Michael Stausberg delivered a working paper on 'Reconstruction of Religion as Emancipation and civilisation'

This is a package comprising two draft chapters on Solomon Schechter (1845–1915), Mordecai Kaplan (1881–1983), and Bhimrao Ambedkar (1891–1956). The chapters are part of a book project on “A Global History of Religions in the 20th Century as Serial Biography” (working title). All three figures have transnational biographies. Kaplan and Ambedkar studied at Columbia University at the early 20th Century, where they were exposed to the emerging social sciences. Schechter and Kaplan were mainly educated in religious (Jewish) matters, while Ambedkar took degrees in economics and law. Schechter and Kaplan who had migrated to the USA, sought to overcome the liberal-orthodox divide in Judaism, Schechter by his idea of “Catholicity”, Kaplan by a “reconstruction” of Judaism as a “civilization”. Both were driven by the desire to devise a viable future for Judaism in the modern world as they perceived Judaism to be under threat of extinction. Both are considered founders of new “denominations” in Judaism. As Kaplan introduced changes to Jewish ceremonies he was branded heretic and was excommunicated by an association of orthodox Rabbis shortly after the end of WW2. Ambedkar, who being from a group (“class”; “caste”) reckoned as “untouchables” (now Dalits) had endured discrimination, theorized that this discrimination was an integral part of Hinduism; disintegration would only stop if Hinduism disintegrated. Ambedkar emerged as the political leader of the “untouchables” since the 1930s. In 1935 he announced that he would renounce Hinduism. In 1956, shortly before his death, he, together with five hundred thousand of his followers, in a public ceremony took his refuge to Buddhism. In an extensive comparative study of religions Buddhism had appeared to him as the only religion to satisfy his pragmatic criteria of a good religion. At the same time, Ambedkar “reconstructed” Buddhism and this branch of Buddhism has spread widely among the “oppressed” (Dalits). Kaplan and Ambedkar were severe critics of Judaism and Hinduism respectively. They devised views of religion that renounced supernaturalism and emphasized the necessity of historical change and the pragmatic affordances of religion in terms of constituting collectivities and social order that allow individuals to become fully human.