Ioan Petru Culianu was a Romanian historian of religions, essayist, and fiction writer. He served as Professor of the History of Christianity and the History of Religions at the Divinity School from 1986-91. On May 21, 1991, Professor Culianu was murdered in the men's restroom on the third floor of Swift Hall. To this day, the killer's identity remains unknown, though scholars and journalists have offered various explanations and theories. This plaque was installed after his death to honor his memory and his scholarly contributions to the Divinity School and the field of Religious Studies.