Themes and literary genres in the Bible, emphasizing content important in Western culture. Same as CWL 111 and ENGL 114.

Introductory survey of the mythologies of India, China, and Japan. Same as ASST 104.

Examination of archaeological evidence, especially from Syria-Palestine, and discussion of its use in the interpretation of Biblical literature.

Introduction to classic writers and texts in Western religious and social thought from antiquity to the Enlightenment, with emphasis on their social and historical contexts. Same as JS 108, ANTH 108, and PHIL 108.

Introduction to classic writers and texts in Western religious and social thought from the Enlightenment to the present, with emphasis on their social and historical contexts. Same as ANTH 109 and PHIL 109..

Survey of the leading living religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; examination of basic texts and of philosophic theological elaborations of each religion. Same as PHIL 110.

Same as GRK 101. See GRK 101.

Same as GRK 102. See GRK 102.

Same as HNDI 115 and LING 115. See LING 115.

Whether in fourth-century North African, tenth-century Japan, fourteenth-century Spain, or twentieth-century America, men and women have wrestled with the question of who they are and how they are to relate to the world. Through autobiographic writings, by reading the words of women and men attempting to make sense of the world and their place in it, we hope to focus attention on the personal dimensions of faith and of cross cultural contact at the same time that we provide an introduction to the worlds' major religions.

Examines the social, political, economic, and intellectual history of the Jews from Abraham to the present-day, with particular attention to Jewish thought and society. Same as HIST 168 and JS 120.

Typological and historical approaches to major forms of Christianity: Eastern Orthodoxy, Catholicism, and Protestantism.

Same as EALC 122. See EALC 122.

Introduces the history, teachings, and practice of Zen Buddhism in China and Japan. Same as EALC 132.

Examination of religiously-informed responses to and rejections of racialized oppression in the history of North America, focusing on Native American, African American, and Muslim American experiences. Same as AFRO 134.

Same as CLCV 160. See CLCV 160.

Introductory survey of religious traditions that locate sacred realities in the natural world, and of ecological traditions that attribute spiritual significance to nature. Same as ESE 170.

Undergraduate Open Seminar. May be repeated.

Same as GRK 201. See GRK 201.

Analyzes the critical issues in the interpretation of the literature of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament; surveys the history and religion of Ancient Israel with special reference to Israel's setting in the ancient Near East. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or consent of instructor.

Analyzes the literature of the New Testament in its social and religious setting, with special reference to the ministry and teaching of Jesus, the emergence of the church as a sect within ancient Judaism, and the development of Christian institutions in the Graeco-Roman world. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or consent of instructor.

Same as GRK 202. See GRK 202.

Acquisition of reading knowledge of biblical Hebrew and a familiarity with all major aspects of biblical Hebrew grammar. Same as HEBR 205.

Introduction to the literary traditions of South Asia from the beginnings to the end of the Mughal era. Students will read - in translation - selections from a wide range of texts beginning with the earliest Vedic Hymns to the seventeenth and eighteenth century Sufi poetry and songs. Provides students an understanding of the heterogeneous and rich literary and cultural past of the region. Same as ASST 208, CWL 208, and SAME 208.

Same as JS 201. See JS 201.

History of Islamic thought from the time of Muhammad to the present, including the prophethood of Muhammad, the Qur'an, theology and law, mysticism and philosophy, sectarian movements, modernism and legal reform, and contemporary resurgence. Same as SAME 214. Credit is not given for both REL 213 and REL 214.

Same as AFST 213 and HIST 213. See HIST 213.

Same as CWL 221, ENGL 223, JS 220, and YDSH 220. See YDSH 220.

Introduction to the Qur'an (Koran), the holy scripture of Islam, examining its major doctrines, thematic development, literary style, and its relationship to pre-Qur'anic, especially Biblical, traditions. Special attention is given to various methods Muslims have used to interpret the Qur'an. Same as CWL 223 and SAME 223. Prerequisite: REL 213 or REL 214.

Same as EALC 222 and HIST 222. See EALC 222.

Same as EALC 225. See EALC 225.

Same as PHIL 230. See PHIL 230.

