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R. Thomas Schaub Essay Information

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• Why Religious Studies
• Religious Studies Club

Why Religious Studies?

Students who minor, or major, or double major in Religious Studies (RLST) do so for both personal and career reasons.  Personally, some students simply want to learn more about things that interest them, for example, about the enormous role of religions in the world's cultural and intellectual heritages.  They are fascinated by what makes religions tick, by the questions the religions of the world raise:  Who am I?  What am I to do with my life?  What is really important in living life?  Is there an Ultimate Reality and, if so, what difference does it make?  How do I understand my relation to self, others, the environment?

In terms of careers, some students desire to teach about religions in schools--primary, secondary, or college levels.  Some students are preparing for professions as ministers, priests, or rabbis.  And many students are involved in an RLST program program as a complement to another specific career field:  Anthropology, Communications, Art, Music, English, History, International Studies, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology ...  An understanding of the variety of religious traditions can provide an important foundation for the professional.  For many professions RLST provides considerable experience in factual description, comparative and critical analysis, historical judgment and values clarification.

Religious Studies Club

The Religious Studies Club is a student-run organization based at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania main campus. The goal of our organization is to provide a social atmosphere wherein anyone interested in religion can come together to discuss religious topics, plan trips to sacred sites, attend academic religious functions and conferences and enjoy a community atmosphere.  It is also intended to provide a network for students to have full access to resources where they can ask academic questions, get information about careers and take advantage of the experience of other students. Both students and faculty may participate whether they are a part of the religious studies department at IUP or they simply have a personal interest in religion.  It should be noted that this is an academic organization and not a faith-based one.