Department News
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.
Prof. Robb gives lecture at Rare Book School
The digital recording of Professor Robb's invited lecture "Print and the Urdu Public" on 23 July 2020 to the Rare Book School has been released.
Prof. Thomas Publishes in the Journal of the American Academy of Religion
Professor Thomas has just published a co-authored article in the Journal of the American Academy of Religion titled "Why Scholars of Religion Must Investigate the Corporate Form." Here's t
Prof. McDaniel Named Kahn Professor
The Department is delighted to announce that Prof. Justin McDaniel has been named the Edmund J. and Louise W.
Congratulations to Dr. Chijioke Azuawusiefe!
Congratulations to Dr. Chijioke Azuawusiefe, who successfully defended his dissertation last week!
Department Congratulates Two Recent Hires
The Department of Religious Studies is delighted to announce that current PhD candidate Jillian Stinchcomb and recent PhD graduate Matthew Chalmers have both accepted new positions for the coming f
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.
Faculty Bookshelf
The Jews: A History
The Jews: A History is a comprehensive and accessible text that explores the religious, cultural, social, and economic diversity of the Jewish people and their faith.
Death before Dying: The Sufi Poems of Sultan Bahu
These 115 poems introduce readers in English to Sultan Bahu (d. 1691), a Sufi mystical poet who continues to be one of the most beloved writers in Punjabi.
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.
Religious Affects: Animality, Evolution, and Power
In Religious Affects, Donovan Schaefer challenges the notion that religion is inextricably linked to language and belief, proposing instead that it is primarily driven by affects.
Alef is for Allah: Childhood Emotion and Visual Culture in Islamic Societies
Alef Is for Allah is the first groundbreaking study of the emotional space occupied by children in modern Islamic societies.
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.
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.
Religion and the Self in Antiquity
Many recent studies have argued that the self is a modern invention, a concept developed in the last three centuries.