As Halloween creeps closer, Duke students have more than just costumes and candy to look forward to — Trinity has a cauldron of classes brewed for spooky‑season scholars. If you’re ready to trade your pumpkin spice latte for something a little more spooky, gather your study group coven and prepare to summon your inner ghoul, because these classes prove that learning at Duke can be delightfully haunting. read more about Spooky Season 101: Courses to Get You in the Mood for Halloween »
I’m here this week with a special guest—Mark Goodacre, whose new book is entitled, The Fourth Synoptic Gospel: John’s Knowledge of Matthew, Mark, and Luke (Eerdmans, 2025). He is professor of religious studies at Duke University. Among his areas of expertise are Christian origins, the Gospels, and the historical Jesus. read more about The Fourth Synoptic Gospel: An Interview with Duke Religious Studies Professor Mark Goodacre »
When Raffaella Taylor-Seymour first visited Zimbabwe in 2012 as an undergraduate, she didn’t know it was the start of a lifelong commitment. Taylor-Seymour, assistant professor of Religious Studies, has returned to Zimbabwe almost every year since. “It felt like the natural place for my work,” she said. “Over the last 13 years, it really has become a commitment. I view my research as a conversation and collaboration with my partners in Zimbabwe, and the work I do is as much for them and with them as it is for academic… read more about Raffaella Taylor-Seymour Unpacks Complex Religious Identities »
Career pathways often don’t follow a straight line. When Neena Mahadev, assistant professor of Religious Studies, first traveled to Sri Lanka as an undergraduate on a study abroad program, she wasn't thinking about religion. She was interested in studying ethnicity and labor in relation to the economy and politics. Mahadev specializes in the anthropology of religion with a particular focus on South Asia. She is the author of “Karma and Grace: Religious Difference in Millennial Sri Lanka,” for which she was awarded… read more about Neena Mahadev Examines Karma, Grace and What Connects Us »
“It’s almost impossible to be an informed citizen without understanding the importance of religion across various cultures,” said Daniel Herskowitz, Smart Family Associate Professor in Judaic Studies. “You won’t be able to really understand anything in the news.” Herskowitz joined the Department of Religious Studies in January 2025. A scholar of intellectual history and philosophy with a focus on Jewish thought in the twentieth century, he doesn’t shy away from some of the most controversial figures and events of our… read more about Daniel Herskowitz: New Perspectives on Jewish Thought »
Four Duke professors from three schools have received the 2025-26 Thomas Langford Lectureship Award.Provost Alec Gallimore, in consultation with the Committee on Appointments, Promotion and Tenure, selected the recipients of this annual award from among all recently promoted or hired faculty members.This distinguished lecture series honors Tommy Langford, who served Duke for 41 years as Divinity School professor, dean and provost. He embodied the highest university values of scholarship, teaching, collegiality and the… read more about Four Duke Scholars Honored With Langford Lectureship Award »
Nearly 400 Duke faculty members from all schools have invested time in working with a professional coach in the Office for Faculty Advancement.Coaching is a series of confidential, structured conversations that help people reflect on complex situations, navigate challenges, enhance self-awareness, set goals and exercise accountability for meeting those goals. Maria LaMonaca Wisdom, assistant vice provost for faculty advancement and adjunct associate professor of the practice in the Program in Education, is a professional… read more about Faculty Perspectives on Coaching »
Eight faculty in Duke University’s Trinity College of Arts & Sciences have been honored with named professorships, effective July 1.These endowed positions recognize leadership and commitment to excellence in scholarship and research. Their recipients are outstanding teachers, mentors and researchers whose contributions are invaluable to the College of Arts & Sciences, as well as their students and colleagues.“Trinity is defined by the strength of its faculty, and we are extraordinarily fortunate to count these… read more about Eight Trinity College of Arts & Sciences Faculty Honored With Named Professorships »
The following is a partial list of national, university, school and departmental awards presented to the members of the Class of 2025. In some awards where there are multiple winners, only members of the Class of 2025 are included. read more about Department Honors and Laurels for the Class of 2025 »
For the past several weeks, fans of The White Lotus on Max (formerly HBO) relished sitting in judgment over the idle rich. Even as the characters took various wellness treatments at the Thailand branch of the fictional White Lotus luxury resort, most found that they had brought their problems from back home with them and, in some cases, made them worse. This season was many things, particularly soapy (incest! extortion!) and fun (Parker Posey’s southern accent! the memes!). But it was also spiritual,… read more about What 'White Lotus' Got Right with Richard Jaffe »
For years, studies have suggested that many white evangelical Christians reject the scientific consensus that human actions are driving climate change. A just-published study of clergy in America confirms it. According to the National Survey of Religious Leaders, 78% of white evangelical clergy reject the assertion that human actions are the cause of climate change. By contrast, only 27% of Black Protestant clergy and 21% of liberal or mainline Protestant clergy reject it. The study of 1,600 U.S. congregational leaders… read more about Are Evangelical Clergy Outliers on Science? Duke Researcher Says Yes and No »
99% Invisible [podcast]Episode 615: "Your Own Personal Jesus"https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/615-your-own-personal-jesus/ with contributor David Morgan read more about Your Own Personal Jesus »
