Course Offerings
Religion Department
Introductory Courses
100. Introduction to Religion (I or II; 3, 0)
This course will introduce students to the academic study of religion and will examine such basic religious categories as history, myth, ritual, and text. Prerequisite: first-year or sophomore standing. Others by permission of the instructor.
105. Introduction to the Bible (I or II; 3, 0)
Critical, literary, and historical analyses of Hebrew (Tanak) and Christian scriptures. Prerequisite: first-year or sophomore standing. Others by permission of the instructor.
110. Introduction to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (I or II; 3, 0)
Basic teachings of Judaism, Christianity and Islam concerning God, human nature, sin and salvation, and major historical changes in each tradition. Prerequisite: first-year or sophomore standing. Others by permission of the instructor.
115. Introduction to Asian Religions (I or II; 3, 1)
A comparative study of the basic teachings and practices of Asian religions through lectures, discussions, readings, and films; inquiry into similarities and differences and views of nature. Prerequisite: first-year or sophomore standing. Others by permission of the instructor.
125. Introduction to Ethics (I or II; 3, 0)
This introductory course in ethical reflection draws from a variety of religious and philosophical perspectives to address a range of contemporary moral issues. Prerequisite: first-year or sophomore standing. Open to others by permission of the instructor.
180. Introduction to Religion in America (I or II; 3, 0)
This course will examine variety in American religion both in terms of diversity (the various religious traditions) as well as pluralism (cultural interaction and encounter). Prerequisite: first-year or sophomore standing. Others by permission of the instructor. "Western" Religious Traditions
205. Hebrew (II; 3, 0)
Study of the essentials of grammar, syntax, and vocabulary of Biblical Hebrew. Includes readings of narrative portions of the Hebrew Bible and additional texts in Hebrew.
207. Hebrew Scriptures (I; 3, 0)
Introduction to Jewish scriptural and post-scriptural literature (in English) including the Tanakh ("Old Testament"), the Mishnah, and the Talmud in their religious, historical, political, and literary contexts.
208. Jesus: New Testament and Early Christianity (II; 3, 0)
Examination of Jesus’ life and teachings as reflected in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and interpreted in the life of the early church.
209. Israel: Land, People, and Tradition (AII; 3, 0)
Study of the complex relationship between Judaism and the sacred traditions of the Jews as related to the Land Israel and the city of Jerusalem.
210. Judaism (AI or II; R, 3, 0)
A survey of Jewish religious traditions, addressing major historical developments (e.g., biblical, rabbinic, and modern periods) and basic rituals and theological issues (e.g., "chosenness", covenant, salvation).
211. Women in Judaism (AII; 3, 0)
Survey of Jewish texts and films that focus specifically on women or use feminine imagery; considers feminist and historical-critical interpretations of the evolving role of Jewish women.
212. Christianity (AI or II; R, 3, 0)
An overview of the Christian religious tradition, dealing with major historical periods (biblical, medieval, modern) and basic theological and ethical issues (e.g., revelation, salvation, sources of moral authority).
214. God, Nature, and Knowledge (I or II; 3, 0)
Study of various philosophical, religious, and scientific theories regarding God and nature.
218. Feminist Theology (I or II; 3, 0)
Exploration of the wide range of topics addressed by feminist theologians: theories on anthropology, theism, Christology, and sin; the role of hermeneutics in understanding and relating to the past; and current debates on sexuality, spirituality, and worship/ritual.
221. God and Morality (I; 3, 0)
A brief survey of Western religious ethics, focusing on the relation between religion and morality, the connection between ideas of human selfhood and moral goodness, and the uses of argument to justify religious and moral claims.
223. History of Western Religious Thought (I; 3, 0)
A survey of the major religious ideas and problems which have shaped the Western intellectual tradition. Topics to be explored include conceptions of God, theories of human nature, and the relation between religious belief and cultural values.
