion, Nature and Culture he founded. Clearly this broad field of study will continue to expand as the environmental crisis grows in complexity and requires increasingly creative interdisciplinary responses.

The work in religion and ecology rests in an intersection between the academic field within education and the dynamic force within society. This is why we see our work not so much as activist, but rather as “engaged scholarship” for the flourishing of our shared planetary life. This is part of a broader integration taking place to link concerns for both people and the planet. This has been fostered in part by the twenty-volume Ecology and Justice Series from Orbis Books and with the work of John Cobb, Larry Rasmussen, Dieter Hessel, Heather Eaton, Cynthia Moe-Loebeda, and others. The Papal Encyclical is now highlighting this linkage of eco-justice as indispensable for an integral ecology.

The Dynamic Force of Religious Environmentalism

All of these religious traditions, then, are groping to find the languages, symbols, rituals, and ethics for sustaining both ecosystems and humans. Clearly there are obstacles to religions moving into their ecological, eco-justice, and planetary phases. The religions are themselves challenged by their own bilingual languages, namely, their languages of transcendence, enlightenment, and salvation; and their languages of immanence, sacredness of Earth, and respect for nature. Yet, as the field of religion and ecology has developed within academia, so has the force of religious environmentalism emerged around the planet. Roger Gottlieb documents this in his book A Greener Faith . (Gottlieb 2006) The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew held international symposia on “Religion, Science and the Environment” focused on water issues (1995-2009) that we attended. He has made influential statements on this issue for 20 years. The Parliament of World Religions has included panels on this topic since 1998 and most expansively in 2015. Since 1995 the UK based Alliance of Religion and Conservation (ARC), led by Martin Palmer, has been doing significant work with religious communities around under the patronage of Prince Philip.

These efforts are recovering a sense of place, which is especially clear in the environmental resilience and regeneration practices of indigenous peoples. It is also evident in valuing the sacred pilgrimage places in the Abrahamic traditions (Jerusalem, Rome, and Mecca) both historically and now ecologically. So also East Asia and South Asia attention to sacred mountains, caves, and other pilgrimage sites stands in marked contrast to massive pollution.

In many settings around the world religious practitioners are drawing together religious ways of respecting place, land, and life with understanding of environmental science and the needs of local communities. There have been official letters by Catholic Bishops in the Philippines and in Alberta, Canada alarmed by the oppressive social conditions and ecological disasters caused by extractive industries. Catholic nuns and laity in North America, Australia, England, and Ireland sponsor educational programs and conservation plans drawing on the eco-spiritual vision of Thomas Berry and Brian Swimme. Also inspired by Berry and Swimme, Paul Winter’s Solstice celebrations and Earth Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York Winter have been taking place for three decades.

Even in the industrial growth that grips China, there are calls from many in politics, academia, and NGOs to draw on Confucian, Daoist, and Buddhist perspectives for environmental change. In 2008 we met with Pan Yue, the Deputy Minister of the Environment, who has studied these traditions and sees them as critical to Chinese environmental ethics. In India, Hinduism is faced with the challenge of clean up of sacred rivers, such as the Ganges and the Yamuna. To this end in 2010 with Hindu scholars, David Haberman and Christopher Chapple, we organized a conference of scientists and religious leaders in Delhi and Vrindavan to address the pollution of the Yamuna.

Many religious groups are focused on climate change and energy issues. For example, InterFaith Power and Light and GreenFaith are encouraging religious communities to reduce their carbon footprint. Earth Ministry in Seattle is leading protests against oil pipelines and terminals. The Evangelical Environmental Network and other denominations are emphasizing climate change as a moral issue that is disproportionately affecting the poor. In Canada and the US the Indigenous Environmental Network is speaking out regarding damage caused by resource extraction, pipelines, and dumping on First Peoples’ Reserves and beyond. All of the religions now have statements on climate change as a moral issue and they were strongly represented in the People’s Climate March in September 2015. Daedalus, the journal of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, published the first collection of articles on religion and climate change from two conferences we organized there. (Tucker & Grim, 2001)

Striking examples of religion and ecology have occurred in the Islamic world. In June 2001 and May 2005 the Islamic Republic of Iran led by President Khatami and the United Nations Environment Programme sponsored conferences in Tehran that we attended. They were focused on Islamic principles and practices for environmental protection. The Iranian Constitution identifies Islamic values for ecology and threatens legal sanctions. One of the earliest spokespersons for religion and ecology is the Iranian scholar, Seyyed Hossein Nasr. Fazlun Khalid in the UK founded the Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environmental Science. In Indonesia in 2014 a fatwa was issued declaring that killing an endangered species is prohibited.