The Department of Religious Studies at Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, invites applications for two tenure-track positions at the rank of Assistant Professor to begin July 1, 2025. The search committee welcomes applicants in religious studies with clear evidence of engagement with another field in the humanities or social or natural sciences (e.g., cosmology, neuroscience, history of science, or history of medicine and healing). Areas of specialization are open. The committee seeks applicants with strong commitment… read more about Job Postings: Department of Religious Studies »
Maya Ghanem is a graduating senior majoring in International Comparative Studies and minoring in Religious Studies, with a concentration in the Middle East. A leader of the queer Muslim student group, Jummah 4 All, Ghanem’s research is grounded in queer Muslim studies and sexual ethics among Muslim authorities. Their honors thesis on queer Muslims and environmental futurisms focused on the interconnected struggles of queer Muslims and nonhuman creation against Orientalist binaries. Ghanem’s writing on analyzing Arab media… read more about Maya Ghanem Knows Collaboration is Critical »
As a pre-health student majoring in Religious Studies with minors in Biology and Chemistry, Christina Lewis (T, ‘24) wanted her honors project to tie together her academic interests and explore ways in which she, a future clinician, might best serve her patients. Lewis’ thesis focuses on alternative healing practices and how they are applied in Western medical settings. She’s investigating why certain practices with religious or spiritual elements are embraced by integrative medical clinics affiliated with reputable… read more about Combining the Holistic and Academic: A Student’s Look at Alternative Medicine in Traditional Settings »
Elizabeth A. Clark joined Duke University in 1982. Over the course of her nearly forty-year tenure at our beloved institution, she built the Department of Religious Studies into a renowned center for the study of late ancient religions, histories and cultures. Founder of the Center for Late Ancient Studies, which now bears her name, Clark gathered, organized and coordinated an interdisciplinary group of researchers for lively conversations and in-depth inquiry into the histories, historiographies and theoretical stakes of… read more about Liz Clark Turned Early Christianity History Into an Entirely Different Field »
“To me, religion is just brain activity,” said Larissa Carneiro, Ph.D., a religious studies instructor at Duke whose work is at the intersection of religion, neuroscience, and psychedelics. Despite her skepticism about the existence of God and reincarnation, though, Carneiro says she has lived many lives. “I'm 57 years old, and I have had five different lives without dying and being born again,” Carneiro said. Carneiro was born in São Sebastião do Paraíso, Brazil, and started her first life (or two) after moving to Belo… read more about Duke Scholar Explores A Potent Brew of Religion, Ritual and Psychedelic Drugs »
The Department of Religious Studies at Duke University invites applications for a position at the rank of associate professor with tenure. The appointment will be in the Department of Religious Studies but is pursued in collaboration with Duke’s distinguished Center for Jewish Studies. The search committee welcomes applicants working in any field involving the study of Jewish religious culture, experience, history or thought in the modern era. The committee seeks applicants with strong evidence of commitment to scholarship… read more about New Faculty Positions Open in the Department of Religious Studies »
In defense of neutral space guest column By Marc Brettler December 11, 2023 | 12:00am EST On December 5, I had the honor of convening “A Talking Circle on the War in Israel and Gaza: Sharing Our Pain” alongside Professors Abdullah Antepli and Peter Casarella. This event was sponsored by The Duke University Chapel, Duke Divinity School Center for Reconciliation, Fons Vitae and Student Affairs. Over 40 people — undergraduates, graduate and professional school students, staff and faculty — attended this two-hour event,… read more about In Defense of Neutral Space »
Two Duke faculty in the Trinity College of Arts and Sciences have been appointed National Humanities Center (NHC) fellows for the 2023-2024 academic year. Richard Jaffe, professor of Religious Studies, will lovingly craft 15-plus years of research into a comprehensive biography honoring a name many are familiar with: Suzuki. “This isn’t Suzuki the motorcycle inventor or the music method Suzuki,” Jaffe cautions. “This is Daisetsu Teitaro (D.T.) Suzuki, who introduced Zen Buddhism to the United States and Great… read more about Duke Professors Awarded for Research on a Zen Influencer and a New Approach to Color Theory »
We, faculty in the Department of Religious Studies, acknowledge the right of Duke graduate students to form an employer-recognized union. We will not penalize graduate students in any way for engaging in unionizing efforts nor will we endorse any disciplinary measures directed at graduate students who have participated in such efforts or against those who have not. We strongly believe in free discussion, and we urge both student and university leaders to engage in a constructive dialogue. read more about Faculty Statement in Support of the Right to Unionize »
Summer is a great time to catch up on reading. Books from more than a dozen Duke authors offer insight on a range of topics – from gratitude for everyday life to the antislavery writings of Henry David Thoreau. Below is a roundup of some of the most recently published and soon-to-be-out titles. Many of the books, including new editions of previous titles, can be found on the “Duke Authors” display shelves near the circulation desk in Perkins Library. Some are available as e-books for quick download. Most can also be… read more about Hot Off the Press: Summer Reading From Duke Authors »
