Christian Imaginations of the Other: The Impact of Religionization and Racialization on (Inter)Religious Studies

A roundtable discussion using Marianne Moyaert's recent work, Christian Imaginations of the Religious Other: a History of Religionization (Wiley-Blackwell, 2024), aiming to explore its broader applications in interreligious studies, religion-racialization, and comparative theology. Moyaert's book traces the genealogy of religionization, examining how Christians historically established religious normativity and created categories of non-Christian "otherness." Addressing various processes and contexts, the work analyzes the intersections of religionization with racialization, sexualization, and ethnicization. The interdisciplinary panel will extend the discussion, evaluating religionization's significance for interreligious relations and its applicability beyond Christianity. Delving into North America's approach to religious diversity, particularly amid color-based racism and white Christian hegemony, the panelists will reflect on the interplay between religion and race. Exploring theological implications, the panel will discuss integrating religionization into interreligious dialogue and anti-racist theologies. Lastly, the pedagogical impact will be examined, discussing effective ways to teach the history of religionization in theological and interreligious settings. The interreligious and interdisciplinary panel aims to foster a comprehensive discussion, critically engaging with religionization's broader implications for understanding interreligious relations, drawing on perspectives from comparative theology, interreligious studies, and critical race studies.