Carleton College

RELG 100. Antatomy of Evil: Sin and Sinners in Religious Perspective Since the dawn of civilization, evil has been a part of human experience. The earliest chapters of Genesis introduce the theme of human sinfulness, and accounting for the human transgression has preoccupied western religious traditions ever since. In this course, we will explore the nature of sin through classical Jewish, Christian and Islamic texts, but also in contemporary fiction and film. We will attempt to explain both why this facet of human experience has so engaged the religious imagination, and why it has proved so difficult to unravel. Please note that some of the material for this course will be unsettling. 6 cr., S/CR/NC, HU, Fall—L. Newman

RELG 100. The Sacred Body: Religious Reflections on the Human Form The human body has been a focus of religious reflection throughout history and across various traditions. Drawing on specific examples from different historical and cultural contexts, we will explore ways of constructing, deconstructing, cultivating, imagining, representing, manipulating, projecting, despising, and adorning the body in religious terms. Equal attention will be given to studying the body's treatment in religious discourses and to understanding actual physical activities such as rituals, ascetic discipline, and forms of meditation. The significance of social factors such as differentiation based on gender and class will also be considered while understanding particular religious worldviews. 6 cr., S/CR/NC, HU, RAD, Fall—S. Bashir

RELG 110. Introduction to Religion This course offers an opportunity to reflect upon religion in human life. Sections vary with professors' aims, but all sections encounter material from more than one religious tradition, and probe theories of religion from several disciplinary perspectives. The study of individual quests highlights the personal dimension of religion, while the examination of historical cases brings out its cultural and political dimensions. Issues of gender, power, and social location also receive attention. Although Religion 110 makes no attempt to survey the world's religions, it provides an introduction to aspects of religious life and to the academic field of religious studies. 6 cr., HU, Fall,Winter,Spring—Staff

RELG 111. Judaism, Christianity, Islam Western civilization has been shaped decisively by three monotheistic religious traditions­Judaism, Christianity and Islam. In this course, we explore some of the central beliefs, values, and ritual practices of these religions, some of their interactions, and some of the issues that divide them. Attention will be paid both to the historical development of these traditions and to the distinctive forms they have assumed in modern times. The course will be useful for anyone interested in the religious roots of western culture and it will prepare you to do more advanced work in any of these traditions. No prerequisites. 6 cr., HU, Spring—L. Newman

RELG 120. Introduction to Judaism How does a religious tradition evolve over time? This course provides an overview of the Judaic tradition as a whole, exploring its history, modes of expression, and characteristic polarities as they have emerged in various times and places. The contours of classical Jewish life and thought are explored, as well as the crises, challenges, and choices confronting Jews and Judaism today. 6 cr., HU, Spring—L. Newman

RELG 121. Introduction to Christianity A study of the diverse teachings, rituals, communities and cultural forms of the Christian religion in its early Christian, Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Protestant, and contemporary global developments. Attention is given to the complex variables that shape particular Christian perspectives and practices such as race, gender, class and social context. The course includes field visits to local Christian churches and organizations. 6 cr., HU, Not offered in 2006-2007.

RELG 122. Introduction to Islam This course introduces Islam, a 1400-year old religion whose more than one billion adherents are spread throughout the world today. Of the various ways of approaching such an extensive tradition, we will follow a socio-cultural method with particular emphasis on how various types of Muslims have understood and interpreted their religion over the course of history. We will examine Islamic religious ideals, practices, institutions, and personalities to elicit the broad parameters that give coherence to Islamic religion and civilization. The course will also emphasize the diversity of Islamic religious perspectives, paying attention to social factors such as language affiliation, ethnicity, nationality, and gender. 6 cr., HU, RAD, Not offered in 2006-2007.

