Religion Outside of Religion

Abstract

This issue of Liturgy borrows its title from a course taught by religion professor, M. Cooper Minister. In this course, Minister invites students to consider everyday rituals and practices that might not normally be recognized as acts of religion. When imagining religious activity, many Christians will think of prayers and rituals that are overtly theistic and come from the rich traditions of Christian communities. However, liturgical scholars have long pointed out that the liturgical practices of Christianity are rooted in the materials and activities of mundane life. While lacking overt theism in their material makeup, practices and rituals that comprise the everyday lives of people exert profound influence over the world-view and values of those who embody them. In her book Lived Religion: Faith and Practice in Everyday Life, sociologist of religion, Meredith McGuire, asks about the study of religion.