REL 111 - Exploring Religions 4cr

Exploring Religions is a survey course designed to introduce students to selected religions of the world and the academic study of religion. This course carefully examines a wide variety of primary and secondary sources to help us understand and appreciate the diversity of ways in which human beings have asked, answered, and responded to questions of life and death, values and ethics, power and danger. This course does not aspire nor pretend to cover all religions but instead will focus on a few selected religions such as Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Confucianism. Students learn how to employ research methods in the academic study of religion through their textual research and possibly on-site field experiences.

Philosophy/Religion or Language/ Global Issues

REL/GDS 112 - Women and Global Religious Traditions 4cr

This course focuses on women's experiences within religious traditions such as Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Islam, and Neo-paganism. Questions concerning the status of women, strategies for empowering women within religions, similarities between male and female religious experience, women's work for social and environmental justice within religions, and ways that women are transforming global religious traditions are explored.

Philosophy/Religion or Language/Global Issues

REL 190-198 - Special Topics in Religion 2-4cr

This course is an in-depth consideration of a topic of particular concern within the discipline of Religion. The course may be repeated for credit under different topics.

REL 199 - Independent Study 1-4cr

REL 209 - Introduction to Islam 4cr

This course is a historical and thematic survey of the origins and development of Islam. The historical period covered is primarily the so-called "classical period" of Islam (700 - 1300 CE). Students study the life and career of Muhammad as the Prophet of Islam in the 7th century and the rise of the early Muslim community. Formation of the Islamic polity and its struggles and challenges in terms of succession, cohesion, and expansion are surveyed. The thematic section of this course is arranged according to a three-fold understanding of the religion of Islam as related in a traditional hadith (known as "The Hadith of Gabriel"): islam ("submission"), iman ("faith"), and ihsan ("excellence"). Exploration of these three dimensions of Islam is anchored on the Qur'an - its historical, theological, intellectual, juridical, and ritual aspects--and on Islamic "mysticism" as represented in the various Sufi movements.

Philosophy/Religion or Language/Global Issues

REL 212 - Religion, Nature, and the Environment 4cr

This course explores, through textual study and field experience, the manifold ways that humans as religious and/or spiritual entities try to make sense of their place in the cosmos and the ethical responsibilities that are incumbent upon them if they are to live in a mutually enhancing and sustainable relationship to their environment. The religious and ethical sensibilities of particular religious traditions such as Buddhism, Christianity, and Judaism, among others, along with ecologically informed movements such as deep ecology and ecofeminism, and the work of nature writers, theorists, and religious naturalists are explored.

Philosophy/Religion or Language/Global Issues

REL 221 - History and Literature of the Ancient Israelites 4cr

This course introduces the Hebrew Bible as an anthology of ancient Israelite religious and literary texts. Emphasis is placed on the texts' literary-cultural aspects, including history, composition, structure, and cultural contexts, as well as themes, images, and other conventions. The course also explores ways in which these texts shape contemporary Jewish practices (holidays).

Philosophy/Religion

REL 238 - History and Literature of Buddhism 4cr

This course introduces students to the Buddhist religion--its history, fundamental doctrines, and practices. It pays close attention to how Buddhism influenced the collective histories and personal lives of the people who identify themselves as "Buddhists" across the expanse of time and space. It focuses on both historical and contemporary expressions of Buddhism. Readings of translations of Sanskrit, Pali, Chinese, and Tibetan primary texts will be done in tandem with readings of modern critical studies of these texts. Special attention will be given to Thai, East Asian, and Tibetan Buddhism.

Philosophy/Religion or Language/Global Issues

REL 239 - Hinduism: Texts and Tradition 4cr

This course is designed as an introduction to the many different religious traditions of South Asia that we identify as "Hinduism." Although this course begins with the premise that there is no single Hinduism, it will nonetheless focus on how the diverse religious traditions of South Asia form an inter-related whole. Seeking both to clarify and complexify our understanding of what it means to be Hindu in the past as well as in the modern world, we will rely on a number of media, including classical primary texts, ethnographic accounts, films, archival data, and video and audio recordings to help us understand and appreciate the complexity of Hinduism.

