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Department History

View of Chicago from the Evanston campus

Ours was among the first religion departments in the United States to move from a specific focus on Christian biblical studies to the comparative study of religion. This development occurred in 1926-27 when we began offering courses in world religions. In subsequent years, faculty in the department taught courses on Buddhism, comparative religious ethics, and related subjects.

Key dates in the development of the Religious Studies Department:

Founders

These individuals shaped the Department of Religion in its early years: