Program Overview
Religion is deeply intertwined with many aspects of human culture, connecting to morality and ethics, law and politics, science, art, and music.
Lawrence’s religious studies program offers courses in religious traditions from world religions, including Christianity, Buddhism, and Islam, as well as interdisciplinary courses that explore the broader implications of religious traditions throughout history and the world.
Students of any religious affiliation (or none) and any declared major, can benefit from the academic study of religion. Entry-level courses (i.e., 100- and 200-level) require no prerequisite and consider an array of traditions, texts, theories, and/or topics, while upper-level courses explore specific subjects in greater detail. All our courses encourage students to think critically while fostering an understanding of diverse viewpoints and ways of being in the world.
Program Highlights
Experience Religion Across Cultures
Deepen your understanding of religious traditions through visits to regional communities and international study experiences in places such as Nepal and Senegal. Explore Field Experiences.
Pursue the Questions That Matter to You
Explore your own interests in religion, faith, and culture through self-directed research that lets you investigate a topic in depth.
Share Your Ideas with a Scholarly Community
Bring your studies together in the Chandler Senior Experience, where you explore approaches to religion, present your work, and engage in discussion with fellow students and faculty.
Spotlight
Lawrentian Spotlight
Student Perspective
“It connects to so many different facets of life, politics and the environment and the way different societies work and language. I’m super interested in etymology and the way that language shapes our understandings of the world around us, and religion plays a huge role in that.”
Maddy Tevonian ’24
Religious Studies
Wilmette, Illinois
Advising
At Lawrence, academic advising helps you shape an educational experience that reflects your interests, goals, and aspirations. Your faculty advisor will support you as you plan your path, connect with campus resources and communities, and make informed decisions that prepare you for a meaningful and fulfilling future.
Faculty
Engage deeply and collaboratively with professors who are experts in their field and committed to supporting your education.
Chair(s)
Martyn Smith
Associate Professor of Religious Studies
Religious Studies examines how groups of people find meaning in their lives and impart value to the world around them. My own central research question revolves around the relationship of…
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Karen L. Carr
McNaughton Rosebush Professor of Liberal Studies and Professor of Religious Studies
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Learned M Foote (he/him)
Visiting Assistant Professor of Religious Studies
I teach courses in Religious Studies and Gender Studies. My research centers on early twentieth-century Tibetan Buddhist life writing, with a focus on the religious teacher Adzom Drukpa (1842-1924). My…
View Full Profile Martyn Smith
Associate Professor of Religious Studies
Religious Studies examines how groups of people find meaning in their lives and impart value to the world around them. My own central research question revolves around the relationship of…
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