The Department of Religious Studies is an interdisciplinary program that spans a variety of departments, including Asian Studies, Medieval Studies, and Middle East and North African Studies. Our award-winning researchers engage in grant-funded research and have authored many publications.
Research Areas
Rick Colby
Associate professor
Research interests: Arabic narratives on a central story in the biography of the Prophet Muhammad, the night journey (isra) and ascension (mi'raj
Deborah Green
Associate professor
Research interests: History, literature, and interpretation of the Hebrew Bible, particularly as it was adopted and interpreted by Jews from the Second Temple through Byzantine periods
Luke Habberstad
Associate professor
Research interests: Literature, religion, and material culture of early China (5th century BCE-3rd century CE); early Chinese historical writing; excavated texts; politics and cultures of dynastic and monarchical courts; ancient empires; and religious ritual
David Hollenberg
Associate professor
Research interests: How communities of believers apply narrative, doctrine, and ritual to form and maintain communal identity and to differentiate themselves from those outside their group. He applies such questions to research on Nusayri Shiism and medieval Islam
Stephen Shoemaker
Professor
Research interests: Ancient and early medieval Christian traditions, especially early Byzantine and Near Eastern Christianity. His research focuses on early devotion to the Virgin Mary, Christian apocryphal literature, and the relations between Near Eastern Christianity and formative Islam
Jeff Schroeder
Associate Professor
Research interests: History of Buddhism in 19th- and 20th- century Japan, especially of the Jōdo Shin sect; Buddhism and World War II; Buddhism, science, and philosophy; democratization of Buddhist institutions; experimental Buddhist communities
Much of what shapes the world appears to be non-religious, including the global economy, science and technology, and major shifts in the natural world such as climate change. Yet, religions continue to play a major world in shaping the contours of society and culture as well as our views about science, technology, nature, and commerce. On the one hand, religious studies represents the objective, historical study of a wide array of religious streams and phenomena that help us to understand how human beings view and shape the world. On the other, we begin to understand how human beings have sought answers to the big questions of existence: What is human nature, what is our place in the world and the universe as a whole, as well as how we face difficult questions of suffering and death that science and technology often seem unable to resolve. Exploring the wider world and inner questions of existence together with students has been an incredibly rewarding journey as a scholar and a teacher.
—Mark Unno, professor and Religious Studies department head
Interdisciplinary Research
Religious studies is interdisciplinary by nature, and our faculty often engages in research across multiple disciplines.
Interdisciplinary Opportunities
Religion reflects attempts to create and recreate meaning in societies over time. Translating the most ancient hymns, documenting devotion to Mary in early Christianity, studying emergence of Islam in its earliest days – my work reveals how communities search for an elevated purpose amid changing cultural forces. Anchored in moments that unfurl into histories, their search helps us understand the influence of religion in society. It is hard to find a more timely topic, or a more timeless one. It is a great privilege to be a part of the University of Oregon’s vibrant and diverse scholarly community. Endless opportunities to learn and exchange perspectives on our shared past – what more could a historian want?
—Stephen Shoemaker, professor, religious studies
Published Research
Read the latest research from the Department of Religious Studies.