Guidelines for Writing in Religious Studies: Managing Bias & Developing Critical Stance
选自：Margot Northey, Bradford A. Anderson, Joel N. Lohr. Making Sense: A Student's Guide to Research and Writing in Religious Studies (2nd Edition). Oxford University Press, 2015, Chapter 3.
Guidelines for Writing
Whenever you embark on a writing project, try to keep the following guidelines in mind:
- Think about your audience, the reader or readers of your writing.
- Be clear about your subject and your purpose, what it is you hope to achieve.
- Define your terms, especially those prone to ambiguity or used in a particular way in religious studies.
- Include only relevant material; don't pad your writing to achieve a certain number of words.
- Strive for consistency of expression throughout the work.
- Make sure you are accurate in all of your statements, in your analysis and presentation of data, and in your documentation of sources.
• Order your information logically.
- Be simple and clear in expressing your ideas.
• Make sure that your argument is coherent.
- Draw conclusions that are clearly based on your evidence. Do not introduce new or unsupported ideas in your conclusion.
- Allow yourself lots of time to work on drafts before completing the final copy.
• Make sure to edit and proofread your work carefully.
In the chapters that follow we will consider these guidelines in greater detail.
Using bias-free language
It is more important than ever to avoid bias in the language we use—both spoken and written. Just as you give thought to your reader(s) and to the kind of tone you wish to create, you will also want to take pains to use language that steers clear of any suggestion of bias, no matter how unintentional it may be. The potential for bias is far-reaching and involves gender, race, culture, age, disability, occupation, religion, and socio-economic status. Although our society has not come up with ideal solutions in every case, developing an awareness of sensitive issues will help you to avoid using biased language.
Religion
As noted in Chapter 2, the issue of bias is extremely important in religious studies. It can be difficult to speak objectively about one's own beliefs and convictions, not to mention those of others. However, it is vital that any beliefs we may hold—religious or otherwise—do not colour our writing on these issues.
It is important to recognize that assumptions in the area of religion can be far-reaching and you may not even know you have them. Even those who would not consider themselves religious may use terms of reference that are not value-free or neutral. In North America and Europe, where academic and general discourses have been heavily influenced by Christianity, the terms we use often reflect a Christian point of view. Consider, for instance, the chronological designations BC and AD. These terms are linked to a Christian perspective in which all years before the time of Jesus of Nazareth (the “Christ” of Christianity) are “Before Christ,” and all years after are “Anno Domini” (“in the year of our Lord”). While a better alternative is to use the terms BCE (“Before the Common Era”) and CE (“Common Era”), it should be recognized that other cultures and societies have their own dating systems as well. For example, 2015 CE is the year 5775 in the Jewish calendar. Likewise, a term like “Old Testament” implies that this body of literature exists in relationship to a New Testament: it is a specifically Christian way of looking at this collection. Yet, others who do not regard the New Testament to be sacred, such as the Jewish people, would call the “Old Testament” the Tanakh, or the Hebrew Bible, or simply the Bible. Likewise, referring to the figure Jesus as “Jesus Christ” or “Jesus the Messiah” suggests a pre-conceived judgment about him. These are only a few examples. Students are encouraged to determine if the terms they use imply a point of reference or privileging of any one religion. Calling something “unorthodox,” a “false religion,” “heretical,” or a “sect”—without explanation, or as a value judgment—are further symptoms of this problem.
Gender
At one time, it would have been acceptable to refer to a person of either sex as "he," a practice still preferred by some traditionalists:
If an adherent converts, he will face alienation.
But as sensitivity to sexist language has increased, we have become more careful about this use of a generic pronoun. Here are some options for avoiding the problem:
• Use the passive voice:
Alienation will be faced by an adherent who converts.
• Restructure the sentence:
An adherent who converts will face alienation.
- Use he or she, although this is cumbersome and should be used sparingly:
If an adherent converts, he or she will face alienation.
• Use the plural form:
If adherents convert, they will face alienation.
Another option is to alternate, using the masculine form in one instance and the feminine form in the next.
Recently, some writers have used the neutral they to refer to a singular antecedent:
When a writer aims for simplicity, they will occasionally break with grammatical convention.
Be careful, however. This may still raise the hackles of a traditional reader. Another trouble spot involves gender-specific nouns, such as stewardess, waitress, or fireman. The best solution in these cases is to look for gender-neutral words, for example, flight attendant, server, and firefighter. There are also problems related to pronouns and how we refer to religious communities, persons, and deities. It is not uncommon to use feminine personal pronouns (she or her) to refer to certain religious ideas or groups (like the Church or ancient Israel) and masculine pronouns (he and him) to refer to God, Allah, Brahman, or other deities. Some traditional religious adherents may insist on gendered language while others would suggest that God, Allah, and other deities transcend gender. This highlights the need for students to be sensitive and to exercise caution.
Our recommendation is to avoid gendered language when possible or to use it sparingly. Though seemingly cumbersome initially, an alternative is simply to repeat the specific name of the deity (or the term God) instead of using a personal pronoun.
Race and culture
The names used to describe someone's racial or cultural identity often carry negative connotations for some readers although they might be acceptable to others. For example, consider the term Negro. The search for neutral language has produced alternatives such as black or African Canadian. We have similar problems with the term Indian, with alternatives such as Aboriginal, Native, and First Nations. The best approach is to educate oneself about what the racial or cultural group in question prefers. Even if there isn't an easy answer, being aware of a potential problem is already part of the solution.
Pre-writing Checklist
□ What is the purpose of this assignment?
□ Who is the reader?
□ What is the appropriate tone for this piece of writing?
□ Am I aware of appropriate language for academic work in relation to religion, gender, race or culture?
Conclusion
As you begin your studies, academic writing may seem strange and difficult. However, academic writing is less threatening when you begin by thinking through the appropriate issues: What is the purpose of this piece? Who is the reader, and what kind of tone should I employ? What language is appropriate for academic writing in general, and for this topic in particular? What assumptions am I making? If you think through these issues carefully you will go a long way toward making the writing process a more manageable and enjoyable one.