Religious Studies
Religious Studies
A gathering of 2012-13 Religious Studies Majors: front row (l-r) Zilu Wang, Christina Bowerman, Emma Kahn, Susannah Montgomery, Jordan Key, Caroline Gormley; back row (l-r) Mone Ackerman, Abigail Rodenfels, Patrick Lai-Fang, Celeste Tannenbaum, Matthew Stouffer, Grace Miller.
Religion in its various forms is an integral part of all societies and cultures, past and present. It continues to shape contemporary politics, global economics, and ethnic identity. Many of the current moral debates in the U.S. (abortion, euthanasia, stem cell research, same-sex marriage, war/peace) are essentially debates over fundamental ways of viewing the world and competing/conflicting systems of value.
The study of religion at Wooster is cross-cultural and international in scope. You will learn about diverse religious traditions as practiced in a variety of cultural settings. Our departmental curriculum allows you to explore the broad dimensions of human religiosity and spiritual experience.Religious Studies is interdisciplinary: meaning that the academic study of religion is best done by incorporating several theoretical perspectives (such as history, art, sociology, theology, science & religion, etc.). This makes the Religious Studies major an excellent choice for any Wooster student with a broad spectrum of diverse but interlocking academic interests.
Religious studies encourages off-campus study travel. These semesters provide a program of courses, reading and travel that emphasize experiential and integrative learning. Also, in conjunction with the Lilly Project, the department sponsors the Seminary Semester program. Students get a semester's work of credit while doing course work and an internship at a seminary or rabbinical school.
The Religious Studies department does not endorse a particular creed or religious position, but does create the context for discussion and study that allows students to explore academic and personal questions about religion and society within the framework of their growing knowledge.
Linda Kuster, class of 2011
Linda Kuster, class of 2011, spent her sophomore summer research internship studying and photographing Asian religious communities in Ohio and PA under the guidance of Religious Studies Department chair, Mark Graham. The banner image was taken in the Light Room of a Hindu temple in Monroeville, PA. The lights are believed to destroy sins and bring wisdom. When a devotee lights one of these candles, the prayer will be transmitted to the gods.