About the Journal

Journal Overview

The Journal of Comparative Study of Religions (JCSR) is a peer-reviewed academic journal published by the Department of Comparative Study of Religions, Faculty of Ushuluddin, University of Darussalam Gontor (UNIDA Gontor), Indonesia. The journal provides a scholarly platform for researchers, academics, professionals, practitioners, and students to publish original research and scholarly discussions in the field of comparative religious studies.

JCSR encourages rigorous, critical, and interdisciplinary engagement with religious traditions, beliefs, practices, institutions, and their relationships with contemporary social and cultural developments. The journal welcomes contributions that advance scholarly understanding of religion through comparative, historical, philosophical, sociological, anthropological, theological, and other relevant academic approaches.

Journal title: Journal of Comparative Study of Religions (JCSR)
Online ISSN (e-ISSN): 2775-0760
Print ISSN (p-ISSN): 2776-8457
Publisher: Department of Comparative Study of Religions, Faculty of Ushuluddin, University of Darussalam Gontor, Indonesia
Publication frequency: Two issues per year, published in May and November
Publication language: English, Arabic, and Indonesian
Access model: Open Access

Aims

JCSR aims to facilitate the scholarly study of religions through the publication of original research and critical academic discussions concerning religious traditions, religious thought, and the role of religion in historical and contemporary contexts.

The journal seeks to promote a deeper understanding of religious diversity, interreligious relations, and the complex interactions between religion and society. It welcomes research that contributes to academic debate, develops comparative perspectives, and provides meaningful insights into religious phenomena and their implications for contemporary life.

JCSR is committed to supporting scholarly communication among researchers and practitioners from diverse academic and institutional backgrounds.

Scope

JCSR welcomes original scholarly contributions in comparative religious studies and related interdisciplinary fields, including, but not limited to:

  • Religion and Culture
  • Religion and Society
  • Religion and Technology
  • Religion and Art
  • Religion and Environment
  • Religion and Gender
  • Religion and Health
  • Religion and Linguistics
  • Religion and Literature
  • Religion and Media
  • Religion and Peace
  • Religion and Politics
  • Religious Thought, Ideologies, and Sects
  • Research Methodology in Religious Studies
  • Interfaith and Interreligious Dialogue
  • Phenomenology of Religion
  • Anthropology of Religion
  • Psychology of Religion
  • Philosophy of Religion
  • Sociology of Religion
  • Religious Tolerance
  • Religious Ethics
  • Religious Rituals
  • Theology

Submissions should demonstrate a clear scholarly contribution, engage with relevant academic literature, and employ an appropriate research or analytical approach. Manuscripts must fall within the journal's aims and scope and comply with the journal's author guidelines.

Publication Frequency

JCSR publishes two issues annually, in May and November. Each issue contains scholarly articles that have undergone editorial assessment and peer review in accordance with the journal's publication policies.

The journal's current and previous issues are available through the Archives page.

Peer Review

JCSR applies a double-blind peer-review process in which each manuscript proceeding to external review is evaluated by at least two reviewers. The editor or editor-in-chief conducts the initial screening, evaluates the reviewers' reports, and oversees any required revisions. The final publication decision is determined through the Editorial Board's deliberation, based on the reviewers' recommendations and the editor's assessment. Manuscripts are also screened for potential plagiarism using Turnitin.

Further information is available in the Peer Review Process policy.

Open Access Policy

JCSR provides immediate open access to its published content. Readers can access published articles online without subscription or payment to read the full text.

The journal supports the dissemination of scholarly knowledge by making research available to researchers, students, practitioners, and the wider public. The use and redistribution of published material are subject to the applicable copyright and licensing terms.

For further information, please consult the journal's Copyright Notice.

Publication Ethics and Editorial Policies

JCSR is committed to maintaining academic integrity, responsible research practices, fair editorial decision-making, and transparency throughout the publication process. Authors, editors, reviewers, and the publisher are expected to observe appropriate standards of scholarly conduct.

The journal's editorial policies address authorship, originality and plagiarism, conflicts of interest, peer review, research integrity, and the correction or retraction of published work.

For detailed requirements and procedures, please consult the relevant policies below:

Additional policy pages, including specific policies on plagiarism, authorship criteria, conflicts of interest, allegations of research misconduct, post-publication discussion, and corrections and retractions, will be linked here once they have been established and published on the journal website.

Publication Fees

JCSR does not charge an article submission fee. An article publication fee of IDR 500,000 applies to manuscripts accepted for publication, in accordance with the journal's stated fee policy.

Authors should consult the Publication Fee page for the applicable details.

Publisher and Journal Management

JCSR is published by the Department of Comparative Study of Religions, Faculty of Ushuluddin, University of Darussalam Gontor, Indonesia. The journal is managed by its editorial team, whose members and institutional affiliations are listed on the journal website.

Editorial decisions are intended to be based on scholarly merit, relevance to the journal's scope, peer-review assessments, and applicable editorial policies.

Information about the journal's editors and editorial board is available on the Editorial Team page.

Contact and Submissions

Authors are invited to consult the journal's Author Guidelines before preparing and submitting a manuscript. Manuscripts should be submitted through the journal's online submission system in accordance with the stated requirements.

For submission-related questions and other journal enquiries, please use the contact information provided on the journal website.

We welcome scholarly contributions that advance the comparative study of religions and encourage informed academic dialogue across religious, cultural, and disciplinary boundaries.

Journal History

The Journal of Comparative Study of Religions (JCSR) was first published in 2020, beginning with Volume 1, Number 1. Since its establishment, the journal has continued to develop its publication quality, academic standards, and visibility in scholarly publishing.

2020 — First Publication
JCSR published its inaugural issue, Volume 1, Number 1, marking the beginning of the journal's publication history.

2022 — First SINTA Accreditation
JCSR received its first SINTA accreditation with Rank 4, effective from Volume 3, Number 1 (2022) through Volume 7, Number 2 (2026).

2022 — First DOAJ Application
On 23 August 2022, JCSR submitted its first application to the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). On 31 October 2022, the application was rejected because the journal had not yet met several DOAJ criteria.

2024 — Second DOAJ Application and Acceptance
JCSR submitted its second application to DOAJ on 20 July 2024. On 29 October 2024, the application was reviewed by a DOAJ Associate Editor. On 5 November 2024, JCSR received acceptance into DOAJ, marking an important milestone in the journal's international visibility.

2026 — DOAJ Information Update
On 12 August 2026, DOAJ requested JCSR to update its journal information. JCSR submitted the requested updates on 28 September 2026.

JCSR remains committed to maintaining publication quality, transparency, and good editorial practices while continuously improving its contribution to the academic study of religions.