Theology and Religious Studies Department (TRS)

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Welcome to a vigorous and ongoing exploration of life’s most compelling questions! 

Theology and Religious Studies are two tributaries of the same river. The discipline of Theology focuses on the divine, inviting students from all faiths and none to wrestle with perennial questions like: Is there a God? How can we know God? Can we proclaim that “God is love” in light of the Holocaust? And, ultimately, how should we then live?  

The discipline of Religious Studies, more theoretical and anthropological than Theology, uses the tools of various disciplines to analyze religious phenomena and discover how we create meaning. Religious Studies explores how religion interacts with other important dimensions of human life, such as politics, economics, and social constructions of race and gender.  

Students are sitting at their desks in class looking up and smiling

Scholarships

In addition to need- and merit-based aid, prospective and current students are eligible for several scholarships, including the TRS ​​Departmental Scholarship totaling $13,000 per year.

CONTACT US

Dr. Thomas Poundstone, Department Chair
tpoundst@stmarys-ca.edu


Lori Erokan, Administrative Assistant
le6@stmarys-ca.edu
TRS Department main line
925-631-4048