The importance of openness and alternatives

Thus, according to Ninian Smart, “all worldviews are open to question and debate” including “the evolutionary model … we cannot dogmatically assert any one worldview to be established” (Smart 1989:9). Stressing one of his basic educational principles, he argued, “It is I believe a principle of education that you should, where there is doubt, point out alternatives.” (Smart 1989:10). Praising both Gandhi and Popper for their openness Smart argued that what is needed is academic “openness” adding “I count myself a glasnostic” (Smart 1989:10).

Ninian Smart at a conference in Washington, D.C.

This led him to declare “If we wish, therefore, to teach British history creatively, we should emphasize the progress towards openness, criticism and democracy which we have made: and indeed towards internationalism. We do not want to stick to utter tradition, but to find in tradition modern values” (Smart 1989:13).

He wound up his paper by re-asserting his views about the nature of religion, Religious Studies, and its value to society. Then he compared the study of religion to the study of nationalism urging that one enlightened the other. Finally he declared that Religious Studies “is a wonderful subject” and that 60 Lancaster Religious Studies graduates were teaching in universities worldwide.

Eight years later, in 1997, the "Council of Societies for the Study of Religion" published several papers in its "Bulletin" on the relationship between religious studies and theology to which Ninian Smart and his former colleague Eric J. Sharpe contributed. Once again Smart displayed an almost missionary zeal by restating the aims outlined in his inaugural address. Although he made a strong plea for a “multidisciplinary” approach to the study of religion that of necessity involved the interaction of several disciplines he never really fully explained here or elsewhere how he saw this approach working in practice.

At the same time he clearly recognized growing concerns about the development of Religious Studies but failed to address them adequately. Instead he simply restated that “Religious Studies is a field which is aspectual, cross-cultural, multidisciplinary (polymethodic), and non-finite” which he argued is “an important social science and humanities subject” (Smart 1997:68). The closest he came to addressing problems within the field was when stated quite bluntly that “Too much of academe is swayed by propaganda, notably in the humanities and social sciences” and asserted his belief in the importance of “professionalism” (Smart 1987:68).

Bibliography
Smart, Ninian: Religious Studies & Some Contradictions in Mrs. Thatcher’s Policies, Lancaster 1989.

Smart, Ninian: “Religious Studies and Theology”, in: The Council of Societies for the Study of Religion Bulletin, vol. 26, No. 3, 1968, pp. 66-68.

Ninian Smart's exergual lecture at the University of Lancaster

In his exergual lecture Smart restated his vision of Religious Studies as “an approach which is crosscultural, open, empathetic, descriptive, theoretical and critical” (Smart 1989:1). This led him to argue that “Because the study of religion is crosscultural and plural it is transnational” (Smart 1989:3) and this is where it came into conflict with Thatcher’s “strong nationalism” (Smart 1989:1 and 3).

Facing what he clearly saw as barbarians at the gate of higher education Smart offered a defense of education as a good in itself. Education, he argued “is more than a way into usefulness. It involves cultivation of human quests and interests” because, he argued, “direct relevance may tend to be self-defeating” (Smart 1989:4).

Apart from his criticisms of Thatcher’s policies Smart made several asides lamenting the failure of Britain’s “new universities,” which were built in the 1960’s, to live up to their initial promise. All too often they had reverted to old ways and lacked imagination (Smart 1989:4).

A third theme that ran through this speech echoed a tone of disappointment with the way Religious Studies had developed. Smart found it necessary to define what he meant by a secular university.

For him this did not mean a university that promoted, or was built on secularism, rather “Religious Studies is, as I have said, crosscultural. Its scope includes world religions. It is the logical way to explore religion in the secular university. By ‘secular’ here I mean ‘pluralistic.’ It is part of the logic of the university that it should be open to truth” (Smart 1989:6). For Smart this meant that “The liberal cannot shut out non-liberal positions, but should preserve the plural milieu” (Smart 1989:7).

Bibliography
Smart, Ninian, The Principles and Meaning in the Study of Religion, Lancaster, Department of Religious Studies, 1968.

Smart, Ninian: Religious Studies & Some Contradictions in Mrs. Thatcher’s Policies, Lancaster, Department of Religious Studies, 1989.

Ninian Smart's inaugural lecture - launching British Religious Studies

Ninian Smart outlined his basic understanding of Religious Studies in his inaugural lecture The Principles and Meaning in the Study of Religion in 1968.
In this lecture he summarized his views about the teaching of religion in an upbeat manner. Religion, he argued, must be studied in the following ways:

1) Historically
2) Phenomenologically
3) Anthropologically and sociologically
4) Psychologically
5) Philosophically

Then he added that the study of religion must:

1) engage with modern atheistic thought
2) engage other religious traditions and not simply Christianity
(Smart 1968:10-11)

He ended his lecture by arguing that “the pattern of religious studies is determined by an inner logic. This pattern of a pluralistic, structural, ancient and modern study of religions suits all interests (Smart 1968:14)

Twenty-one years later, on 22 June 1989, Ninian Smart delivered his exaugural address shortly before leaving Lancaster to take up a full time position at the University of Santa Barbara. In sharp contrast to his inaugural address Smart’s words were heavy with foreboding.

The title was Religious Studies & some contradictions in Mrs. Thatcher’s policies, summed up his main concern that the educational “reforms” pushed through by Sir Keith Joseph were a step backwards and no reforms at all. The quest for “economic relevance,” he argued was a short term expedient that failed to offer long term solutions to Britain’s future (Smart 1989:1-5).

Bibliography
Smart, Ninian, The Principles and Meaning in the Study of Religion, Lancaster, Department of Religious Studies, 1968.

Smart, Ninian: Religious Studies & Some Contradictions in Mrs. Thatcher’s Policies, Lancaster, Department of Religious Studies, 1989.

Copies of both of Ninian Smart's lectures will soon be available for download from the "Study of Religion" link on the Understanding World Religions Website. The website is linked to this blog. Profesor Smart gave me permission to distribute them years ago well before his tragic death. It can be found at:

http://people.ucalgary.ca/~uwr

More to follow …