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Department of Religious Studies

Tuva or Bust

September 24, 2025 by Leora Visotzky

Jason Roberts on Siberian shamanism, or how to cross a river on a roll of plastic wrap

Kingship, Godship, Scholarship

April 29, 2024 by Leora Visotzky

Azfar Moin locates the roots of secularism in the sacred kingship of Emperor Akbar

Leaf Through a Good Book

December 6, 2021 by Alex Reshanov

Keep your to-read list up-to-date with our fall book list, featuring a selection of titles from College of Liberal Arts faculty members and alumni.

The Holy Bible on a stand

What is biblical inerrancy? A New Testament scholar explains

July 13, 2021 by Geoffrey Smith

In his farewell address at the 2021 Southern Baptist Convention, outgoing president J.D. Greear acknowledged the internal disputes but assured attendees that the Baptist faith continues to affirm “those doctrines most contested in our culture,” such as “the authority, and the inerrancy, and the sufficiency of scripture.”

Animated illustration of woman with sunglasses; book outline is mirrored in sunglasses as her reddish brown hair blows in breeze.

A Look at Our Latest Books

June 30, 2021 by Michelle Bryant

2021 Spring and Summer titles from our college community.

Why Easter is called Easter, and other little-known facts about the holiday

April 2, 2021 by Brent Landau

The date of Easter, when the resurrection of Jesus is said to have taken place, changes from year to year.

Young woman pulling suitcase in the shape of a book with pink background.

Ticket to Read

October 20, 2020 by Michelle Bryant

Fall 2020 books from our college community.

Sadaham Yathra monks walking along a wooden path.

The Earth’s Keepers: How Religion Can Guide Environmentalism

April 22, 2019 by Rachel White

If you knew in the next life you’d become a tree, you might hesitate before you cut one down. Or if you were to become one of the ocean’s fish, perhaps you’d be more careful about how you dispose of certain plastics. That’s Karma, at least as it’s applied in an environmental context, which might […]

Portrait of Max & Sylvia Miller.

Helping Students Set Sail

November 18, 2016 by Rachel White

The Pro Bene Meritis award is the highest honor bestowed by the College of Liberal Arts. Since 1984, the annual award has been given to alumni, faculty members and friends of the college who are committed to the liberal arts, have made outstanding contributions in professional or philanthropic pursuits or have participated in service related […]

In this ca. 1820 painting, Indra is depicted riding on his white elephant Airavata. Indra is the god of storms and war who leads the Deva (the gods who form and maintain heaven and the elements in Hinduism). Indra has about 250 hymns dedicated to him in the Rigveda.

Not Lost in Translation

April 30, 2015 by Alicia Dietrich

Fifteen-year Project Introduces India’s Earliest Text to Modern Readers Like so many big ideas, it all started over drinks — in this case, glasses of wine in New Orleans. Fifteen years later, a labor of love finally came to fruition for Joel Brereton, associate professor of Asian Studies and Religious Studies, when his joint translation […]

Professor L. Michael White. Photo by Marsha Miller.

The Gospels in Rewrite

May 1, 2012 by Tim Green

University of Texas at Austin Classics and Religious Studies Professor L. Michael White is equally at home reading ancient texts as he is directing the archaeological dig of the oldest known Jewish synagogue in Europe and teaching large undergraduate classes and graduate seminars. He brings teaching and research together in writing journal articles and books. […]

cover of America's Church

America’s Church

April 19, 2012 by Eileen Flynn

Religious studies scholar offers uniquely broad perspective on Catholic presence in nation’s capital In 1913, Bishop Thomas J. Shahan received the pope’s blessing to pursue his vision for a church in Washington, D.C. — a national shrine that would honor the Virgin Mary, serve as a destination for pilgrims and stake a Catholic claim in […]

poster for Life of Pronouns

Books: Fall 2011

November 15, 2011 by Michelle Bryant

Greenback Planet: How the Dollar Conquered the World and Threatened Civilization as We Know It By H.W. Brands, professor, Department of History Historian H.W. Brands charts the dollar’s astonishing rise to become the world’s principal currency recounting key episodes in U.S. monetary history, from the Civil War debate over fiat money (greenbacks) to the recent […]

G. Howard Miller.

Minoring in Miller

November 12, 2011 by Katherine Thayer

Religious studies professor’s devotion to teaching recognized Professor G. Howard Miller began teaching at The University of Texas at Austin in 1971 in Burdine 106, an auditorium seating hundreds of students. “I felt like a rock star,” says Miller, a University Distinguished Teaching Associate Professor of History and Religious Studies, who retired earlier this year. […]

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