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Religious Studies

Study the world’s religions in the world around you.

A field trip included observing afternoon prayers at the Muslim Community of Quad Cities in Bettendorf, Iowa.
The students in a religious studies class visited the congregation Anshai Emeth in Peoria, Illinois, for Shabbat services. The synagogue’s rabbi gave them a close-up look at the Torah scrolls.
Brandon Oulette ’14 is the pastor of Faith United Presbyterian Church. He attended Louisville (Kentucky) Seminary after graduating from Monmouth.

The Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies encompasses two disciplines that share a commitment to pursuing the fundamental questions of human existence and to examining the various ways in which the traditions of philosophy and religion have answered these questions.

Religious Studies provides the perfect focus for a liberal arts education as we explore religious worlds through a study of the scriptures, traditions, beliefs and practices of religious traditions from around the world.

An engaged approach to religious studies

We learn about thoughts and practices of people from around the world through a study of literature, cultures and social movements. We take an engaged approach to the study of religions. Courses often include visits to temples, churches, mosques and historical sites. We develop complex understandings of traditions and practices by observing them in relevant contexts.

<blockquote class="callout-quote"><div class="callout-quote-text"><p> “One of the key lessons that I learned is to really and truly ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’ Through lessons such as Gandhi’s approach to nonviolence and King’s thoughts on agape, I have seen the ways in which we should love and care for our neighbors.”</p></div><footer class="callout-quote-footer">Katie Jenkins ’18</footer></blockquote>

Varied career paths

Students build skills applicable to almost any career. They learn to read texts closely and well. They learn to think about practices and beliefs that may be foreign to them and often look at their own practices and beliefs with a scholar’s attention to understand those traditions more fully. They learn to write and communicate well. And they hone their skills in research and analysis. Some students go onto careers in religious communities and serve as a pastor or youth minister. Others pursue careers as varied as education, advocacy, commerce, journalism and human resources.