Introduces students to philosophical and theological perspectives and methodologies by focusing on one or two key thinkers, books, or topics. Study and critical assessment will attend to the larger historical context. Same as PHIL 231.

Same as ARTH 218, and CLCV 232. See CLCV 232.

Considers Black religious groups whose origins are linked to an attempt to jettison racial categories, such as "negro," that were constructed as cultural productions aimed at undermining the dignity of Black people. Examines Black religious movements like the Nation of Islam, Black Spiritual Movements, Hebrew-Israelite organizations, and the Black Coptic Church, that respond to the problem of race via a performance of imaginations that point to the possibility of other worlds and other futures. Same as AFRO 234.

Examines the religious history of the lands that have become the United States and the people who have become known as Americans through texts written by and about people of all races and creeds. From the precontact era through the twentieth century, this course emphasizes the diversity of American religion, the discord caused by and present in American religion, and the many instances of dialogue that have been a part of America's religious history. Same as HIST 289.

Examination of the interactions among religion, violence, and American culture from the colonial period to the twenty-first century. Using a wide range of primary and secondary texts, students will study the perspectives of the perpetrators and victims of religiously motivated and/or religiously justified violence, both in domestic and international affairs. Same as HIST 290.

Same as CWL 251, MDVL 251, and SCAN 251. See SCAN 251.

Same as AAS 258 and LLS 258. See AAS 258.

Examines mystical concepts and practices in Islam through the ages, through the lives and writings of important mystics and Sufi holy men and women, as well as the integration of mysticism and the Sufi Orders into Muslim society and Islamic orthodoxy. Same as SAME 260. No knowledge of Islam or foreign language is required.

Same as HIST 269 and JS 269. See HIST 269.

Introduction to various religious and philosophical perspectives on environmental ethics. Asks whether the religious traditions can provide us with any resources that can help us to deal with contemporary environmental problems. Religious and philosophical perspectives on these topics will be central to the course: attitudes to individual animals, to other species, and in general to non-human nature; the place of human beings in nature; the relative importance of human development and environmental protection; relations between rich and poor; whether we might need to change our conception of what it is to live successfully; and the concepts of stewardship and sustainability.

Literary study of the major post-biblical sacred texts of Judaism; includes readings in translation from Mishnah, Tosefta, Talmudim, midrashim, piyyutim, and mystical treatises. Emphasizes nature, history, function, and development of literary patterns and forms and the relationships between form and content in these texts. Same as CWL 283.

Same as CWL 284, ENGL 284, and JS 284. See JS 284.

Elements of Hindu thought and practice; selected topics presented in historical order and in the context of Indian cultural history (including the present).

Thematic approach to the history of Buddhism from its origin in India to its spread throughout China and Japan; explores how the doctrinal and social development of Buddhism in East Asia is related to the process of cultural adaptation. Same as EALC 287.

Introduction to the historical, religious, and socio-cultural aspects of Hinduism in the US. The role of Hinduism in the maintenance of the ethnic identity of Indians in the US will be examined in the context of the rituals, languages, temples, family, and other social organizations. The maintenance and/or shift of the features of traditional (Indian) Hinduism in the transplanted counterpart in the US will be examined. Same as AAS 291. Prerequisite: REL 104 or REL 286 or consent of instructor.

Same as PSYC 308. See PSYC 308.

Same as CWL 320, ENGL 359, JS 320, and YDSH 320. See CWL 320.

Students will work for a semester with a partner organization and study academic issues that pertain to interfaith studies and interfaith activities.

Same as AFRO 345. See AFRO 345.

Examines the religious dynamics of the twenty-first century United States. Tasks will be to map the religious landscape of contemporary America, to learn something of the history of the many traditions being practiced and lived in our communities, and then to study a series of salient issues involving people of faith; the emergence of new religions, expressions of religious intolerance, religion and politics, race and religion, and religious interpretations of economics and the market.

