News & Events
Is an Islamic Reform Necessary?
Guest speaker, March, 22, 7:30 p.m. - Professor AbdolKarim Soroush (Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs Georgetown University)
Mar 20, 2018
Departmental Colloquium, March 20
Mar 13, 2018
Religious Studies 2018 Spring/Summer Courses Offerings
The Department of Religious Studies will be offering six exciting courses this Spring and Summer. If you have any questions, please contact our office!
Mar 05, 2018
Congrats to Graham Baker
Religious Studies alumnus begins new career at Grant MacEwan University.
Mar 01, 2018
Religious Studies Grad takes up position in Toronto
Congratulations to Jonathan Bernier (Ph.D., Biblical, 2012), who has been named Executive Director of the Lonergan Research Institute (LRI)—Toronto and Assistant Professor at Regis College, starting July 1, 2018.
Mar 01, 2018
Dr. Shayne Clarke wins SSHRC Insight Grant
The $247,125 grant will help advance scholarship of Tibetan Dunhuang manuscripts preserved in the Stein and Pelliot collections.
Feb 20, 2018
Dr. James Benn wins 5-years SSHRC Insight Grant
Dr. James Benn, in the Department of Religious Studies, has been awarded a 5-year SSHRC insight grant
Feb 14, 2018
Hail Mary: When sport becomes a religious experience
Like religion, major sports break down natural social barriers and help people forge intense bonds. That's why strangers watching the Super Bowl at the bar hug when their team scores. It's why a whole nation turns into sports fans and cheers for its team in the Olympics.
Feb 02, 2018
The Use of Greek Isaiah in Hebrews and the Catholic Epistles
The Department of Religious Studies is pleased to host Dr. Madison Pierce (Tyndale University College). Dr. Pierce will speak on the use of Greek Isaiah in Hebrews and the Catholic Epistles. Feb. 14, 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Feb 01, 2018
Perceiving the Other in Ancient Judaism and Early Christianity
NEW BOOK: Congratulations to Dr. Matthew Thiessen of the Religious Studies Department on the publication of his co-edited book: Perceiving the Other in Ancient Judaism and Early Christianity
Jan 23, 2018
Religious Studies PhD student receives prestigious Dirk Smilde Scholarship
Congratulations to Rob Jones this year's recipient of the prestigious, Dirk Smilde Scholarship! Jones will spend three months studying at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands.
Jan 17, 2018
UBC receives $4.9 million for global Buddhist academic network
Tianzhu Global Network marks an unprecedented international collaboration of top-tier research institutions.
Jan 04, 2018
Essays in Exile
NEW BOOK: Congratulations to Dr. Travis Kroeker of the Department of Religious Studies, on the publication of his most recent book: Messianic Political Theology and Diaspora Ethics: Essays in Exile.
Dec 07, 2017
Off to Israel!
McMaster Religious Studies student Rebecca Sampson will be spending the Winter 2018 term in Jerusalem, thanks to the Freeman Family Bursary.
Nov 30, 2017
Graduate student writing retreat
The Department of Religious Studies is holding a writing retreat on Friday, December 8. All members of the department are encouraged to attend.
Nov 22, 2017
Wisdom Embodied: Ancient Greek and Jewish Conceptions of the Sage
Tuesday, November 14, at 1:30 p.m. Dr. Elisa Uusimäki presents “Wisdom Embodied: Ancient Greek and Jewish Conceptions of the Sage” in University Hall 122. Afterwards, anyone who feels inclined can adjourn to the Phoenix!
Nov 08, 2017
Challenging the notion that religion fosters violence
The Conversation and the National Post recently published an opinion piece by Religious Studies PhD student Maxwell Kennel that challenges that notion that religion spurs violence.
Nov 02, 2017
MA graduate researches Buddhist diplomacy in Sri Lanka
Myra Sivaloganathan graduated with an MA in Religious Studies in 2017. We are grateful to her for taking the time to answer some of our questions about what she is currently doing and what she learned in her time at McMaster!
Oct 25, 2017
Ready for Law School
Religious Studies grad reflects on her time at McMaster and the skills she will take with her to Osgoode Hall Law School.
Sep 29, 2017
Holy Ambivalence: Jewish-Evangelical Relations and Why They Matter
The Department of Religious Studies is pleased to present Dr. Faydra Shapiro, the Executive Director of the Israel Center for Jewish-Christian Relations in the Galilee and Associate Fellow at The Philos Project as the speaker at this year's 2017 Lilian and Marvin Goldblatt Lecture in Jewish Studies. Thursday, October 26, 2017 at 7-9 p.m.
Sep 28, 2017