Religious Studies

Religious studies is a field within the humanities and cultural studies that is not tied to any specific religious affiliation. It explores human actions and ideas, texts and objects, institutions and relationships, both historically and in the present, that are commonly considered "religious."  

Religious studies critically examines what "religion" means in both academic discourse and everyday understanding, questioning the boundaries of what can be labeled as "religious."  

In this course, you will explore questions such as what religion actually means, how religions have developed historically, and how they shape our modern society in today’s complex world.  

You will gain foundational knowledge about Christianity, Islam, Judaism, as well as non-monotheistic religions and new religious movements. Building on this knowledge, you will learn how to engage with religiously influenced texts and manuscripts, images and architecture, Hollywood films, Instagram stories, or music. You will develop the skills to scientifically observe religious phenomena or conduct interviews. From there, you will acquire practical, career-relevant experience and skills by completing an internship, conducting field research, and specializing in a language.  

The field of religious studies at Goethe University is institutionally anchored in two faculties: the Faculty of Protestant Theology (FB 06) and the Faculty of Catholic Theology (FB 07). It is represented by three professorships in religious studies:  

• Religious Studies/History of Religion: Prof. Dr. Catherina Wenzel (FB 06: Homepage)
• Religious Studies with a Focus on Jewish-Islamic Relations: Prof. Dr. Nathan Gibson (FB 06: Homepage)
• Theology of Religion and Religious Studies: Prof. Dr. Anja Middelbeck-Varwick (FB 07: Homepage)

In teaching, the religious studies team is further supported by the Martin Buber Professorship for Jewish Religious Philosophy (FB 06), other professorships within both faculties, the Professorship for Older Scandinavian Studies (FB 10), and the Institute for the Study of Culture and Religion of Islam (FB 09).  

Key areas of focus in religious studies at Goethe University include:  

• Theories and methods in religious studies
• History of religion in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
• Jewish-Christian, Jewish-Islamic, and Christian-Islamic relations
• Dynamics of religious coexistence and conflict
• Intercultural dialogue
• Discourses on power and abuse
• Digital methods in religious studies
• Material religion and cultural heritage

Further information

The BA Religious Studies program (major) is divided into three stages: foundational phase, advanced phase, and final phase.

During the foundational phase, the BA 001 module (Introduction to Religious Studies) provides you with an overview of the key fundamentals, theories, and research methods in the field. In the BA 002 module (Basic Knowledge of Religions), you will gain essential knowledge about Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, as well as other non-monotheistic religions (such as Buddhism or Hinduism) and new religious movements (such as Neopaganism or Bahá'í). The BA 003 module (Empirical Religious Research) equips you with the tools needed for conducting empirical research in the field of religion.

The advanced phase includes the required modules BA 004 (Languages), BA 008 (Interdisciplinary Theoretical Approaches), and BA 009 (Optional Module). In the Languages module, you can specialize by taking comprehensive language courses (Latin, Hebrew, Greek, Arabic) or language and reading courses of your choice. The Optional Module allows you to focus on specific topics or methods through self-selected courses or to have extracurricular workshops, certificate courses, or training programs credited toward your degree.  
Additionally, you will choose two modules from the three elective modules: BA 005 (Intercultural Religious Research), BA 006 (Philosophy of Religion / Jewish Intellectual and Cultural History), and BA 007 (History of Religion).

During the final phase, you will gain valuable professional experience through a seminar-supported internship lasting 4–6 weeks (BA 010). We offer established partnerships with religious institutions, NGOs, and cultural organizations in the Rhine-Main region. In the final module, you will participate in the colloquium, which provides guidance and support as you work on your bachelor’s thesis.