The Center for the Study of Global Religions and Spiritualities is dedicated to the academic and transdisciplinary exploration of religion, spirituality, culture, history and identity.
It brings together faculty members from across VCU to foster collaboration, engage students and promote community dialogue, research and engagement. The center provides a space for both intellectual and communal exploration of religious topics, welcoming diverse perspectives and encouraging a broader understanding of global religious practices and spiritual expressions.
To support these goals, the center organizes public lectures throughout the academic year, centered around the shared focus of its four endowed chairs in the College of Humanities and Sciences. It also seeks to offer community-based education in the areas of religion, religious studies and spirituality. The center provides opportunities for student engagement and public education, with an emphasis on religious tolerance, inclusivity in religious practice, the history of religion, and the exploration of spiritualities in various forms.
News
April 21, 2025
Pope Francis’ legacy may be a ‘bridge between tradition and modernity’
Religious studies professor Andrew Chesnut outlines the history-making pontiff’s impact – and where the Catholic Church may turn next.
April 10, 2025
The voice of Lincoln offers compelling counterpoint to today’s zero-sum thinking, pastor and publisher says at Blake Lecture
Speaking three decades after his father kicked off the annual series, Peter Marty uses the past, the present and Christianity to reflect on the winners-and-losers mindset.
