Discover The Religion Department
The Religion Department is a community of students and faculty engaged in the
the exploration of religion: the different ways faith is
expressed and practiced, the historical and cultural
contexts of religions and their texts, as well as
the interconnections between
religion and other areas of human life -- philosophical
thought, the psychological, social, political, and
economic dimensions, and the presence of religion
and religious symbols in
literature and fine arts, etc. To encourage
creative and independent thinking, we emphasize the
study of primary texts, rather than simply reading what
other people have written about those texts.
We are not in the
business of either promoting or demoting faith;
appreciation and critical understanding are our common
goals. As an integral part of the larger
Bishop’s community, students from all disciplines are
welcomed in Religion courses, and students in Religion
are encouraged to take courses in other related fields
such as Philosophy, Classics, History, Liberal Arts,
etc. These may be counted as cognate courses to the
Religion Major or Honours programme. In addition,
students may pursue their particular interests through
independent study courses.
Program strengths
- Small class sizes. Students are individuals, not numbers - you really get to know your professors, and they you!
- We place a premium on teaching well; Dr. Harvey
White won the Turner Award for teaching in 2007.
- Several Religion courses are cross-listed to
offer credits in Classics, Philosophy, Liberal Arts,
and Political Studies.
- Visits to places of worship (such as synagogues,
monasteries, Hindu and Buddhist Temples, etc.) are
often part of our courses.
- Students have the opportunity to gain 6 credits
participating in trips and archaeological
excavations in Jordan, Greece and the American
Southwest.
- Religion courses help students develop their
research and writing skills -- these are highly
valued in today's job market.
Popular courses
- Introduction to Religion (Eastern and Western)
- Issues and Problems in Religion
- Religion and Film
- Death and Dying in the Ancient World
- Religion and Sex
- Women in Religion
- Psychology of Religion and Sociology of Religion
Did you know?
- You can participate in an archaeological excavation in Jordan-and get Bishop's University credits for it!
- Department of Religion parties (for Religion
faculty and students) take place each semester
at a professor's home.
- Dr. Daniel Miller has excavated in Israel, has studied Ugaritic tablets in the Louvre Museum, and is an expert on "The Simpsons" - ask him anything.
- Dr. Michele Murray is fluent in Modern Hebrew, has excavated in Israel and Jordan, and she has her pilot's licence.
Divinity House, home of the Religion Department.
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