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..
[IAI Code: H5904N] 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.
Introduces the history, teachings, and practice of Zen Buddhism in China and Japan. Same as EALC 132.
[IAI Code: H5901] 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Elements of Hindu thought and practice; selected topics presented in historical order and in the context of Indian cultural history (including the present).
The criminal-penal system in the United States is a complex web of mutually reinforcing institutions, practices, and moral values. This course fosters a deep analysis of the U.S. criminal-penal system with special attention to the role of religion and explores the religious concepts that have informed our moral imaginations regarding crime, punishment, redemption, and the socio-political resistance against our criminal-penal system.
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.
An exploration of Hindu literature with a focus on representations of gods and goddesses, demons, and heroes in foundational texts such as the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Puranas. Through close textual analysis, students will examine the philosophical, theological, and sociocultural dimensions of these narratives. Emphasis will be placed on the interplay between myth and history and the influence of these texts on South Asian literary and religious traditions through the modern period.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Special topics not treated in regularly scheduled courses; for graduates. May be repeated. Prerequisite: Evidence of adequate preparation for such study and consent of staff member supervising the work.