About the Department
The mission of the Department of Religious Studies is to
discover, explore, and analyze religious experience in its
various manifestations emphasizing the Roman Catholic
tradition, in dialogue with the other Christian traditions and
with the world religions.
Who We
Are:
We are a community of scholars serving the
University, academic and local community by teaching, research,
prophetic criticism, and action. We study religious experience,
expression and thought, with special emphasis on the Roman
Catholic tradition while dialoguing with other Christian
traditions and other world religions. We are committed to
lifelong growth through effective learning in undergraduate
general education, an undergraduate major, M.A. programs in
theological studies and pastoral ministry, and a Ph.D. in
theology centered on the U.S. Catholic experience.
What We Believe:
We believe that
understanding the human condition necessarily involves
understanding religious experience and expression. We believe
that the liberal learning to which the College of Arts and
Sciences is committed requires the study of religion which
opens the imagination to manifestations of the sacred in
multiple cultures and enables critical understanding of its
inculturated expressions. In keeping with the Catholic and
Marianist character of the University, the department is
committed to the education of the whole person so that learning
can be integrated into the daily life, service activities,
faith, and community building.
Our
Competitive Advantages:
Students will find value
in our undergraduate and graduate programs because we:
- Provide information and perspective on religion as a powerful and pervasive element of human life
- Provide an environment which fosters ethical reflection for responsible participation in society
- Provide a strong major centered in Catholic theology; offer sustained faculty-student interaction at all levels
- Enable students to connect academic work with experience through practicums, liaison opportunities with campus ministry, and service-learning options
- Build creative theological work on empirical and historical investigation at the graduate level
