Rather, we study religion in order better to understand something that has played an important role in every culture. The neglect of the study of religion would create a serious gap in a liberal arts education, for religion has shaped individuals in every major culture, reaching back to human prehistory. The academic study of religion is different from religious education in churches, synagogues, temple or other religious institutions. Our goal in the Department of Religious Studies is to understand sympathetically, but critically, the major world religions, and to explore the phenomenon of religion itself as a prominent component of human life and culture. Scholars in Religious Studies examine the beliefs and practices of a religion or religions from an objective point of view.
Believers maintain the beliefs and practices of their religion from a subjective point of view.
Therefore, the focus of our department is on the objective study of religious beliefs and practices, rather than on the actual practice of religion. Because of our small size, we can offer our majors personal attention, including directed studies in areas of students' interests. It is a department policy to guarantee every Religious Studies major entry to any class in Religious Studies, even if it is filled. Directed Studies allow upper-class students to pursue a subject of particular interest in which no specific course is offered in the department. Students can petition individual faculty members for directed studies.