CHR Religious Studies Reading Group

Rabbi Rachel Mikva will discuss her new book, Dangerous Religious Ideas: The Deep Roots of Self-Critical Faith in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (Beacon, 2020), through the Mason community at noon on Wed., Nov. 10.

Arguably, faith traditions have always passed down tools for self-examination and debate, because all religious ideas—not just extremist ones—can cause harm, even as they also embody important moral teachings. Scripture’s abiding relevance can inspire great goodness, such as welcoming the stranger and extending compassion for the poor. But its authority has also been wielded to defend slavery, marginalize LGBTQ individuals, ignore science, and justify violence. Grounded in close readings of scripture and tradition in Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, religious scholar Rachel Mikva shows us that the Abrahamic religions have always been aware of their tremendous power both to harm and to heal. And so they have transmitted their sacred stories along with built-in tools—interpretive traditions—to do the necessary work of taking on dangerous religious ideas and fostering self-critical faith.

Dangerous Religious Ideas reframes the way both members and non-members of Abrahamic religions can talk about faith to create a space where public discussion of religion is more constructive, nuanced, and socially engaged.

This event is co-sponsored by Mason Hillel, Fall for the Book, the Center for Humanities Research, and the Department of Religious Studies.