Vol. 8 (2025): Reimagining the Sacred
With NEXT Vol. 8, we aim to feature the research of the next generation of religious scholars approaching the field in new and exciting ways. This volume highlights seven scholars utilizing a breadth of theoretical concepts and methodological frameworks to make interventions in the discipline’s scholarship.
The papers beginning this volume each explore fictional narratives across different time periods, geographic locations, and religious traditions. Yaqi Gao’s analysis of how Luotian dajiao functions in Shuihu Zhuan as a reflection of the Ming-Qing era’s politics begins this volume. Her findings highlight how Daoist rituals were intertwined with political and educational efforts, which can be seen in fictional narratives.
Emma Wood extends a connection between the Middle Ages and contemporary fictional narrative through examining the resonance of a medieval English mystic, Julian of Norwich. Wood’s comparison between Julian of Norwich’s Revelations of Divine Love and the 2023 historical fiction I, Julian traces the richness of Julian’s legacy. This piece raises questions of anachronistic agency, religious authority, and the resonance of Julian that bridges across 600 years.
Jamie Mullennix remains in the present, reimagining sainthood in “Ethel Cain: A Que(e)rying Saint.” Analyzing the artist Anhedönia’s first full-length album as hagiography, Mullennix explores the how the overlap between celebrity and religious devotion contributes to a queering of the hagiographic genre. Additionally, they propose the resulting fandom as containing the potential to be a site of healing and community-building outside of religious institutions in the face of religious trauma.
The next two papers reimagine the sacred through examining expansive artistic works across literature, protest, and evocative art pieces. Marisa Hulstine explores the sacrality of art seen in the writings of Toni Morrison, Amanda Gorman, and James Baldwin. Hulstine ties together Mary’s Magnificat, Gorman’s poem, and Baldwin’s writings through an expansive analysis of Morrison’s art. Hulstine’s piece underscores the role of art in building community, resistance, and hope through the artistic pursuit of truth. Ultimately, this role is a sacred role in its power to connect people across divisions.
With “Relic Aesthetics: Human Remains in the Work of Teresa Margolles,” Corey Loftus reimagines what constitutes as a religious relic. Loftus examines the art of Teresa Margolles through this lens, arguing Margolles’ incorporation of human remains inscribes her art with a relic-like quality beyond the confines of a particular religious tradition. In doing so, Loftus argues, Margolles’ art bestows a sacrality onto the anonymous victims of violence that are incorporated into her pieces.
The final two papers emphasize sociopolitical entanglements of religious practice through questions of colonialism, power, and legibility. Sharmin Afroz’s “Race Disparities in Buddhist Communities in America” surveys racial dynamics within American Buddhist communities, highlighting how Asian American and Black American practitioners often experience exclusion, invisibility, and cultural appropriation in predominantly white sanghas. Drawing on personal narratives, scholarly analysis, and Buddhist teachings, Afroz examines how these marginalized voices seek both refuge and liberation through spiritual practice, while calling for greater inclusivity and recognition within the American Buddhist landscape.
In “Neocolonialism as Religious Polarization,” Kevin Grane traces the historical and theoretical development of globalization through the lens of colonialism. From the violent imposition of Western modernity to the complex ideological legacies that persist today, this paper examines how religious discourse shapes global power dynamics. Grane frames contemporary religious polarization in the Global West as a subtle yet pervasive form of postmodern neocolonialism.
It has been a pleasure working with these authors as we explore new ideas, interventions, and understandings of religion and the sacred. The scope of questions raised, methodologies applied, and frameworks interwoven illustrate the curiosity and innovation of upcoming scholars. We highlight these voices and perspectives in hopes of NEXT acting as a reminder of the expansive fluidity of not only religion but the field of religious studies.