These examples illustrate ways in which an emerging alliance of religion and ecology is occurring around the planet. These traditional values within the religions now cause them to awaken to environmental crises in ways that are strikingly different from science or policy. But they may find interdisciplinary ground for dialogue in concerns for eco-justice, sustainability, and cultural motivations for transformation. The difficulty, of course, is that the religions are often preoccupied with narrow sectarian interests. However, many people, including the Pope, are calling on the religions to go beyond these interests and become a moral leaven for change.

Renewal Through Laudato Si’

Pope Francis is highlighting an integral ecology that brings together concern for humans and the Earth. He makes it clear that the environment can no longer be seen as only an issue for scientific experts, or environmental groups, or government agencies alone. Rather, he invites all people, programs and institutions to realize these are complicated environmental and social problems that require integrated solutions beyond a “technocratic paradigm” that values an easy fix. Within this integrated framework, he urges bold new solutions.

In this context Francis suggests that ecology, economics, and equity are intertwined. Healthy ecosystems depend on a just economy that results in equity. Endangering ecosystems with an exploitative economic system is causing immense human suffering and inequity. In particular, the poor and most vulnerable are threatened by climate change, although they are not the major cause of the climate problem. He acknowledges the need for believers and non-believers alike to help renew the vitality of Earth’s ecosystems and expand systemic efforts for equity.

In short, he is calling for “ecological conversion” from within all the world religions. He is making visible an emerging worldwide phenomenon of the force of religious environmentalism on the ground, as well as the field of religion and ecology in academia developing new ecotheologies and ecojustice ethics. This diverse movement is evoking a change of mind and heart, consciousness and conscience. Its expression will be seen more fully in the years to come.

The challenge of the contemporary call for ecological renewal cannot be ignored by the religions. Nor can it be answered simply from out of doctrine, dogma, scripture, devotion, ritual, belief, or prayer. It cannot be addressed by any of these well-trod paths of religious expression alone. Yet, like so much of our human cultures and institutions the religions are necessary for our way forward yet not sufficient in themselves for the transformation needed.  The roles of the religions cannot be exported from outside their horizons.  Thus, the individual religions must explain and transform themselves if they are willing to enter into this period of environmental engagement that is upon us. If the religions can participate in this creativity they may again empower humans to embrace values that sustain life and contribute to a vibrant Earth community.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Berry, Thomas. 2009. The Sacred Universe: Earth Spirituality and Religion in the 21st Century (New York: Columbia University Press).

Boff, Leonardo. 1997. Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books).

Gottlieb, Roger. 2006. A Greener Faith: Religious Environmentalism and Our Planetary Future . (Oxford: Oxford University Press).

Grim, John and Mary Evelyn Tucker, eds. 2014. Ecology and Religion. (Washington, DC: Island Press).

Leopold, Aldo. 1966. A Sand County Almanac . (Oxford University Press).

Rockstrom, Johan and Mattias Klum. 2015. Big World, Small Planet: Abundance Within Planetary Boundaries . (New Haven: Yale University Press)

Schmitz, Oswald. 2016. The New Ecology: Science for a Sustainable World. (Princeton: Princeton University Press).

Taylor, Bron, ed. 2008. Encyclopedia of Religion, Nature, and Culture. (London: Bloomsbury).

Tucker, Mary Evelyn. 2004. Worldly Wonder: Religions Enter their Ecological Phase . (Chicago: Open Court).

Tucker, Mary Evelyn and John Grim, eds. 2001 Religion and Ecology: Can the Climate Change? Daedalus Vol. 130, No.4.

Header photo: ARC procession to UN Faith in Future Meeting, Bristol, UK