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Platformized Religiosity in Digital Games: A Critical Review of Roblox Muhibudin Wijaya Laksana; Dody S. Truna; Roro Sri Rejeki Waluyajati
Jurnal Penelitian Agama Vol. 27 No. 1 (2026)
Publisher : LPPM UIN Saizu Purwokerto

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.24090/jpa.v27i1.2026.pp1-18

Abstract

This article explores how religiosity is expressed, negotiated, and commodified within digital spaces, focusing on the case of Roblox as a manifestation of the platform society. Using a critical-theoretical approach, it integrates Jürgen Habermas’s (1984) theory of communicative rationality, Nick Srnicek’s (2017) concept of platform capitalism, and a critique of Heidi A. Campbell’s (2012) notion of digital religion, further expanded through José van Dijck, Thomas Poell, and Martijn de Waal’s (2018) framework of the platform society. The analysis reveals that the expression, negotiation, and commodification of religiosity in digital environments represent a dialectical tension between communicative action and systemic rationality, where faith is mediated, structured, and governed by the technological and economic logic of platforms. Roblox functions as a microcosm of digital society, demonstrating how faith simultaneously thrives and is constrained under algorithmic control and data capitalism. The article contributes to religion and media studies by proposing the concept of platformized religiosity, a form of faith lived under algorithmic governance that nonetheless retains its reflective and emancipatory potential in modern digital life.
RACE, RELIGION, AND THE MORAL OF WHITENESS: A POSTCOLONIAL READING OF NADINE GORDIMER’S COUNTRY LOVERS Dian Nurrachman; Dody S. Truna; Ilim Abdul Halim; Mohammad Ziaul Haq
Saksama: Jurnal Sastra Vol. 4 No. 2 (2025): Saksama
Publisher : Fakultas Adab dan Humaniora UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.15575/sksm.v4i2.52685

Abstract

This article examines Nadine Gordimer’s Country Lovers through an integrated framework drawn from postcolonial criticism, critical race theory, and the genealogy of religion. It argues that Gordimer’s short story offers a concentrated narrative archive of how race and religion function as co-constitutive systems of colonial power. Using a mimetic method of literary criticism, the study treats the narrative as a representational site where social, legal, and moral structures of apartheid South Africa are reproduced and contested. The analysis is grounded in the contemporary understanding of race as a sociohistorical construct whose apparent naturalness conceals political and institutional production. The study also draws on Talal Asad’s formulation of religion as a historically contingent category shaped by European intellectual and colonial histories, as well as Malory Nye’s and Theodore Vial’s arguments that race and religion are inseparable “conjoined twins” of modernity. Within this theoretical constellation, Country Lovers emerges as a text that discloses how Christian-inflected moral orders and secular legal practices jointly uphold racial hierarchies. Close readings of key narrative scenes—Paulus and Thebedi’s secret encounters, the description of the mixed-race infant, the court proceedings, and Thebedi’s coerced silence—demonstrate the ways in which whiteness operates as moral purity while blackness is aligned with sin, transgression, and disposability. By analyzing these narrative elements as mimetic representations of structural power, the article argues that Gordimer’s work illuminates the afterlives of colonial religio-racial discourse in modernity. Ultimately, the study contends that Country Lovers not only critiques apartheid but also exposes the deeper moral and epistemic architectures through which colonialism continues to shape postcolonial consciousness. The article contributes to broader scholarly conversations about decolonization by foregrounding literature as a site where racialized religious imaginaries are produced, contested, and potentially transformed.
DINAMIKA MEDITASI DALAM ISLAM Rojaya Rojaya; Dody S Truna
Studia Sosia Religia Vol 9, No 2 (2026)
Publisher : UIN Sumatera Utara Medan