225. Religion and Literature (I; R; 3, 0)
Examination of the religious, philosophical, and ethical quandaries confronting human beings through the study of literary works. Themes may include autobiography and the construction of identity; the nature of human freedom, love, and aspiration; the problems of evil, suffering, and alienation; the experience of moral conflict; and other topics.
241. Religion and the Loss of Traditional Faith (I or II; 3, 0)
Examination of new approaches (linguistic, philosophical, and cultural) that challenge traditional religious ideas and the role of faith in the contemporary world. Emphasis is on intersection of religion and critical theory.
280. Religion and Constitutional Law (I or II; 3, 0)
This course explores the developing relationship between religion and American constitutional law, focusing on historic documents and Supreme Court decisions relating to the First Amendment.
281. Religion and American Politics (I or II; 3, 0)
This course explores the relationship of religion and American politics, focusing on the role and impact of religious groups and issues in contemporary elections.
380. Topics in American Religion (I or II; R; 3, 0)
This course will examine specific topics in American religion including in-depth analyses of religious movements and traditions in America. "Non-Western" Religious Traditions
200. Buddhism (II; 3, 1)
An examination of the rise of Buddhism in India and its spread to China, Japan, and the West. The teachings of the Buddha, views of meditation, morality, and the art and rituals of Buddhism will be studied. The interaction of Buddhism and ecology will be explored as well as the role of key contemporary leaders such as Dalai Lama and Thich Nhat Hahn. Crosslisted as EAST 251.
201. Islam (II; 3, 0)
An overview of the many cultural expressions of this religion which emerged from the Arabian peninsula in the sixth century C.E. and spread through Eurasia to the larger world. The course will focus on the role of Muhammad as prophet, the Qur’an as scripture, and Hadith as religious narrative. The tensions between Law (Shar’iah), modernity, and mysticism (Sufism) also will be explored.
202. Hinduism (AI or II; 3, 0)
A historical survey of the family of Hindu religious traditions. This course traces the development of Hindu scriptures, rituals, philosophies, and ethics from the ancient to the contemporary world. Concepts such as karma, yoga, and reincarnation will be put in the broader contexts of Hindu dharma (religious law), theism, and ritual.
222. Religions of Indigenous People (I or II; 3, 0)
An introduction to the lifeways of diverse indigenous peoples still inhabiting areas in the Americas, Africa, Eurasia, Australia, and the Pacific. We will explore the interrelation of cosmology-economy-ecology within indigenous communities. We seek to understand indigenous ways of knowing embedded in symbol systems and rituals of relationship between tribal communities and the land as well as traditional knowledge.
242. American Indian Religions (II; 3, 0)
This course investigates the historical changes and continuities in community lifeways and individual spiritualities of diverse native North Americans. Two broad areas will be interwoven in lectures, discussions, and readings: first, the religious lifeways of native communities whose cosmologies, economies, and symbol systems extend into their bioregion; second, the contemporary struggle for Native American religious freedom which often focuses on sacred sites as repositories of abiding life with the land and solidarity with biodiversity.
243. Religions of South Asia (I or II; 3, R; 0)
Focused study of one or more South Asian religious traditions. This course centers on non-Hindu religions and on topics that may include, but will not be limited to: Jainism, Sikhism, Islam in Pakistan and India, and Buddhism in Tibet, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka.
245. Religions of China (I; 3, 0)
An exploration of the three traditions of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism and their interaction in Chinese history, society, and culture. Views of human nature, political participation, education, self-cultivation, and meditation will be discussed. Crosslisted as EAST 252.
246. Religions of Japan (II; 3, 1)
An overview of native and imported religious influences in the unfolding of Shinto, Buddhism, and Confucianism in Japan. The historical development of Japanese religions will be considered as it influenced art, politics and culture. Crosslisted as EAST 253.
248. Confucianism (I; 3, 0)
An exploration of the development of Confucianism in China and Japan with particular emphasis on its role in the family, in social relations, in theories of education, and in political thought. The impact of Confucianism on the modernization process in China and Japan in the last hundred years also will be examined. Crosslisted as EAST 250. Religion, Culture, and Theory
215. Religious Naturalism (I or II; 3, 0)
Study of various approaches that take into account the intersection between science and religion. Emphasis on process cosmologies.
