Program in Religious Studies at the University of Minnesota

A Public Lecture with Kathryn Lofton
Co-sponsored by the Department of English

Kathryn Lofton is a leading historian of religion from Yale University who specializes in religion and popular culture in the United States. On February 25th, she will give a public lecture about how American politics increasingly reflects reality TV. It will be in the Best Buy Theater in Northrop at 4:30pm.

Our Annual Roetzel Family Lecture. The Religion of AI Observed: Reflections on a Season of Revival.

Please join us on Tuesday, March 24th, for our annual Roetzel Family Lecture co-sponsored by the Department of English, Cultural Studies & Comparative Literature (CSCL), Philosophy, History and the program in the History of Science, Technology and Medicine (HSTM. This year John Modern (Franklin and Marshall College) will lecture about the religious history of computer science and artificial neural networks. John's creative and thoughtful approach will help us think about religion and AI in ways we never would otherwise. It will be held at 4:30 in the Best Buy Theater in Northrop with a light reception to follow. It is another must-attend-event.

We have more spring 2026 courses coming your way! Check out Professor Ajay Skaria's course where you will learn more about Hinduism: Making Modern India. If you have any questions you can reach out to us anytime.

Join our spring 2026 semester class about History of the Crusades with Professor Elijah Wallace.

The American Academy of Religion announced that Anna Seastrand, a faculty member in Art History and a Religious Studies Core Faculty Member, won the 2025 Religion and the Arts Book Award for Body, History, Myth: Early Modern Murals in South India. We congratulate Professor Seastrand on this incredible achievement.

If you haven't or even have registered for spring classes yet check out our Religious Studies department courses! Join Professor Atur Ranjani in learning more about Death and the Afterlife.

We have more classes coming your way this Spring! Check out this Religion and Culture course with Professor Aisha Ghani. Learn about tracing the origins and history about the Religion and Culture.

Spring semester registration is now open! Join Professor Andrea Sterk for World of Christianity, offered every Monday and Wednesday. Examine the history, beliefs, and cultural influence of Christianity in a course designed to expand your perspective.

Discover the deep and complex history of Islam in the United States. RELS 3631: Islam in America: A History of the Present explores how Islam has been understood, challenged, and transformed within America’s cultural and political landscape. Taught by Professor Aisha Ghani, Thursdays 4–6:30 PM, Spring 2026.

Art of India explores the sacred and cultural dimensions of South Asia’s visual traditions. Through paintings, sculpture, and architecture, students will study how art expresses spirituality and shapes cultural identity. Offered by the Religious Studies Department this spring, the course invites reflection on the connections between faith, creativity, and history. Enroll this semester to explore the beauty and meaning behind South Asia’s art!

Are you interested in learning more about key theories and the methods in the academic study of religion? Register to Professor Katharine Gerbner's spring semester course Theory and Method in Religion: Critical Approaches to the Study of Religion.

Are you interested in understanding religion from a global & cultural perspective?
Enroll in RELS 1001 with Professor Sarah Dees : Spring Semester, M/W 2:30–3:45 PM.