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.51900/ssr.v9i2.31227

Abstract

According to Joachim Wach, religious experience has three forms of expression: thought, action, and fellowship. These experiences, both personal and collective, are dynamic in the sense that they can change, influenced by both psychological and sociological conditions. This research uses a document study method. The existing documents were studied through document content analysis. The results show that meditation in Islam, as a form of religious experience, has undergone changes. This is evident in prayer, seclusion, dhikr, and tilawah.
DARI TEOLOGI KE MASALAH SOSIAL: RELEVANSI GAGASAN ’RELIGIOUS PROBLEMS’ IVAN STRENSKI BAGI ANALISIS KONFLIK DAN PENGEMBANGAN MASYARAKAT Muhibuddin; Dody S. Truna; Rifki Rosyad
Lembaran Masyarakat: Jurnal Pengembangan Masyarakat Islam Vol. 11 No. 2 (2025): Juli-Desember 2025
Publisher : Department of Islamic Community Development, Faculty of Da'wah, State Islamic University (UIN) of Sultan Maulana Hasanuddin Banten

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.32678/lbrmasy.v11i2.12585

Abstract

This article critically examines Ivan Strenski’s work “The Proper Object of the Study of Religion: Why It Is Better to Know Some of the Questions Than All of the Answers”, which positions “problems of religion” as the epistemological foundation of religious studies. Using a qualitative approach through library research, this study analyzes Strenski’s argument that religious inquiry should focus on fundamental questions emerging from religious phenomena, rather than defining what religion is. The analysis reveals that Strenski successfully offers an important epistemological repositioning for religious studies to remain scientific while avoiding both theologization and cultural reductionism. However, his concept remains normative and lacks an operational methodology for empirical application. This review highlights the significance of Strenski’s ideas in enriching the epistemological discourse of religious studies and underscores the need for a more concrete methodological framework to implement his theoretical propositions.
REVIEW KRITIS TERHADAP “THE FUTURE OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES” DAN RELEVANSINYA BAGI STUDI AGAMA DI INDONESIA Nana Supiana; Dody S. Truna; Rifki Rosyad
Lembaran Masyarakat: Jurnal Pengembangan Masyarakat Islam Vol. 11 No. 2 (2025): Juli-Desember 2025
Publisher : Department of Islamic Community Development, Faculty of Da'wah, State Islamic University (UIN) of Sultan Maulana Hasanuddin Banten

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar

Abstract

This article critically reviews The Future of Religious Studies, which reflects on the historical evolution and methodological transformation of religious studies from modernity to postmodernity. Using a qualitative approach through literature review, the study analyzes how the text challenges the dominance of Western rationality and promotes an interdisciplinary paradigm that integrates theology, philosophy, and the social sciences. The discussion highlights the transition from essentialism to methodological pluralism, emphasizing religion as a dynamic and contextual phenomenon. The review argues that the future of religious studies lies in its ability to remain reflective, humanistic, and socially transformative. In the Indonesian context, this perspective provides a valuable framework for developing a contextual and dialogical approach to studying religion amid pluralism, digitalization, and socio-political change.
The Performative Power of the Quran: A Phenomenological Study of I'jaz Ta'thiri in Ruqyah Shar'iyyah Practices in Bandung, West Java M. Dewangga Widhia; Muhtar Solihin; Dody S. Truna; Jajang A. Rohmana
International Journal of Nusantara Islam Vol 13 No 2 (2025): International Journal of Nusantara Islam
Publisher : UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.15575/ijni.v13i2.54121

Abstract

This study investigates I'jaz Ta'thiri, understood as the miraculous or transformative influence of the Qur’an, within the perspective of the Living Quran, particularly through the subjective experiences of patients undergoing Ruqyah Shar'iyyah in Bandung, West Java. Employing a qualitative research design and phenomenological approach, the study explores how individuals from different social and professional backgrounds—including musicians, academics, and housewives—experience and interpret the Qur’an during ruqyah practices. Data were obtained through in-depth interviews and analyzed to identify patterns in participants’ experiences and meanings. The research demonstrates that the Qur’an is perceived not only as a sacred text to be read and understood but also as a performative force that operates within embodied, psychological, and spiritual experiences. Three principal dimensions of its influence were identified. First, somatic resonance refers to bodily responses experienced by participants, including sensations and perceived physical healing that occurred without direct medical intervention. Second, metaphysical visualization describes intense inner experiences, such as memories or flashbacks related to past sins and symbolic visions of Nur (divine light), which participants associated with their spiritual condition. Third, psychospiritual transformation reflects profound changes in emotional and spiritual states, particularly the movement from anxiety, fear, and inner unrest toward tranquility and Sakinah. These findings indicate that Ruqyah Shar'iyyah practices in Bandung provide a significant example of the Living Quran, in which Qur’anic verses become dynamically integrated into lived religious experiences. The Qur’an consequently functions as an active source of physical, psychological, and spiritual transformation, demonstrating how its meaning and power are continuously constructed through embodied religious practice and individual experience.
Sacred Presence and Lived Religion: Robert Orsi's Methodological Contribution to Contemporary Religious Studies and Islamic Studies Elmi Hamidah Sully; Chaima Hammami; Nawawi Bahar Arifuddin; Dody S. Truna; Rifki Rosyad
MSJ : Majority Science Journal Vol. 4 No. 3 (2026): MSJ - August
Publisher : PT. Hafasy Dwi Nawasena

