Religion
Religion Programs at Reinhardt University
The Bachelor of Arts in Religion (B.A.) provides opportunities to study the meaning, purpose, and destiny of human life in relationship with diverse notions of “the sacred.” As such it equips students to understand the mental disposition, beliefs, values, experiences, and histories of communities of faith as expressed in their dependence and fellowship with God, varied worship activities, sacred literature, and service to society.
Committed to the Christian tradition and The United Methodist Church, the Religion Program offers three concentrations to prepare students for a religious career. In the Religious Studies concentration, students concentrate primarily on Biblical and Christian theological themes along with an in-depth study of one other major world religion. In the Christian Vocation – Music concentration, students concentrate on the integration of theological studies and music to serve churches in their worship ministry more effectively. In the Christian Vocation – Religious Education concentration, students concentrate on the integration of theological studies and education to serve churches in their teaching ministry more effectively.
Students might be motivated to study Religion for different reasons, including interest in local and global religious traditions, social justice and ethical responsibility, the ways human beings in the past and present have contended with conflict and hardship within religious frameworks, and how people have expressed the spiritual dimensions of their personal and communal realities. To live in the world is to encounter Religion. Therefore, the Religion program desires to equip students with skills of analysis and appreciation, attentiveness to context, and experience with research and interpretation that will help them contribute to their communities in ways that are self-aware, constructive, and informed.
What You’ll Learn at RU
Students who major in Religion are prepared for a wide array of pursuits after graduation, including work in faith communities, non-profit organizations, and graduate education in seminary, law, medicine, public health, social work, among many other options.
Upon completion of their degree, Religion majors will be able to:
- Examine and analyze religious texts and practices within their historical and cultural contexts.
- Identify and use an array of methodological approaches to the study of Religion.
- Demonstrate the ability to participate in productive dialogue and discussion about issues related to the study of Religion in the 21st Century.
Religion Classes You’ll Take
The Religion Program offers a variety of courses that you can take to fulfill your degree:
- Introduction to Religion
- Survey of the New Testament
- Survey of the Old Testament
- From Galilee to Jerusalem: Jesus, the Christ
- History, Material Culture and Ancient Israel
- Interfaith Cooperation in a Multifaith World
Serpents, Siblings, and Sacrifice: The Book of Genesis
Possible Careers
- Christian education at local churches
- Community outreach programs
- Bible teachers at Christian schools
- Youth ministry
- Human rights groups
- Non-for-profits organizations
- Missionary work
- Graduate school or seminary
