Courses

RELG 200 Symbol, Myth and Ritual

Introduction to study of religion including, but not limited to, social scientific approaches, focusing on symbols, myths, and rituals as constitutive features of individual and communal religious thought and practice.

General Education Requirement: (FSSA)

Unit(s): 1

RELG 201 The Bible as Literature

Literary analysis of selected biblical passages, with text viewed as autonomous entity. Attention to both intention of author(s) and message understood by recipient(s). Emphasis on student's direct involvement in textual analysis.

General Education Requirement: (FSLT)

Unit(s): 1

RELG 204 Choral Music and Creed

(See Music 204.)

General Education Requirement: (FSVP)

Unit(s): 1

RELG 230 The History of Israel

Israel's historical development through collaborative study of Israel's ideas and institutions within context of Ancient Near East.

General Education Requirement: (FSHT)

Unit(s): 1

RELG 232 Introduction to Biblical Hebrew

Introduction to biblical Hebrew. Principles and structure of biblical Hebrew with translation of selected Old Testament narratives.

Unit(s): 1

RELG 241 Introduction to Early Christian Era

Survey of history of early Christianity, beginning with Jesus and his religious background, to about 120 A.D. Focus on primary texts: New Testament and other early Christian literature.

General Education Requirement: (FSHT)

Unit(s): 1

RELG 242 Jesus and Christian Origins

Investigates diversity of historical sources for Jesus. Detailed attention to selected ancient documents and modern interpretations.

Unit(s): 1

RELG 243 The World of the New Testament

Religious and philosophical movements, besides Christianity, that flourished in Mediterranean world 200 B.C. to 200 A.D. Focus on "Greco-Roman" religions, Judaism, and Gnosticism.

Unit(s): 1

RELG 250 Introduction to World Religions

Survey of major beliefs, practices, symbols, and sacred texts in selected religious traditions.

Unit(s): 1

RELG 251 Sacred Arts of India

Introduction to Indian religions focusing on artistic expressions, roles of yoga and meditation in creativity, and use of images to experience the divine.

General Education Requirement: (FSVP)

Unit(s): 1

RELG 253 Body/Sex in World Religious Literature

Exploration of theoretical ideas about body and sexuality in world religious literature focusing on connection between sexuality and construction of identity in various religious perspectives.

General Education Requirement: (FSLT)

Unit(s): 1

RELG 255 Queers in Religion

Explores the treatment of queers in a number of religious traditions. Focuses on 1) recovered appreciation for queer identities from generally hostile religious traditions; 2) religious homophobia; and 3) religious traditions that celebrate queer identities in the form of sacred queer gender formations.

General Education Requirement: (FSLT)

Unit(s): 1

RELG 257 Native American Religions

Historical survey of selected Native American religious traditions from prehistory to present. Course topics may include: Mississippian and Anasazi cultures; rituals of trade, agriculture and war; impact of European missionaries and revitalization movements; Black Elk and Lakota Catholicism; and religious freedom issues in contemporary Indian communities.

General Education Requirement: (FSHT)

Unit(s): 1

RELG 258 Medieval Religious Thought

History of European religious thought in the Middle Ages through reading and analysis of primary texts in translation, supplemented by interpretive materials drawn from secondary literature.

General Education Requirement: (FSHT)

Unit(s): 1

RELG 260 History of Judaism

Pre-exilic Yahwism to contemporary denominational Judaism. Attention to development of beliefs and practices.

General Education Requirement: (FSHT)

Unit(s): 1

RELG 262 Sacred Arts of Native America

Introduction to a variety of sacred arts of Native America and religious roles that visual and performing arts serve in Amerindian settings. Students will gain conversance with a range of artistic techniques, materials, and objects and their cultural meanings.

General Education Requirement: (FSVP)

Unit(s): 1

RELG 263 Religion and the Arts

Interactions of religious beliefs and practices with the visual and performing arts in selected traditions.

General Education Requirement: (FSVP)

Unit(s): 1

RELG 265 Religion and Moral Decisions

Role of religion in shaping individual and social moral practices and beliefs. Emphasis given to role of social scientific theories and methods in interpretation of beliefs and institutions.

General Education Requirement: (FSSA)

Unit(s): 1

RELG 267 Varieties of Christian Ethics

Historical and contemporary approaches to ethics in the Christian traditions. Authors discussed may include Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, and contemporary thinkers on war, abortion, and sexuality.

General Education Requirement: (FSSA)

Unit(s): 1

RELG 268 Religion and Literature

Religious beliefs, practices, and institutions as expressed in literature of various traditions. Emphasis on modern and contemporary works.

General Education Requirement: (FSLT)

Unit(s): 1

RELG 269 Ethics, Religion and the Environment

Ethical and religious issues in human interaction with the nonhuman world. Topics may include animal rights, respect for nature, biological diversity, and religious stewardship of nature.

Unit(s): 1

RELG 293-294 Selected Topics

Special course offered at introductory level when sufficient faculty or student interest exists in subject matter not covered in other religion courses. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

Unit(s): 1-1

RELG 331 The Hebrew Prophets

Emergence of Israelite prophetic movement in its ancient Near Eastern context, with application to contemporary social, political, ethical, and religious problems.

Unit(s): 1

RELG 332 Hebrew and Christian Wisdom Literature

Development of Biblical wisdom literature. Pre-biblical, Hebrew and Christian wisdom selections.

