Degree of History of Religions Courses at Gustavus Adolphus College
History of Religions
The great religious traditions of the human race, understood through their sacred texts and practices, historical development, and philosophical and religious thought. Contemporary prospects for interreligious dialogue and conflict.
115 World Religions (1 course) An introduction to the major non-Christian world religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Zoroastrianism, and Islam. The course will focus on the formative periods and historical developments of the great religions, and on the differing ways in which they answer the fundamental religious questions. A combination of lectures, discussions, slides, films, and religious biographies will be used to enrich an understanding of these living traditions. HIPHI, NWEST, Fall and Spring semesters.
125 Sanskrit I: Introduction to Classical Sanskrit (1 course) In this course students will learn to read and write the Devanagari script (the most common script of Indian literature) and study the grammar of the classical Sanskrit language. Simple readings from Sanskrit literature will be introduced gradually into the lessons to develop in students the ability to analyze closely and to read simple texts in classical Sanskrit. The overall aim is to expose students to the literary and religious culture of India. Offered occasionally.
135 Sanskrit II: Introduction to Classical Sanskrit (1 course) This course is the second of a two-semester sequence that will emphasize more advanced forms of classical Sanskrit grammar and close reading of texts. Readings from actual Sanskrit literature will be included in the lessons regularly to enhance the students’ ability to analyze closely, to read, and to translate texts in classical Sanskrit. The overall aim of the course is to develop in students a deeper understanding of the literary and religious culture of India. Prerequisite: REL-125. Offered occasionally.
235 Zen and Japanese Culture (1 course) A study of Zen Buddhism, both as a religious movement and as a window on Oriental culture. The course will trace the peculiar methods and teachings of Zen, from its origins in Indian Buddhism and Chinese Taoism, to its Chinese and Japanese developments. Corresponding attention will be given to the cultural expressions of Zen, particularly in Japan: haiku poetry, sumi-e painting, the Noh theatre, raku ceramics, the tea ceremony, the martial arts, landscape gardens, and flower arrangement. In these artistic forms a unique blend of religious and aesthetic principles will be explored. HIPHI, NWEST, Spring semester.
255 Islam (1 course) This course is an introduction to the foundations of the religion and cultures of Islam: Muhammad, the Qur’an, and the sources of Islamic faith and practice. The course will survey the development of Islamic philosophy, theology, fundamental institutions, and the spread of Islam from its early beginnings to its present worldwide expression in diverse cultural settings. The history of Islam’s major civilizations will be surveyed and important cultural achievements will be explored. Historic and contemporary relations between Islam, Christianity, and Judaism will be studied from a variety of historical, cultural, and academic perspectives. HIPHI, NWEST, Spring semester.
265 World Religions in America (1 course) America is a religiously pluralistic country, and almost all the religions of the world can be found here. Some of these world religions are well established while others are new arrivals, but all share the struggles of adapting to the new and distinct religious world of the United States. This course will focus on the non-Christian religions that have found a home in America, about their struggles to adapt and flourish, and the strategies they have employed to become a permanent force in modern America. NWEST, Spring semester, odd years.
355 Buddhist Philosophy (1 course) This course will examine writings of three of the most influential religious philosophers in 20th-century Japan: Nishida, Tanabe, and Nishitani. We will focus on how these authors employed Western and Buddhist philosophies to construct a “uniquely Japanese“ subjectivity in response to “Westernization.“ The guiding theme in this study will be the tension between traditional religious values and the social/cultural changes brought on by modernization. The course will examine the attempts by these thinkers to construct a philosophy that would seriously and effectively address the problems of the modern world and also disclose a uniquely Japanese cultural/religious identity. HIPHI, NWEST, WRITD, Fall semester.
Special Courses
244, 344 Special Topics in Religion (1 course, 1 course) These courses, offered occasionally, provide an opportunity to investigate in depth a selected topic in religion that is not the primary subject of any of the regular catalog courses. Prerequisite: for REL-244, one course in religion; for REL-344, two courses in religion or permission of instructor.
299 Sources and Methods in Theology and Religion (1 course) This course will explore diverse understandings of religion and the methods employed in the academic study of theology and religion. It will analyze and assess how evidence is presented and arguments constructed. Students will examine how scholars in the field identify a problem, review and evaluate the relevant literature, formulate a proposal regarding that problem, and provide credible reasons for the proposal. They will learn how to take these steps themselves. Attention will be given to the purpose(s) of an investigation and the audience(s) to whom the results are addressed. Prerequisite: one course in religion. WRITD, Fall and Spring semesters.
268, 368 Career Exploration, Internship (Course value to be determined) Off-campus employment experience related to the student’s major. See description of the Internship Program. Prerequisite: junior or senior status. Fall and Spring semesters and January Interim.
291, 391 Independent Study (Course value to be determined) Fall and Spring semesters and January Interim.
399 Senior Thesis Seminar (1 course) The senior seminar provides an opportunity for the major to explore in depth an issue of special interest in religious studies. The thesis will be associated with one of the four departmental areas, and will reflect careful consideration of relevant methodological problems. The thesis will be written under the direction of the seminar instructor, critiqued by seminar students, and defended before three members of the department. Prerequisite: prior to registration there must be approval of a thesis proposal by the seminar instructor. Fall and Spring semester.
Tags: classical sanskrit, culture of india, devanagari script, formative periods, hinduism buddhism, historical developments, history of religions, indian literature, living traditions, religious culture, religious questions, religious traditions, sacred texts, sanskrit grammar, sanskrit language, semester sequence, spring semesters, world religions, zen and japanese culture, zen buddhism