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.61942/msj.v4i3.626

Abstract

The lived religion paradigm has significantly transformed contemporary religious studies by shifting scholarly attention from religious doctrines and institutions toward the everyday experiences through which believers understand, negotiate, and embody their faith. Among the leading scholars within this tradition, Robert A. Orsi has made a distinctive contribution through his concept of sacred presence, which understands religion as a network of relationships between human beings and sacred realities actively experienced in everyday life. This article examines Orsi's concept of sacred presence within the broader development of lived religion scholarship and explores its methodological relevance for contemporary Islamic studies. Employing a qualitative library research method, the study analyzes Orsi's Between Heaven and Earth alongside major works on lived religion, material religion, digital religion, and contemporary Islamic studies. The analysis demonstrates that sacred presence extends the lived religion paradigm by providing an interpretive framework capable of explaining how believers experience the sacred through relationships, memory, ritual, material culture, and ordinary social practices. Furthermore, the article argues that Orsi's framework offers valuable methodological contributions to Islamic studies by complementing conventional textual, legal, and theological approaches with greater attention to lived religious experience. Rather than replacing established Islamic disciplines, sacred presence broadens their analytical scope by illuminating how Muslims encounter, interpret, and embody religious meaning within diverse social, cultural, and digital contexts. The study concludes that Orsi's concept of sacred presence constitutes a productive methodological framework that enriches both contemporary religious studies and the ongoing development of interdisciplinary approaches within Islamic studies.
Gendered Spiritualities in the Perspective of Meredith B. McGuire: A Sociology of Religion Analysis of Everyday Religious Practice Ai Siti Nurmiati; Tetep Abdulatip; Dody S. Truna; Rifki Rosyad
MSJ : Majority Science Journal Vol. 4 No. 3 (2026): MSJ - August
Publisher : PT. Hafasy Dwi Nawasena

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.61942/msj.v4i3.628

Abstract

This article examines the concept of gendered spiritualities proposed by Meredith B. McGuire in her work Lived Religion: Faith and Practice in Everyday Life. Using a literature-based approach and descriptive-critical analysis within the framework of the sociology of religion, this study finds that McGuire emphasizes that spirituality is not neutral, but is shaped by gender construction, embodiment, and the everyday practices of individuals. This concept serves as a critique of approaches to religion that are overly oriented toward institutions and formal doctrine. Furthermore, this article shows that McGuire's approach has relevance to the Indonesian context, particularly in understanding gender-based religious practices that are lived out in the daily lives of believers. Nevertheless, this concept also has limitations, particularly with regard to generalization and the lack of an intersectional approach.
A Critical Analysis of Clifford Geertz's Thought in Religion as a Cultural System Tatan Setiawan; Abdul Hanan; Dody S. Truna; Rifki Rosyad
MSJ : Majority Science Journal Vol. 4 No. 3 (2026): MSJ - August
Publisher : PT. Hafasy Dwi Nawasena

