Religion Department

College of Arts & Sciences

The study of religion at Cal Lutheran invites students into the world’s oldest, newest, strangest, and most urgent questions of human meaning, in relation to the staggering breadth of the universe, the world’s beauty and pain, the most intimate depths of the soul.

Here you can encounter spiritual and cultural traditions from around the world, ponder the ethical questions that will shape your life’s path, and question everything. And along the way, we hope you’ll find some answers about what you care about, who you are, and where you are going.

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The Religion Department offers events for students and the campus community throughout the academic year. Join in our department community by coming to one of our upcoming events!

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Pluriverse: News & Updates

From the Religion Department

Take an inside look into the exemplary work and exciting announcements from our students and faculty.

2024 Summer Research Cohort Takes On Conferencing!

All four members of the Religion Department’s Summer Research cohort (Alexia Lye ’25, Daniela Munoz-Martinez ’25, Ken Flores ’26, and Jacqueline Shaw ’25) had their research accepted for the Western Region’s (AAR-WR) annual conference. Alexia’s research discusses Abalone and its importance to the Chumash people. Daniela’s research explores how the Bible was used for and against slavery. Ken’s work explores the rituals of the Shinto Shrine of Shusse Inari in America. Jacqueline’s research examines different interpretations of jihad in medieval Islam.

Why Study Religion or Theology? And Other Questions About Our Department

Students often have the same two questions about the Religion Department. “Does the department only teach Christianity?” and “Will professors try to convert me?” The answer to both questions is an emphatic, “No!” The Religion Department—and the CLU as a whole—is committed to the values of Lutheran higher education, emphasizing open-mindedness and inclusion of those from all faith traditions and worldviews.

2024 Summer Research Religion Cohort: Four Students Share their Experiences

The word “research” often evokes images of test tubes, beakers, and brightly-colored liquids in a sterile lab, but research in the humanities can look very different. It can be anything from reading a book (or ten), participating in religious ceremonies, to conducting interviews. This summer, four students, Jackie Shaw ‘25, Alexia Lye ‘25, Daniela Munoz-Martinez ‘25, and Ken Flores ‘26 participated in Cal Lutheran’s 8-week Undergraduate Research Program. Each student received a summer research grant. 


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Pluriverse, October 2021, Issue 1

Pluriverse, April 2022, Issue 2

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