Majority Science Journal
Vol. 4 No. 3 (2026): MSJ - August

Sacred Presence and Lived Religion: Robert Orsi's Methodological Contribution to Contemporary Religious Studies and Islamic Studies

Elmi Hamidah Sully (UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung)
Chaima Hammami (UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung)
Nawawi Bahar Arifuddin (UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung)
Dody S. Truna (UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung)
Rifki Rosyad (UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung)



Article Info

Publish Date
29 Aug 2026

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.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

msj

Publisher

Subject

Humanities Decision Sciences, Operations Research & Management Economics, Econometrics & Finance Education Law, Crime, Criminology & Criminal Justice

Description

MSJ : Majority Science Journal is a scientific journal that is published periodically every 3 months which contains various scientific articles as a result of research. MJS is a multidisciplinary journal published by PT Hafasy Dwi Nawasena in collaboration with several lecturers to contribute to ...