To study Religion is to reflect both sympathetically and critically on the ways in which human beings understand themselves and act in relationship to the world. This study encompasses matters of faith, action, human existence and the crises that have faced civilizations over time.

In our teaching we strive to acknowledge the rich traditions of the world’s religions and to invite students to explore questions of life’s meaning, purpose and worth, from multiple perspectives. Pedagogically, we endeavor to engage in rigorous intellectual study and to honor the personal seeking of our students. Consonant with Earlham’s Principles and Practices, we try to integrate the search for truth(s) and the commitment to a more just and peaceful world. We affirm our students’ identities within historical religious communities and invite them to deeper understanding of their own tradition(s) and those of others. We ask students to approach religious discourse and embodiment in subtle and complex ways, with respect for differences. We recognize the inherently interdisciplinary nature of the study of religion; 80% of our classes are cross-listed as inter- and multi-disciplinary courses.

Graduates of the Religion program have gone on to a variety of fields of study and work. Some prepare for the ministry in one of its traditional forms at a seminary or divinity school. Our majors have gone on to Princeton, Yale, Harvard, Brandeis, Claremont, Union Theological Seminary in New York, the Graduate Theological Union, Starr King, Iliff, Candler, and the Reconstuctionist Rabbinical College. Others have worked throughout the country and the world for social service agencies sponsored by religious bodies, often dedicating themselves to conflict resolution. Some students seek graduate school preparation for careers in secondary or university teaching, and a number become counselors for religious and public service agencies. Still others have gone into such diverse fields as the arts, medicine, public health, business, publishing, public relations, and law.