PhD in Divinity - History of Religions in Chicago United States | University of Chicago

The History of Religions field examines religion as a purely human phenomenon through social science and humanities methodologies. It focuses on developing high-level theoretical frameworks grounded in comparative and empirical studies while conducting research informed by theoretical analysis. This discipline consciously addresses epistemological challenges, terminology, categorization, methodology, and underlying motivations. With an inherently questioning nature, it maintains that: [a] Western monotheistic traditions shouldn't dominate scholarly focus, [b] religion encompasses more than belief systems, including practices, institutions, communities, and subconscious behavioral patterns, and [c] proper analysis requires critically examining religious phenomena beyond their surface representations. Scholars in this field must deeply understand its academic evolution and master current theories and methods. Students navigate the dynamic between detailed historical contextualization and broad theoretical-comparative approaches in their work.