Vision
The Virginia Center for the Study of Religion, housed at the University of Virginia, aims to help people think better about religion. Drawing on the expertise of scholars at U.Va and beyond, it supports public debates and research projects on topics of religion of great public significance, from all the major religious traditions of the world. In so doing, it honors Thomas Jefferson’s belief that well-informed, respectful, and daring discussions are crucial for the well-being of civil society.
The VCSR is affiliated with the Department of Religious Studies, which is the largest religious studies department among public universities in the United States, and offers an undergraduate major as well as a full program of graduate studies across religious traditions.
