Religious Studies

The Religious Studies program, founded on the vision and rich tradition of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, proudly emphasizes the appreciation of all traditions of Wisdom across both time and cultures; it develops the four central skills of a liberal arts education: cultural awareness, clear communication, critical thinking, and creative imagination.

Religious Studies Major

Students preparing for careers in teaching, counseling, journalism, social services and further graduate work in Religion or Ethics choose this program.

By tradition, a program in Religious Studies is the intersection of both the scholarship and methodologies represented by:

• Theology and Ethics
• Textual criticism and Scripture
• History
• Anthropology and the other social sciences
• Philosophy

Our program continues this rich tradition, with a flavor that
is unique to Saint Rose.

We believe that the comparative study of religion always begins with a focus, a center. At the heart of our program is the rich intellectual tradition of classic Christian theology and Biblical studies. Through the tools which they acquire in their first two years, our majors are encouraged to explore widely the rich traditions of other faiths, using methods which respect the integrity and sacredness of those traditions, and the contributions which they make to our collective sense of the transcendent.

While Religious Studies and Philosophy courses are among the most popular electives on the Saint Rose campus, upper-division classes required for majors are small-emphasizing seminar work and intensive reading and writing skills. The capstone of either concentration is a Senior Portfolio presentation which aims at the production of research papers worthy of publication.

Field Experience
Students are encouraged to earn credits through our Internship program which places them with a variety of religious/civic organizations to build career-enhancing skills.

The Saint Rose Setting
The most recent addition to our campus is the Hubbard Interfaith Sanctuary named for the contribution made by Bishop Howard Hubbard of the Albany Diocese to inter-religious dialogue and ecumenism. The Sanctuary is a "sacred space," with its stained glass windows and subtle redwood paneling representing nature. The Sanctuary is a real-life laboratory for interfaith dialogue and the site for ecumenical prayer services and liturgies, as well as for many inter-faith events, concerts, panel discussions exhibits and lectures.

It is the home of the Sidney and Beatrice Albert Interfaith Lectureship Program-established to foster religious under-
standing in the Capital District.

Our majors are well-prepared for study at the graduate level. They are represented in graduate programs in both Religious Studies and Philosophy at such institutions as:

• Drew University
• Duke University
• University of Chicago
• Yale University

Our graduates consistently tell us the same thing: they began their journey with us by taking
a course in our department either from curiosity, or just to fulfill a requirement. They took more courses because they found the unique blend of heart, soul, and scholarship exciting. They became majors when they realized that they were preparing for a career that would demand the most of their talents, a career that would be worthy of the dedication they had to offer.

W. Bruce Johnston, Ph.D.,
associate professor of philosophy and religious studies

Jeffrey Marlett, Ph.D.
assistant professor
of religious studies

Laura Weed, Ph.D.
associate professor of philosophy and religious studies

Jeanne Wiley, Ph.D
associate professor of philosophy and religious studies