Philosophy and Religious Studies

Colleges and Programs of Study

Philosophy and Religious Studies are discrete yet related fields of human inquiry that immerse students in bodies of knowledge and ways of seeing the world that have existed from antiquity into the present day. Courses in these disciplines help students develop and deepen their own perspectives on a range of personal, social, and global concerns, while also sharpening critical thinking skills and the ability to engage other points of view with openness and empathy.

Philosophy

Literally, “love of wisdom,” Philosophy engages the enduring questions of human existence: What is reality? What is truth? What are our obligations to other people and to the non-human world? How should we decide among competing visions of the good? Raising such questions and exploring worthy answers are skills that serve one for a lifetime. The Philosophy curriculum complements coursework in other fields of study and Philosophy minors are well-positioned to pursue a variety of career paths, including law, medicine, theology, writing, teaching, and community activism.

 

Religious Studies

Religious beliefs and practices are deeply intertwined with culture, politics, economics, and other arenas of public life, even as “religion” is an elusive, highly contested term. Courses in the Religious Studies curriculum bring these truths to life, helping students make connections across disciplines, and encouraging reflection on matters of life, death, and meaning making. Students who minor in Religious Studies are prepared to intelligently engage religious and spiritual issues in ways that are personally satisfying and professionally useful. The minor is also appropriate for persons preparing for further theological study and church-related vocations.

Both Philosophy and Religious Studies, separately or together, are arenas of inquiry that can also serve the Integrated Studies major. In addition, they can be advantageous minors for students enrolled in the accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s degree program: Wesleyan’s innovative partnership with the Methodist Theological School in Ohio. Read more here.

 

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  • Faculty

    Debra Dean Murphy, Professor
    B.S., West Virginia Wesleyan College
    M.T.S., Duke Divinity School
    Ph.D., Drew University

    Areas of Instruction: Religious Studies
    Email: murphy_d@wvwc.edu
    Phone: 304-473-8362
    Research: Debra Dean Murphy’s courses include Religion and Climate Change; Hinduism and Buddhism; Christian Moral Philosophy; Religion, Art, and Material Culture; and Faith and Doubt at the Movies. Her most recent book is Climate Collapse and Other Breakdowns: Grieving the End of the World (Cascade 2026). She is also the author of Happiness, Health, and Beauty: The Christian Life in Everyday Terms (Cascade 2015) and Teaching that Transforms: Worship as the Heart of Christian Education (Brazos 2004). Her articles and essays have appeared in Modern Theology, Scottish Journal of Theology, Liturgy, and Cross Currents. Her blog, “Intersections: Thoughts on Religion, Culture, and Politics.” is regularly featured by The Christian Century, Sojourners, and On Being.

    Tanner Capps, instructor 

    Bernard Keating,  Professor Emeritus 

  • Minors
    • Philosophy

      Students will: 

      • Students will demonstrate the ability to distinguish arguments from non-arguments and will be able to provide reasoned assessments of soundness/cogency in simple cases.
      • Students will be able to demonstrate competence in analyzing arguments.
      • Students will demonstrate an ability to defend a philosophical thesis.
    • Religious Studies

      Students will: 

      • Students will demonstrate knowledge of the core beliefs and practices of religious traditions.
      • Students will be able to reason theologically, interpret texts critically, and engage with religious diversity.
      • Students will understand the complexities, ambiguities and mysteries of lived faith.
      • Students will be able to articulate, be thoughtful, and be self-aware about their own religious and theological commitments.
    • Programs of Study