An interdisciplinary survey of the native religious experience, focusing on the native encounter with Christianity. Charts the cultural context for native religious history and explores native religious diversity in the contemporary period, particularly the relationship between tribal and Christian traditions in reservation and urban communities. Class discussions address the broader theoretical and practical questions raised by the intersections of religion, culture, and politics in a diverse and conflicted world, and are supplemented by audiovisual materials and guest speakers. Same as ANTH 341. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or consent of instructor.

Same as ANTH 340. See ANTH 340.

Survey of major developments within Islamic philosophy from the early classical to the early modern period. Focuses on the ideas and figures that have shaped Islamic philosophy through the centuries, as well as the contexts in which those ideas were produced. Topics covered include the transmission of Greek philosophy into Arabic. Islamic Peripatetic philosophy, Illuminationism, Shi'ite philosophy, and philosophical Sufism, including the great synthesis of Mulla Sadra.

Study of the distinctive religious ideas, movements, and figures of pre-Modern Judaism [500 CE-1700 CE] with an emphasis on how Judaism’s encounter with medieval Islam and Christianity influenced these new Jewish expressions. Topics include theology, philosophy, Biblical interpretation, mysticism, Jewish-Christian polemics, and law. Same as JS 344 and MDVL 344.

Same as HIST 345 and MDVL 345. See HIST 345.

Same as HIST 346 and MDVL 346. See HIST 346.

Same as HIST 347. See HIST 347.

Introduction to the most well-known Hindu goddesses, at both the pan-Hindu and local level, and explores their mythical narratives, associated powers, iconography, and rituals of worship. Presents different methodological approaches scholars employ in the interpretation of goddess worship in South Asia and abroad. Materials are drawn from textual, historical sources as well as contemporary ethnographic research, and seek to include representative figures from different regions throughout India and the Himalayan region. Same as CWL 350 and SAME 350.

Special topics not treated in regularly scheduled courses; designed primarily for upperclassmen. May be repeated. Prerequisite: Evidence of adequate preparation for such study; consent of staff member supervising the work.

Exploration of the traditional identities, role and expectations of Hindu women and men, as well as popular Hindu beliefs and lived practices informed by understandings of gender, from the ancient period through the present day. Further, the course assesses the way in which these normative ideologies and gendered practices are being perpetuated and/or challenged in the modern world. Sources will include traditionally authoritative texts and treatises, myths and other historical narratives, contemporary ethnographies, and film. Same as SAME 410. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.

Examination of gender ideologies and social realities affecting the lives of women in various Muslim countries. Same as ANTH 403, GLBL 403, GWS 403, HIST 434, and SAME 403. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: A course in Islam or the Middle East, or consent of instructor.

Historical and conceptual overview of jihad and just war. The first half of the course focuses on the origins of these two doctrines and their roles in medieval Islamic and Christian civilizations. The second half focuses on the shifting modern understanding of the relationship of religion to the state and violence, European colonialism, the rise of terrorism, and the War on Terror. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.

Examines the role of Islam in contemporary politics, the contemporary resurgence of Islam, and the articulation of Islamic approaches to the new economic order, nationalism, and the changing role of women. Same as PS 408 and SAME 408. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: Junior standing or consent of instructor.

Same as ANTH 402 and ASST 402. See ANTH 402.

Same as SNSK 403. See SNSK 403.

Same as SNSK 404. See SNSK 404.

In-depth study of the grammar and syntax of selected texts from the Hebrew Bible. Texts to be studied will change from year to year. Selections will cover the full range of biblical genres and styles, including prophecy, law, historical narrative, psalms, and wisdom literature. Same as HEBR 414. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 undergraduate hours or 8 graduate hours in separate terms. Prerequisite: REL 205, or demonstrated proficiency at the 205 level.

Seminar on the foundational text of Judaism- the Midrashic collections (3rd c. - 8th C.E.). We will consider the distinctiveness of Midrashic form and content, and also reflect upon the central methodological issues and problems for the study of this classic corpus. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 graduate hours.

Examines Israelite and Jewish attitudes to death and the afterlife from Ancient Israelite belief until the rise of Islam. Topics include death, divine judgement, immortality of the soul, resurrection, and hell. We will also selectively compare Jewish afterlife traditions to those found in early Christianity. Particular attention will be paid to the transformations of belief over time, and to the changing contexts that gave rise to new Jewish soteriologies and eschatologies. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.

