Histories of Religion: Beyond Christianity

This article argues that the history of religion should move beyond treating “religion” as a stable analytical category and instead examine how specific religious traditions, and the comparative category of religion, are continually reshaped through interaction with wider political, social and cultural environments. At the same time, the article defends the continued value of ecclesiastical history, particularly its attention to institutions, resources, taxation and the material foundations of religious communities. In particular, it suggests that the persistence of distinct religious identities should be explained not only through doctrine but also through the economic obligations, welfare structures and communal boundaries that religious institutions maintained over time.