How has Islam played a role in the political climate in the Middle East? What can archaeology tell us about early Christianity? How has ancient Shintoism and Buddhism shaped Japan's culture today? In Religious studies courses at the University of Oregon, world-renowned scholars teach students to think critically about answers to these and other questions."
In today's increasingly globalized world, the importance of cultivating a deeper understanding of our international community is more important than ever. The Department of Religious Studies is committed to this concept and focuses on the history and philosophy of Asian and Western religions through an examination of original ideas, texts, rituals, and subgroups. Whether learning about Buddhism, Daoism, Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism, Islam, or a variety of other religions, students gain a rich understanding of the region where the religion began and the people who continue to practice it today. At the same time, students also learn how religions migrate and transform with societies over time, through studying multiple facets of culture including sex and gender paradigms, ethnicity perspectives, nationalism, colonialism, mysticism, and comparative religion.