Why Study Religion?

Religious Studies courses are some of the most interesting in the university, and we strive together to bring the fascinating complexities of cultures to our students. But why in the world do we need to study religion? The American Academy of Religion has several thoughtful answers to that question. Here's another: Why The World Needs Religious Studies

If you are looking for a major or minor, religious studies allows for considerable flexibility. Even if you have already chosen a major, Religious Studies courses might add a fascinating dimension to your education. You might like our courses so much you take on a second major. We commonly have students double major in Psychology and Religious Studies, Sociology and Religious Studies, Political Science and Religious Studies, English and Religious Studies, and more. Students in Education, Social Work, and various health professions find our courses helpful for increasing their cultural competencies. 

Religious Studies graduates find the skills they acquire highly attractive in a variety of career areas. Our graduates regularly enter the fields of medicine, business, law, communications, public relations, international studies, education, and the helping professions. For more information about our current graduate students, please visit here! 

Our mission is to foster critical understanding of the historical, cultural, and textual dimensions of religion in human societies and cultures. We especially recognize the integral role of religion in issues of race, class, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, and power.

Listen to what our own students have to say about our program!

Listen to what our former Director of Undergraduate Studies has to say!

Dr. Julia Moore on Charlotte's Brooklyn Neighborhood

   March 2, 2023

Please take a moment today to watch Dr. Julia Moore talk about the heartbreaking history of Charlotte's Brooklyn neighborhood on WBTV's On Your Side

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Guarded by Two Jaguars: A Blog Post by the Author

   January 17, 2023

Dr. Hoenes del Pinal published some thoughts on his monograph, Guarded by Two Jaguars: A Catholic Parish Divided by Language and Faith (University of Arizona Press, 2022). Read here

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Dr. Sherman Is Heading to Heidelberg

   January 17, 2023

Dr. William E.B. Sherman has been awarded a fellowship to the ...

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What is E2M?

   January 16, 2023

Dr. Julia Robinson Moore is very busy working on the various facets of her new project, E2M: Equity in Memory and Memorial. 

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Dr. Thiede and The Shiloh Project

   January 9, 2023

The Bible and Violence is a whole lot more than a two-part book; it’s a wide-ranging scholarly endeavor that includes creating intellectual community through workshopping, mentoring, training, and research events. Scholars involved are reading each other's works, meeting and talking through their interests and concerns, and learning directly from one another in a host of different...

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Learn About Material Culture

   January 3, 2023

Dr. Kaloyanides and Dr. Kati Curts's special issue explores four key categories: “Material,” “Economies,” “Religion,” and “America(s).” The ambition of this issue is that the collective inquiries of its 21 authors, which span various interpretive histories and genealogical fragments, can offer...

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Reviews of Dr. Thiede's Monograph

   July 15, 2022

Congratulations to Dr. Barbara Thiede on her recent publication of Male Friendship, Homosociality, and Women in the Hebrew Bible: Malignant Fraternities. Routledge, 2021.

Brief summary:

"Male alliances, partnerships, and friendships are fundamental to the Hebrew Bible. This book offers a detailed and explicit exploration of the ways in which shared...

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