Hughes & McCutcheon/R5M2, 89. Does the academic study of religion deny the existence of god?

The academic study of religion—religious studies (RS)—is in no position to either affirm or deny god’s existence. As a matter of academic constraint, it may not appeal to a god when constructing its theories and forming its descriptions as it has a research role closer to that of the social sciences and less oriented towards the philosophy of religion or theology where such appeals may be made. In a way, this very question suggests some of the complexities of studying religion when there are religions whose very doctrines deny the existence of god—Buddhism, Jainism, certain forms of Judaism, among others.