A journal of faith: USU student publication explores various religions

LOGAN — The academic study of religion has been a long time coming in the Beehive State, but the religious studies program at Utah State University is now home to its own scholarly journal on the topic — founded not by professors, but by students.

The first issue of the Intermountain West Journal of Religious Studies became available online last fall, offering undergrads and graduate students pursuing the academic study of religion a place not only to publish, but to have their work reviewed by a diverse group of religious scholars.

Though the move may seem benign to those outside the discipline, it's a testament to the determination of students — and faculty — who are excited to view religion beyond the lens of their own faith tradition.

As a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Christopher Blythe is so comfortable with his own faith — and with all others — that he's gone beyond simply taking classes in comparative religion. He and co-editor Jay Burton, also a Latter-day Saint, started the journal with help from Charles Prebish, a Buddhist scholar who oversees the school's religious studies program.

Prebish was the perfect mentor, Blythe said, because he started an online academic journal in 1994 with a colleague at the University of London: The Journal of Buddhist Ethics.

"People laughed at us and said no one would be interested," Prebish recalls. "Now, 15 years later, it's become the prototype of peer-reviewed online journals in religious studies. We've held three online conferences," with scholarly participants from dozens of nations.

Prebish is delighted with the new journal and the editorial review board that Blythe and Burton were able to assemble, despite Utah's reputation as being somewhat averse to the academic study of religion. "I think it's the first student-run religious studies journal in the country."

Prebish said the journal's "design, logic and rationale is very clear cut to people who would read and or consider submitting. I think they've done a really professional job. As they gain more experience doing it, things will get even better." Faculty members have created an editorial internship within the religious studies program to perpetuate its publication once the founders graduate and move on, he said. "It's building itself into an ongoing presence."

A program in religious studies had been discussed for at least two decades within Utah academic circles, but until Prebish arrived at USU three years ago to head up the program in Logan, the idea had only been manifest in fits and starts, in part due to political forces concerned about potential anti-Mormon sentiment.