RELG 123. Muhammad and the Quran This course explores the Islamic religious tradition through its scripture, the Quran, and the life of its prophet, Muhammad. We will study Muhammad's biography to understand how it has influenced the development of Islamic belief and ritual. Through an examination of religious texts, art, and music, we will explore the role his memory has played in popular religious culture. We will study the Quran through its content, its origins, and the impact it has had on the development of Islam. In the process, we will emphasize the Quran as an aesthetically charged scripture as well as a written text. 6 cr., HU, RAD, Winter—S. Bashir

RELG 124. Jews and the American Experience What happens to a traditional religion when it is transplanted into a modern environment? How do people adapt old beliefs and practices to a new social setting, and what new forms of religious and ethnic life develop? These are the questions raised by the study of Jews and Judaism in America. We will analyze the development of Judaism in America through the works of historians, sociologists, novelists, filmmakers, and theologians. 6 cr., HU, Not offered in 2006-2007.

RELG 130. Native American Religions This course explores the history and contemporary practice of Native American religious traditions, especially as they have developed amid colonization and resistance. While surveying a broad variety of ways that Native American traditions imagine land, community, and the sacred, the course focuses on the local traditions of the Ojibwe and Lakota communities. Materials include traditional beliefs and practices, the history of missions, intertribal new religious movements, and contemporary issues of treaty rights, religious freedom, and the revitalization of language and culture. 6 cr., HU, RAD, Fall—M. McNally

RELG 135. Introduction to African American Religion This course explores the varieties of African American religious expressions. Our primary aim will be to trace their historical development in America, but we also will attend to the continued influence of Africa and the Caribbean on these traditions. We will examine the religious expressions of African Americans in their considerable diversity, but also will attend to certain themes that cut across time and tradition, such as the power of the spoken word and the importance of music. 6 cr., HU, RAD, Not offered in 2006-2007.

RELG 140. Religion and American Culture This course explores the colorful, contested history of religion in American culture. While surveying the main contours of religion in the United States from the colonial era to the present, the course concentrates on a series of historical court cases that reveal tensions between a quest for a (Protestant) American consensus and an abiding religious and cultural pluralism. 6 cr., HU, RAD, Winter—M. McNally

RELG 150. Religions of South Asia A survey of the origins and classical development of the major religious traditions of the Indian subcontinent. Primary attention will be given to the Hindu and Buddhist communities, but Islam and the Jain and Sikh traditions also are considered. Readings are drawn mainly from Indian sources in English translation. 6 cr., HU, RAD, Fall—R. Jackson

RELG 151. Chinese Religion and Culture This course examines Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism in the Chinese context. An exploration of religious rituals, texts, and practices will guide our introduction to Chinese religious experience. Based upon this foundation, we will see how religious values influence decision-making processes in personal and public matters. 6 cr., HU, RAD, Not offered in 2006-2007.

RELG 152. Japanese Religion and Culture An examination of the interplay of Shinto and Buddhism, with a focus on how Buddhism was transformed through the centuries according to Japanese assumptions concerning human nature, reality, and ultimacy. Art (visual, literary, and performative) will serve as a window upon Japanese religious experience. Based upon this foundation, we will see how religious values influence decision-making processes in personal and public matters. 6 cr., HU, RAD, Winter—Staff

RELG 154. Daoism Classics of Daoist wisdom such as the Laozi and Zhuangzi have become popular in the West, but the Daoist religion--with its misty heavens, majestic deities, stirring rituals, and quiet cultivation of bodily energies--is still largely unknown here. This course will cover the whole spectrum of Chinese Daoism, including Daoist history, practices, ideas, and ways of life, allowing students to gain a general understanding of this ancient and vital religious tradition. 6 cr., HU, Fall—W. Hudson

RELG 160. Psychology and Religion: Freud, Jung and James As approaches to human experience, religion and psychology have been regarded variously as entirely distinct, as interpenetrating, and as adversaries. What are the issues involved in approaching religion from a psychological perspective? Is it possible to bring psychology and religion into conversation without reducing one to the terms of the other? In this course we will explore the modern history of this interdisciplinary conversation through an in-depth study of its three most influentialtheorists: William James, Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. 3 cr., HU, Not offered in 2006-2007.

