Dr. Alex Kocar, UW Comparative Religion alumnus (2009) and current lecturer at Princeton University, has recently published a new book, Heavenly Stories Tiered Salvation in the New Testament and Ancient Christianity, with University of Pennsylvania Press. Salvation is often thought to be an all-or-nothing matter: you are either saved or damned. Paul the Apostle, John

In professor Naomi Sokoloff’s recent talk, “Jewish Dogs and the Nazi Beast,” she explored the fascinating intersection between animal studies and Holocaust literature, focusing on memoirs by two Hebrew authors. Alona Frankel and Aharon Appelfeld were Jewish survivors who both spent part of the war years as hidden children. Fleeing human cruelty, seeking refuge in

The latest Jackson Report – an annual sampling of JSIS activities; new offerings; and student and faculty research, honors, and awards – is now available online. From Leela Fernandes, JSIS Director and Stanley D. Golub Endowed Chair: “The first six months of my Directorship took place in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, a sharply contested election and

  Recorded September 20, 2020. How can people of all faiths and none in Seattle collaborate on our most pressing challenges—from Covid-19 to racial justice? 2020 presented extraordinary challenges and possibilities, from a pandemic to a mass movement against anti-Black racism and police violence. In order to move forward, each of us must have the

Taso Lagos, JSIS lecturer in Hellenic Studies, has recently published his new book, Charisma and Religious War in America: Ministries and Rivalries of Sister Aimee and “Fighting Bob” (Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2020). The book explores spiritual innovation in 1920’s Los Angeles through the biographies of two key Protestant figures –and rivals– in the movement:  Sister Aimee

Students will explore religion’s role in resisting the status quo and seeking justice for all, including the natural world. Current global events continue to expose deep cultural divides in regards to views on race, gender, and environmental threats. In response, Professor James Wellman is offering a new course, RELIG 490: Religion and Resistance. Students will examine Christian theologies

“Truth is the highest of virtues, but higher still is truthful living.” -Guru Nanak, Guru Granth Sahib So goes one of Dr. David Fowler’s favorite quotes from the Sikh tradition, one of just a few religions he will be exploring with students this fall in his course, RELIG 202 – Introduction to World Religions: Eastern

In her opinion piece for the Huffington Post, affiliated Comparative Religion professor Radhika Govindrajan analyzes how the colonial narrative of “cruel” natives vs. “innocent” animals persists in modern-day Kerala.

Literature and the arts are powerful humanizing agents. They enable us, however briefly or partially, to hear the voices of strangers and perceive slices of the human experience beyond our limited selves and cultures. As such, one of the most fundamental things we can do to catalyze a more open society is proactively seek out

The University of Washington’s Race & Equity Initiative has created a list of resources for everyone who would like to gain a deeper understanding of historical and present-day manifestations of racism in the United States. It includes articles and websites on racial equity tools, Seattle social justice initiatives, and self-care tips. The list will be updated