Religion
Curriculum Guide
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Religion
Major |
The Religion major at the University of Indianapolis concentrates upon the Judeo-Christian tradition/heritage with opportunities to study other faith traditions as well as to explore interdisciplinary studies of religion.
The number of hours required to satisfy a religion major is low (27 hours = 9 courses). This allows a religion major to explore interests in other fields or even double major. Current students double major in religion and such diverse fields as English Literature, Art History, History and Psychology.
The faculty engage historical, theological, and contemporary
issues using the analytical tools of modern scholarship. They
combine a commitment to the Judeo-Christian traditions with approaches
to the study of religion that are engaged, critical and integrative.
Michael G. Cartwright, Associate Professor of Philosophy & Religion, Dean of Ecumenical and Interfaith Programs:
"As a Christian ethicist and theologian, I have a wide
range of interests: from the question of the use of Scripture
in Christian ethics to questions of interreligious dialogue, from
issues of religion and race to the evolution of church discipline
practices in American Methodism. In my scholarly writing, I typically
explore interpretive conflicts and the ways such conflicts reflect
moral divisions in religious communities and cultures. For example,
in "Wrestling With Scripture" published in The Gospel
in Black and White (1997) I explore the ways African-American
and Euro-American Christians have developed segregated practices
of biblical interpretation in the context of the racial segregation
of religious communities in American culture. In the course of
exploring such historical issues, I attempt to develop theological
resources for racial reconciliation in the present."
Perry Kea, Chairperson, Associate Professor of Biblical Studies:
"I became a New Testament scholar because I wanted to hear the voices of early Christian authors and their communities on their own terms. What were the experiences that shaped their faith? What issues occupied their attention? What challenges faced them? When I am able to answer these questions, I can better appreciate the legacy of these early Christian voices."