Religious Studies Program, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies

INTRODUCTION

The field of Religious Studies emerged in the wake of the1963 Supreme Court decision in Abingdon v. Schempp. The Court's ruling distinguished between devotional practice in public schools and the academic study of religion. It prohibited the former, but encouraged the latter. Writing for the majority, Justice Clark stated that it "might be well said that one's education is not complete without a study of comparative religion or the history of religion and its relationship to the advancement of civilization." Justice Clark further elaborated that the study of the Bible or of religion was consistent with the First Amendment, if such study was "presented objectively as part of a secular program of education." Although the premise of objectivity has received appropriate scrutiny in the modern academic context, the intention in the academic study of religion is to foster students' understanding of religious traditions in a context of free inquiry, rather than to advocate for specific traditions in a devotional or theological mode.

Reflecting the Supreme Court's ruling more than forty years ago, Ball State University's program in Religious Studies focuses on the academic study of religion. Religious studies courses address many dimensions and functions of religions in the world's cultures, including sacred scripture, symbols, beliefs, rituals, and ethics. Courses also examine the dynamic relationship between religion and other social, economic, and political institutions. Religion is a multi-faceted phenomenon, and thus the study of religion introduces students to many disciplinary tools in its quest for understanding, such as history, philosophy, sociology, psychology, and ritual studies. The academic study of religion fosters critical understanding of religious traditions, issues, questions, and values. In so doing, it provides a lens for self-understanding, cultivates awareness of religion's influence within the world, and promotes appreciation for the diversity of beliefs and practices.