Mission Statement

The Religious Studies major at Westmont College offers the coursework, conversations, and experiences students need to gain competence in the study, understanding, and articulation of the Christian tradition in lively conversation with other traditions.

To that end, the Religious Studies major guides students:

• toward biblical literacy and growing skill in biblical interpretation enriched by interdisciplinary approaches and appropriately critical engagement with the history of interpretation;
• toward theological literacy and sound theological judgment marked by the ability to articulate clear and relevant theological convictions;
• toward familiarity with forms of Christianity worldwide with attention to historical and local identities of the Church in their social and cultural contexts; and
• toward strong faith in Jesus Christ and orthodox theology marked by a thoughtful and sustained commitment to the life of the Christian community and the disciplines and virtues that life requires.

Program Learning Outcomes

The links below lead to information about the department's most recent assessment of student learning relative to our program learning outcomes.

Our graduates will...

• apply a range of recognized skills in the interpretation of biblical and other religious literature.
• reason according to the logic of the Christian faith.
• participate in Christian life and mission with engaged ecclesial commitment.

Our RS Major Goals describe what these might entail, and our Assessment Rubric evaluates them.

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