Religion is one of the most powerful forces in society—from ancient times to today, religious beliefs, practices, texts and traditions have played a formative role in nearly every aspect of human life. Politics, economics, literature and great works of art have long been inspired by religion—perhaps today even more so than in antiquity.

Our department explores the study of religion from intercultural, comparative and multidisciplinary perspectives. As scholars of religion, our faculty members feel strongly that religious literacy is essential knowledge for the exercise of informed local, national and global citizenship in an increasingly complicated world.

Whether you think of religion as an expression of ultimate meaning, a binding social force, a physiological impulse or a set of beliefs and practices, we will challenge your presuppositions and help you think critically. 

Contact Info

Chair

Andrea LieberProfessor of Religion

Department Coordinator

Terri Blumenthal

Phone

717-254-8972

Fax

717-245-1683

Location

East College 206 Mailing Address

Department Features


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Study Abroad
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Current Courses

Student Outcomes

Where Our Students Go From Here

Jobs

  • The  Advisory Board Company
  • Brandeis University
  • Linda Gaunt Communications
  • Community Synagogue of Rye
  • Walt Disney Imagineering
  • IFF (CDFI)
  • Definitive Healthcare
  • United States Army
  • Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
  • Biosense Webster
  • Mennonite Central Committee

Graduate Schools

  • George Washington University
  • Harvard University
  • Penn State Dickinson School of Law
  • Georgetown University
  • Temple University
  • Boston University
  • New York University
  • University of Chicago
  • Brandeis University
  • Carnegie Mellon University
  • Northwestern University
  • University of Pennsylvania
  • Claremont Graduate University
  • Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
  • American University
Where Our Students Have Interned
  • U.S. Army Heritage Center Foundation
  • Yale University
  • National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations (PLO Delegation)
  • Chisuk Emuna Religious School
  • Cumberland County CASA
  • Dickinson College / Center for Service, Spirituality & Social Justice
  • Dickinson College / Trout Gallery
  • Linda Gaunt Communications
  • Mercy Medical Angels
  • Middlesex Hospital
  • National Heart, Lung, & Blood Institute at the National Institutes of Health
  • U.S. Army War College, Peacekeeping & Stability Operations Institute
  • University of Maryland Marlene & Stewart Greenebaum Center

Student Perspective

"Dickinson prides itself on providing students with a global education, and increasing religious literacy has never been more important than in today’s globalized world."

—Abbie Cottle ’20


Religion News

All News Department News
Dickinson College to Host Virtual Talk on Political Polarization

Dickinson College to Host Virtual Talk on Political Polarization

Robert B. Talisse, internationally recognized theorist of democracy, will discuss the overwhelming effects of political polarization in a virtual lecture.

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Student Snapshot: Abbie Cottle ’20

Student Snapshot: Abbie Cottle ’20

Archaeology and religion double major Abbie Cottle ’20 discusses the joys of the Keck Archaeology Lab, the overseas trip that inspired her majors, her experiences curating a Trout exhibition and more.

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Lecture at Dickinson College to Focus on Spirituality in America’s National Parks

Lecture at Dickinson College to Focus on Spirituality in America’s National Parks

Kerry Mitchell, a scholar and author whose research focuses on religion, will explore the relationship between nature and spirituality in America’s national parks during a lecture at Dickinson.

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Exhibition at The Trout Gallery at Dickinson College Explores Buddhist Statuettes from Various Countries

Exhibition at The Trout Gallery at Dickinson College Explores Buddhist Statuettes from Various Countries

“Manifestation and Adaptation: Variations in Buddhist Sculpture Across Asia,” an exhibition depicting a range of Buddhist statuettes from Asia, will be on display at The Trout Gallery.

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Life of Service

Life of Service

Former religion major Lauren Tuchman ’08 uses the skills garnered from her Dickinson education to provide spiritual and pastoral care as a noncongregational rabbi in Washington, D.C.

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Wesley Lecturer Looks at Spirituality and Sustainability

Wesley Lecturer Looks at Spirituality and Sustainability

Founding Director of the Center for Spirituality in Nature Beth Norcross will deliver the annual Wesley Lecture at Dickinson, “Church of the Wild: A New and Old Way of Experiencing Spirituality."

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