Religion (RELG)
Chair: Professor Louis E. Newman
Professors: Roger R. Jackson, Louis E. Newman, Robert A. Oden, Jr., Anne E. Patrick
Visiting Professor: Barbara E. Reed
Associate Professors: Shahzad Bashir, Michael McNally
Assistant Professors: Paula K. Arai, Lori K. Pearson
Visiting Assistant Professor: Jeanne Halgren Kilde
Visiting Instructors: David Hollenberg, Suzanne Nakasian
The study of religion, in the context of a liberal arts education, draws upon multiple disciplines in the humanities and the social sciences. This is reflected in the variety of courses offered within the department: some introduce a religious tradition and trace its development historically; others examine in a cross-cultural context issues faced by all religious individuals and communities; and still others explore and compare diverse theories and methods employed in the study of religions. Throughout the curriculum, religion is approached as a significant and pervasive expression of human culture, both in the past and the present. Students interested in the study of religion or in a particular religious tradition are encouraged to begin by taking Introduction to Religion (Religion 110) or other introductory level courses, numbered 100-169. For those planning a career in teaching or ministry, courses in the department serve as an introduction to further graduate or professional study.
Requirements for a Major:
Sixty-nine credits in the department, including Religion 110; a minimum of two courses numbered 111-169; two courses numbered 211-299; two advanced seminars (320-379); Religion 300: Issues in the Study of Religion; Religion 399: Senior Research Seminar; and Religion 400: Integrative Exercise. Students planning to major in Religion should consult with their adviser in the spring of their sophomore year; a sequence of at least three courses in a religious tradition, theme, or topic is to be designed in consultation with an academic adviser by the end of the junior year, and majors are expected to build some cross-cultural diversity into their programs of study. Religion 300 is taken during the winter term of the junior year, Religion 399 during the winter term of the senior year, and Religion 400 in the spring term of the senior year. Since Religion 110 is a prerequisite for Religion 300, those planning to major in Religion must take Religion 110 before the winter of their junior year.
Religion Courses
RELG 100. Creating Utopia in America Creating the ideal community has been a dream of religious groups for eons. In the U.S., this dream has inspired successful, long-term communities such as the Shakers, the German pietist Hutterites, and the Catholic Worker movement, as well as such short-term ones as the idealistic Oneida community and the disastrous People's Temple in Guyana led by Jim Jones and Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas, led by David Koresh. This course will explore these and other communities as a means of learning about the relationships between religious ideology and practice, theology and everyday life, and religious insiders and outsiders. 6 cr., S/CR/NC, HU, Fall—J. Kilde
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 credits 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 credits cr., HU, Not offered in 2005-2006.
RELG 120. Introduction to Judaism This course provides an overview of the Judaic tradition as a whole, exploring its history, modes of expression, and characteristic polarities as phenomena of general human significance. The contours of classical Jewish life and thought are explored, as well as the crises, challenges, and choices confronting Judaic faith and practice today. 6 cr., HU, Spring—D. Hollenberg
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, Fall—L. Pearson
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, Winter—D. Hollenberg
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 credits cr., HU,RAD, Not offered in 2005-2006.
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, Fall—L. Newman
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, Not offered in 2005-2006.
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 credits cr., HU,RAD, Not offered in 2005-2006.
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, Not offered in 2005-2006.
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 traditions, 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, Winter—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, Fall—B. Reed
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, Spring—P. Arai
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 influential theorists: William James, Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. 3 cr., HU, Winter—S. Nakasian
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, Spring—A. Patrick
RELG 218. Hindu Classics In-depth exploration of a single classic text from the Hindu tradition, in English translation. The text will be set in its cultural and historical context, and adumbrated by traditional and modern commentaries where available, but the primary focus will be on a close, sustained reading of the text itself, in an attempt to draw out the explicit and implicit meanings it may have had for its original audience. The text will vary from year to year and the course may be repeated. 3 credits cr., HU,RAD, Not offered in 2005-2006.
RELG 219. Buddhist Classics In-depth exploration of a single classic text from the Buddhist tradition, in English translation. The text will be set in its cultural and historical context, and adumbrated by traditional and modern commentaries where available, but the primary focus will be on a close, sustained reading of the text itself, in an attempt to draw out the explicit and implicit meanings it may have had for its original audience. The text will vary from year to year and the course may be repeated. 3 credits cr., HU,RAD, Not offered in 2005-2006.
