2110 Judaism, Christianity, Islam

The Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions are grouped in a family unit, "the religions of Abraham." What kind of family do they really form? All three share a commitment to monotheism, but their different experiences and emphases in these faith communities have led them to oppose and often to fight each other. Is this necessary? Or can these communities affirm one another while remaining true to their inspirations?

In search of insightful answers to such questions, this course examines the chief historical sources of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faith and some of the most important historical developments in the three traditions, especially those triggered by their relations with each other--for example, the Crusades, the recent upsurge of anti-Western Islamism, and post-Holocaust Jewish-Christian dialogue. In addition to the more usual sorts of classwork, students take field trips to local places of worship.

There is no prerequisite. Offered alternate years.  RECENT SYLLABUS

For the variation of this course that is entirely devoted to Islam, see: RECENT SYLLABUS FOR "ISLAM"

2120 South Asian Religions

This course provides a historical and theoretical introduction to the religious traditions of South Asia (especially India, Pakistan, Tibet and Sri Lanka) with emphasis on Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Islam, and Sikhism.  Considerable weight will be given to ideas of transmigration/reincarnation and liberation from the cycle of transmigration.  What causes transmigration?  What is karma?  What is desire?  Is it really possible to eliminate desire completely?  Is escape from the cycle of transmigration desirable?  Is it possible to be liberated from the cycle of transmigration?  Careful scrutiny will also be given to the idea of the "Mystic East."  What is mysticism?  What are the advantages and disadvantages of thinking of India as particularly mystical or spiritual?  Finally, we will examine modern versions of these ancient traditions with special attention to the emergence of Hindu "fundamentalism" in India and the emergence of Buddhist "fundamentalism" in Sri Lanka.

Previous work in anthropology or religious studies will be helpful but is not required. Offered alternate years. RECENT SYLLABUS

2130 East Asian Religions

This course provides a historical and theoretical introduction to the religious and cultural traditions of China and Japan with special attention to Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, Shinto, and popular religions.  Our goal is to do more than study traditions in isolation; we will also study the religious and cultural lives of East Asians in their complex multiplicity.  This means that we will focus especially on the reality of multiple religious participation.  Many Chinese and Japanese do not think of themselves as adhering exclusively to a single tradition.  Therefore, a reexamination of traditional Western notions regarding religion and religious belonging will be a crucial component of this course.

We will also attend to the ways in which notions about "East" and "West" have been shaped by the history of colonialism.  Whereas in the past Western representations of the East were shaped by missionary and colonial interests, recently Western notions of East Asia linger under the influence of "nativist" ideas in which East Asian traditions often are regarded as intrinsically superior to Western traditions.  East Asia is considered spontaneous, natural, nondualistic and organic whereas Western thought is characterized as calculating, artificial, and dualistic.  We will attempt to explore the reasons behind this dichotomizing perspective and the challenges it poses for East-West understanding.

Previous work in anthropology or religious studies will be helpful but is not required. Offered alternate years.  RECENT SYLLABUS

2210 Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament)

The large and diverse body of ancient Hebrew literature that Jews and Christians include in their scriptures is immeasurably important for a historical understanding of Western and Muslim cultures. In addition, it remains a powerful stimulus for thinking freshly today about divinity, humanity, and the universe. The primary goals of this course are, accordingly, to (a) learn about the distinctive characteristics of the Hebrew texts and the historical process in which they came to be written and finally adopted as "scripture," and (b) promote an intelligent conversation with these texts about issues of ultimate concern.

There is no prerequisite. Offered alternate years.  RECENT SYLLABUS

2300 African-American Religions

A study of varieties of religious expression, belief, and organization in African-American spiritual existence since the 18th century, with consideration of slave religion, racism and religion, religious colonization, independent black churches, black protest and liberation theology, womanist thought, and heterodox religious groups like the Jehovah's Witnesses, the Nation of Islam, Santeria, and Voodoo.

There is no prerequisite. Offered occasionally.

2400 The Meaning of Work

An investigation into the phenomenon that is arguably at the foundation of human civilization and the human psyche: work. Is work a primal curse, a saving grace, a human necessity? Which activities should count as work, and how should they be counted? Are certain kinds of work or ways of working better or more meaningful than others? Who should benefit from work? This course will explore issues of value, purpose, function, organization, and justice in relation to the meaning of work from a variety of perspectives, including philosophy, theology, sociology, psychology, and management. CURRENT SYLLABUS

2750 Introduction to Judaism

So what's with Jewish kids getting eight nights of presents for Hanukkah, anyway? What do Jews really believe about Heaven and Hell? Does Jewish tradition have anything to say about Jesus? How do Jews pray, and what does Judaism teach us about monotheism?

If you've ever asked yourself these or any questions about Judaism, what it is, and how it works (or if you think you might like to), then join Rabbi Valerie Cohen and Rabbi Debra Kassoff on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1pm for RLST 2750, "Introduction to Judaism."

