The field of Religious Studies is concerned with those features of the human experience
that commonly are referred to as "sacred" or "religious." The
matter of the sacred or religion deals with what human cultures and societies regard
as the most important and of ultimate concern, past and present, from the human
presence in the caves of Petershohle, Germany, to all of the complexities of the
modern and post-modern human condition. The academic study of religion necessarily
draws on an exceptionally broad range of scholarly disciplines and fields of study--ranging
from the fine arts and the humanities (architecture, art history, classics, languages,
literature, philosophy, theology) to the social sciences (anthropology, ethnic and
gender studies, history, political science, psychology, sociology), professions
(law, health, medicine), and even the sciences (cosmology, archaeology)--and it,
thereby, genuinely is interdisciplinary.
At the University of South Florida the Department of Religious Studies primary area
of academic strength is the interdisciplinary scholarly analysis and interpretation
of religion, culture, and society using the theories and methodologies of the humanities,
social sciences, and sciences.
This includes: the study of material (religious buildings and artifacts) and non-material
culture (ideas, myths, values); religious people and identities, collectivities,
social movements, groups, and organizations; the interconnection between religion
and other sociocultural institutions (gender-marriage-family, ethnicity-nationality,
politics, economics, and so on); as well as social and political issues involving
religion. Teaching and scholarship in the Department inherently are comparative
(implicitly or
explicitly) in that they involve the study of more than one religion in a variety
of sociocultural and historical contexts. Religions currently studied include Ancient
religions (Mandell), Judaism, early Christianity, and Orthodox Christianity (Strange,
Schneider, deChant, Fasching), Asian (primarily Buddhism and Chinese but also including
Hinduism) religions (Zhang, Garcia), Islam (O’Connor), and American religions--especially
popular and civil religions, the Black (African-American) Church, and new religions
such as Neopaganism, Scientology, New Thought, Latter-day Saints, and African-American
innovations (Jorgensen, Mitchell, O’Connor, deChant).
A secondary area of academic strength in the USF Department of Religious Studies
is the scholarly study of ethics, morality, and public policy. It entails the study
of religion, ethics and society in cross cultural and historical perspective. This
area not only is descriptive and analytic but also prescriptive; and it seeks insights
applicable to contemporary social issues and public policy. Faculty specializing
in this area include Fasching, deChant, Garcia, and Zhang.
Faculty in the Department of Religious Studies at USF generally hold the Ph.D. degree
(and/or another pertinent doctorate) in one or more of the related humanities, social
science, or science disciplines or professions (JD, MD). The Department also sustains
interdisciplinary relations with other relevant USF colleges and departments, including
Afro-American Studies, Anthropology, Education, English, History, Humanities, Languages,
Health and Medicine, Philosophy, Political Science, Sociology, and Women's Studies.
Faculty from these colleges and departments with substantive expertise and interest
in religion sometimes teach Religious Studies courses (and/or cross-listed courses)
and serve on graduate committees.