bennett says that his published work reflects interest in a number of theoretical issues in religious studies as well as in teaching and learning. these include the insider-outsider problematic, the relationship between theology, religious studies and the study of culture, the issue of objectivity, how colonial and neo-colonial attitudes influence the study of religions and post-modern approaches to textual interpretation. he acknowledges the influence of edward said, clifford geertz and wilfred cantwell smith as well as bishop kenneth cragg, among others. according to ahmad schaffat, bennett "repeatedly shows concerns about how conclusions are influenced by our assumptions and backgrounds and gives some thought to the ways of avoiding this influence". bennett "defines his approach in terms of edward said's criticism of orientalism and cantwell smith's way of avoiding that type of criticism" so that even when he "describes at length some very hostile views of christian writers on islam and its prophet he either counters them by muslim understanding or his own more favorable opinion."