The Department of Theology and Religious Studies is committed to a rigorous presentation of the methods and content of both the scholarly study of Christian Theology and the academic discipline of Religious Studies. We view these combined disciplines as an important component within the liberal arts curriculum of a Roman Catholic university in the Jesuit tradition. We therefore take seriously our charge to engage students in the serious and critical study of religious experience, practice, thought and inquiry, both historically and in the contemporary world.
In his speech at the launch of the Office of Faith-Based Community Initiatives on August 7, 2013, the United States Secretary of State, John Kerry, remarked that,
"If I went back to college today, I think I would probably major in comparative religion, because that’s how integrated it is in everything that we are working on and deciding and thinking about in life today. . . . What we are doing is guided by the conviction that we have to find ways to translate our faiths into efforts that unify for the greater good."
Secretary Kerry's comment underlines the increasingly significant role for the study of religion throughout a broad range of public and professional pursuits.
We are an active department when it comes to research, scholarship, and innovative teaching. Please explore the announcements of our recent publications, awards, grants, and other accomplishments, as well as upcoming events sponsored by our department.
Our site is intended to aid students in pursuing their coursework in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at Saint Joseph's, and as a resource for all those interested in the study of theology and religious studies more generally.
We particularly invite interested students to investigate the possibility of majoring or minoring in theology or religious studies.
Department Events and Notices
(August 2013) William Madges, Professor of Theology and Religious Studies, is the editor of Vatican II: 50 Personal Stories, published by Orbis Books in July 2012. The book received second place for the category, 50th Anniversary of Vatican II, in the 2013 book awards from the Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada. The CPA remarked: […]
(September 2013) Ever heard of the Bible Riots in Philadelphia? Well, now’s your chance to learn about them. As part of Routledge’s series, Critical Moments in American History, Katie Oxx‘s new book looks at key events in the anti-Catholic movement of the mid-1800s. The book is The Nativist Movement in America: Religious Conflict in the Nineteenth Century, […]
(November 2013) The Dialogue Forum and Peace Islands Institute recently awarded Professor Phil Cunningham its Peace and Dialogue Award for promoting interfaith understanding.