Leisure Studies and Christian Scholarship: Two Solitudes?

This paper examines the interrelationships between scholarly Christian writings on leisure and leisure studies literature. As an academic field of study leisure studies is a fairly recent development, however throughout Christian history leisure has been considered by Christians such as Augustine, Aquinas, Luther and Calvin. A number of observations can be made from a review of these two bodies of literature. First, although numerous books have been written in recent decades by Christian scholars on the subject of leisure, very few of these scholars have been leisure studies scholars, and in most cases, these Christian writings have not made reference to some concepts prevalent in leisure studies literature (e.g., leisure as a state of mind, feminist perspectives, serious leisure). Second, with a few exceptions, leisure studies literature rarely references these Christian writings on leisure. Third, leisure studies literature sometimes takes biblical verses out of context and portrays the leisure attitudes and behaviours of some Christian groups such as the Puritans in an overly negative manner. Fourth, the recent interest within the leisure studies field of the relationship between leisure and spirituality offers the possibility of some convergence between the two bodies of literature, although the leisure studies literature tends to favour a more humanistic view of spirituality. In particular, qualitative research studies on leisure and spirituality give a voice to Christian perspectives as expressed through the words of Christian participants. Introduction A number of years ago, in a discussion of leisure research, Shaw (2000) raised the question, “if our research is relevant, why is nobody listening?” She referred to a study conducted by Samdahl and Kelly (1999) that involved a citation analysis of two journals: the Journal of Leisure Research and Leisure Sciences. Based on the distribution of studies cited in these leisure journals and the degree to which papers in these journals were cited by publications beyond the leisure studies field, Samdahl and Kelly concluded that leisure research is intellectually isolated from related and important research in other disciplines. As an academic field of study leisure studies is a fairly recent development that emerged in the Twentieth Century (Henderson, 2016) however, throughout Christian history leisure has been considered by Christians such as Augustine, Aquinas, Luther and Calvin. The purpose of this paper, with a much narrower focus than Samdahl and Kelly’s study, is to examine the interrelationships between scholarly Christian writings on leisure and leisure studies literature. Are Christian writings on leisure intellectually isolated from research and literature published in the leisure studies field? In other words, do these two bodies of literature exist as two solitudes? This question will be examined through the consideration of four topics. First, do Christian scholarly writings on leisure reflect and make reference to concepts and theories prevalent in current leisure studies literature? Second, does current leisure studies literature reference Christian writings on leisure? Third, when leisure studies literature references Christian writings on leisure how are biblical texts and Christian groups portrayed? Fourth, does the recent interest within the leisure studies field of the relationship between leisure and spirituality facilitate a bridge between these two bodies of literature? Answers to these questions may help Christian leisure scholars identify: leisure studies concepts and theories that need to be reflected on from a Christian Heintzman: Leisure Studies and Christian Scholarship: Two Solitudes?