Examines the ways Jews over the last two thousand years thought about, polemicized against, and celebrated, Jesus of Nazareth. The course will cover numerous types of Jewish literature including, but not limited to, folk stories and Talmudic teachings (from Late Antiquity), published letters, polemical treatises, law codes, philosophical tracts, and mystical writings (from the Middle Ages) and, lastly, works of Reform theology, ecumenical treatises, Zionist literature, and Jewish artistic expressions (in the Modern Period). 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: Prior course in Religion, Jewish Studies, or consent of the Instructor.

Same as CWL 421, HIST 436, SLAV 420, and YDSH 420. See YDSH 420.

Same as PHIL 424. See PHIL 424.

Introduction to the principal themes and debates that have animated the academic study of religion since the late nineteenth century. The relationship of religion to society, the economy, the state, culture, tradition, colonialism, and secularism are all considered, drawing on several different disciplines, including anthropology, sociology, philosophy and history. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.

Same as HIST 433. See HIST 433.

Examination of the history of revivalistic and evangelical Christianities in North America from the colonial period to the twenty-first century. A combination of primary texts and scholarly studies will focus on religious, social, and political legacies, and the current shape of evangelical Christianity in America. Same as HIST 486. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.

An exploration of the religious lives and thoughts of Americans in the first four decades of the twentieth century and the many overlapping issues confronting American society and American religion during that time. Focuses on four themes: debates over the meaning of modernity, understandings of the relationship between religion and society, the gendering of faith, and the relationship between religion and American identity. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: REL 235 or REL 236.

By using films from the 1940s-2010s we will examine the changing religious dynamics of modern American society. We will also use the conceptual tools of religious studies to describe Americans' changing relationships to cinema. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: Course work in the religious history of the United States or in film studies.

Examines Catholic experiences in America from the colonial period to the present day. Mindful of the institutions that make Catholicism a credibly global community and of the diversity that has always characterized Catholic thought and practice, we will seek to highlight distinctive features of Catholicism in the United States and to chart changes in "American" Catholicism over time. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.

Study of major developments in early Christian thought (first four centuries) through discussion of primary texts in translation. Same as MDVL 440. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 or 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: REL 121 or REL 202, or consent of instructor.

The history of Judaism from Ezra to the rise of Islam: Hellenism and Judaism, varieties of Judaism, Palestinian Judaism and its documents, Babylonian Judaism, the rabbis, and popular Jewish culture. Same as HIST 432 and JS 442. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: Credit in one course in religion at the 200-, 300-, or 400-level, or consent of instructor.

Interdisciplinary seminar on indigenous religious traditions, focusing especially on the study of native North American religions. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.

Same as ANTH 463. See ANTH 463.

Same as AAS 464, ANTH 464, and GWS 464. See GWS 464.

Same as CWL 472, PHIL 472, and SCAN 472. See SCAN 472.

Same as HIST 481. See HIST 481.

Introduction to Islamic legal philosophy and the historical evolution of Islamic legal and jurisprudential system. Begins by studying the origins, nature, sources and interpretive methodologies of classical Islamic law, and the main institutions for upholding this law, the madhhab, or school of law, examining its development from the formative to the post-formative periods and highlighting important controversies generated along the way. Then looks at the early encounter of Islamic law with modernity. Followed by an exploration of several contemporary topics that have served as catalysts for new tensions and alternative approaches and interpretive theories. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: Previous coursework on Islam or consent of instructor.

Exploration of Islamic ethical thought from the Qur'an and Hadith to the present day. This course will consider both developments within Islamic intellectual circles and developments connected to non-Muslim thinkers and encounters with other religious communities. Same as SAME 481. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite: Previous coursework on Islam or the Middle East.

Explores the complexity of Muslim-Christian interactions since early Islam, including theological and philosophical exchanges, debates, polemics, interfaith dialogue, perceptions of each other, Muslim minorities in the West, and Christian minorities in the Muslim world, and the relationship of religion to culture. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours.