RELG 211. Religion and Modern Literature An exploration of the religious significance of selected works of fiction, poetry, and drama by literary artists of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The close literary analysis of these texts will be accompanied by a unifying interest in the problem of faith and doubt in the modern era and in the various stances adopted by modern thinkers with regard to historical religious traditions. 6 cr., HU, Not offered in 2006-2007.

RELG 220. Patriarchs, Priests, Prophets and Poets (Hebrew Bible) The central religious beliefs and moral values of ancient Israel will be explored both in relation to other ancient Near Eastern cultures and as the basis of later developments in Judaism and Christianity. Attention will also be given to the diversity of literary genres exemplified in the Hebrew Bible and to the problems of interpreting biblical texts. 6 cr., HU, Not offered in 2006-2007.

RELG 221. Jesus, Paul, and Christian Origins (New Testament)

An introduction to the diverse literature and theologies of the New Testament and to the origins and social worlds of early Christian movements. Attention is given to the interpretation of New Testament texts in their historical settings, and to the various ways contemporary scholars and groups interpret the New Testament as a source for theological and ethical reflection. 6 cr., HU, Winter—R. Crouter

RELG 224. Women and Christianity This course first examines women's historical involvement in Christianity and the various views on women held by influential Christians of the past. It then probes literary and theological texts that reflect the efforts of contemporary thinkers to understand and transform a tradition they find both oppressive and liberating where justice for women is concerned. A diverse range of contemporary authors (including African-American, Chinese-American, European-American, and Mexican-American) invite reflection on topics such as God-language, Christian missions, race, class, spirituality, sexuality, and environmental justice. 6 cr., HU, Not offered in 2006-2007.

RELG 225. Catholic Life and Thought This course will consider selected aspects of Roman Catholic theology, ethics, and spirituality, with attention to the theme of continuity and change in the history of this religious tradition. Topics covered will include modern controversies over scriptural and papal authority, the ongoing development of moral teaching, the role of the laity, and various contemporary issues. Previous study of Christianity is recommended but not required. 6 cr., HU, Winter—A. Patrick

RELG 226. Muhammad in History and Memory The life of Muhammad has been enshrined in a wealth of narrative and ritual sources from the seventh century to the present. The first part of the course will discuss recent, highly controversial attempts to reconstruct "the historical Muhammad" in critical academic literature. The latter half of the course will draw from classical Islamic historiography, festivals celebrating the Prophet's birth, modern literature, and film to survey the rich variety of ways Muslims have memorialized the life of the Prophet. 6 cr., HU, Not offered in 2006-2007.

RELG 227. Liberation Theologies An introduction to black theology, U.S. hispanic theology, Latin American liberation theology, and feminist theology through writings of various contemporary thinkers. Attention will be directed to the social settings out of which these thinkers have emerged, their critiques of "traditional" theologies, and the new vision of Christian life they are developing. Previous study of Christianity is recommended but not required. 6 cr., HU, RAD, Fall—A. Patrick

RELG 228. Issues in Christian Ethics With attention to classical thinkers and contemporary debates, this course explores how various Christians understand the ethical implications of their faith. Topics will include: ethical decision making; discipleship in a pluralistic culture; conscience and the authority of scripture, church, and tradition; and, moral issues related to developments in science and society, such as bioethical questions and gay marriage. Previous study of Christianity is recommended but not required. 6 cr., HU, Not offered in 2006-2007.

RELG 231. Protestant Thought Who is God? What is faith? Protestants have offered surprisingly diverse responses to these and other questions concerning the nature of humanity, its relation to God, and its place in the world. This course engages classic theological questions posed by Protestant thinkers from the Reformation through the modern period. Focus is on the interpretation of texts and movements (such as Lutheranism, Calvinism, pietism, Puritanism, abolitionism, romanticism, and existentialism) in their historical contexts and contemporary relevance. The course also explores the relationship of Protestant thought to Catholicism, to the rise of secular rationality, and to movements for social justice. 6 cr., HU, Not offered in 2006-2007.

RELG 234. Way of Wisdom: Job and Ecclesiastes How do religious people respond when their time-honored doctrines no longer explain their experience? How can one believe in a benevolent God in the face of suffering, or in life's essential goodness in the face of human mortality? These are some of the questions that troubled the ancient writers of the biblical books of Job and Ecclesiastes. This course explores these two classic examples of "wisdom literature," as well as the efforts of contemporary writers to build on their insights. Prior study of the Bible is not a prerequisite. 6 cr., HU, Winter—L. Newman

RELG 235. Women and Islamic Constructions of Gender A survey of issues significant for women's lives in various parts of the Muslim world. We will briefly examine women's status and image in classical Islamic thought, and the bulk of the course will focus on contemporary Muslim women in a number of different cultural contexts. Issues to be discussed include: veiling, kinship structures, war and violence, health, feminist activism, and literary and artistic expression. The course aims to provide both a broad understanding of the factors affecting women's lives, and an appreciation of the diversity of social and material conditions that exist within the Muslim world. 6 cr., HU, RAD, Not offered in 2006-2007.

RELG 239. Religion and the American Landscape The American landscape has shaped and has been shaped by the religious imaginations of its various inhabitants. This course considers different ways of imagining the relationship between land, community, and the sacred and how these traditions have been inscribed on the land itself. Native American and Latino traditions will be considered, as will a variety of European-American traditions, including Puritans, Mormons, Romantics, Deep Ecologists, and immigrant farming traditions of the upper midwest. 6 cr., HU, Not offered in 2006-2007.

RELG 243. Native American Religious Freedom This course explores historical and legal contexts in which Native Americans have practiced their religions in the United States. Making reference to the cultural background of Native traditions, and the history of First Amendment law, the course explores landmark court cases in Sacred Lands, Peyotism, Free Exercise in prisons, and sacralized traditional practices (whaling, fishing, hunting) and critically examines the conceptual framework of "religion" as it has been applied to the practice of Native American traditions. Service projects will integrate academic learning and student involvement in matters of particular concern to contemporary native communities. 6 cr., HU, RAD, Spring—M. McNally

RELG 249. Religion and American Public Life This course explores the contentious place of religion in American public life. What roles do religious organizations and religious motivations play in the public arenas of electoral politics, policy-making, schools, courts, social service delivery, media, and marketplace? What roles ought they play? In a pluralistic society, how are Americans to balance diverse moral positions with our shared civic life? Engaging the insights of sociologists of religion, legal scholars, ethicists, political theorists, and cultural critics this course will refine the language with which we address such broad questions. Students will apply those insights to focused critical analyses of issues they choose. 6 cr., HU, Spring—M. McNally

RELG 250. Hindu Traditions An exploration of selected texts and topics from the dominant religious tradition of India. Drawing from both classical and modern sources, we consider a range of expressions of Hindu religiousness, from philosophic speculation, to mythic narrative, yogic practice, daily ritual, ecstatic devotion, and social and ethical prescription. Religion 150 is recommended but not required. 6 cr., HU, RAD, Not offered in 2006-2007.

RELG 251. Theravada Buddhism Study of Buddhism's beginnings in India and its spread to Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, where it is a dominant religious and cultural form. The first part of the course focuses on Theravadin interpretations of the Buddha's life and basic teachings, as found in the Pali canon. The second part of the course analyzes Buddhism's function as a cultural system in one or more Theravadin society, with special attention to such issues as Buddhist legitimization of secular power, popular religious practices, the relation between monks and laity, and the role of women. Religion 150 recommended but not required. 6 cr., HU, RAD, Not offered in 2006-2007.

