elcome to the Department of Religious Studies.  We are a community of scholars engaged in teaching, research and service, serving both the University and the local community.  The department is primarily committed to understanding and elucidating religious tradition, particularly exemplified in Roman Catholic beliefs and practices and in conversation with those of the Christian denominations and with Judaism, Hinduism, Islam and Buddhism.  Religious Studies courses, departmental events, and interdisciplinary initiatives invite students to actively participate in this commitment through critical engagement with the texts and practices of these traditions.