Why Study Religion?

Scholars may disagree about what religion is, and even about whether it can be studied, but few would deny that human societies have always engaged in worship, prayer, and those rituals that mark important life events such as birth and death. Therefore, to understand others - and even to understand ourselves - we need to examine the role that religious beliefs and behaviors play in the lives of individuals and societies.

 

History

We study religion to learn more about all the ways human life (including politics, science, the arts and the economy) is shaped by changing religious concepts such as the sacred, the transcendent, good, evil and God.

 

Community

In studying religious doctrines, rituals, narratives, and scriptures, we gain rich insight into the ways in which communities create, sustain and transform themselves by interpreting and applying their beliefs about those things that transcend the level of daily life.

 

Global Awareness

As citizens in a multicultural world we enjoy unprecedented opportunities to encounter people whose religious beliefs and practices are very different from what we know. Such encounters make it all the more important that we cultivate our ability to understand and interpret what other people do and say.

 

Conflict

When we study religious values, beliefs, and practices we shed light on the sources of some of humankind's most intractable problems. Many study religion in the hope that such knowledge may be a resource in the human quest for peace, justice and compassion.

 

Interdisciplinarity

The academic study of religion draws directly on all of the humanities and social sciences. As a result it invites us to think in a fuller, more integral way about human life.

 

Career

The study of religion teaches one to listen attentively, speak thoughtfully, and write persuasively. These skills are valuable in every profession, especially as they enhance the ability to work effectively in a diverse environment. Students of religion go on to careers in a wide variety of fields including medicine, international business, law, diplomacy, journalism, social service, teaching and the religious ministry.