216. Philosophy of Religion (I; 3, 0)
Problems for rational inquiry arising from the claims and practices of religious faith, e.g., the nature of religious language, arguments for the existence of God, evil. Crosslisted as PHIL 223. Prerequisite: PHIL 98 or 100 or 103 or 201 or 220 or RELI 125, or permission of the instructor.
217. What is Religion? Theories and Methods (I, 3, 0)
This course explores a range of critical approaches to the study of religion. Using psychological, anthropological, sociological, and other theoretical resources, students will engage in a comparative analysis of a variety of religious traditions.
219. Contemporary Religion: Race, Gender, and Sexuality (I or II; 3, 0)
Through historical, political, and sociological analyses, this course will study how sexuality, race, and gender issues are affecting contemporary religious thought.
220. Comparative Religious Ethics (AI or II; 3, 0)
An examination of the symbols, concepts, beliefs, and practices of a variety of religious traditions and their role in providing ethical guidance for human life. Special attention will be given to critical methods of comparative analysis and their application to diverse traditions.
224. Religion and Ecology (I or II; 3, 0)
This course will explore the intersection of religion and ecology by examining: 1) the causes of the environmental crisis, 2) how views of nature are conditioned by culture and religion, 3) the response from naturalists, scientists, and religionists who are concerned about the environmental crisis.
226. Environmental Ethics (II; 3, 0)
A broad survey of the central theoretical and practical approaches being debated in environmental ethics.
227. Bioethics: Issues in Ethics, Medicine, and the Life Sciences (I or II; 3, 0)
Systematic study of the moral and social implications of practices and developments in medicine and the life sciences, including abortion, human experimentation, genetic intervention, behavioral control, death and dying. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.
228. Religions in the Modern World (II; R; 3, 0)
An examination of how religious communities, leaders, and scholars respond to contemporary issues such as atheism, colonialism, nationalism, political unrest, secularism and technology. The formation and transformation of religious identities and institutions in contexts of increased cultural diversity and pluralism also will be discussed.
234. Issues of Religion and Culture (AI or II; R; 3, I)
Focus on interdependence of religion and cultural phenomena: ideology; alienation; formation of world view; understandings of time and space; relation between church and state; faith and science.
235. Religion and Popular Culture (I or II; 3, 0)
This course examines the relationship of religion to contemporary popular culture, both in how religion is portrayed (in music, movies, and on television) and how it is replicated (in ritual, myth, and morality).
240. Perspectives in Religion and Science (II; 3, 0)
Survey of theories, topics, and problems involved in understanding the historically evolved and complex relationship between Western religion and science and their respective truth claims.
310. Topics in Religion and Law (I or II; R; 3, 0)
This course will examine aspects of the relationship between religion and law in global, regional, tradition-based, and/or historical contexts.
Individual and Specialized Study of Religion
255. Major Religious Thinkers (AI or II; R; 3, 0)
The thought, historical setting, and influence of one or more classical religious thinkers, e.g., Paul the Apostle, Augustine, Kierkegaard, Confucius, Rosenzweig, Gandhi.
265. Major Religious Movements (AI or II; R; 3, 0)
Origins, beliefs, and significance of selected religious communities and movements, e.g., Mysticism, Modern Catholicism, Evangelicalism, Monasticism, Religious Socialism.
319 and 320. Individual Studies in Religion (I and II; R; 3, 0)
Guided investigations. Open to qualified students with some previous study of religion who wish to pursue individual programs of study in the field. Prerequisite: permission of the department chair.
330. Seminar (I or II; 3, R; 0)
An advanced discussion course for majors and minors in which some current issue in religious studies is pursued in depth. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.
350. Honors Thesis (I and II; 3, 0)
411. Topics in Religion and Culture (I or II; 3, R; 0)
Exploring the personal, social and moral interface between religion and culture, e.g., individualism and community, technology and moral values, science and religion. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor.
