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.
[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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
Introduction to sacred spaces through a study abroad experience in India. Students explore the holy sites of Hinduism, Jainism, Islam, and Buddhism and experience how the blend of geography, architecture, and art shapes the belief systems of South Asia, both past and present. Study abroad trip to India will take place between Fall and Spring semesters. Prerequisite: Instructor approval is required.
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.
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.
Same as EALC 485. See EALC 485.
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.
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.
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.
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.