About the Program

Lewis & Clark's Department of Religious Studies focuses
on the study of religion as a historical, social, and
cultural phenomenon. Using this approach, our curriculum emphasizes four specific areas:

• Jewish and Christian origins
• The religious traditions of Western civilization (including contemporary America)
• The religious traditions of East and South Asia
• The Islamic tradition

Because we take a socio-cultural approach, the Religious Studies Department is heavily involved in interdisciplinary study. We share three faculty members with the history department and regularly interact with those in other departments dealing with the phenomenon of culture, in particular sociology/anthropology, art, and music and literature.

The international emphasis at Lewis & Clark also dovetails nicely with our program. Religious Studies faculty frequently lead programs in India, Japan, the Middle East, and elsewhere. Such opportunities offer students firsthand experience with cultures and religious traditions quite different from their own.

Religious Studies majors, like majors from any department in the humanities, pursue a wide variety of occupations following graduation. Recent graduates have found employment in everything from social work to journalism, from banking to politics. Many go on to graduate or professional schools, especially in the field of law. A few seek professional training in religious vocations.

Also see the L&C Catalog: Religious Studies Program and Requirements