History of Journal
Religious · About the Journal
Journal History
Religious: Jurnal Studi Agama-agama dan Lintas Budaya [Journal of Religious and Cross-cultural Studies] was established to advance scholarship on religion and socio-cultural life. Its development reflects a continuing commitment to interdisciplinary inquiry, scholarly exchange, and international engagement.
The journal is published by the Department of Religious Studies, Faculty of Ushuluddin, UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung, Indonesia, in collaboration with ASAI: Asosiasi Studi Agama Indonesia.
On this page
1. Establishment and Early Publication
The journal was registered with ISSN 2528-7249 (electronic) and ISSN 2528-7230 (print) on 29 August 2016. Its publication archive begins with Volume 1, Number 1 (2016).
Initially established with a twice-yearly publication schedule, Religious provided a forum for examining religious traditions, interfaith relations, and the intersections of religion, culture, and society. Double-blind peer review formed part of its approach to scholarly assessment.
The early volumes established the journal’s interdisciplinary orientation and its engagement with religious and socio-cultural questions in Indonesia and beyond.
2. Development of Publication Practices
During its early development, the journal’s issue numbering and publication frequency underwent a transition. Volume 4 spans issues labelled 2019 and 2020 and includes four numbered issues. From Volume 5 (2021), the archive records a regular pattern of three issues per annual volume.
The journal’s regular publication schedule is April, August, and December. Scheduled publication months and actual release dates are distinct; the latter are recorded on the relevant issue and article pages.
In 2020, the journal introduced an online-first approach intended to make accepted articles available ahead of a completed issue, following the necessary editorial and production preparation.
Current arrangements for publication scheduling are described on the Publication Schedule page. Historical issues remain accessible through the Journal Archives.
3. International Scholarly Engagement
The journal’s recent volumes document contributions from scholars affiliated with institutions across Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas, and Oceania. These contributions connect locally grounded research with comparative and international debates.
Topics represented in the journal include religious pluralism, indigenous traditions, gender, ecological concerns, digital religion, political life, cultural memory, and interreligious relations.
By 2026, the journal had reached Volume 10. Volume 10, Number 2, published on 30 September 2026, included seven original research articles with author affiliations in Thailand, Indonesia, Pakistan, Nigeria, Israel, and Malaysia.
The issue also included the editorial note “How Religion Becomes Public: Identity, Authority, Governance, and Cultural Memory,” connecting the articles through a shared question about religion’s presence in public life.
4. Scopus Milestones
In 2026, the journal announced three distinct stages in its inclusion in Scopus: acceptance for coverage, the commencement of article indexing, and the availability of its source profile and indexed articles.
| Announcement date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 19 April 2026 | The journal announced its acceptance for Scopus coverage following notification from the Scopus Title Evaluation Team. |
| 21 July 2026 | The journal announced that article indexing had begun and was progressing in stages. |
| 7 August 2026 | The journal announced that its source profile and indexed articles were available and searchable in Scopus. |
The journal’s Scopus profile is available under Source ID 21101456000: View Scopus Source Profile.
The dates above refer to public announcements and should not be interpreted as the coverage start date for every article. The source profile and individual records identify the content indexed. Further details are available on the Announcements page.
5. Continuing Development
Religious continues to develop as an interdisciplinary forum for religious and cross-cultural studies, with particular attention to Southeast Asia and the Global South.
Its continuing priorities include transparent editorial procedures, responsible research and publication practices, international scholarly participation, and accessible dissemination of research.
Long-term digital preservation is provided through the PKP Preservation Network (PKP PN), as described in the Electronic Archiving policy.
Current information about the journal’s scope, editorial membership, and indexing services is maintained on the Focus and Scope, Editorial Team, and Indexing pages.