Mission

Religious Studies is a multi-disciplinary effort to examine the phenomenon known as religion in an impartial, academic manner. Religious Studies scholars compare aspects of the variety of the world’s religions, they ask philosophical questions about the nature of religion, and they explore the relationship between religions and the larger cultural context in which religions are found. Religious Studies teaches students to engage and understand worldviews different from their own. This not only broadens the students’ perspectives, but also provides skills useful in the global context in which we live. As an undergraduate minor, Religious Studies contributes to a student’s grounding in the classical liberal arts. It focuses on clear thinking and writing and teaches students both to ask insightful questions and to see the world through the eyes of others.