Key papers in Religious studies
Pofolia’s corpus holds 71 papers from the Religious studies subfield (2012–2025). The list below starts with the most cited.
Most cited
Ranked by citation count. Because citations accumulate over time, this list naturally leans towards work published a few years ago; for where the field is now, see “recently added”.
Religion and the Decline of Magic
Macat Library eBooks · 2017 · FWCI 180.50 · 2,131 citations
Keith Thomas's "Religion and the Decline of Magic" established magic as a legitimate historical problem, arguing that the Protestant Reformation, by displacing Catholic "superstition," created a vacuum that allowed other forms of belief, including magic, to persist until the rise of science.
The Nature of Doctrine: Religion and Theology in a Postliberal Age (1984)
Bloomsbury T&T Clark eBooks · 2018 · FWCI 696.44 · 915 citations
This influential 1984 work introduces a post-liberal approach to theology, advocating for a cultural-linguistic perspective on religion and a rule-based theory of doctrine.
Grundlegung zur Metaphysik der Sitten
Felix Meiner Verlag eBooks · 2016 · FWCI 117.90 · 903 citations
This abstract describes the digitization and online upload of Immanuel Kant's "Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals" by Google and the Internet Archive.
Early Christian Doctrines
Bloomsbury Academic eBooks · 2014 · FWCI 43.93 · 777 citations
This book provides a clear historical account of the development of principal Christian doctrines from the late 1st to the mid-5th century.
Dramas, Fields, and Metaphors
Cornell University Press eBooks · 2018 · FWCI 61.46 · 749 citations
Victor Turner's book explores how social actions gain meaning through metaphors and paradigms, and how new ones emerge from specific circumstances.
Letters and Papers from Prison
1517 Media eBooks · 2020 · FWCI 705.05 · 746 citations
This collection of correspondence and notes from prison by a prominent author, curated by Eberhard Bethge, introduced his influential ideas of 'religionless Christianity' and theological appraisals to a wide postwar audience, particularly in North America.
Buddha Is Hiding
2019 · FWCI 60.86 · 578 citations
This ethnographic study reveals how Cambodian refugees in America navigate contradictory pressures of self-reliance and systemic constraints based on ethnicity and class, reshaping their understanding of citizenship.
The Sages: Their Concepts and Beliefs
2012 · FWCI 313.03 · 545 citations
This paper traces the historical development of core Jewish concepts and beliefs.
The Ritual Process
2017 · FWCI 80.95 · 515 citations
Victor Turner's "The Ritual Process" introduces the concept of "Communitas," an absolute inter-human relation transcending social structure, derived from his fieldwork among the Ndembu in Zambia.
Nine Talmudic Readings
Indiana University Press eBooks · 2019 · FWCI 64.10 · 432 citations
This work presents nine distinct readings of Talmudic texts, exploring themes of ethics, spirituality, and societal transformation.
Forgery and Counterforgery: The Use of Literary Deceit in Early Christian Polemics
2012 · FWCI 45.37 · 405 citations
This book explores the extensive use of literary forgery and counterforgery as a rhetorical strategy in early Christian polemics. It details the motives, techniques, and detection methods employed by various factions.
Haiti: the aftershocks of history
Choice Reviews Online · 2012 · 395 citations
Historian Laurent Dubois argues that Haiti's persistent poverty and corruption stem not from internal failings, but from a legacy of international punishment for its successful slave revolt in 1804.
Bodies in the System
Small Axe A Caribbean Journal of Criticism · 2013 · Q1 · FWCI 31.29 · 395 citations
This essay proposes extending Michel-Rolph Trouillot's framework for analyzing power systems by introducing the human body as a fourth unit of analysis, alongside the village, world, and nation.
The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism
Princeton University Press eBooks · 2014 · FWCI 64.85 · 392 citations
This is the most comprehensive dictionary of Buddhism ever produced in English, featuring over 5,000 entries and covering terms from all canonical Buddhist languages and traditions.
The Peaceable Kingdom: A Primer in Christian Ethics
Open MIND · 2017 · FWCI 380.13 · 376 citations
This primer introduces Stanley Hauerwas's vision of Christian ethics, emphasizing Jesus' life and teachings as central to moral life.
Metodologi penelitian
2020 · 374 citations
This paper addresses the issue of youth disengagement from church service due to technology misuse, specifically gaming addiction, and its impact on religious activities.
Paul and the faithfulness of God
Choice Reviews Online · 2014 · 366 citations
This book presents a comprehensive, 1500-page synthesis of Paul's theology, integrating its Jewish roots and Graeco-Roman influences within a grand schema.
Roman Faith and Christian Faith
Oxford University Press eBooks · 2015 · FWCI 31.94 · 349 citations
Early Christian 'faith' (pistis/fides) was deeply influenced by its Jewish and Graeco-Roman contexts, shaping its dominance in New Testament writings.
The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African
2021 · FWCI 735.09 · 345 citations
This abstract recounts the life of Olaudah Equiano, an African kidnapped into slavery in the 1700s who eventually purchased his freedom and settled in Great Britain.
Bantu Prophets in South Africa
2018 · FWCI 13.24 · 344 citations
This work, originally published in 1948 and updated in 1961, details the religious and social landscape of the Zulus and the emergence of the Independent Church Movement.
Recently added
THEOLOGY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT
2025 · 280 citations
Walther Eichrodt's foundational work on Old Testament theology, centered on the theme of the covenant, remains a rich and judicious approach.
Writing and Literacy in the World of Ancient Israel:Epigraphic Evidence from the Iron Age
SBL Press eBooks · 2025 · FWCI 209.80 · 194 citations
Ancient Northwest Semitic inscriptions reveal the techniques and roles of writing, education, and literacy in Iron Age Israel and surrounding regions.
Kautilya: Arthashastra
2024 · FWCI 325.28 · 191 citations
The Arthashastra, an ancient Indian treatise attributed to Kautilya, presents statecraft as a practical, amoral science advocating ruthless efficiency, espionage, and assassination for political gain.
Teologi Perjanjian Baru
2022 · 190 citations
This theological study delves into the meaning of the cross from the perspective of the Apostle Paul, a key figure in New Testament theology.
White Evangelical Racism: The Politics of Morality in America
Ethnic and Racial Studies · 2021 · Q1 · FWCI 328.43 · 269 citations
This paper introduces the concept of 'white evangelical racism' as a political framework shaping American morality and policy.
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