Courses and Syllabi
The University Catalog is the authoritative source for information on courses. The Schedule of Classes is the authoritative source for information on classes scheduled for this semester. See the Schedule for the most up-to-date information and see Patriot web to register for classes.
Religious Studies Fall 2022
Undergraduate
Examines main forms of religious expression as embodied in several important religious traditions in contemporary world. Investigates religious experience; myth and ritual; teachings and scripture; ethical, social, and artistic aspects of religion; and nature and function of religion in human society. Limited to three attempts.
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10 Sections Currently Scheduled »
Focuses on Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and other global and local religions of Europe, Asia Minor, north Africa, and the Americas from historical, comparative, and cross-cultural perspectives. May include modern developments of religions like Mormonism, Baha'ism, and Scientology as well as other religions of ancient Asia Minor like Zoroastrianism. Limited to three attempts.
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4 Sections Currently Scheduled »
Focuses on the traditional religions from Asia, particularly Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism, and Confusianism from historical, comparative, and cross-cultural perspectives. May also include Jainism, Sihk, Shinto, native shamanism, and others as well as modern developments after European colonialism and these traditions' growth as global religions. Limited to three attempts.
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3 Sections Currently Scheduled
Explores the relationship between religion and literature in different times and cultures, the influence of religion on literary works, and how literature expresses major religious themes such as death and immortality, divine will and justice, suffering and human destiny, and religion and state. Limited to three attempts.
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10 Sections Currently Scheduled »
The course examines both the way that religious stories, images, ideas, and values have influenced the production and experience of art, and how art has historically been a primary means to express religious thought, feeling, and meaning. Thus, this course will examine the arts across different religions. The course will also examine the extent to which the artistic experience may be thought of as a kind of "religious" experience, and how even civil art projects convey a kind of civic or national "religion." Limited to three attempts.
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2 Sections Currently Scheduled
Explores how selected world religions address the universal experience of death and express their beliefs in an afterlife. Focuses on the scriptures, beliefs, rituals and customs of selected world religions as they reflect each tradition's response to the most basic question about human destiny - how human beings face death and attempt to transcend it. Limited to three attempts.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Basic introduction to interdisciplinary methods, theories, definitions, and thinkers in the academic study of religion. Provides foundation for further comparative studies of religions, concentrated studies of a particular religion, and the understanding of engagement between religion and wider culture. Prerequisite for upper-level courses on religious studies theory and method, such as the writing intensive and synthesis courses in Religious Studies. Limited to three attempts.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Studies Judaism from origins to present. Includes origins of Judaism B.C.E.; Rabbinic Judaism; Jews in the Middle Ages; Hasidic and Mystical Judaism; Enlightenment; persecution and Holocaust; contemporary American Judaism; and Jewish, Christian, and Muslim relations. Equivalent to RELI 370.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
RELI 312:
Islam
(3 Credits)
Introduces basic religious beliefs and practices of Islam, with view to diverse manifestations of Islamic culture in different ethnic and social contexts. Provides overview of essential rituals of Islamic life, mystical practices of Sufis, certain popular forms of religious practice, sources and application of Islamic law, and distinctive Islamic artistic and literary forms. Equivalent to RELI 272.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Introduces Hindu religion and thought, beliefs, rituals, ethics and religious practices. Emphasis on classical Hinduism, but also covers Hinduism and modernity, modern Hindu movements, and Hinduism as a global religion. Limited to three attempts.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Daoism is one of the most influential philosophical and spiritual traditions in East Asia and especially in China. This course explores philosophical ideas, spiritual orientation, religious practice, and social and political values in Daoist tradition reading classic Daoist texts including Dao De Jing, Chuang-tzu, and other sources. Students will analyze Daoism in light of comparative and cross-cultural studies for global understanding of issues on concepts of nature, human nature, and good and evil. Limited to three attempts.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Explores the worlds of religion, fantasy and imagination, presented in selected writings of 20th century fantasy authors, including Lewis, Tolkien, Pullman, Rowling. Covers ideas of quest for enlightenment, redemption or salvation, conflict between good and evil, worlds of the supernatural, parallel dimensions and their inhabitants. Limited to three attempts.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Analyzes the Bible as a collection of literary texts. Course readings will include selections from the Jewish Tanakh and from the Christian New Testament. Students will become familiar with contemporary scholarship on the Bible and sample the Bible's impact on the art and literature of the last millennia. Students will become conversant with concepts such as scripture, canon, source criticism, historical criticism, genre, and reception history. Equivalent to RELI 271.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Examines life and character of the founder of Islam, as remembered and understood by Muslims, as well as explores influence of his paradigmatic life and teachings on Islamic religious discourse and culture. Addresses Western critical studies of the accounts of Muhammad's life and contemporary controversies regarding Muhammad. Equivalent to RELI 365.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Explores distinctively Jewish approaches to questions of gender, sexuality, and the body as described in the legal, religious, ethical, and literary material in the Jewish tradition. Topics include the "body of God," circumcision, laws of purity, rites of passage, the synagogue, feminist theology, and masculine and feminine stereotypes. Limited to three attempts.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Explores the roles of religion in contemporary political life in the United States and abroad. Emphasizes religion in current political debates. Includes history, political theory, sociology, and theology to present a comprehensive understanding of the topic. Limited to three attempts.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Selected topics on either the comparative study of religion, study of a particular kind of religion or aspect of religion, or engagement of religion and other topic (e.g., art, history, culture, politics, etc.). Equivalent to RELI 376.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Cross-cultural examination of comparative aspects of religious phenomena. Examines significance of religious phenomena from diverse religious and cultural perspectives, and investigates patterns of religious phenomena that have appeared in world cultures and civilizations. Limited to three attempts.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Graduate
Topics in religious studies selected by importance in the field and pertinent to the role of religion in society and culture. Emphasis on historical, interdisciplinary, and cross-cultural issues. Notes: May be repeated when topic is different with permission of department. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 12 credits.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Examines the philosophical and theoretical foundation for religious pluralism and dialogue and different approaches to interreligious dialogue and understanding among leading interreligious thinkers. May not be repeated for credit.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Topics in religious studies selected by importance in the field and pertinent to the role of religion in society and culture. Emphasis on historical, interdisciplinary, and cross-cultural issues. Notes: May be repeated when topic is different with permission of department. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 12 credits.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
