College of Arts and Sciences

The Department of Religious Studies welcomes guest lecturer Rev. Dr. Miguel De La Torre to deliver the Bi-Annual Ratner Family Lecture, “Toward a Liberative AI Ethics.”

Co-sponsored by the Department of Religious Studies and The Baker-Nord Center for the Humanities

Thursday, September 24th

4:30 pm – 6 pm

Thwing Excelsior Ballroom (229)

Counts toward Explore Credit – Register Today!

AI is radically changing how most of us go about our daily lives, bringing – in some cases – radical changes. Unfortunately, we are rushing forward simply because we can, paying little attention to the ethical implications of these changes. Focusing on the impact of AI, this lecture will begin by exploring their theological implications and its impact on the individual, the nation, and the world. Special attention will be given to those who were already marginalized before the normalization of AI.

Rev. Dr. Miguel A. De La Torre is Professor of Social Ethics and Latinx Studies at the Iliff School of Theology in Denver, Colorado. He is an international scholar, documentarian, novelist, academic author, and scholar activist. The focus of Dr. De La Torre’s academic pursuit is social ethics within contemporary U.S. thought, specifically how religion affects race, class, and gender oppression.

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Patricia Carrig, a 2025 graduate of CWRU, has been published in the UCLA Journal of Religion’s seventh volume for her Capstone project, “The Final Girl? Or The Primal Androgyne? An Exploration of the Connections Between a Slasher Film Trope and Genesis I & II.” Since graduating with majors in Environmental Geology and Environmental Studies and a minor in Religious Studies, Patricia has joined the Colman Lab in the Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences as a research assistant, where she investigates sources of air pollution in Cleveland and their effects on urban health.

Patricia’s interest in the intersection of film and religion grew during her undergraduate years, when she became deeply involved in student filmmaking and explored courses in film studies alongside her religious studies coursework. Her paper examines the connections between Carol J. Clover’s influential “Final Girl” trope in slasher films and concepts of the primal androgyne and spiritual androgyny found in early Christian thought, as discussed by scholar Daniel Boyarin in his analysis of the writings of Philo of Alexandria. Reflecting on the project, Patricia noted her long-standing fascination with the shared focus on myth and ritual found in both film studies and religious studies. Her research demonstrates how interdisciplinary perspectives can reveal unexpected connections between popular culture and religious traditions.

Congratulations to Patricia on this outstanding achievement and publication!

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This Fall 2026, RLGN/AFST 151: Introduction to Africana Religions will focus on the topic: The Black Church. Add this course to your Fall 2026 schedule to explore the history, traditions, theology, and cultural impact of the Black Church in America. In this course you will:

• Understand the central role of the Black Church in spiritual life and community.
• Examine historical roots, key figures, movements, and global influence.
• Connect faith, culture, justice, and identity in Africana diasporic religious traditions.

RLGN/AFST 151 for Fall 2026

Tuesdays & Thursdays 2:45pm – 4pm

Instructor: Dr. Heather E. Burton

Register Today!

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Dr. Timothy Beal, Distinguished University Professor, Florence Harkness Professor of Religion, and Director of h.lab, will deliver Lehigh University’s 2026 Baccalaureate Address on Saturday, May 16th, 2026. Dr. Beal will discuss AI, ethics, and the role of higher education in shaping a just and sustainable future.

Read more about Dr. Beal and the event here

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Dr. Jonathan Tan, the Archbishop Paul J. Hallinan Professor in Catholic Studies I, was kept busy last academic year with interviews, panels, and op eds, first on the Late Pope Francis’ South Asian tour, followed months later by the appointment of his successor, Pope Leo XIV. One year later, the news media has again called upon Dr. Tan as the expert. He was recently featured in an interview on USA Today and quoted in the article, “An American pope, a presidential clash and what it means in the pews” (USA Today, May 2nd).  Soon after, on the anniversary of Pope Leo XIV’s appointment, Dr. Tan published his latest op ed, “Reflections on the first year of Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate” (UCA News, May 8th).

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Dr. Jue Liang has been named as one of ten 2026-28 Junior Fellows to join the Andrew W. Mellon Society of Fellows in Critical Bibliography (SoFCB) through a competitive selection process. She is also the recipient of the Nancy Norton Tomasko Fellowship, specializing in Asian materials or the history...

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Join us in support of your fellow classmates as they present their capstone projects. Ask questions, pick their brains, and learn something along the way!

Wednesday, April 8th, 6pm
Crawford Hall, Rm A09
Refreshments will be provided

Medha Bhimaraju – Capstone
“Narrating Suffering and Practicing Healing in Zen Buddhist and Charismatic Christian Communities in the United States”

Asha Kartha – Honors Thesis
“Developing in Turmoil: Jewish Identity in Higher Education After October 7th”

Lily Stuart – Honors Thesis
“Gospels for Nonbelievers: Concerts and American Spirituality”

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Religious Studies is offering a new course this Fall 2026, RLGN 225: “Sharp Edges/Tender Bodies: Religion, Health and Resilience,” created and taught by Professor Michele Tracy Berger on Tuesdays and Thursdays 11:30-12:45.

This course examines how women of color understand, negotiate, and practice health through religious belief, spirituality, and embodied knowledge. Through interdisciplinary texts, narratives, and case studies, students explore how faith traditions shape experiences of illness, healing, wellness, activism, and care in the context of race, gender, and power.

This course satisfies the Human Diversity and Commonality requirement and can count toward the Africana Studies Minor.

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Dr. Deepak Sarma, inaugural distinguished scholar in the public humanities, quoted as expert in recent article, “Sarah Huckabee Sanders Leveled This Dig After Restaurant Drama. An Expert Says It’s A Tactic.” (HuffPost, March 23, 2026). Sarma said that ‘Sanders’ statements are a “blatant attempt to gaslight and hijack the narrative.” It’s ‘ironic’ that “MAGA has been a small and borderline group that has commandeered the U.S. government and the media, and has claimed to speak on behalf of all Americans.”’

Read the full article for more.

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