Religion Degrees Online

The Theology Department offers students a faithful but critical consideration of the Judeo-Christian tradition. The program provides a forum for considering the transcendent and ultimate questions of human existence and prepares men and women for a variety of ministries within the Church. The major and minor programs both require specific liberal education courses in history and philosophy.

Philosophy Minor
The Philosophy minor program gives students an opportunity to examine the fundamental questions of human existence through courses on great philosophical thinkers and important philosophical issues. The program places special emphasis on a knowledge of the historical origins of the Western philosophical tradition and on the development of skills of philosophical analysis.

The four-year Bachelor of Science degree requires 124 hours of study. Students develop a major in Bible (52 hours), along with a professional emphasis in one of the following seven areas: Preaching Ministry, Christian Counseling, Christian Education, Music Ministry, Cross-Cultural Ministry, Youth & Family Ministry, and General Ministry.

OBJECTIVES:
Students who complete a Bachelor of Science degree should . . .
Demonstrate a thorough working knowledge of the Bible and its essential doctrines; a comprehensive Christian worldview harmonizing significant historical, scientific, and philosophical issues with biblical truth; and proficiency in an area of professional study.

Develop skills in observation and interpretation, in critical and creative thinking; and in problem-solving, particularly in relationship to biblical exegesis and application.

Comprehend, embrace, and demonstrate the biblical principles of spirituality, morality, Christ-like character, and service as modeled and taught by Christ and His disciples.

Demonstrate familiarity with multiple methods of communication within a variety of settings; having as a communicator confidence to overcome apprehension, conviction to consider ethical implications, and commitment to utilizing opportunities for communication within the chosen area of leadership.

Understand the nature and demands of the Great Commission, be committed to personal discipleship and disciple-making, and participate in some way in the task of taking the Gospel to all the nations.

The four-year Bachelor of Arts degree requires 132 hours of study. Students develop a major in Bible (52 hours), along with a professional emphasis in one of the following seven areas: Preaching Ministry, Christian Counseling, Christian Education, Cross-Cultural Ministry, Youth & Family Ministry, General Ministry, or Biblical Research. The Bachelor of Arts degree also requires 14 additional hours of study in Biblical languages.

OBJECTIVES:
Students who complete a Bachelor of Arts degree should . . .
Demonstrate a thorough working knowledge of the Bible and its essential doctrines; a comprehensive Christian worldview harmonizing significant historical, scientific, and philosophical issues with biblical truth; and proficiency in an area of professional study.

Develop skills in observation and interpretation, in critical and creative thinking; and in problem-solving, particularly in relationship to biblical exegesis and application.

Develop knowledge of the biblical languages in order to have a clearer understanding of the original texts with the goal of teaching and preaching them to others.

Comprehend, embrace, and demonstrate the biblical principles of spirituality, morality, Christ-like character, and service as modeled and taught by Christ and His disciples.

Demonstrate familiarity with multiple methods of communication within a variety of settings; having as a communicator confidence to overcome apprehension, conviction to consider ethical implications, and commitment to utilizing opportunities for communication within the chosen area of leadership.

Understand the nature and demands of the Great Commission, be committed to personal discipleship and disciple-making, and participate in some way in the task of taking the Gospel to all the nations.

The study of philosophy and religion offers a vital contribution to a humanistic education. Both fields deal with various ways in which human beings have tried tounderstand and give expression to the nature and meaning of reality, knowledge, the self, values, and the purpose of human life.

Course work in philosophy is planned to acquaint the student with the historical and systematic interrelations of the significant philosophic concepts in Western thought and to provide training in the techniques proper to the subject.

Stress is placed on philosophy as an activity, and the department aims to provide training sufficiently broad in scope and technical in procedure to equip the student with both a knowledge of important philosophical issues and the basis for developing an analytical judgment that is both critical and productive.

Coursework in religion explores the incredible diversity and pervasiveness of religious life, religious experience, and religious thought throughout human history. A variety of methodological approaches are employed to familiarize students with literary, historical, philosophical, phenomenological, and social-scientific forms of analysis.

Majoring in the Department of Philosophy and Religion provides excellent preparation for graduate study in philosophy or religious studies. Majors and minors in the department may also go on to a wide variety of careers in education, law, ministry, and business.

This taught programme is provided by Theology & Religious Studies within the School of Arts & Humanities. Follow these links for information about the department and School, including facilities, funding, and a list of staff research interests.
Purpose
To provide teaching and research training in the philosophical issues surrounding religious belief and practice as these are
discussed in analytical philosophy, with special reference to the interrelationships between ethics and religion.

Access to a large, distinguished academic community, including experts in ethics, philosophy of religion, and philosophical and medical ethics.
Direct access to unrivalled holdings at the Maughan Library, including the recently acquired Sion College Library collection.
Participation in research seminars and conferences hosted by the department’s Centre for the History of Philosophical Theology.

This MA offers an advanced introduction to major topics in the philosophy of religion and ethics as well as major methodological approaches to those subjects. It is a means of gaining research skills in the area through practice in the close reading of philosophical texts throughout the programme. Skills in literature surveys and in the presentation of extended argument are inculcated through a compulsory research dissertation.

