Religious Studies

Minor

Knox College offers a minor in religious studies, which examines religion as a significant expression of human culture in the past and present. Methodologies from a variety of disciplines—anthropology, classics, history, philosophy, and theology—give the program an interdisciplinary outlook and provides valuable complements to other majors.

Religious studies courses explore the major western monotheistic religions, religions of Africa, and the philosophy of religion, offering a variety of perspectives on the ways in which religion shapes culture, history, personal aspiration, and experience.

The Program
Requirements for the minor in religious studies include five credits in courses that span topics such as a comparative study of Judaism, Christianity and Islam; religion and politics; topics in Jewish history; Black religion; and philosophy of religion.

A student project or paper that applies or expands the multidisciplinary perspectives of religious studies beyond normal coursework is also required. This project might be done as a College Honors project, an independent study, or an internship or work experience. Students may also fuse courses in religious studies with courses from other departments to form an independent major.

Resources
Aside from the academic journals and texts available in Seymour Library, other resources of interest to religious studies students include the Nixon Fund for Religious Life, which supports speakers and activities connected with religious and service clubs, such as Habitat for Humanity. Knox also has a variety of religious clubs, representing Knox's diverse makeup of religious perspectives.