RELG 253. Tibetan Buddhism Against a background of the essential ideas and practices of Mainstream and Mahayana Buddhism, this course examines the development within Mahayana of the esoteric traditions of Tantra, and then traces the rise and development of the complex, Tantra-dominated Buddhism of Tibet. Topics include the role of the lama, ideas about death and reincarnation, tantric meditative practices, debates about such doctrines as emptiness and skillful means, the place of women, and the history of the Dalai Lamas. Religion 150 is recommended but not required. 6 cr., HU, RAD, Spring—R. Jackson

RELG 263. Sufism A survey of the large complex of Islamic intellectual and social perspectives subsumed under the term Sufism. Sufi mystical philosophies, liturgical practices and social organizations have been a major part of the Islamic tradition in all historical periods, and sufism has also served as the primary muse behind Islamic aesthetic expression in poetry, music, and the visual arts. We will treat the material in three sections: basics of Sufism, historical evolution of the tradition, and the impact of modern ideas. The course aims to deepen students' understanding of Islam and to underscore the diversity of human ways of being religious in the world. 6 cr., HU, Spring—S. Bashir

RELG 269. Jewish Ethics How do religious beliefs shape our moral perspectives? In this course we will examine the ways in which this has happened within the Jewish tradition, paying attention to both ethical theory (e.g., the relationship of law and ethics) and issues in applied ethics (e.g., war, sexual ethics, abortion). Both traditional and contemporary approaches to Jewish ethics will be examined. Prior study of religion and/or ethics will be useful, but is not required. 6 cr., HU, Not offered in 2006-2007.

RELG 271. Religious and Moral Issues of the Holocaust This course explores the profound theological and moral issues raised by the Nazi policy of systematic genocide. Attention will be given to a wide range of issues, including Jewish and Christian responses to these events, collaboration with the perpetrators, spiritual resistance, whether there are "unforgivable" crimes, and the use of scientific data from experiments on concentration camp inmates. Permission of the instructor required. 6 cr., HU, Not offered in 2006-2007.

RELG 273. Indian Philosophy An introduction to the classical philosophical tradition of India. The primary emphasis is on reading and discussion of selected Hindu and Buddhist sources in English translation, though contemporary and comparative materials also may be included. In terms of the "fields" of Western philosophy, the major focus is on Indian approaches to metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics, with secondary consideration of logic, linguistic philosophy, and aesthetics. Some prior work in either Western philosophy or South Asian religion is highly desirable. 6 cr., HU, RAD, Fall—R. Jackson

RELG 300. Issues in the Study of Religion This seminar is designed to acquaint junior religion majors with some of the basic theories, methods, and problems in the field of religious studies. 6 cr., HU, Winter—A. Patrick

RELG 319. Bioethics: Christian Approaches In 2005 the Terry Schaivo case brought national attention to disputes within American Christian groups on issues of medical care. This seminar will probe why such differences, which cut across denominational lines, have developed, and how Catholic and Protestant scholars are addressing the debated questions. It will also serve as a general introduction to Christian bioethics, examining theological principles regarding health care and biomedical research, and practical topics including issues surrounding the beginning and end of human life, genetic engineering, medical futility, and the allocation of health care resources. Previous study of ethics or Christianity is recommended but not required. 6 cr., HU, Fall—A. Patrick

RELG 322. Gender and God-Talk: Christian Feminist Theologies How have thinkers from Black, White, Asian, and Latina backgrounds responded to the claim that Christianity is hopelessly patriarchal, which philosopher Mary Daly argued for so strongly in Beyond God the Father three decades ago? This seminar probes Daly's challenge and the ensuing developments in Christian biblical, ethical, and theological studies. Catholic and Protestant writers from within and beyond the United States will be studied on such topics as gender and biblical interpretation, God-language, redemption, the Virgin Mary, sexual ethics, and ecofeminism. Some prior knowledge of Christianity is highly recommended. 6 cr., HU, Not offered in 2006-2007.

RELG 327. Genesis This course will address two central concerns through an in-depth study of the book of Genesis: hermeneutics--the problems and possibilities of textual interpretation, and theology--the ways in which religious communities and individuals reflect on the meaning of sacred events. This important biblical book raises an extraordinary range of issues, including cosmogony, the nature of humankind, faith, familial relationships, politics, sex and violence. Materials will be drawn from both classical and modern commentaries. Prior work in literature or religion helpful, but not necessary. 6 cr., HU, Not offered in 2006-2007.