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.61942/msj.v4i3.635

Abstract

This paper offers a critical analysis of Clifford Geertz's seminal essay Religion as a Cultural System (1966), which introduced an interpretive paradigm into the study of religion. Geertz defines religion as a system of symbols that shapes durable moods and motivations in human beings by formulating conceptions of a general order of existence and clothing these conceptions with an aura of factuality, thereby linking a religious worldview to a religious ethos. This analysis argues that Geertz's theory constitutes a major turning point in the anthropology of religion by placing meaning, rather than social function or psychological need, at the centre of religious phenomena. At the same time, the theory has been criticised for being overly descriptive, for neglecting questions of power, and for paying insufficient attention to historical change. The paper concludes that Geertz's interpretive approach remains valuable for understanding religion as a cultural system, particularly when read alongside contemporary critical perspectives on power, history, and discourse
The Concept of Lived Religion in Living Faith: Everyday Religion and Mothers in Poverty by Susan Crawford Sullivan Tatan Setiawan; Abdul Hanan; Dody S. Truna; Rifki Rosyad
MSJ : Majority Science Journal Vol. 4 No. 3 (2026): MSJ - August
Publisher : PT. Hafasy Dwi Nawasena

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.61942/msj.v4i3.636

Abstract

This article examines the concept of “lived religion” as developed in Susan Crawford Sullivan’s Living Faith: Everyday Religion and Mothers in Poverty. The study focuses on how religion is practiced in the everyday lives of low-income mothers in the United States. Drawing on Sullivan’s qualitative-ethnographic study, the article shows that religion for these women does not depend primarily on institutional participation but is sustained instead through personal, flexible, and context-sensitive practice. The article analyzes Sullivan’s principal findings and assesses her contribution to the sociology of religion, arguing that religion functions simultaneously as a coping mechanism, a source of meaning, and a resource for moral negotiation under conditions of structural constraint. The discussion closes by considering the concept’s relevance for contemporary religious studies more broadly, including its potential application to Islam as a discursive tradition.
Co-Authors Abdul Hanan Abdul Syukur Ach Hakiki Ahmad Ali Nurdin Ahmad Deni Rustandi Ahmad, Ikhsan Ai Siti Nurmiati Al-Fikri, Muchsin Albustomi, Ahmad Gibson Ana Lustiyowati Andini, Andini Anisa Nurhasanah Arifuddin, Nawawi Bahar Asep Muhyidin Asep Muhyidin Asep Saeful Muhtadi, Asep Saeful Asep Supriadin, Asep Awangga, Panji Guniwa Aria Busro, B. Chaima Hammami Dadang Kahmad Dede Rodin Dian Nurrachman, Dian Elmi Hamidah Sully Erita Riski Putri Erus Effendi, Erus Faishal Dhia Pratama Faradiba Hasni Pitaloka Fatkhuri, Fatkhuri Fauza Zahrotul Aini Fayumi Hasan Ghofar Taufik Hakiki, Ach Halim, Syaiful Hannah, Neng Hendri Waluyo Lensa Hidayat, Dede Ilim Abdul Halim Indah Rahmawati Jajang A Rohmana Luthfil Aziman M. Dewangga Widhia Marlida, Siti Marzal, Novrizon Mimbar, Asep Saeful Mochamad Ziaul Haq Mohammad Rofiqul A’la Mohammad Ziaul Haq Muhamad Azhan Azhari Muhamad Fadjr Lionel Ferdinand Muhammad Dimas Anugrah Muhammad Jamil Muhibuddin Muhibudin Wijaya Laksana Munir Munir Najihah, Bannan Naelin Nana Supiana Napilah, Paridah Nawawi Bahar Arifuddin Nurwadjah Ahmad Pratama, Faishal Dhia Qoriah A. Siregar Qurotul Aeni Raden Rezeki Alam Rahman, Mohammad Taufiq Rahmat, Efendi Rifki Rosyad Rojaya Rojaya Rosihon Anwar, Rosihon Rosyad, Rifki Setia, Paelani Siswanto, Mikael Adi Solihin, Muhtar Sully, Elmi Hamidah Susanti Vera Tatan Setiawan Tetep Abdulatip Tukma Triputri Daulay Wahyudin Darmalaksana Waliyajati, Roro Sri Rejeki Waluyajati, Roro Sri Rejeki Wibisono, Muhammad Yusuf Yuana Ryan Tresna Yunus, Ruslan Moh. Zakaria, Tatang