Religion
To inquire about this program:
Dr. Joseph T. Reiff | 276.944.6784 | Email
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Classes at Emory & Henry are taught with an emphasis on rigorous intellectual inquiry and mastery of a body of knowledge. While primary emphasis is given to the study of Judeo-Christian history and traditions, you also have the opportunity to pursue comparative religious studies through courses such as Asian Religions and Judaism and Islam.
One distinctive aspect of classes at Emory & Henry is an emphasis on student participation and personal interaction in the classroom. Classes typically are small, and in virtually every class, there is a great deal of discussion. You also pursue original research, make oral presentations, and write papers. We want you to be an active learner and a person who can express yourself with the written and spoken word.
Degree Program
The Religion Department offers the B.A. degree with a concentration in religion. While certain core courses are required of all religion majors, other course offerings may be selected to meet your interests and needs.
Departmental offerings include introductory and advanced courses in the Old and New Testaments; studies of theologians and Christian history from ancient, medieval, modern, and contemporary periods; and practical ministry courses such as Ministry with Youth and Church and Community Ministries. Also available are special offerings such as Contemporary Literature and the Christian Faith, Psychological Development and Religious Faith, and courses in Greek — the original language of the New Testament. Senior majors take a capstone seminar with all department faculty involving further development and presentation of student research papers.
Other majors, minors, and courses that combine well with a religion concentration are English, history, art history, sociology, psychology, music, mass communications, political science, and philosophy.
Supporting Programs
At Emory & Henry College, you can take advantage of a diverse program of guest lecturers and opportunities for community service. To expose students to some of the contemporary “great minds,” the Religion Department hosts guest lecturers each year, funded by the Staley Distinguished Christian Scholar Endowment or by the department. These events feature some of the foremost theologians, church historians, and Biblical scholars of the day. Recent speakers include Bart Ehrmann, Joel Green, Amy-Jill Levine, Charles Curran, and William Mallard.
Emory & Henry has been described as an extraordinarily active school; 90 percent of our students participate in at least one club, sport, or organization. Our students show a special interest in activities that emphasize service. The campus hosts a chapter of Habitat for Humanity, and one of the largest groups at Emory & Henry is a service fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega. Several student groups such as Campus Christian Fellowship and Kerygma offer opportunities for students to express their faith.
Through private gifts and donations, more than 180 scholarships
have been endowed at Emory & Henry, and more than two dozen of these have been earmarked for students planning careers in church vocations or public service. Because students from a wide range of academic departments can pursue church vocations, these scholarships are not given exclusively to religion majors. Students who are in the Religion Department and are planning church-related vocations are top candidates for these generous scholarships.
Career Opportunities
Since 1990, more than 50 E&H alumni (all but a few religion majors or minors) have been accepted to and successfully completed graduate theological degrees from a number of schools, including the seminaries at Emory, Princeton, Yale, Duke, and Boston Universities, and Wesley and Asbury Seminaries, and most are now pursuing local church, teaching, or social justice ministries. A religion major or minor may lead to several vocations in addition to the ministry. Our alumni who majored in religion have found success in a variety of fields.
Internships
Optional internships are available for course credit for religion majors. Recent examples include working as a summer church camp counselor, working with children or youth in a local church, campus and social justice ministries.
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Admissions inquiries
Office of Admissions
800.848.5493
Email: ehadmiss@ehc.edu
"The Religion Department at Emory & Henry seeks to expose students to what some of the best minds in Christianity have said, done, and thought over the course of 2,000 years – and still are doing today. We are interested both in thought and action. People have acted out their faith in ways that have revealed new truths to scholars."
-- Dr. Joseph T. Reiff, religion professor
Degrees Offered:
Bachelor of Arts
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