Department News
Prof. Jolyon Baraka Thomas Wins AAR Book Award
The department extends its congratulations to Prof.
PhD Candidate Gabriel Raeburn Receives Dissertation Grant
PhD Candidate Gabriel Raeburn has received the 2020 Dissertation Grant from the National Institute of Social Sciences.
Prof. Thomas Hosts Book Discussion, "Christian Sorcerers on Trial"
On 9/24/2020, Professor Thomas hosted a discussion of the new translation and critical edition "Christian Sorcerers on Trial: Records of the 1827 Osaka Incident," by Fumiko Miyazaki, Kate Wildman N
Prof. Butler at the Straight White American Jesus Podcast
Professor Butler was a guest on the Straight White American Jesus Podcast hosted by Bradley Onishi. Here's a description:
Congratulations to Dr. Paul McBain!
The Department of Religious Studies is thrilled to announce that PhD candidate Paul McBain successfully defended his dissertation, “A Drunken Bee: Sunthorn Phu and the Buddhist Landscapes of Early
Professor Butler: "Religion Won't Save Us from the Sin of Racism" (Podcast Interview)
Associate Professor Anthea Butler recently spoke with the America Magazine podcast Jesuitical. A description and link to the episode are below.
Professor Thomas on Understanding Death at the Penn Today Podcast "Understand This"
In a recent episode of Penn Today’s ‘Understand This ...’ podcast series, assistant professor of Religious Studies Jolyon Thomas and Director of Pastoral Services James Browning explore dialogues a
Congratulations to Dr. Jillian Stinchcomb!
The Department is thrilled to congratulate Dr. Jillian Stinchcomb, who successfully defended her dissertation last week!
Prof. Butler Quoted in New York Times Article about Liberty University
Prof. Butler has been quoted in a New York Times article published this week about the suspension of Jerry Falwell, Jr., at Liberty University.
With particular strengths in the study of Christianity, Judaism, American religions, Islam, secularism, Buddhism, and other Asian religions, the Department of Religious Studies emphasizes descriptive, historical, and theoretical approaches to the study of religion.
Upcoming Events
Faculty Bookshelf
Architects of Buddhist Leisure: Socially Disengaged Buddhism in Asia’s Museum, Monuments, and Amusement Parks
Buddhism, often described as an austere religion that condemns desire, promotes denial, and idealizes the contemplative life, actually has a thriving leisure culture in Asia.
The FBI and Religion
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has had a long and tortuous relationship with religion over almost the entirety of its existence.
Buddhist Narrative in Asia and Beyond
Publication of the proceedings of the conference "Buddhist Narrative in Asia and Beyond" at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, August 2010, edited by Peter Skilling & Justin McDaniel.
Gathering Leaves and Lifting Words: Histories of Buddhist Monastic Education in Laos and Thailand
Gathering Leaves and Lifting Words examines modern and premodern Buddhist monastic education traditions in Laos and Thailand.
Solomon: The Lure of Wisdom
Tradition has it that King Solomon knew everything there was to know—the mysteries of nature, of love, of God himself—but what do we know of him?
Islam
Islam is a concise and readable survey of the history of Islam from the birth of Muhammad in seventh century Arabia to the differing situations of Muslims throughout today's world.
Women in the Church of God in Christ: Making a Sanctified World
The Church of God in Christ (COGIC), an African American Pentecostal denomination founded in 1896, has become the largest Pentecostal denomination in the United States today.
From Mulberry Leaves to Silk Scrolls: New Approaches to the Study of Asian Manuscript Traditions
From Mulberry Leaves to Silk Scrolls is a multidisciplinary consideration of Asian manuscripts.