All upcoming Philosophy & Religion programs

Northern Renaissance artists imbued their paintings with religious and philosophical symbolism, an approach that remained central to the visual culture of the Low Countries in the wake of the Protestant Reformation. Art historian Aneta Georgievska-Shine highlights these “painted treatises” and explores their symbolic content in a range of genres, from domestic interiors to market scenes and images of children’s games. (World Art History Certificate core course, 1 credit)

Mysticism—the awareness and the conscious unmediated experience of an ultimate reality, divinity, or God—captures the essence of religious experience. Comparative religion scholar Graham Schweig surveys the role mysticism plays in world religions and considers if there is a core mystical experience among these traditions or if each is shaped by unique cultural, linguistic, and religious contexts.

The year 1000 sparked a remarkable revival of artistic expression, particularly in 11th- and 12th-century France. From that renewal emerged the Romanesque style, which reshaped the spiritual and cultural landscape of medieval Europe. Art historian Janetta Rebold Benton explores this vibrant period through its cathedrals, churches, cloisters, and monasteries—beautiful spaces created to instruct and inspire. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1 credit)

The Basilica of Santa Croce, located in Florence, Italy, is the largest Franciscan church in the world and an excellent example of Italian Gothic architecture. Many of its 16 chapels are decorated with frescoes by Giotto and his disciples. The museum complex consists of the church, chapels, monastery, bell tower, and an area for exhibitions. Italian Renaissance art expert Rocky Ruggiero highlights key artworks, architectural features, and notable moments from the church’s history. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

The great organ in Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris is as magnificent as it is historically significant. Though preserved from the flames and water during the fire that engulfed the cathedral's roof in 2019, the instrument was taken apart, then carefully reconstructed and tuned. Olivier Latry, titular organist of Notre-Dame Cathedral, and Bach expert Thierry van Bastelaer discuss the history of the organ, the factors that make it unique, and the impact of the cathedral’s restoration on its sounds.

The study of iconography—how symbols and allegories function in art—offers a way to understand masterpieces that have puzzled scholars for generations. Art historian Noah Charney explores the rich stories hidden in details of paintings associated with Christmas, specifically representations of the adoration of the Christ Child by the Magi or shepherds created by a variety of artists. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

At the heart of Buddhism lies a deep concern with how individuals live—how their actions affect others and contribute to their own awakening. Steven M. Emmanuel, chair of the philosophy department at Virginia Wesleyan University, introduces Buddhist ethics. He outlines the differences between Buddhist and Western approaches to ethics and offers a detailed discussion of Buddhist practice, focusing on the role that meditation plays in moral development.