“So, are you religious?”  This question is a perpetual one for any person who decides to enroll in Divinity School.  Unlike our peers in, say, English literature, who can pursue their field of study without question even when they are not novelists in their own right, people often wonder why a person who does not explicitly identify as religious or spiritual would choose to study religion.  Or, if one does study religion as a faith practitioner, one’s ability to critically engage the study of religion without bias may be called into question.  Thus, we find ourselves in something of an academic Catch-22: you can’t study religion if you aren’t religious, and you shouldn’t study religion if you are religious.

Fortunately, HDS has provided me with a fantastic community of peers, faculty, and staff who are committed to breaking down these assumptions.  Continue reading →