Episode 2: Prof. Mills from Religious Study Department

To continue its “Focus on Faculty” project, the Gould Center held an inspiring interview with Post-Doctoral Fellow Troy Mills, who is currently a visiting professor of religious studies at CMC. Professor Mills’ area of expertise is 20th-century and contemporary African-American religious history and African diaspora religions in the Caribbean region. The “Focus on Faculty” project team hopes that this interview provides CMC students with greater insight into Professor Mills’ thoughts on the impact of religious studies on people’s perspectives and interactions. 

To provide the audience with greater context of his interest in religious studies, Mills explained that he grew up in a religious household and has always been interested in the power of religion. While he had studied engineering and public health earlier in his academic career, he eventually pursued religious studies because it was the perfect opportunity for him to align with something he was deeply interested in with his career aspirations.

The interview continued with an informative discussion about Professor Mills’ research about African-Americans in the Church of Latter-Day Saints. When asked about the significance of this research topic, Professor Mills said that the history of the Church of Latter-Day Saints is a “great micro-history of race and religion.” He explained that the early leaders of the Church believed in the separation of races and thus, created policies that prevented the integration of black people into the Church and prohibited interracial marriage within the Church.

Professor Mills developed an interest in examining the intersection of race and religion in this historical example because he wants to create a narrative about how black members of the Church “make space for themselves in a community that…has done little to repair [its history of racism].” He also wants to shed light on how black members of the Church are using various forms of media to speak out against the Church’s continued legacy of racial division. 

Professor Mills’ discussion about his academic work nicely shifted into one about his perspective on the distinction between political science and religious studies. He expressed that while the field of political science tends to “focus on political rhetoric and policies and how they are shaped by race,” the field of religious studies aims to explore how personal beliefs rooted in race can “contribute to community and identity formation.” He argued that this distinction is important to make because religion has served and continues to serve as a unique tool to advocate for the inclusion of black people in society. 

When asked about his thoughts on the importance of religious studies, especially on campuses where the fields of economics and government seem to garner more attention, he responded by saying that religious beliefs and practices are “some of the building blocks of how we perceive ourselves and how others perceive us.” Because these perceptions influence our interactions with others, it is very important for us to understand the motivations, which can be influenced by religion, behind these perceptions. Professor Mills added that a true appreciation for religious beliefs and practices “removes the sense of otherness that we might see in others” and “helps us to interact in a meaningful way.” I greatly appreciate Professor Mills’ comments on the importance of religious studies because they reveal that learning more about different religions allows for a more inclusive community. Even in the context of conversations about “hot-button” issues that are rooted in religion such as abortion rights, a clear understanding of different religious beliefs and practices can enable both sides of these issues to engage in respectful, open-minded discourse. 

Professor Mills concluded the interview with advice for all students: “Your college experience offers you a unique opportunity to interact with different backgrounds and identities…Expose yourself to new ideas and whether you adopt these ideas or not, at least understand why people have these ideas and be respectful towards them.”