3000 Myth (Cross-listed in Classics)

The study of mythology is, in a very basic way, a journey into one's self and what it means to be human. The specific objectives of this course are (1) to outline the major symbols and motifs of mythological thought throughout the world, using the tools of comparative mythology; (2) to acquire a working frame of reference of Classical and Norse mythology; (3) to become familiar with the impact of Classical and Norse mythology on literature and art; and (4) to examine gender roles as reflected in mythology. Plays and films are integral parts of the course along with written texts. 

Each student designs and carries out a project, in some form of collaboration with other students, that will be shared with the class. A project is not necessarily a paper. Students in the past have made films, painted pictures, produced ceramics and woodcuts, written and performed plays, and choreographed dances. 

Prior work in religious studies, literature, or anthropology may be useful, but there is no prerequisite. 

3110 History of Christian Thought

The first part of this course is a broad survey of Christian thought and practice from the closing of the New Testament canon (4th century) through the Enlightenment (18th century). We will look closely at a number of figures whose lives were decisive, or at least influential, for the shape of Western Christian history: Augustine, Hildegard of Bingen, Thomas Aquinas, Joan of Arc, Martin Luther, Teresa of Avila, and Rene Descartes, for example. The second part explores the circumstances that have combined to make post-Enlightenment Christianity a more elusive, problematic, and richly diffuse object of study. How do the intellectual and material conditions of modernity --global commerce and communication, the advancing prestige of science, new religious and anti-religious movements--subject both "Christianity" and "the Western world" to continuing religious transformation?

Religious Studies 2220, New Testament and Early Christianity, may be helpful preparation, but no prior course is required.  RECENT SYLLABUS

3120 Modern and Contemporary Theology

(Sallie McFague)

What is at stake for human beings in talking about their relationship to God?  What images of God and of divine activity have shaped contemporary religious imagination and practice?  What does it mean to be fully human or to be redeemed?  How are God and world related?

Modern and Contemporary Theology examines some of the efforts of post-Enlightenment Western thinkers, primarily but not exclusively Christian theologians, to engage in theology in a responsible way. Among the thinkers who may be studied are Kant and Schleiermacher; Kierkegaard and Newman; Barth, Tillich, Rahner, and the Niebuhrs; Gutierrez, Cone, Ruether, and McFague; and representatives of interreligious dialogue and global theology.

This course offers ample opportunity for students to develop their own views of theological issues through discussion and writing. Previous work in philosophy, biblical studies, or the history of Christianity may be helpful but is not required. Offered alternate years.  RECENT SYLLABUS

3150  Religion, Science, and Nature

What are religion and science?  Are they rival belief systems that can argue with each other about the truth?  Are they different ways of seeing the world and managing our affairs, pulling us in opposite directions?  Or are they complementary?  Can their benefits be compared and weighed against each other?  Could religion and science as we know them today be superseded in the future by different pursuits and different attitudes? 

What is nature?  Must it be perceptible by our bodily senses?  Must it be predictable?  Are there good reasons to believe in supernatural realities?  Is nature good in itself?  Is it "home"?  Is technology alien to nature?

These questions are difficult and many-sided.  They have shaped up over a long history in diverse cultural contexts.  In this course we may study historical revolutions and cultural and philosophical differences in understanding religion, science, and nature; creationism and environmental ethics controversies; the role of symbols, metaphors, models, and paradigms in religion and science; the creationism, "intelligent design," and environmental ethics controversies; and contemporary efforts to redefine the religion-science relationship.

Prior work in Religious Studies or in the natural sciences may be helpful, but there is no prerequisite.  Offered occasionally.  RECENT SYLLABUS

3160  Religion and Literature

How do people find themselves?  How do people find the most meaningful kinds of  community?  How do people come to recognize the things they do and the things that happen to them as good and evil?  How do people find redemption or some other form of ultimate meaning?  This course looks at these and other religious themes in various forms of literature, usually with an emphasis on modern and contemporary works.  The literary structure of religious writings may also be studied. 

Prior work in Religious Studies or literary studies may be helpful, but there is no prerequisite.  Offered occasionally. RECENT SYLLABUS

 

3170  Religion and Society
How do the practices and beliefs of a religious community relate to structures and events in the larger society in which it is embedded?  What is the impact of religious movements on the life of mainstream society?  How has the relationship between religion and politics changed over time?    This course may feature topics as diverse as American religious history, the politics of the Religious Right, and "The Sacred in Everyday Life."

Prior work in Religious Studies or in the social sciences may be helpful, but there is no prerequisite.  Offered occasionally.

