Welcome to Religious Studies

Religion is an age-old phenomenon. Religious Studies is not.

Founded in the past century, the field of religious studies endeavors to better understand religion by means of modern academic approaches. Philosophical questions are considered, such as are all mystical experiences in essence the same, and can we reconcile evil with the existence of god(s)? But the field also asks anthropological, sociological, political, literary, and historical questions: How have the beliefs and practices of Shinto shaped the modern Japanese corporation? Why did first-century Gnostic Christianity lose out to what we would eventually come to know as Christian Orthodoxy? What is the meaning of the "Epic of Gilgamesh"? Who was the Buddha?

To learn about the Department of Religious Studies, explore the following pages and come visit us on the 11th floor of 34 Peachtree Street.