RELG 220. Patriarchs, Priests, Prophets and Poets 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, Spring—L. Newman
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, Spring—L. Pearson
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, Spring—A. Patrick
RELG 225. Contemporary Catholic Theology Christian theology was at the heart of the curriculum when universities were established at Oxford, Paris, and Bologna eight centuries ago. The discipline has changed a great deal since then, but its findings remain both fascinating and controversial today. This course will meet once a week to consider the current state of various theological questions, studying official Catholic documents and the writings of theologians on topics ranging from biblical interpretation and the doctrine of God to feminism, ethics and spirituality. The course has no prerequisites; it is designed to introduce students to debates in contemporary Roman Catholic theology and to prepare them for specialized work in areas such as liberationist and feminist approaches to theology. 3 cr., HU, Winter—A. Patrick
RELG 226. Mohammad 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 2005-2006.
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 credits cr., HU, Not offered in 2005-2006.
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 2005-2006.
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, Fall—L. Pearson
RELG 232. The Religious Right in America
From the Left Behind series to Mel Gibson's Passion, from Terry Schiavo to abortion, from Jerry Falwell to George Bush, the religious right has come to dominate media coverage of Christianity in America. But just what is the "religious right"? What theological beliefs and practices unite the historically disparate groups that now make up this bloc? How do these religious beliefs translate into political and social agendas? This course will trace the roots of the religious right in the nineteenth century history of evangelical and fundamentalist religious thought, examine some critical public policy issues of the post-WWII era that helped to unite conservative religionists, and interrogate the current influence of the religious right on Christian thought, national politics, and popular culture. 6 cr., HU, Fall—J. Kilde
RELG 233. American Sacred Places
Churches, synagogues, mosques. Cemeteries, spirit houses, columbaria. Shrines, memorials, monuments. The Black Hills, the Grand Canyon, the Mall in Washington, D.C. The range of buildings and spaces that Americans sacralize is seemingly endless. Indeed, the sacralization of significant places is a crucial religious and cultural process through which groups articulate their understandings of religious and spiritual power. This course will examine the processes through which Christians, Jews, Muslims, and Native Americans have infused specific landscapes and buildings with special meanings. It will also interrogate the frequent struggles over these places which result precisely from their religious significance. 6 credits cr., HU, Winter—J. Kilde
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 credits cr., HU,RAD, Not offered in 2005-2006.
RELG 237. Witches, Seers, and Saints
Since the colonial period, women have significantly outnumbered men in Christian religious services. Yet women’s strong participation in religious activity has yet to significantly alter the general landscape of historical studies in religion —a landscape that for the most part remains focused on male theologians, denominational organization and development, and theological attitudes toward major social and economic events. What happens to our understanding of religion in America if we shift our attention to women and gender issues? This course will examine religion in America from the perspective of women's experience. Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and Native American experiences will be discussed, with an eye toward how women have challenged (witches), advanced (seers), and modeled (saints) orthodox ideals and practices. 6 cr., HU, Winter—J. Kilde
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 credits cr., HU, Not offered in 2005-2006.
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 246. Healing and Religion in America Illness and health have been central concerns of a wide variety of American religious traditions. Religious traditions of healing have sometimes complemented, sometimes challenged the professionalization of medicine in their unique ways of imagining the intimate relations of body, mind, and spirit and of individual body, social body, and the cosmos. Against the historical backdrop of the professionalization of medicine, this course explores ritual healing in Native American, Afro-Caribbean, and Asian-American communities, Mexican American curanderismo, hygienic movements, Christian Science, and faith healing. Prerequisite: One religion course or consent of the instructor. 6 credits cr., HU, Not offered in 2005-2006.
RELG 248. Religions in the Borderlands: Retaining and Transforming Cultures This course is designed as an introduction to the richly textured religious fabric of Latino religious expression in the borderlands. After defining the border, both geographically and cognitively, we will orient ourselves to its historical realities. Then, rather than trying to be exhaustive, an impossible task for any course, we will attend closely to four areas of religious expression: the church, the streets, the marketplace, and the home. The course ends by moving into new borderlands, both religious and geographic. 6 credits cr., HU,RAD, Not offered in 2005-2006.
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, Spring—R. Jackson
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, Winter—R. Jackson
RELG 253. Tibetan Buddhism Against a background of the essential ideas and practices of Hinayana 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, Not offered in 2005-2006.
RELG 254. Zen Body/Mind
From martial arts to contemplative arts, from non-dualistic philosophy to cleaning tables, from sex scandals to female Zen Masters, from "just sitting" meditation to political intrigue--Zen has it all. We will explore these dimensions of Zen using both body and mind, including reading philosophical discourses on the martial arts as we learn some Kendo and Kyudo techniques. We will also read a treatise on the tea ceremony and perform one. We will study the meaning of "no-mind" from classical Zen sources in addition to doing Zen meditation. The material will be placed in cultural, historical, and political context. 6 cr., HU,RAD, Spring—P. Arai
RELG 258. Women, Power and Enlightenment We will explore sex and power dynamics in several Buddhist traditions as women pursue enlightenment. How do they wield power despite structures of systematic oppression? What insights can women offer about the enlightenment process? We will examine the contributions and concerns of women in various cultural contexts (Indian, Tibetan, Chinese, Japanese, North American) and time periods (ancient and modern). Critical analysis of practices, texts, and hermeneutical schemes that foster misogyny will guide our journey. Special attention will be given to examining the issues involved in the construction of gender in each cultural and religious context encountered. 6 cr., HU,RAD, Not offered in 2005-2006.
