Department News
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.
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.
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
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?
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.
The Origin of the Jews
The Jews have one of the longest continuously recorded histories of any people in the world, but what do we actually know about their origins?
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.
The Lovelorn Ghost and the Magical Monk: Practicing Buddhism in Modern Thailand
Stories centering on the lovelorn ghost (Mae Nak) and the magical monk (Somdet To) are central to Thai Buddhism.
Faking Liberties: Religious Freedom in American-Occupied Japan
Religious freedom is a founding tenet of the United States, and it has frequently been used to justify policies towards other nations.
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.