Religion Department
- Overview
Religion asks questions and seeks answers fundamental to humanity’s search for meaning: Who are we as human beings? (Who am I?) What is our relationship with each other, with the natural world, and with God? (What is my place in the world? What am I called to do?) What do good and evil mean in this time and this place? (Do I—or how do I—understand these concepts differently than those from different times and ages?) The study of religion, including inquiry into the history and traditions of Christianity, exploration of other major world religious traditions, study and interpretation of the Hebrew Bible and New Testament, and reflection on vocation, is central to the mission and vision of Augsburg College. At the center of the AugCore, Augsburg’s general education program, are courses in the Religion Department. In these courses, students are challenged and equipped to articulate what they believe and to see that what they believe matters. These courses also ground students who wish to major or minor in Religion or Youth and Family Ministry, where they may more explore more deeply the interpretation of the Bible, church history, theology, world religions, spirituality and spiritual practices, as well as the practical aspects of the life and work of the church.
Augsburg is a college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), and this means that we are eager to engage in dialogue with Christians of all denominations and with people who practice other spiritual traditions or claim no religious beliefs. We challenge all our students to respect and learn from one another and to think critically about matters of faith and reason.