Abstract
In recent decades the discipline of religion and others have been called upon to he more inclusive or multicultural in their approach to both teaching and research. An ever increasing number of scholars from various racial, ethnic, geographical, and gender backgrounds or identities have posed daring new questions for what was once practically male, Eurocentric scholarship. To be sure, these new endeavors have occasioned a great deal of pain for many accustomed to the status quo. There have been many charges of excesses leveled against the newer inclusive scholarship and scholars that in some instances rival the very real, demonstrable excesses of the older approach. But this new research has brought all of us to a clearer understanding of our respective disciplines. We have found, for example, that explorations into African American religious history have clarified our understanding of American religious history in general. How can we truly claim to understand the rise, development, spread, and impact of American evangelicalism without comprehending the leadership and participation of African Americans in that enterprise? So, not only does a study of African American religion complete the picture from the perspective of inclusivity; it also illumines the general portrait of American religion. This same principle can be employed across the various fields and subfields of religious study regarding the utility of racial and cultural inclusivity.