The Department of Religious Studies at the College of Charleston The Department of Religious Studies at the College of Charleston offers both a major and minor degree in religious studies.
With eight full-time faculty members, the department supports a wide-ranging, diverse curriculum and fosters close interaction between students and faculty. Students may choose to specialize in individual religions or subject areas through special topics courses and tutorials. The flexibility of the curriculum gives students the opportunity to explore diverse cultures and religions, while providin
Operating as usual
Good to see so many RELS students at conversation with the founders of the subfield of Religion & Ecology.
Next week! Our second movie in our RELS Reels Film Series will be right after Spring Break — led by Dr. Siegler in ECTR 118 on 3/15 at 6:30. Can’t wait to see you then!
The Charleston Interreligious Council’s 5th Annual Interfaith Speaker Series is coming to the College! Come enjoy and light snack and conversation on Cosmovision and Ecology this Thursday, 3/3 at 2:00 PM!
Swipe to read our featured alumni spotlight, Danielle Huger Lindstrom (‘12)! She’s been doing some great things and offers some much needed advice to our soon-to-be-graduates! ➡️
TOMORROW! (2/15) The Department of Religious Studies and Department of Psychology will present a fantastic panel on Religion and the Brain.
Panelists will be discussing Dr. Modern’s book on Religion and Neuroscience. Zoom link is below and in our bio! Can’t wait to see you there!
https://cofc.zoom.us/j/85428638137
Our first film in our Spring series of RELS Reels is going to be next Thursday, 2/17 at 6:30 PM in ECTR 118. Come join us for an enriching experience and learn more about Puritan values and religious life. See you then!
Upcoming Events! Swipe to read our Spring 2022 RELS Reels Film Series! Our next one will be at 7:30 on 2/17 in ECTR 118. Time and locations for future films TBD. Can’t wait to see you there.
Religion lives and breathes in every facet of society: capitalism, nationalism, ethnicity, and even environmental issues. The Geography Program welcomes RELS assistant professor Dr. Keegan to discuss conflicts between the United States and five Tribal Nations that call the contested lands of Southern Utah, the Four Corners, and Bear Ears National Monument home. The talk will be on Feb. 22 at 4 pm in ECTR 118.
Meet Dr. John Modern, our keynote speaker for our guest panel on 2/15 in the Wells Fargo Auditorium (5 Liberty St) at 3:30 PM. His work has been published in numerous academic journals, and his book on religion and the brain has captured the attention of scholars across the country. This is an event you don’t want to miss!
We are so excited to announce our amazing panel coming to our campus on 2/15! Panelists will be discussing Dr. Modern’s book on Religion and Neuroscience. Stay tuned to our socials leading up to event to learn more about each of the panelists. Can’t wait to see you there!
Ever considered taking a RELS course at CofC? Here’s a few reasons why you should! Between the professors, the courses, and the knowledge you’ll gain, it’s a no-brainer!
No gift is too small! Every dime helps support RELS students in the form of guest lectures, field trips, stipends and awards for exceptional research projects, and scholarships for study abroad. Thanks to our students, alums, faculty, staff, parents and patrons for you support. day
Take a break from final exams to support and learn from two of our own RELS graduating seniors as they defend their Bachelor Essays.
Kelsey, Sarah, and the RELS department would love for you to join us on 12/7/21 at 2:00 pm in Arnold Hall.
The next installment of RELS REELS will be on 11/11/21 at 6:00 pm in Jewish Studies 233 –– Dr. Bjerken will be on hand to view and discuss the movie “The Cup,” a film inspired by a true story about Buddhist monks and their obsession with World Cup Soccer.
The next installment of RELS REELS will be on 11/11/21 at 6:00 pm in Jewish Studies 233 –– Dr. Bjerken will be on hand to view and discuss the movie “The Cup,” a film inspired by a true story about Buddhist monks and their obsession with World Cup Soccer.
Come and join us right now in Wells Fargo Auditorium for a fascinating lecture and Q&A aboutvtge intersection of Contemporary Art and Faith.
Dr. Keegan will lead an informal discussion group about planning and preparing to study RELS in graduate school. Meet her in the RELS Lounge at 3:15 pm on 10/28/21.
Join us for the first installment of RELS Reels as we watch Wes Craven's The Serpent and the Rainbow - s sensationalized horror film inspired by actual research on Haitian Vodou. A discussion of representations of Haitian religion to follow with Dr. Lowe. October, 27, 2021 at 6 pm in Jewish Studies 233.
Religious Studies is so excited to have the Foundation for Spirituality and the Arts at the College to present a dynamic, interdisciplinary collaboration. Dr. Siegler is moderating the panel discussion. November 1, 2021 at 6 pm in Wells Fargo Auditorium.
Meet the faculty. Meet current and prospective majors and minors. Preview the RELS courses for Spring 2022. All students are welcome. Drinks and refreshments will be provided. Tuesday, 10/5/19 at 3:30 pm in Alumni Hall.
Our final graduate spotlight goes to Kayla Sitton. Kayla double majored in Religious Studies and International Studies. She studied abroad in Asia. Kayla is an HSS Scholar, RELS Departmental Honors, Student, and RELS Outstanding Student. Her Bachelor's Essay was on the intersection of Religion and Black Lives Matter movement. After graduation, she will take a gap, year, then pursue a PhD in Religious Studies.
