The Department of Religion had the opportunity to celebrate our 2026 graduates during our Commencement Reception on May 7th. During this reception, Dr. Stephen Mihm spoke words of encouragement and congratulations to our attending students and their loved ones. Dr. Jodie Lyon then announced each of our graduates, their accomplishments from their time at UGA, and their next steps after graduation.

Congratulations to the Class of 2026!

Blessing Temitope Adewuyi, a PhD Candidate in the Religion Department, was selected for a spotlight story by Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. The article, "When people become data points: A Ph.D. candidate’s call for ethical guardrails in biotech and AI," features both Blessing and her major professor, Dr. Carolyn Medine.

Join the Jewish Studies Program for two talks from Dr. Gary Rendsburg (Blanche and Irving Laurie Chair in Jewish Studies, Rutgers University), entitled "New Light on Judaism and Christianity from the Dead Sea Scrolls" and "Ancient Israel: From the Exodus to the Emergence of Israel in the Land of Canaan."

The first talk will take place Monday, February 23rd at 5pm.

The second talk will take place Wednesday, February 25th at 1pm.

Both talks will be held in the Miller Learning Center, room 248.

Join the Religion Department and the Jewish Studies Program for a talk by Dr. Jacob Wright, entitled "Why the Bible Began." Dr. Wright is a faculty member at Emory University in the Candler School of Theology.

Madeleine Coleman is a 2026 graduate selected for a spotlight story by Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. Congratulations, Madeleine!

In February, Dr. Carolyn Medine gave the 20th Annual Thomas Merton Black History Lecture at Bellarmine University.

Kudos to Dr Paul Babinski, who has been named one of twelve­ Special Collections Faculty Teaching Fellows for 2026 by the UGA Libraries!

The Religion Department is excited to announce the Religion and Politics Certificate, a partnership with UGA's School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA). This certificate program will be offered on the UGA Athens campus, effective in the Fall of 2026! For more information about the Religion and Politics Certificate, please see our new Certificate page on the Religion Department website.

The Department of Religion is proud to announce that this year’s William L. Power Scholarship recipients are Madeleine Coleman and Madeline Sawyer.