3310 Philosophy of Religion (Cross-listed in Philosophy) 

Religion typically claims to offer insight into the real nature of the world, human beings, and good and evil; and philosophical truth-seekers are bound to consider such claims. Religion describes our life using powerful but problematic ideas like "God," the "soul," "holiness," "faith," and "sin" that need careful study. What different meanings can be found in these ideas? How are religious descriptions supposed to match up with common-sense and scientific descriptions? Or do they?

What about the disagreements between the various religious traditions? Do different religious perspectives offer rival answers to the same questions or do they ask fundamentally different questions?  How do they converge or diverge in their ultimate goals?

Readings in this course are drawn from a variety of sources and may include (for example) Buddhist and Platonic discussions of the soul, arguments for God's existence by Anselm and Thomas Aquinas, arguments against theism by Marx and Freud, contemporary debates about how, if at all, religious beliefs are verifiable, and feminist criticisms and revisions of religious meaning. The class is discussion-oriented. Writing assignments are primarily designed to allow students to develop their own philosophical assessment of religious issues. Prior work in philosophy or religious studies may be helpful but is not necessary. Offered alternate years. RECENT SYLLABUS

For Philosophy of Religion in Fall 2005 see The Concept of God and Creation and Evolution.

3400 Evil

A study of the reality, nature, origin, and consequences of evil, focusing on the distinctive shape and logic of what is most ignoble, destructive, callous, and dysfunctional in human history and existence.

There is no prerequisite. Offered occasionally.

3500 Religious Comparisons

[Course description of a recent offering on the theme of "salvation":] What does it mean to "get" or be "saved" from a religious standpoint? What is it that we are to be saved from? Is there only one understanding of salvation within Christianity? Can one be saved outside of Christianity? How is salvation understood in other religions? Is there life after death? This course will study these key questions as well as address the problem of constructing a "theology of religions," that is, asking how one can be authentic to one's own religious tradition while also being in relationship with the historical and social existence of other religious traditions. Religious traditions that we will examine include Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and the Chinese traditions. In-depth attention will be given to Advaita Vedanta philosophy in Hinduism, the bodhisattva-savior tradition of Mahayana and Tibetan Buddhism, and the Chinese Goddess of Mercy, Grace and Compassion, Kuan-yin.
RECENT SYLLABUS

3600  The Educational Ministry of the Church

This course, taught by a religious education specialist, emphasizes practice in using selected materials in local church education programs.

Offered by special arrangement, without prerequisite.

 

3750 Special Topics

Special topics courses are offered occasionally based upon student and faculty interest. Recent examples include "Gender and the Bible" (Spring 2001), "Zen and Phenomenology" (Spring 2002), "Many Paths? Christian Approaches to Religious Pluralism" (Spring 2003), "Islam" (Fall 2004), and "Women and Biblical Liberature" RECENT SYLLABUS.

4850 Religion Internship

The Religion Internship is an off-campus learning experience designed in consultation with a religious professional and a Religious Studies Department faculty member. The student will be given specific responsibilities in a religion-related work setting and an appropriate program of independent study to inform and interpret the experience.

Offered by request, contingent on a faculty member's approval. Normally a student will take at least two courses in the Religious Studies Department before proposing an Internship. 

Methodism

 

With the support of the Center for Ministry, the department regularly sponsors an introductory course on Methodism taught by a Methodist professional.

 

3900, 4900 Religious Studies Seminar

The departmental Seminar, devoted to changing topics of interest in contemporary religious studies, involves all majors in the department; given the interdisciplinary character of religious studies, however, many topics will be of interest to students in other programs as well. 

Recent seminar topics have included "Mysticism" (2000), "Orthodox Theology and Spirituality" (2001), "Religion and Postmodernism" (2002), "Disturbing [the Category of] Religion" (2003), "What Is Scripture?" (2004), and "Religion and Film" (2005).

In Spring 2006, Darby Ray led the seminar on "Religion and American Culture." This seminar explored the myriad ways in which religion is understood and practiced in contemporary America. From academic theories of religion to roadside billboards, presidential speeches, and slick marketing campaigns were considered in an attempt to grasp the shape and function of religion in today's complex, diverse society.

A seminar is a discussion class in which students share responsibility for bringing materials and issues before the group.  Previous work in religious studies or in the topic area is desirable but not required.  Offered every spring semester.  Sophomores and juniors enroll in 3900, seniors in 4900. RECENT SYLLABUS

ADDITIONAL COURSES

1010-1020 Introduction to Classical Hebrew

 

This yearlong study of Classical (ancient, biblical) Hebrew will focus on mastery of grammar, vocabulary, and syntax in order to lay the foundation for proficient reading of Hebrew texts.

 

2020 Classical Hebrew Readings

This semester course will focus on a wide selection of reading in Classical Hebrew, with some attention to later forms of Hebrew, including Qumran and Rabbinic. (Completion of all three Hebrew courses satisfies the language requirement for the B.A. degree.)