Muskingum College

Department Name: 
Religion and Philosophy
Department website: 
http://muskingum.edu/dept/religionphilosophy/index.html
Approximate Enrollment (entire institution): 
2,100
Number of Religion Majors: 
5
Number of Full-Time Departmental Faculty: 
5
Public Institution?: 
Private
Related to a religious denomination or body?: 
Yes
Which best describes the institution?: 
Grants bachelor and master degrees
Department offers undergraduate coursework in ministerial preparation (either a track, a minor, or a major)?: 
No
Department or institution offers masters programs in religious studies or theological studies?: 
No
Department or institution offers doctoral programs in religious studies or theological studies?: 
No
Description of Undergraduate Major: 

The Religion faculty takes Muskingum University's church-related status very seriously.  Muskingum's express desire, outlined in its mission statement, to educate the "whole person" and to develop students both intellectually and spiritually--with a goal of positive action and ethical sensitivity--reminds us of the Greek tradition of educating body, mind, and spirit and the medieval era when theology was the "queen of the sciences."

Therefore, our mission to the student body is to help all students grasp and value a religious understanding of life and enable them to articulate the implications of their own belief systems in behavior and decision-making.  Beyond that general mission, we seek for our majors to demonstrate knowledge of the fundamentals in the field of the study of religion, to utilize critical thinking in their study of religion, and to learn to articulate an argument through research and writing.

Most of our courses reflect the Christian tradition and the importance of studying its Scriptures, to ponder the religion promoted by Jesus and his followers. and to examine its implications for our lives today. But we also encourage personal confrontation with the religious expressions of the diverse non-christian traditions.

The Hindu, the Buddhist, and the Moslem worlds influence our daily lives and demand our attention. Indeed, a person cannot be liberally educated without an understanding of the religious perspectives of others. We want our students to be sensitive, informed, and alert members of the world community.