RELG 262. Millennialism in Cross-Cultural Perspective This course is an examination of millennial and "end-time" beliefs in a variety of cultures around the world. Topics include: roots of millennial ideas, Jewish apocalypticism, beginnings of Christianity and Islam, and modern case studies from the Pacific Islands, China, Iran and the United States. The course will elicit general conclusions regarding millennial and messianic ideas through detailed discussions of specific examples. Previous coursework in religious studies, history, or anthropology will be helpful but is not required. 6 cr., HU,RAD, Not offered in 2005-2006.
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, Not offered in 2005-2006.
RELG 264. Muslims on the Margins: A Survey of Islamic Minority Traditions This course will highlight the diversity of Islamic religious ideas and practices by treating minority sects and groups that have been a feature of Islamic societies in all historical periods. We will survey the various Shi'i sects that originated in the earliest centuries of Islam and continue to the present. In addition, we will consider other groups exemplifying minority views such as antinomianism, divine incarnation, and transmigration of souls. The course will also emphasize the significance of local Asian and African settings in the formation of Islamic ideas. Our chief objective will be to challenge the idea of a single hegemonic Islamic tradition by considering historical and ethnographic materials in detail. 6 credits cr., HU,RAD, Not offered in 2005-2006.
RELG 265. Islamic Law
Medieval Muslims held that immediately after the creation of the first man Adam, God revealed to him a law prescribing how humans should conduct themselves and worship Him. The process of determining God's law became the most prestigious intellectual discipline in classical Islam and remains a hotly contested site of debate today. After mastering key concepts in Islamic law, we will examine debates among the jurists on marriage and divorce, the status of non-Muslims under the law, and the relationship between the law and the state. Discussion of these cases in both the classical and modern periods will be considered. 6 cr., HU, Winter—D. Hollenberg
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 2005-2006.
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 2005-2006.
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, Not offered in 2005-2006.
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 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 2005-2006.
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, Fall—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 2005-2006.
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, Not offered in 2005-2006.
RELG 332. Deviancy and Heresy in Islam
What a society deems "heretical" or "deviant" can indicate a great deal about its culture and values. While classical Islam tended to tolerate a wide range of non-normative traditions, this course will consider ideas, doctrines, and practices deemed so deviant or subversive that they were placed outside the pale of Islam. Topics in the classical period will include the genre of heresiography (medieval Islamic studies of heresy), ecstatic Sufism, and illicit sexual practices. In the modern period, we will consider the case of Salman Rushdie and political activism and violence against the state. 6 cr., HU, Spring—D. Hollenberg
RELG 342. New Religious Movements This course is an introduction to new religious movements in the United Statesthose groups frequently referred to as "sects," "cults," and "fringe religions." Why do people join new religions? How do new religions succeed or fail? We will read and discuss scholarly theories about new religious movements as well as study the characteristics that help to create, sustain, and often destroy them. Using Christian Science, Neo-paganism, the Branch Davidians, and other groups as case studies, we will examine such issues as "brainwashing," conversion, the role of children, and how to make sense of the relation between religion and violence. 6 credits cr., HU, Not offered in 2005-2006.
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 credits cr., HU, Not offered in 2005-2006.
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 credits cr., HU,RAD, Not offered in 2005-2006.
RELG 366. The Renaissance of Islam This course will consider the sensibilities of the urban intellectual elite during the tenth century, one of the liveliest periods of Islamic intellectual and social history. This period was marked by intellectual and cultural efflorescence, but also by a mood of skepticism and cynicism toward religious rhetoric as well as, in some quarters, outright libertinism. Readings will be drawn from a wide variety of religious, philosophical, literary, and historical sources. Previous course work in Islam or Middle Eastern studies is strongly recommended. 6 cr., HU, Not offered in 2005-2006.
RELG 372. Medicine, Healing, and Spirituality This course will analyze how western bio-allopathic medicine and Asian Buddhist traditions approach the concepts of illness and health and the relationship of body and mind. An "Integrated Model of Affliction and Healing" will facilitate cross-cultural understanding and discussion. We will develop knowledge and skills through a directed field research project involving in-depth interviews on a person's healing process. 6 cr., HU,RAD, Not offered in 2005-2006.
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, Spring—L. Pearson
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—L. Newman
RELG 400. Integrative Exercise 3 credits cr., S/NC, ND, Spring—Staff
Other Courses Pertinent to Religion: