All upcoming Philosophy & Religion programs

Nestled in the countryside of Pennsylvania, Lancaster County is home to one of the oldest and largest Amish communities in the United States. Known for its picturesque farmlands, traditional way of life, and rich history, this region offers a rare glimpse into a culture that has remained largely unchanged for centuries. An immersive 2-day journey explores the traditions, hospitality, and craftsmanship that make Lancaster a unique destination.

One of the most momentous eras in human history was the 200 years of ancient Israel’s battles against Rome that reshaped Judaism and gave rise to Christianity. Historian Barry Strauss, author of Jews vs. Rome, focuses on three major uprisings to examine the geopolitical clash between the empires of Rome and Persia, the internal conflicts among Jews, and the ethnic conflict between Jews and Gentiles in Judea.

Rarely can the spirit of the Middle Ages be so potently felt as in the Umbrian hill town of Assisi. A holy city for Christians and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Assisi is an eternal destination for pilgrims wanting to see the places where Saint Francis was born, where he worked, and where he died. Art historian Elaine Ruffolo leads a journey into Assisi’s extraordinary art, breathtaking architecture, and enduring sacred legacy. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

The Socratic method is an ethic of patience, inquiry, humility, and doubt. Drawing on his book The Socratic Method: A Practitioner’s Handbook, Ward Farnsworth of the University of Texas School of Law explains what the Socratic method is, how it works, and why it matters whether in law, politics, the classroom, or tackling life’s big questions at the kitchen table.

Established in 1933, the Kulturbund (the Culture League of German Jews) featured prominently as an outlet where many artists expelled from German institutions could present performances and lectures before exclusively Jewish audiences—bringing both opportunities and dilemmas for a persecuted minority under the authoritarian Nazi regime. Michael Brenner, Lillian and Seymour Abensohn chair in Israel studies at American University and professor of Jewish history and culture at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, explores the history of the Kulturbund and its impact on German Jews under Hitler’s rule.

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.