Two Religious Studies Majors, Blayne Roach and Zy Mazza, have won college-wide awards from the University of Arizona College of Humanities. 

Blayne Roach (Majors: Religious Studies, Physiology) was awarded the 2018 Van de Verde Memorial Scholarship, which is given to an upper-division student in the College of Humanities who has demonstrated outstanding achievement and promise.

Zy Mazza (Major: Religious Studies) was awarded the 2018 Humanities Matter Scholarship, which is determined largely on the basis of the required essay titled “Why the Humanities Matter in My Life & in the World" that articulates the importance of the Humanities.

Congratulations, Blayne and Zy!!!

Religious Studies major Rob Lisak is the recipient of the 2018 Donna Swaim International Award for Religious Studies, which will help support his study abroad trip to China with the Arizona in Hangzhou program.

Rob Lisak writes: “Religious Studies is not simply about a degree for me. This is truly about being able to see another human being completely and understand as much as I can. Maybe to help start a discourse with someone someday who hasn't looked in the places I have for that understanding. I believe those conversations will lead to conversations beyond me. Last week, I met a student from one of my classes for coffee and to discuss Emile Durkheim. He is devoutly Jewish, I am not. I asked how Durkheim's ideas regarding society and religion affected him. The conversation got wide in scope.  We talked about Christianity and Islam, and Judaism and the Inquisition and the Holocaust.  We talked about Buddhism and Taoism and the Hindu ideas of the Brahman and Atman.  We have both visited Auschwitz so we reflected on that and the effects of Adolf Hitler.  We talked about science and astronomy and Relativity and the Big Bang Theory.  At a point, he looked at me and said, ‘So, how do we change the world?’.  I said, ‘We are changing it right now by having this conversation.’”

Religious Studies is proud to announce the 2017-18 Rombach and Bretall Award Winners (listed alphabetically): Lexie Clark, Samantha Montes, and Blayne Roach.

Congratulations to our outstanding Religious Studies students!

Read (in their words) how majoring in Religious Studies has enriched their lives and studies:

Blayne Roach (Majors: Religious Studies, Physiology), Religious Studies Ora Bretall Scholarship

Through [Religious Studies], I have developed a better understanding of what patients believe in terms of medical science, death and even the afterlife. This deeper understanding has broadened my insight on how to have a better bedside manner, as well as to be more compassionate and caring for my patients and their family and friends. I believe that I can have a significant impact in the medical community as many doctors don't seem to go past the boundaries of solely treating patients as "another day of work."

Lexie Clark (Majors: Religious Studies, Physiology, Neuroscience & Cognitive Science), Religious Studies Ora Bretall Scholarship

Religious Studies has provided me an escape each semester. It has allowed me to break out of the sciences and into the humanities where answers are never exactly right or wrong, and each question is followed by a discussion of perspective and possibility. At the University of Arizona, taking Religious Studies classes has exposed me to the diversity that exists at the university, as well as across the globe.

Samantha Montes (Majors: Religious Studies, English), Religious Studies Lionel Rombach Scholarship

I chose to major in Religious Studies as I found myself in my required literature courses striving to recall what stories I learned from my own religious upbringing, and recognizing how I could enrich my experience and passion for studying English literature by also majoring in Religious Studies and expanding my knowledge of multiple religions, cultures and texts. Teachings and conversations shared with my Religious Studies professors have also made a positive impact by expanding my interests in subjects such as art, Hindu culture, and literature of the Bible - just to name a few.

Religious Studies Professor Rae Erin Dachille and her Arizona in Bhutan Program were recently featured in an article in UA Family News. Click here to read more: Professor Who Brings Buddhist Studies to Life.

Professor Dachille will be leading the program again in Summer 2019. Its never to early to start thinking about how to fund your trip. For more information about scholarship opportunities for Religious Studies Majors, click here: Scholarships for RELI Majors.

In a new book, UA Religious Studies Professor Alejandro Nava explores the concept of "soul" from two major perspectives: the religious traditions of Judaism and Christianity, as well as the context of contemporary music and culture.

In Search of Soul: Hip-Hop, Literature and Religion, published this month by the University of California Press, discusses the work of both traditional and contemporary writers, artists and thinkers, showing how the concept of "soul" revolves around narratives of justice, liberation and spiritual redemption. 

Read the full UA News article here. 

Applications are now being taken for the Rombach and Bretall Scholarships for the academic year 2018-2019. The application deadline is November 16, 2018. Scholarship applications should be submitted to the front desk in Learning Services Building 203. If you received a Rombach or Bretall  scholarship in the past we would remind you that it is non-renewable and you are not eligible for another scholarship. One scholarship per person.

AWARDS TYPICALLY RANGE FROM $1,000-$2,000

Awards will be made based on academic achievement, need, and seniority in the Religious Studies Program (the number of courses taken toward completing the Religious Studies major).

Requirements: 

•     Applicants must be Religious Studies majors in good standing
•     Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 GPA
•     Awardees must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 units of credit at the University of Arizona during the following Spring semester. Awards are distributed to awardees' bursar accounts to use for educational expenses during the following Spring semester.

•         Why did you choose to major in Religious Studies?
•         What has the Religious Studies major meant to you? In other words, what impact has the Religious Studies major had on your experience as an undergraduate at the University of Arizona?
•         How will this scholarship help you to achieve your goals as a Religious Studies major?

Applications are due at LSB 203 no later than November 16, 2018 at 5:00 p.m.

The Department of Religious Studies & Classics is launching a new undergraduate minor in New Testament Language and Literature. More information can be found at religion.arizona.edu/new-testament. In this minor, students learn to read New Testament texts in their original language (ancient Greek), and study New Testament texts in their historical contexts.

Students interested in pursuing this minor should contact Professor Courtney Friesen. Dr. Friesen specializes in New Testament Studies, Early Christianity, and ancient Greek language and literature, and he serves as the faculty advisor for this minor.

The Greek language courses required for the minor fulfill University of Arizona language requirements as well as language requirements for the Classics major.