Unit(s): 1

RELG 340 Varieties of Early Christianity

The origins and interactions of major varieties of Christianity that flourished in first two centuries A.D. Consideration of Pauline, Johannine, and Marcionite strands; Jewish Christianity; Gnosticism; Montanism; etc.

Unit(s): 1

RELG 341 Paul and Christian Origins

Writings of Paul, with emphasis on diversity and early history of Christian Church, its theology and milieu. Reactions to Pauline thought.

Unit(s): 1

RELG 342 John in Early Christian Literature

Early Christian writings attributed to or associated with John. Primary attention to Gospel of John, as well as the study of Letters, Acts, Apocalypse and Apocryphon of John.

General Education Requirement: (FSLT)

Unit(s): 1

RELG 343 Apocalyptic Visions of the End

Origin and development of views concerning imminent end of world. Focus on Jewish and Christian traditions, with some attention to other strands.

Unit(s): 1

RELG 352 Buddhism in India and Tibet

Survey of major historical movements, philosophical developments, and cultural expressions in India and Tibet.

Unit(s): 1

RELG 355 Selected Asian Religions

Intensive study of one of the following religious traditions: Daoism, Confucianism, or Zen.

Unit(s): 1

RELG 356 Religious Thought of the Renaissance and Reformation

History of religious thought in Europe, 1300-1600. Topics may include Christian humanism, fate and free will, the authority of Scripture, and the conquest of the New World.

Prerequisite(s): Religion 258 or permission of instructor.

Unit(s): 1

RELG 358 Topics in American Religious Traditions

Focused study of a selected topic in American religious history such as the Great Awakening, Indians and missionaries, religious autobiography, or the frontier. Seminar format emphasizing the analysis of primary sources and related methodological issues. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

Unit(s): 1

RELG 359 American Judaism

Emphasis on role of Jewish people beginning with their entrance into New Amsterdam in 1654; major immigration periods and precipitating factors; emergence of anti-Jewish reactions; and some contributions of Jews.

Unit(s): 1

RELG 360 Goddess Traditions Ancient and Modern

Survey of major prehistoric and historical goddesses and exploration of contemporary relevance of goddess spirituality.

Unit(s): 1

RELG 362 Religion and Its Critics

Religious thought and its critics in Europe and America, 1600-present. Authors may include Pascal, Hume, Schleiermacher, Darwin, James, Freud, Barth, and Rorty.

Unit(s):

RELG 364 Religion and Psychology

(See Psychology 351.)

Unit(s): 1

RELG 365 Philosophical Problems in Comparative Religion

Examination of philosophical problems in cross-cultural communication, particularly translation, rationality and relativism. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

Unit(s): 1

RELG 366 Buddhist Philosophy

Major Buddhist philosophical developments, beginning in India and culminating in contemporary Zen philosophy.

Unit(s): 1

RELG 369 Problems in Social Ethics

Selected issues of social concern as addressed by various religious traditions in contemporary context. Such topics as sexuality, war, abortion, euthanasia, and environmentalism. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

Unit(s): 1

RELG 370 Leadership and Religious Values

(See Leadership 387.)

Unit(s): 1

RELG 373 Witchcraft and its Interpreters

Interdisciplinary exploration of witchcraft in early modern England and North America based on original legal records and related primary sources as well as selected secondary works by modern scholars. Special attention given to the interpretive methods employed by historians in their analyses of this unique religious phenomenon.

Unit(s): 1

RELG 374 Religion and the American Environment

Advanced research seminar examining conceptions of the natural world in selected North American religious traditions. Topics may include Native American religions, Puritanism, Transcendentalism, the Hudson River School of landscape painting, early conservationists, the Beat Poets, and contemporary radical ecology movements.

Unit(s): 1

RELG 375 Cults, Communes and Utopias in Early America

Advanced study of early American sectarian movements, including the 'immortalists' of New England, the Ephrata Cloister, the Mormons, the Shakers, and the Oneida Community, based on their original writings, literature, music, art, and architecture. Participants design and execute a research project based on Boatwright Library's extensive collection of Shaker manuscripts.

Unit(s): 1

RELG 388 Individual Internship

Application of academic skills and theories in placement supervised by religion department faculty member. Application must be presented to and approved by the department prior to internship. No more than 1.5 units of internship in any one department and 3.5 units of internship overall may be counted toward required degree units.

Unit(s): .25-1

RELG 393-394 Selected Topics

Special course offered when sufficient student interest exists in subject matter not covered in other religion courses. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor.

Unit(s): 1-1

RELG 395-396 Independent Study

Specialized study to provide maximum freedom in research and investigation.

Prerequisite(s): Permission of instructor.

Unit(s): .25-1

RELG 400 Majors Seminar

Advanced seminar on theories and methods in the study, focusing on classical and contemporary texts and arguments. Offered in the fall only.

Unit(s): 1

RELG 401 Majors Colloquium

Senior religion majors and members of the department will meet to discuss ongoing research projects, including issues of theory, method, sources, and critical analysis, leading to the senior paper. Offered in the spring only.

Prerequisite(s): Religion 400.

Unit(s): 1

RELG 403-404 Honors Course

Guided, in-depth research, usually beginning in the fall of the senior year and culminating in the oral defense of the honors thesis in the spring, for those accepted in the department honors program. The honors thesis constitutes the senior paper. Those planning to complete coursework in December must make arrangements to complete the honors program in or before the fall of the senior year.

Prerequisite(s): Student must be invited to apply for honors.

Unit(s): 1-1