All the best Kay!!!
I have been an admin asst in higher ed for 20+ years. Commencement Day is my most favorite day on job. It's awesome to meet the families that have raised and supported such intelligent and wonderful humans. I love hearing my professors share their special student stories and give me a tiny glimpse into the special relationships they form their students. And I love to see the graduates full of pride and confidence over their accomplishments. Congratulations RELS Graduates of 2021. You made through Covid. You can conquer Anything!
Today RELS shines a light on graduating senior and HSS Scholar, Morgan Herr. Morgan double majored in Religious Studies and Anthropology and minored in Spanish. Morgan says she will go to graduate school to continue her studies. But right now, she is focused on enjoying this accomplishment, graduating from CofC.
Proud of you Morgan!!!
Today RELS celebrates graduating senior, Bailey Huttig. Bailey double majored in Religious Studies and Psychology. Bailey was very involved with the RELS program, especially in restarting the Religious Studies Club. After graduation, she plans on obtaining her insurance license and working as an agent. She is considering at tenting graduate school at some point in the future.
Best of luck with all your plans Bailey!!!
We are spotlighting our RELS graduates this week leading up to commencement on May 7th. Our first senior is Jasmine Tindall.
Jasmine will graduate with a double major in Religious Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies. The freedom to engage with multiple disciplinary approaches has provided her with an enriching experience that’s shaped her sense of social responsibility. She knows her background in both majors will enhance all potential work experiences which she plans to translate to life beyond college by finding employment in the areas of policy-making and lobbying on behalf of human rights, gender and sexual equity. After graduation, Jasmine hopes to gain networking opportunities with local NGOs who focus their missions around making a difference on issues related to pregnancy, childbirth and reproductive justice.
Congratulations Jasmine!!!
Look who is featured this week by the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the College of Charleston . It's our very own, newly tenured, Dr. Matthew Cressler!!! Congrats Dr. C!!!
🧑🏻🎓🧑🏻🎓🧑🏻🎓
This we profile amazing teacher-scholar Matthew Cressler! You may have heard about a recent research project he spearheaded, working with students Allen Duggar and A.J. Williamson, which revealed the influence of religion in the College’s history. “My hope was that it would awaken for students the inseparability of religion and race in the making of the College,” said Dr. Cressler in The College Today.
He came both to teaching and to Religious Studies. naturally. “My dad is a professor of electrical engineering and my mom is a Catholic spiritual director, so in some senses you could say I've managed to follow in both my parents' footsteps,” he says. What he loves most about his calling, however, is the opportunity to invite students to think more deeply about the things they take for granted. He challenges them to imagine diverse ways of understanding what it means to be human.
He also challenges people to think more deeply through his writings, including his book, Authentically Black and Truly Catholic: The Rise of Black Catholicism in the Great Migration (https://nyupress.org/9781479880966/) and a recent article, “Real, Good and Sincere Catholics”. As someone who teaches religion and race in the U.S., Dr. Cressler says he is always proud when former students reach out to share how classes have helped them understand ongoing struggles for racial justice.
A study-away course called "Interfaith Atlanta: Across the Color Line" created lasting memories. “We didn't just discuss the relationship between interfaith and racial justice activism,” he says, “We piled into a van and drove to Atlanta to learn firsthand. We stayed at Koinonia Farm, visited various religious communities, made pilgrimage to Martin Luther King's church, and bonded over inside jokes, great food, and good tunes on the road.”
As the father of three daughters, Dr. Cressler spends most of his spare time living that life. He’s a big fan of comic books and speculative fiction, and he’ll take soccer in any form he can get
he Department of Religious Studies at the College of Charleston offers both a major and minor degree in religious studies. With eight full-time faculty members, the department supports a wide-ranging, diverse curriculum and fosters close interaction between students and faculty. Students may choose to specialize in individual religions or subject areas through special topics courses and tutorials. The flexibility of the curriculum gives students the opportunity to explore diverse cultures and religions, while providing them with important tools to understand and interpret these worldviews critically.
The religious studies department introduces students to the academic study of religion, which engages in the descriptive and cross-cultural analysis of religious beliefs, practices and institutions, both past and present. The teaching orientation is comparative and non-sectarian in that it does not promote any specific religious tradition to the exclusion of others. The department offers a broad range of courses in religious traditions from around the world. It encourages students to complete courses in the areas of western traditions (such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), eastern traditions (such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Chinese and Japanese religions) and American religions (such as Native American, African American, and many New Religious Movements). Students become more deeply aware of their own cultural traditions by studying those of others, and will approach other religions with greater empathy and sensitivity to their respective complexity.
Religious studies at the College of Charleston is both a comparative and interdisciplinary enterprise. It serves as a bridge between various disciplines in the humanities and social sciences, particularly those of history, anthropology, sociology, psychology, philosophy and literature, as well as various language programs. Courses explore various religions through a variety of dimensions and themes – ritual, myth, symbol, mystical experience, cognitive patterns, gender, ethnicity, identity – and they also consider the role played by political, economic and social factors on the development of religions in their global context. Religious studies thus provides a coherent disciplinary context where students can engage in a holistic and sustained examination of the history, diversity and ingenuity of human belief and behavior, one of the hallmarks of a liberal arts and sciences education.
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