The historical, phenomenological, and critical study of religious experiences and mysticism in various traditions and contexts.
Department of Religious Studies
Religious Experience & Mysticism
Core Faculty
-
Stephen Bush (he/him)
Chair, Professor of Religious Studies -
Paul Nahme
Associate Professor of Judaic Studies and Religious Studies, Director of Judaic Studies -
Harold Roth
Professor of Religious Studies, Director of the Contemplative Studies Initiative -
Michael Satlow
Professor of Religious Studies and Judaic Studies -
Kera Street
Assistant Professor of Religious Studies
For Prospective Students:
Priority will be given to applicants to Religious Experience & Mysticism who come with an MA in a related field, although exceptionally promising BA students with significant undergraduate study in appropriate areas are also considered for admission. Students are expected to have had some training in the academic study of religion, including the critical study of religious experience. Related fields include not only advanced work in these areas but also, ideally, foundational knowledge and training in the cultural contexts, including languages, of the tradition or traditions in which to specialize during their doctoral training.
Students will graduate from our program with a sophisticated understanding of the nature and content of religious experience, the influence of cultural contexts on these experiences, an ability to compare across traditions, and sufficient facility with one related language that will allow them to conduct original research on topics in their field. By the end of training, students will also have a minimum of two years in their relevant research language in addition to a reading knowledge of French or German.