The Intersection of Phenomenology and Religion

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue explores the intersection of phenomenology and religion. While a scholar’s primary subject of study may be religious phenomena, the way that scholar understands phenomenology affects their approach to religion. This Special Issue focuses on the question of the interplay of the two fields, phenomenology and religion, and explores a conceptual framework to bridge them.

In philosophy, while phenomenology generally takes the stance of disclosing phenomena as they present themselves, as expressed by Husserl’s “to the things themselves”, there is the question of how to faithfully disclose such phenomena. In the early stages of the development of phenomenology, where Husserl envisioned phenomenology as a “presuppositionless” science, Heidegger presented phenomenology as “Hermeneutic Phenomenology”. The Husserlian essentialist approach thus shows a contrast with Heidegger’s early hermeneutic–existential approach. Subsequent phenomenologists, such as Merleau-Ponty, Hans-Georg Gadamer, and Alfred Schutz, further explored the possibilities of phenomenology.

In phenomenological studies of religion, each scholar takes a different approach due to their view of phenomenology. For example, while some take a Husserlian essentialist approach, others incorporate Heideggerian hermeneutic–existential concepts/approach. Despite those variations in phenomenology, phenomenologists generally share a faithfulness to phenomena by avoiding the pitfalls of all forms of reductionism and crude presuppositions. Some scholars take a general phenomenological approach to the study of religion, without taking a specific position on phenomenology.

On the religious studies side, scholars consider criteria for characterizing and demarcating religious phenomena. Such criteria are a part of one’s conceptual framework and guide an author’s classification schema and typology of religious phenomena. For example, while some scholars use criteria primarily from a particular religion, such as the Judeo–Christian tradition, others draw on criteria from broader spiritual practices. One’s conceptual framework may be rooted in one’s own conviction, experience, or cultural background. Not all scholars in religious studies, however, articulate a meta-philosophical background for the formation of their conceptual framework in their studies.

We are pleased to invite articles that can shed light on the space where phenomenology and religion intersect. While we are open to a variety of positions and approaches, we expect each author to articulate their approach including their stance in phenomenology, any assumptions they hold, and their conceptual framework in studying religion.

Articles can focus on a reflective analysis of one’s approach itself or other authors’ approaches; a case study of how one’s approach works in specific cases; or specific components of religion, such as rituals, experiences, community building, belief systems, and institutionalization. This Special Issue welcomes the submission diverse papers, as far as they clearly articulate and contribute to our collective understanding of the intersection between phenomenology and religion, as described above. 

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Keisuke Noda
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• phenomenology
• hermeneutics
• phenomenology of religion
• religious phenomena