Christianity and Culture

Christians claim that the Gospel has the power to transform not only individual lives but whole societies. The Christianity and Culture Program offers students an opportunity to explore this bold claim through critical, academic studies of how the Christian faith has shaped—and been shaped by—the institutions, artistic expressions, and intellectual achievements of Western and world cultures. Courses provide a comprehensive and humanistic approach to Christian experience, past and present. By focusing on students’ personal engagement with primary sources, the Program fosters scholarly exchange, intellectual community, and a shared search for meaning.

Individual courses focus on art, literature, science, philosophy, theology, ritual, law, and social and institutional history. The program addresses the broad range of Christian experience, with a particular emphasis on the Catholic tradition.

Christianity and Culture is a good preparation for a career in education, journalism, arts and entertainment, or communications. Many of our students proceed to graduate work in theology and religious studies.For students anticipating teaching careers in Ontario Catholic schools, certain of the Christianity and Culture courses have been judged by the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association as providing equivalent standing in ministry courses required for permanent teachers’ contracts.

The Christianity and Culture Program is open to undergraduate students in the Faculty of Arts and Science at the University of Toronto, and students from across the University are welcome to join our classes.