News | Religious Studies | McMaster University

April 8, 2024

‘The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood’: eclipse and apocalypse in religious texts

Eclipses have had a special significance in the human conscience throughout recorded history. Postdoctoral fellow Abby Kulisz talks about eclipses in Christian and Islamic texts. By a cosmological chance, the April 8 eclipse coincided with the final week of class for “Apocalypse Then and Now”, a Religious Studies course taught by postdoctoral fellow Abby Kulisz. […]

December 22, 2023

Exploring the Literary Contexts of Patristic Biblical Exegesis Hardcover

Edited by former Religious Studies graduate students Miriam De Cock and Elizabeth Klein, The essays of Patristic Exegesis in Context examine the biblical exegesis of early Christians beyond the formal genre of biblical commentary. The past couple of decades have seen a broadening of perspective on the study of patristic exegesis; the phenomenon is increasingly […]

December 11, 2023

Analysis: ‘You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah’ speaks to the meaningful impact of religious rituals for Jewish girls

The new teen-themed comedy may seem worlds apart from the growth and appeal of ‘by and for women only’ films produced by Orthodox Jewish women, but all these films share a focus on the potential of Jewish ritual....

December 6, 2023

SCAR Courses Winter 2024

The Department of Religious Studies will be offering the following courses in the Winter 2024 term: SCAR 1SC3 – The Big Questions: Introduction to Society, Culture & Religion SCAR 2AP3 – Apocalypse, Then and Now SCAR 2BB3 – Images of the Divine Feminine SCAR 2CA3 – Religion and the Arts SCAR 2FF3 – Pirates, […]

November 3, 2023

Department of Religious Studies Prospective Graduate Student Webinar

You are invited to a webinar for prospective applicants to the MA and PhD programs in Religious Studies at McMaster University. When: Nov 8, 2023 12:00 PM EST Register in advance for this meeting After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting

November 1, 2023

Analysis: ‘Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)’ turns 30: How the album pays homage to hip-hop’s mythical and martial arts origins

Asian martial arts and films functioned as mythic models which inspired Black and brown youth in the making of ‘urban warriors,’ and later the Wu-Tang Clan....

September 20, 2023

Religious Studies graduate Dr. Émilie Roy tells us how her PhD led her to Burkina Faso

When Dr. Émilie Roy ’12 was studying for her PhD in Religious Studies at McMaster, she had no idea she’d be working development sector in crisis-affected countries like Burkina Faso, where she is now UNICEF’s Chief of Education. “I thought I was going to be an academic!” said Roy. “That was the goal. But, […]

September 7, 2023

Society, Culture & Religion Fall 2023 Course Oﬀerings

The SCaR program is offering the following courses in Fall 2023: SCAR 1B03: What on Earth is Religion? SCAR 2BM3: Bible and Magic SCAR 2CH3: Introduction to Christianity SCAR 2G03: Religious Themes Modern Culture SCAR 2IR3: Holly/Bollywood & Indian Religions SCAR 2J03: Introduction to Judaism SCAR 2M03: Death & Dying: Comparative Views SCAR 2MW3: […]

March 30, 2023

Summer Sanskrit with Professor Chris Minkowski at the University of Toronto

You’re invited to join for an immersive in-person summer Sanskrit reading course at the University of Toronto taught by Professor Christopher Minkowski, formerly Boden Professor of Sanskrit at Oxford University. This course will introduce students to various genres of Sanskrit including Vedic, epic, and philosophical Sanskrit. The course will take place at the Mississauga […]

February 14, 2023

Apply now for our new one-year MA program

The Department of Religious Studies is now accepting applications for our brand new one-year MA program for the Fall 2023 intake. Students can now apply to the brand new one-year Masters program (MRP) in Religious Studies. Offering the option of a one-year MA will allow students to pursue studies within Religious Studies beyond the BA, […]