Department for the Study of Religion
Our Mission
- Introduce the methodologies of religious studies as an academic discipline
- Advance the profession of religious studies through a commitment to scholarly research, publication, interpretation, and discussion
- Cultivate an understanding of religious pluralism, including non-religious perspectives, in order to create global citizens in a religiously diverse world, and
- Promote informed public dialogue about religion and its influence on society and culture.
Why major in religious studies?
The academic study of religion is central to the creation of a community of world citizens. Our program is designed for students who live in a pluralistic society and who wish to investigate the role religions play in human life and society. Because religion has contributed to the human story of almost every culture, it is difficult to understand human behavior or to interpret world events without grasping how religion has helped to shape them. Read more about the major.
Announcements
Congratulations to Dr. Rebecca Bartel on her recent publications:
"The Revolution is Religious: Religion, Peace, and New Publics in Colombia," with Katerine Duque Duque. Journal of Religion & Society Supplement 25 (2024), 137-58.
"‘The University has a Political Responsibility’: Engaged Scholarship and Building Peace in Colombia." Journal for the Study of Religion, Nature and Culture (2024).
"Revisited: Underestimating the force of the New Evangelicals in the public sphere." The Immanent Frame (5/6/2024).
We are pleased to announce Liren Gonzalez as this year’s Outstanding Graduating Senior in Religious Studies. Esra Tunc, assistant professor for the Study of Religion, is Liren's Most Influential Faculty Member.
Congratulations to you both!
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