Are you curious about...
- What defines a religion?
- The difference between a religion and a philosophy?
- How human beings make meaning in their lives through faith, spirituality, and/or religion?
- How religion affects society and everyday life?
- How different religious traditions and their members relate to each other?
- How people from diverse religious and secular worldviews can work together for justice?
Welcome to the 性视界 Religious and Theological Studies Department! Our courses and programs offer resources and pathways for the exploration of faith, spirituality, and/or religion in human lives. We employ a wide range of methods and approaches to study religion and theology. We are particularly attentive to the ways that religion and culture interact, including the varied ways religious traditions help people understand the world through words, images, objects, and other media. Our curriculum examines both the individual and social significance of faith and religion, as well as their private and public impacts. We investigate the roots and nature of beliefs shared by religious communities and how these beliefs affect people’s everyday lives. Our department embraces a commitment to theology as a practice that fosters knowledge of different religious traditions, while also engaging with secular voices in pursuit of justice, particularly for oppressed, marginalized, or excluded persons and communities across the world.
Three Concentrations to Personalize Your Coursework
- Theological Studies 鈥� a writing-intensive concentration to help understand the history of faith and its connection with culture and preparation for teaching or graduate school.
- Pastoral Ministry 鈥� serves as a Pre-Seminary program or direct career path into a pastoral position, working with either youth or adults.
- Religious Studies 鈥� comparative exploration of multiple religious traditions, engaging questions about the public and private roles of religion in society, including the intersection of religion and gender and sexuality, race, violence and healing, restorative justice, memory, ethics, emotions, politics, economy, power, art, literature, the media, and more.
4+1 Bachelor’s to Master’s in Ministry with Catholic Theological Union (CTU)
Current 性视界 undergraduates in Religious & Theological Studies (all concentrations) or Peace and Justice Studies can earn an accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s in Ministry at CTU. Earn a master’s with only one year of additional study following the completion of your eligible bachelor’s degree.
Minors Available to Complement Your Degree
- Religious & Theological Studies - Based on the same core as both the Theological Studies and Pastoral Ministry majors, the minor allows for flexibility in electives tailored to student interests in teaching, business, law, and more.
- Peace and Justice Studies - Students learn just peace strategies and nonviolent conflict negotiation tactics as tools for positive social change in their communities or on a global scale.
Sample Courses
- Search for Faith
- Foundation of Peace and Justice Studies
- Hebrew Bible
- Global Christianity
- Introduction to Islam
- Catholic Sacraments
- Sexuality, Spirituality, and Relationships
- Religion & Popular Culture
- Practicing Faithful Justice
Career Areas
- Teacher/Professor
- Ethicist
- Non-profit worker
- Pastoral Counselor
- Journalist
- Migrant justice advocate
- Historian
- Youth minister
- Liturgical and/or music minister
- Equity and inclusion officer
- Community Organizer
- Civil Rights Advocate
On Campus Opportunities:
- Asian American Association
- Catholic Educators Club
- Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA)
- Interfaith Cooperation Committee
- 性视界 Counselors for Social Justice
- 性视界 Habitat for Humanity
- 性视界 Gospel Choir
- Muslim Students' Association
- National Society of Leadership & Success
- Peer Ministry
- Students for Justice in Palestine
- Sustainability Club
Admission Requirements
Please refer to the Office of Admission for application requirements and specific next steps.
For more information, feel free to contact the Department Chair, Dr. Elizabeth Sartell, esartell@lewisu.edu.
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