MENYOAL HAKIKAT AGAMA DAN FONDASI EPISTEMOLOGIS RELIGIOUS STUDIES, TELAAH KRITIS ATAS PEMIKIRAN WALTER H. CAPPS

Abstract

This article critically reviews Chapter One, “The Essence of Religion,” from Walter H. Capps’ Religious Studies: The Making of a Discipline (1995). The chapter addresses a central epistemological problem in the formation of Religious Studies: the persistent attempt to define the “essence of religion.” Using a historical–conceptual approach, Capps demonstrates that such definitions are not neutral or universal but deeply embedded in Western intellectual and theological traditions. This article argues that Capps’ critique of essentialism provides a crucial foundation for contemporary Religious Studies, particularly in plural and postcolonial contexts such as Indonesia. By situating Capps’ argument within Indonesian religious diversity, this study highlights the relevance of post-essentialist and interpretive approaches for developing a more inclusive and reflexive study of religion

Artikel ini mereviu secara kritis Bab I “The Essence of Religion” dari buku Walter H. Capps, Religious Studies: The Making of a Discipline (1995). Bab ini membahas problem epistemologis mendasar dalam pembentukan Studi Agama sebagai disiplin akademik, yakni kecenderungan untuk mencari “hakikat agama.” Melalui pendekatan historis-konseptual, Capps menunjukkan bahwa berbagai definisi agama tidak pernah netral atau universal, melainkan berakar kuat pada tradisi intelektual dan teologis Barat. Artikel ini berargumen bahwa kritik Capps terhadap esensialisme sangat relevan bagi pengembangan Studi Agama kontemporer, khususnya dalam konteks masyarakat plural dan pascakolonial seperti Indonesia. Dengan demikian, pemikiran Capps membuka ruang bagi pendekatan interpretatif dan non-esensialis dalam studi agama di Indonesia.