How is it taught

 

Courses in the Religion department approach the subject in a variety of ways--comparative, descriptive, historical, and phenomenological. The members of the department employ diverse perspectives from many disciplines, including sociology, anthropology, philosophy, history, and psychology.

The purpose of a religion course is not to convert you or convince you that some views are true and others are not. Rather, courses attempt to understand what religion is, its history, and the forms it has taken.

All religions are taken seriously, yet no single one is presented as absolute or beyond critical analysis. We aim to acquaint you with the richness and diversity of religious traditions. We approach religion with imaginative openness, at once empathetic, analytical, and critical.

As religion is multi-dimensional, so is its study. In religion courses we study rituals, symbols, myths, creeds, doctrines, systematic thought, sacred literature, institutions, social and political views, art, and music.

Among the themes developed in religion department courses are the historical and cultural contexts of religious traditions; the background and interpretation of the Bible; the characteristics that distinguish one religion from another; the general patterns and beliefs shared by many religions; and the complex interplay of culture, tradition, experience, and thought which shapes religion.