Q:What is the purpose of the minor in the Study of Christianity and Culture?
A: The undergraduate minor in the Study of Christianity and Culture is an interdisciplinary minor curriculum in the social science and humanities, housed in the Department of Religious Studies, aimed at developing students’ understanding of Christian religious traditions and their varied influences in history and society. The minor provides students with an overview of the beliefs, history, and cultural, social and political expressions and influences of Christianity and Christian peoples, and opportunity to become more knowledgeable about selected areas of the Christian historical and social experience. The minor curriculum intends to foster a breadth of learning historically, geographically, and about belief systems. As an academic program in the liberal arts tradition, the minor seeks to promote students’ intellectual development and historical and cultural understanding. Its purpose is neither religiously evangelistic or devotional, nor to undermine the religious faith of students. The minor is intended to provide students both with a critical and appreciative overview of the beliefs, history, and cultural, social and political expressions and influences of Christianity and Christian peoples; and opportunity to become more knowledgeable about selected areas of the Christian historical and social experience. All courses, meetings, conferences, speakers, and any other possible expenditures or programmatic elements of the minor into the future are to serve only these ends.