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Religious Studies

Department of Religious Studies

The Department of Religious Studies at Loyola University New Orleans, rooted in the Catholic and Jesuit context of education, encourages the academic study of religion in a spirit of free intellectual inquiry.

As the 34th congregation of the Society of Jesus states: “To be religious today is to be interreligious.” And so from the very beginning, students are invited to consider their faith, in a global context, to deepen their appreciation of themselves in a religious world, and to offer the results of their revelations for the benefit of all. 

Critical Thinking, Centuries of Questions...

The religious studies program strives to achieve an understanding of the person as a religious believer and of the impact of religion upon human existence: 

  • How are we to understand the particularity of our beliefs in a religiously plural world?
  • Can truths be found in traditions other than our own?
  • Are we willing to look at faith in a rigorous and critical way?
  • How do our beliefs and the beliefs of others affect the world in which we all live?

Religious Studies majors and minors join centuries of theologians and philosophers by seeking answers to these questions. Religion is reflected upon as a force that has shaped and been shaped by social, ethical, scientific, and political concerns. Comprised of a diverse faculty, the department upholds religious pluralism as the way forward.

Believe in Your Work

Contact the Department of Religious Studies

Phone: 504-865-3940
Location: Bobet Hall 402
Mailing Address: 6363 St. Charles Ave., Campus Box 81, New Orleans, LA 70118

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Academic Programs

We offer a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies with concentrations in Christian Theology and World's Religions. A double-major that includes Religious Studies also compliments any other academic discipline by raising and answering questions of meaning and value as they apply to real life.

Learn more about our programs of study

Religious Studies Vision

Today, more than ever, our world is both enriched and challenged by cultural and religious diversity. Our encounters with the cultural and religious "other" compel us to see religion as a crucial factor in political and cultural discourses, calling for informed analysis. Through our academic study of religious traditions, we strive to work toward a just and peaceful world, foster intercultural and interreligious cooperation, and promote the common good.

Religious Studies Mission

Reflection of lived religious experiences, in light of the Religious Studies disciplines, connects us to our Jesuit and Catholic mission. Rooted in our Jesuit tradition, of self-reflective, critical scholarship, and engagement for social justice and peace, Religious Studies department focuses on the study of religions from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds. We explore religious traditions in their historical, cultural, post-modern and post-colonial contexts. We seek to understand how religions evolve, impact our world today, and shape our future. Our scholarly engagement with religion, theology, and ethics enables us to:

  • Reflect critically on religious experience.
  • Foster empathic relationships in an increasingly diverse world.
  • Explore how religious practice and faith promotes justice, peace, and environmental awareness.
  • Work towards the development of more just and sustainable societies, both locally and globally.
  • Collaborate with others for the common good and well-being of all.​
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Research

As a Loyola student, you have the opportunity to work alongside our talented professors to partner in collaborative research. 

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University Honors

The Honors program is open to qualified students of all majors.

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Interdisciplinary Minors

Loyola offers several interdisciplinary minors that complement the Religious Studies program.

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