Religion
Department of Religion
G. Scott Davis, Chair
Professors Davis, Eakin
Associate Professors Bergren, Geaney, Shaw, Winiarski
The religion major is designed to provide students with both breadth and depth in the academic study of religion. When declaring the major, the student must meet with the departmental representative to formulate a course of study appropriate both to his or her interests and to the goals of the major generally.
The Religion Major
Note: The grade point average of the coursework comprising the major must be no less than 2.00 with no course grade below C- (1.7).
9 units, including
Three units at the 300 level, excluding 388, 395, 396
Four elective units in religion
RELG 400 Majors Seminar in Approaches to the Study of Religion (Fall only)
RELG 401 Majors Colloquium (Spring only)
The department encourages double majors. In addition, cognate courses in other departments may be included within the required nine units, with the approval in advance of the religion department. Under no circumstances will more than two extra-departmental courses be accepted as part of those nine units. Majors who plan to study abroad in the senior year must make arrangements to take the Majors Seminar and/or the Majors Colloquium in the junior year.
Honors Program
Qualified students may apply to work for honors at the discretion of the department. A major who wishes to pursue honors should meet with the honors coordinator, usually no later than the first semester of the junior year. The department will then invite selected students to apply for honors, at which point those students will meet with the honors coordinator to plan a designated honors program in conjunction with a faculty advisor. The honors program will normally consist of four related courses, approved by the honors committee of the School of Arts and Sciences, two of which will be RELG 403-404, culminating in an honors thesis. The advisor and two other members of the department will constitute the thesis committee for each thesis and will supervise the required oral defense. Honors will be granted only to those students whose theses meet departmental standards.
The Religion Minor
Note: The grade point average of the coursework comprising the minor must be no less than 2.00 with no course grade below C- (1.7).
5 units, including
At least two units at the 300 level, excluding 388, 395, 396
Three elective units in religion
The religion minor is designed to provide basic grounding in the academic study of religion. The religion minor requires five units in religion, reflecting the diversity of areas and approaches that make up the religion department.
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
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