Overview

This isn’t the major of novitiates for the priest- or sisterhood, and Biblical Studies majors don’t go knocking on front doors or hand out fliers in an airport. So relax.


Biblical Studies is often a concentration within a broader Religious Studies major. The role religion plays in all human activity is immeasurable. Religion is often the source of the deepest ideas and values held by any society, addressing every human experience from birth to death. Religious Studies majors as a whole seek to understand the ways in which the various religions of the world shape culture, society, and history. They focus on the religion itself, whether it’s Christianity or Islam, Buddhism or Judaism, usually closely studying the sacred scriptures through which each tradition is maintained.


As a Biblical Studies major you’ll have your work cut out for you since the Bible (besides being the most widely read, best-selling book ever) is one of the most complex works of literature, prescribing laws about everything from property to the Godly diet. You will study and read the Bible closely, attempting to understand it in its historical context. In the process you will not only gain a depth of understanding of one of the most influential texts of all time, but also develop critical writing and thinking abilities that will help you interpret and understand any question you encounter.

SAMPLE CURRICULUM

  • Augustine

  • Biblical Theology

  • Christian Worldview

  • Ethics

  • Methods of Teaching the Bible

  • New Testament Epistles

  • Old Testament Prophecy

  • Old Testament Studies

  • Plato

  • The Teachings of Jesus

  • The Wisdom Literature


HIGH SCHOOl PREPARATION

The best preparation for a Biblical Studies major is a strong interest in the humanities. English AP classes will help you develop textual analysis skills, which will be sort of important since studying the Bible is all about textual analysis. If you go to a Christian or Jewish high school, take religion classes and pay attention. If your high school does not offer theology courses, history and art history are wonderful ways to begin exploring this major.