Examines classical systems of Buddhist meditation and their relation to Buddhist psychology and world view. Same as EALC 484. 3 undergraduate hours. 3 graduate hours. Prerequisite: REL 287 or consent of instructor.

Same as EALC 485. See EALC 485.

Same as EALC 488. See EALC 488.

Two-term research project. 3 undergraduate hours. No graduate credit. May be repeated in separate terms for a total of 6 undergraduate hours. Prerequisite: Senior majors in religion who are eligible for graduating with distinction from the program.

Various topics in religious thought. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated as topics vary.

Topics in Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, and other Asian religious traditions. Same as EALC 495. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 undergraduate hours or 8 graduate hours as topics vary. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or consent of instructor.

Examination of two or three of the most important practices, beliefs, icons, texts, myths, and spiritual encounters that have and continue to shape Judaism as a religion. Same as JS 496. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 undergraduate hours or 8 graduate hours.

Detailed interpretation of selected books of the Bible. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 undergraduate hours or 8 graduate hours as topics vary.

Survey of Jewish and Christian cultural reception of Genesis in the ancient and medieval worlds. Examines techniques of exegesis and strategies of interpretation in the ancient world, such as allegory, narrative expansion, and retelling. Engages with foundational studies of modern scholarship on biblical reception. While focusing on the initial chapters of Genesis, we will also explore the appropriation of Abraham traditions and the Joseph story. Same as MDVL 504.

Introduction for first semester graduate students to selected methods and techniques for conducting research in the area of Religion. Students will receive general guidance on strategies for conducting bibliographic research and designing research projects. Includes study of some currently salient issues and areas of inquiry in a number of disciplines pertaining to the study of religion. The course will be supervised by one professor and will offer a series of presentations on several methodologies and historical issues by experts in various fields. 4 graduate hours. No professional credit.

Intensive study of select topics or issues in the study of religion. May be repeated in the same or separates terms as topics vary.

Study of the language, arguments and schools of classical Islamic theology, mainly through direct study of English translations of theological texts from two different theological schools. Same as SAME 514.

Study of Israelite and Jewish thought from the biblical to modern period. Particular attention will be paid to theological matters and to the historical, cultural and intellectual challenges that engendered a re-thinking and re-conceptualization of the Jewish faith.

This course undertakes a critical examination of the nature and practices of Hindu pilgrims, pilgrimages, and pilgrimage sites. We will examine central beliefs and practices of lived religion in the Hindu tradition and situate Hindu pilgrimage within the broader context of pilgrimage and related discussions of power and place. Same as SAME 520. 4 graduate hours. No professional credit.

Immerses students in major works of recent American religious history. Written from multiple disciplinary perspectives and wrestling with the knotty problems in which religion has been interwoven, these books will give the student a solid foundation in American religious history. Same as HIST 574. 4 graduate hours. No professional credit.

Same as SAME 564 and SOC 564. See SOC 564.

An investigation of Buddhist core notions as conceived from the point of view of the three Major Mahayana traditions with an examination of the ways in which these Mahayana traditions are presented in modern and early modern scholarship. At stake is the fundamental hermeneutic issue of the ways in which the "moderns" look at pre-modern thought, that is, the questions of the historical situatedness of thought. Prerequisite: At least one previous course in Buddhism or consent of instructor.

Study of the history of East Asian religions through primary and secondary sources primarily focusing on Buddhism and indigenous faiths. Students will gain an understanding of the social and historical character of popular religion through East Asia. Same as EALC 567. Prerequisites: Graduate Students majoring in East Asian religions must be prepared to read some primary sources written in the original language; graduate students in the other majors are not required to read in the original language.

Special topics not treated in regularly scheduled courses; for graduates. 2 to 6 graduate hours. No professional credit. May be repeated. Prerequisite: Evidence of adequate preparation for such study and consent of staff member supervising the work.

Researching and writing a thesis in consultation with a faculty adviser. 0 to 16 graduate hours. No professional credit. Approved for S/U grading only. May be repeated. The M.A. program in Religion allows students to receive a maximum of 8 hours for the M.A.