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Religious Studies is one of the most vibrant programs
at Millsaps, with active contact with a wide range of religious
communities and traditions and a heritage of educating religious
leaders (Millsaps has produced more bishops of the United Methodist
Church than any other college or university in the nation). The
program offers a unique overview of the human religious experience,
incorporating powerful approaches to thinking about religious issues.
The department contributes to the Christian Education concentration,
the Women's Studies concentration, and the new Faith & Work
Initiative funded by the Lilly Foundation, as well as being an integral
part of the Millsaps Institute for Interdisciplinary Archaeological
Research (MIIAR).
Internships
Students who major or minor in religious studies,
as well as those with a concentration in Christian education, have
a myriad of internship opportunities to explore, many offering academic
credit. The College's location in the capital city of Jackson provides
countless internship sites, including:
- a multitude of individual Christian churches of varied denominational
and independent affiliation
- statewide headquarters for most Christian denominations;
- religious centers of non-Christian traditions, including
Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, and Buddhism
- Mississippi Religious Leadership Conference - an organization
comprised of religious leaders from various Christian denominations
and non-Christian faith traditions
- the Museum of Southern Jewish Experience
- a multitude of social ministry agencies, including Catholic
Charities, Stewpot Community Services, Operation Shoestring,
Habitat for Humanity, Grace House (for People Living with AIDS),
and many others
- several hospital chaplaincy programs
- Clinical Pastoral Education program
- several parochial schools
- the Clarion-Ledgernewspaper
- Faith and Work Initiative
The Faith & Work Initiative
Funded by a grant from the Lilly Foundation, Millsaps' innovative
Faith & Work Initiative encompasses a variety of programs that
help students discover how to combine professional success with
personal fulfillment. Guest speakers, internships, community service
opportunities and focused courses, such as The Meaning of Work,
spark a process of reflection on issues of meaning, ethics, service
and faith in relation to professional development and careers. [www.millsaps.edu/faithwrk]
Senior Comprehensives
The senior comprehensives deepen students' engagement
with religious studies as they review and integrate the matters
they have dealt with in their courses and fill the most important
gaps in their preparation by additional study. Questions posed in
the examination give students opportunities to articulate and develop
further their understanding of religious facts and issues. The written
part of the examination becomes the basis for the oral part, a conversation
held soon afterward between department faculty and the student.
Four major areas are covered through this process: approaches to
the study of religion; textual and historical studies; comparative
studies; and religious reflection in theology, ethics, and philosophy
of religion.
This whole capstone process is excellent preparation
for graduate level work, as well as demonstrating to employers a
student's comprehensive grasp of the major field, and the ability
to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
Life After Millsaps
A major in Religious Studies can prepare students for future activity
in religious professions, law, social service, education, international
relations, and journalism. It also serves as strong preparation
for post-graduate study in a variety of areas, and is not specifically
limited to religious studies or seminary degrees.
For more information visit the Religious
Studies Website.
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