A religion student digs into the Psalms to study the plight of King David.
“You can’t go wrong learning about God,” joked Steven De Vries, a senior here at NWC. But as he continued, his offhanded statement seemed to echo a good deal of truth. “On a campus like this, we all have our own refined theologies, and we operate under them whether we’re aware of it or not,” De Vries said. “So why not take a closer look?”
DeVries, an enthusiastic NWC religion major, is preparing for seminary and eventually a career as a chaplain or pastor, as he says “wherever God is going to use me most effectively.” Religion majors have a wide variety of options come graduation, he notes. Prison, military, or hospital chaplaincy, as well as hospice work, pastoral roles, or mission work are just a few options.
Classmate Felipe Silva exemplifies this as he plans to apply his degree to enter “full time ministry after seminary, being involved with church planting and community development.” Silva said, “If you are interested in learning more about the word of God, how to use it properly and manage it well, or have a passion to be involved in the ministry one day, this is a good major to choose.”
People in the religion department are quick to agree that the two required courses, Intro to Biblical Studies and Theology, just aren’t enough. After taking a host of courses including Topics in the Old Testament, History in Christianity and Christian Spirituality, Silva says that the classes can be difficult but also “open up our eyes to understand things we usually don’t or maybe have not thought of.”
Even if you’re not a religion major, consider taking a class or two in this area to deepen your understanding of God and Scripture. Dr. James Mead, a professor in the religion department, pointed out that regardless of your major, the kinds of things you’ll encounter in religion classes are “valuable for any Christian who takes faith and learning seriously.”
Mead also said that “collegiality among the department members” is another perk for the religion department at NW. Dr. Jackie Smallbones agrees. Her extensive international experience like many other religion professors also contributes to the department’s unique flavor. She said all of the religion faculty have been “actively involved in church ministry for many years” and represent a variety of specializations in their research and teaching.
As a student, De Vries has experienced and appreciates this. He says that by only taking the gen. ed. courses, you miss out on the variety of knowledge and perspectives throughout the department. De Vries says he enjoys this range and finds it none short of delightful to learn from various professors about the topics that “make them light up.”
Not to mention, as a religion major, you might just find yourself “reading through Reformation era theologians, memorizing declensions and consulting 30-lb. lexicons, being able to distinguish between ‘Baptists’ and ‘Anabaptists’ or ‘infralapsarians’ and ‘supralapsarians,’” said Dr. John Vonder Bruegge. After all, “What’s not to like?”