RELG 328. Contemporary Jewish Thought This seminar introduces students to contemporary (Post-World War II) Jewish theology. We will explore the creative and diverse ways in which modern Jewish thinkers have combined elements of modernity (e.g. the emphasis on autonomy and freedom) with traditional Jewish beliefs about God, revelation, and redemption. The course will include representative selections from rationalists and mystics, feminists, traditionalists and post-modernists. Prior study of religion and/or philosophy will be helpful. 6 cr., HU, Winter—L. Newman

RELG 329. Theology, Tradition, and Culture What is the identity of Christianity? Does Christianity have an essence? How do we speak of Christianity, given its diversity of expression? Do religious traditions have boundaries? If so, who constructs them, and how? This course will explore issues at the crossroads of theology, tradition, and culture. We begin by analyzing different understandings of theology's relationship to culture. We then examine competing ways of defining tradition, drawing on theological, anthropological, philosophical, sociological, and historical methods. Throughout the term, we consider the implications of relativism, pluralism, and diversity for theological reflection on the nature of traditions and the "identity" of religious communities. 6 cr., HU, Not offered in 2006-2007.

RELG 331. God, Lovesickness, and Wine From the seventh century to the present, poetry has been a mainstay of religious and cultural expression in numerous Islamic societies. In this course, we will explore the literary and social sides of this phenomenon by examining materials from a number of Asian and African societies. We will treat original poetry from different major and minor Islamic languages accompanied by contemporary literary theory. In addition, we will look at social aspects of poetry such as musical and recitative performance, mystical and political usage, and the lives of poets. Some prior knowledge of Islam or literary theory would be helpful. 6 cr., HU, RAD, Fall—S. Bashir

RELG 344. Lived Religion in America The practices of popular, or local, or lived religion in American culture often blur the distinction between the sacred and profane and elude religious studies frameworks based on the narrative, theological, or institutional foundations of "official" religion. This course explores American religion primarily through the lens of the practices of lived religion with respect to ritual, the body, the life cycle, the market, leisure, and popular culture. Consideration of a wide range of topics, including ritual healing, Christmas, cremation, and Elvis, will nourish an ongoing discussion about how to make sense of lived religion. 6 cr., HU, Not offered in 2006-2007.

RELG 350. Emptiness An exploration of the central concept of Mahayana Buddhism, shunyata, translated as emptiness. We will trace prefigurations of emptiness in early Buddhism, then examine its classical expression in the Perfection of Wisdom sutras and the treatises of the Madhyamaka school, and its gnostic application in tantric traditions. Throughout, we will try to understand how the "emptiness factor" affects basic questions in Buddhist metaphysics, epistemology, meditation-theory, and ethics. Our primary focus will be on Indian and Tibetan texts, but we also will consider interpretations from East Asian and modern Buddhist writers, and reflect on emptiness vis à vis Western philosophies. 6 cr., HU, RAD, Not offered in 2006-2007.

RELG 380. Radical Critiques of Christianity This course introduces students to some of the most radical critiques brought against the foundations of Christian theology (by philosophers and theologians, outsiders and insiders, alike) in the modern period. We examine critiques concerning the authority and historical veracity of scripture, the nature and status of Christian doctrines, the true meaning of faith, the relation between Christian theology and oppressive power, and the value of Christian morality. We also consider the work of Christian theologians who have embraced these critical perspectives and who have put them to use in their efforts to reform and redefine Christianity. Prerequisites: Prior coursework in philosophy or Christian theology is desirable, but there is no prerequisite for the course. 6 cr., HU, Not offered in 2006-2007.

RELG 399. Senior Research Seminar This seminar will acquaint students with research tools in various fields of religious studies, provide an opportunity to present and discuss research work in progress, hone writing skills, and improve oral presentation techniques. Prerequisite: Religion 300 and acceptance of proposal for senior integrative exercise and instructor's permission. 6 cr., ND, Winter—R. Jackson

RELG 400. Integrative Exercise 3 cr., S/NC, ND, Spring—Staff