Philosophy/Religion or Language/Global Issues

REL 241 - History and Literature of the New Testament 4cr

This course offers students a critical introduction to the life and literature of the early Christian movement. Primary attention will be given to the various writings of the New Testament, to the issues and events that gave rise to their composition, and to the concrete situations and communities that these writings originally addressed.

Philosophy/Religion

REL 252 - Life and Teachings of Jesus 4cr

Who was the man Jesus of Nazareth and how do people understand his life and teachings today? This course looks at Jesus from four angles: the Jesus as presented in the Bible and the Gnostic Gospels, contemporary research on Jesus in light of his times, the way people from non-Christian religions perceive Jesus, and the way Jesus is portrayed in modern film.

Philosophy/Religion

REL 253 - Emerging Christian Theologies 4cr

Emerging theologies explore the experiences of people who have been invisible to traditional theological discussions--people of color, women, people from developing nations, gay/lesbian/bisexual people, and the poor in general, as they begin to challenge contemporary Christian faith and the political and economic structures that contribute to their invisibility. Students will read theologies that give voice to these experiences of oppression and do service/solidarity projects alongside the people who are suffering in our midst.

Philosophy/Religion or Language/Global Issues

REL 255 - Contemporary Christian Thought and Experience 4cr

This course provides students the opportunity to reflect on the diverse ideas represented by 20th and 21st century Christians. Some representative thinkers who may be addressed include Nazi war resister Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Catholic social activist and contemplative Thomas Merton, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., contemporary Christian ecofeminist Rosemary Radford Ruether, and evangelical C.S. Lewis.

Philosophy/Religion

REL 290-298 - Special Topics in Religion 2-4cr

This course is an in-depth consideration of a topic of particular concern within the discipline of Religion. The course may be repeated for credit under different topics.

REL 299 - Independent Study 1-4cr

REL 311 - Apocalyptic Texts and Times 4cr

This course includes an examination of the literary and cultural features and motifs of various biblical apocalyptic texts; an examination of numerous postbiblical apocalyptic and/or millennial communities in history; and, an examination of how apocalyptic thinking continues to shape 21st century racism, sexism, heterosexism, the HIV/AIDS pandemic, violence in the Middle East, and ongoing environmental abuses.

Philosophy/Religion or College Composition II

Prerequisite: One prior course in Religious Studies or permission of the instructor.

REL 321 - Religion, Peace, and Social Justice: Seminar 4cr

This advanced seminar examines key religious values and practices, sacred and classic writings, and case studies of religious leaders and cultures where religions have contributed significantly to the making and sustaining of peace.

Philosophy/Religion, Language/Global Issues, or College Composition II

Prerequisite: One prior course in Religious Studies or permission of the instructor.

REL 338 - Chan/Zen Buddhism 4cr

This course introduces students to a living Buddhist tradition most commonly known in the West as "Zen." This course will focus on the history and development of Chan/Zen doctrines, practices, goals, and institutions. Upon successful completion of this course, students should have a critical understanding of Chan/Zen as well as a good grasp of Chan/Zen self-understanding. The last section of this course will focus on contemporary experiences of Chan/Zen in China, Korea, and the United States.

Philosophy/Religion, Language/Global Issues, or College Composition II

Prerequisite: One prior course in Religious Studies or permission of the instructor.

REL 390-398 - Special Topics in Religion 2-4cr

This course is an in-depth consideration of a topic of particular concern within the discipline of Religion. The course may be repeated for credit under different topics.

REL 399 - Independent Study 1-4cr

REL 490-498 - Special Topics in Religion 2-4cr

This course is an in-depth consideration of a topic of particular concern within the discipline of Religion. The course may be repeated for credit under different topics.

REL 499 - Independent Study 1-4cr