Whitworth’s theology & philosophy department is noted for its commitment to excellent teaching, strong scholarship and Christian ministry.

The theology faculty takes the Christian Gospel and personal discipleship as seriously as it takes its academics. Members of the faculty seek to lay a solid foundation in the Bible, in Christian history and doctrine, and in discipleship in the modern world for students entering a wide range of Christian ministries and other vocations.

Philosophy faculty members, all of whom are published scholars active in ministry, introduce their students to the content and methodology of the discipline of philosophy. While emphasizing the history of philosophy and current philosophical issues, the department’s courses help develop logical-reasoning and critical-thinking skills.

The study of philosophy and religion offers a vital contribution to a humanistic education. Both fields deal with various ways in which human beings have tried tounderstand and give expression to the nature and meaning of reality, knowledge, the self, values, and the purpose of human life.

Course work in philosophy is planned to acquaint the student with the historical and systematic interrelations of the significant philosophic concepts in Western thought and to provide training in the techniques proper to the subject.

Stress is placed on philosophy as an activity, and the department aims to provide training sufficiently broad in scope and technical in procedure to equip the student with both a knowledge of important philosophical issues and the basis for developing an analytical judgment that is both critical and productive.

Coursework in religion explores the incredible diversity and pervasiveness of religious life, religious experience, and religious thought throughout human history. A variety of methodological approaches are employed to familiarize students with literary, historical, philosophical, phenomenological, and social-scientific forms of analysis.

Majoring in the Department of Philosophy and Religion provides excellent preparation for graduate study in philosophy or religious studies. Majors and minors in the department may also go on to a wide variety of careers in education, law, ministry, and business.

Career Opportunities

The study of philosophy fosters skills of textual analysis, argumentation, thinking, historical consciousness, writing and conceptual synthesis. Thus it provides a solid background for the achievement of excellence in all professions. With its emphasis on the study of personal and social values, it promotes thoughtful and compassionate conduct in the workplace. While some philosophy majors choose to attend graduate school to become professional philosophers, teachers, theologians or ministers, others use their philosophy background as a preparation for a career in law, medicine, government, social services, nonprofit organizations or business.

Special Opportunities

PHILOSOPHY SPEAKER SERIES
Each year the program brings two to three speakers to campus to lecture on a topic selected by the students and faculty. The series is jointly sponsored by the program and the Stockton Philosophical Society. Topics and speakers are selected by the philosophy faculty in consultation with the philosophy majors and minors.

THE STOCKTON PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY
SPS, as it is called by its members, is a student-run organization that meets on a bi-weekly basis to discuss various philosophical issues. Although many of the participants are Stockton philosophy majors and minors, it is open to anyone interested in philosophy. Each meeting is attended by a member of Stockton’s philosophy faculty, but topics are chosen, and discussions are directed by the students. Once a year a meeting is dedicated to career opportunities, where the philosophy faculty and recent graduates present tips and answer questions about preparing for graduate school. SPS also organizes at least one trip to a philosophy conference each year.

PHILOSOPHY GOES TO THE MOVIES
Several times each term, members of the SPS meet to view and discuss films that have significant philosophical content. The films are chosen by the student members of the SPS and the faculty, and are introduced by members of the faculty of philosophy and religion.

PHI SIGMA TAU
The Richard Stockton College represents the New Jersey Zeta Chapter of Phi Sigma Tau, the International Honor Society in Philosophy. All students at the Richard Stockton College who meet the criteria for application are welcome to apply for membership in Phi Sigma Tau. Membership in Phi Sigma Tau provides recognition of academic excellence and serves as a means of furthering scholarship and philosophical community on the campus.

Buddhism
The graduate program in Buddhist Studies examines the Buddhist tradition in all of its diversity. Brook Ziporyn’s research focuses on Mahayana Buddhism. He studies the metaphysical, axiological and epistemological developments in Chinese thought and religion, and also works on comparative philosophical issues emerging from the encounter between Indo-European and Sinitic thinking as evidenced in Chinese Buddhism, especially Tiantai, and the implications of this encounter for contemporary thought. George Bond works on Theravada Buddhism. He focuses on both classical Theravada thought as found in the Tipitaka and the contemporary interpretations of Theravada. He studies colonial and post-colonial interpretations of Theravada in Sri Lanka. Stuart Sarbacker’s work is centered on the relationships between Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, and he works especially on the Indo-Tibetan area. He specializes in the historical development and interpretation of Yoga.

Students in this program are expected to do significant work in an affiliated department, usually Anthropology, History, or Art History.

Resources at Northwestern are complemented by those at other institutions in the area. Students in this field have taken courses and seminars at the University of Chicago and at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

Normally applicants should have a good reading knowledge of either Chinese or Sanskrit before entering the program. Before completing the program, a student must pass exams in one of these classical languages and also, if working in Theravada, an exam in Pali. In addition one must pass exams in two modern languages. Other languages may be required after candidacy, depending on the focus of a student’s research