Religious Studies Courses

REL 101. World Religions: Asian Traditions. 4 Credits.

Introduction to related religious traditions of Asia, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism and Shinto. Readings in sacred texts and scholarlary literature. Lecture, discussion.

REL 102. World Religions: Near Eastern Traditions. 4 Credits.

Introduction to the Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity, Islam and to related traditions such as the Zoroastrian, Manichaean, Mandean, Baha'i. Lecture, discussion.

REL 199. Special Studies: [Topic]. 1-5 Credits.

Repeatable.

REL 200M. Temp Multilist Course. 4 Credits.

REL 211. Early Judaism. 4 Credits.

Development of the Jewish religion from its earliest existence until the Christian era.

REL 222. Introduction to the Bible I. 4 Credits.

Content and organization of the Hebrew scriptures (Old Testament); examination of scholarly methods and research tools used in biblical studies.

REL 223. Introduction to the Bible II. 4 Credits.

Examination of the written traditions of early Christianity with an emphasis on the New Testament.

REL 233. Introduction to Islam. 4 Credits.

Islamic religious tradition, beginnings to present. Pre-Islamic Arabia, Prophet Muhammed, pillars of Islam, ethics and piety, Sunni-Shiite divide, reform and renewal movements.

REL 302. Chinese Religions. 4 Credits.

Prehistoric roots of Chinese religion, Confucius and his followers, philosophical Taoism, Han Confucianism, religious Taoism, Chinese Buddhism, Neo-Confucianism, religion in China today.

REL 303. Japanese Religions. 4 Credits.

Early Shinto and its developments, Japanese Buddhism, transformation of Taoism and Confucianism, medieval Shinto, religion in the Tokugawa period, Nationalistic Shinto, folk religion, new religions.

REL 304. Religions of India. 4 Credits.

An introduction to the major religious traditions of the Indian subcontinent: Hinduism and Buddhism, and more briefly Sikhism and Jainism.

REL 317. Jesus and the Gospels. 4 Credits.

Considers early evidence for Jesus, including canonical and noncanonical gospels, in light of critical scholarship and historical reconstructions.

REL 321. History of Christianity. 4 Credits.

Course of Christian history in East and West; relations between spirituality, doctrine, and institutional forms. Covers the ancient period, from the Apostolic Fathers to the Islamic conquests (90–650).

REL 322. History of Christianity. 4 Credits.

Course of Christian history in East and West; relations between spirituality, doctrine, and institutional forms. Covers medieval Western Christianity, from the Germanic invasions to the Reformation (400–1500).

REL 323. History of Christianity. 4 Credits.

Course of Christian history in East and West; relations between spirituality, doctrine, and institutional forms. Covers modern Western Christianity, from the Reformation to the present (1500 to the present).

REL 324. History of Eastern Christianity. 4 Credits.

Byzantine Christianity from the founding of the Christian Roman Empire to the Fall of Constantinople in the 15th century.

REL 325. History of Eastern Christianity. 4 Credits.

The Eastern churches from the 15th century to the present.

REL 335. Introduction to the Qur'an. 4 Credits.

An introduction to the nature of the Qur'an and the various ways it has been interpreted throughout history by both Muslims and non-Muslims.

REL 353. Dark Self, East and West. 4 Credits.

Comparative examination of selfhood in Eastern and Western religious thought and cultural contexts. Focus on dark side or problematic dimensions of Buddhist, Christian, Daoist, Jewish, and other thought.

REL 355. Mysticism. 4 Credits.

The experiential or mystical dimensions of the three major Abrahamic faiths. Exploration of the original writings of men and women from each spiritual tradition.

REL 357. War, Terrorism, and Religion. 4 Credits.

Offers an examination of the theme of war, terrorism, and religion, focusing on cases of religiously motivated acts of violence in the contemporary era.

REL 359. Religion After Atheism. 4 Credits.

Atheist critiques of religion, analyses of secularism from multiple disciplinary perspectives, and responses to atheism and secularism by modernist Christian, Muslim, and Buddhist writers.

REL 399. Special Studies: [Topic]. 1-5 Credits.

Repeatable.

REL 401. Research: [Topic]. 1-4 Credits.

Repeatable.

REL 403. Thesis. 1-4 Credits.

Repeatable.

REL 405. Reading and Conference: [Topic]. 1-4 Credits.

Repeatable.

REL 407. Seminar: [Topic]. 1-4 Credits.

Repeatable.

REL 408. Workshop: [Topic]. 1-12 Credits.

Repeatable.

REL 409. Terminal Project. 1-12 Credits.

Repeatable.

REL 410. Experimental Course: [Topic]. 1-4 Credits.

Repeatable.

REL 411. Making Sense of Religion. 4 Credits.

History of the study of religion, from the late 19th century to the present, as an expression of society, agent of oppression, psychological experience, symbolic system, and Western concept. Junior standing required.

REL 414. Biblical Book: [Topic]. 4 Credits.

Close reading of one or more books of the Judeo-Christian Bible in literary, historical, and cultural contexts; history of interpretation; and critical scholarship. Repeatable twice when topic changes for a maximum of 12 credits.

REL 432. Islamic Mysticism: [Topic]. 4 Credits.

Inner dimensions of Islamic piety and righteousness, from the Koranic and prophetic foundations to principal thinkers in the medieval Arabic and Persian Sufi traditions. Repeatable twice for a maximum of 12 credits.

REL 440. Readings in Buddhist Scriptures. 4 Credits.

Readings in representative scriptures in English translation. Selection based on their import in development of Indian Buddhist philosophy and their impact on evolution of East Asian forms of Buddhism.

REL 444. Medieval Japanese Buddhism. 4 Credits.

Medieval Japanese Buddhism of the 12th and 13th centuries. Examination of religious thought and cultural history including Zen and Pure Land.

REL 507. Seminar: [Topic]. 1-4 Credits.

Repeatable.

REL 508. Workshop: [Topic]. 1-12 Credits.

Repeatable.

REL 510. Experimental Course: [Topic]. 1-4 Credits.

Repeatable.

REL 511. Making Sense of Religion. 4 Credits.

History of the study of religion, from the late 19th century to the present, as an expression of society, agent of oppression, psychological experience, symbolic system, and Western concept.

REL 514. Biblical Book: [Topic]. 4 Credits.

Close reading of one or more books of the Judeo-Christian Bible in literary, historical, and cultural contexts; history of interpretation; and critical scholarship. Repeatable twice when topic changes for a maximum of 12 credits.

REL 532. Islamic Mysticism: [Topic]. 4 Credits.

Inner dimensions of Islamic piety and righteousness, from the Koranic and prophetic foundations to principal thinkers in the medieval Arabic and Persian Sufi traditions. Repeatable twice for a maximum of 12 credits.

REL 540. Readings in Buddhist Scriptures. 4 Credits.

Readings in representative scriptures in English translation. Selection based on their import in development of Indian Buddhist philosophy and their impact on evolution of East Asian forms of Buddhism.

REL 544. Medieval Japanese Buddhism. 4 Credits.

Medieval Japanese Buddhism of the 12th and 13th centuries. Examination of religious thought and cultural history including Zen and Pure Land.

REL 605. Reading and Conference: [Topic]. 1-16 Credits.

Repeatable.

REL 608. Workshop: [Topic]. 1-16 Credits.

Repeatable.

REL 609. Terminal Project. 1-16 Credits.

Repeatable.