Religion Courses
REL 101 Introduction to the Bible
4 hours
Introduction to the literature of the Bible with an emphasis on selected writings and themes, as well as an introduction to academic study of the Bible and methods of interpretation. Students will also become familiar with extra-biblical sources (textual and archaeological) which contribute to understanding the Bible in its historical, theological, and literary contexts. Students who earn credit for REL 101 may not earn credit for REL 111 or REL 112. (BL, Rel)
REL 111 Introduction to the Hebrew Bible and the Apocrypha
4 hours
An introduction to the literature of the Hebrew Bible and the Apocrypha with an emphasis on selected writings and themes, as well as an introduction to the academic study of the Bible and methods of interpretation. Students will also become familiar with extra-biblical sources (textual and archaeological) which contribute to the understanding of the Hebrew Bible and the Apocrypha in their historical, theological, and literary contexts. Students who earn credit for REL 111 may earn credit for REL 112 but not for REL 101. (BL, Rel)
REL 112 Introduction to the New Testament
4 hours
An introduction to the literature of the New Testament, with an emphasis on selected writings and themes, as well as an introduction to the academic study of the Bible and methods of interpretation. Students will become familiar with extra-biblical sources (textual and archaeological) which contribute to understanding the New Testament in its historical, theological, and literary contexts. Students who earn credit for REL 112 may earn credit for REL 111 but not for REL 101. (BL, Rel)
REL 139, 239, 339, 439 Special Topics
Credit arr.
REL 185 First-year Seminar
4 hours
A variety of seminars for first-year students offered each January term.
REL 211 Bible and Christian Faith
4 hours
The Bible, commonly called the “Word of God,” has always been more than “a book” for Christians. Contemporary forms of biblical criticism, however, have posed challenges for many Christians who look to the Bible as a resource for Christian faith and practice. In general, this course will wrestle with two fundamental questions: 1) What is the Bible? and 2) What is faith? In particular, it will examine possible relationships between the Bible and Christian faith. Attention will be given to the “battle for the Bible” between so-called “conservatives” and “liberals.” The issues considered in this course will be analyzed within the context of examining the ways in which the relationship between the Bible and one’s faith influences how one thinks about and lives in the world and with others. Prerequisite: one of REL 101, 111, or REL 112. (Rel, HEPT)
REL 221 History of Christian Thought
4 hours
A survey of central events, ideas, and figures in the history of Christianity from the early church to the present. The course will focus on primary texts, and attention will be given to the ways that Christian theology has developed over the centuries within a variety of cultures. Prerequisite: one of REL 101, 111, or REL 112. (Rel, HEPT, Hist)
REL 227 Luther and Lutheranism
4 hours
This course closely examines the life and thought of Martin Luther, provides an overview of the development of Lutheran Churches from the Reformation to the present, and explores some of the issues debated in Lutheran Churches today. Prerequisite: one of REL 101, 111, or REL 112. (Rel, HEPT, Hist)
REL 228 Catholic Life and Thought
4 hours
A study of the Catholic Church in America in light of its historical and sociological background, its body of basic beliefs and practices, and its current situation since Vatican II. Special attention is given to comparison and contrast with Protestant positions. Prerequisite: one of REL 101, 111, or REL 112. (Rel, Hist)
REL 229 Religion and Culture in Russia and Eastern Europe
4 hours
A study of the rise of the Russian Orthodox Church from its origins in Eastern (Byzantine) Christianity to the present and the way it has shaped and been shaped by Russian culture through the Kievan, Muscovite, Imperial, and Soviet periods. Particular attention will be given to the rise of Bolshevism and the emergence of the Soviet state, the consequences for religion of these political changes, and recent changes in policy toward religion growing out of the collapse of communism. Prerequisite: one of REL 101, 111, or REL 112. (Rel, Hist)
REL 230 Philosophy of Religion
4 hours
A study of attempts to bring rational justification and clarification to religious beliefs and practice, focusing primarily on the concepts of Christian theology. Topics will include: the existence and attributes of God, faith and reason, death and immortality, miracles and revelation, the problem of evil, and religious pluralism. (Same as PHIL 130.) Prerequisite: one of REL 101, 111, or REL 112. (Rel, HEPT)
REL 232 Christian Theology
4 hours
A study of teachings basic to the Christian faith using classical and contemporary sources from both the Protestant and Catholic traditions, such as those about God, relations among religions, Jesus, the Church, and creation and its interpretations for today in light of their biblical and historical foundations. Prerequisite: one of REL 101, 111, or REL 112. (Rel, HEPT, Intcl)
REL 241 Christian Ethics
4 hours
An introduction to the biblical and theological sources of Christian ethics, types of moral theories, and methods of moral deliberation. Students develop a moral framework for a response to a variety of issues related to human sexuality, ecology, business, medicine, and war. Prerequisite: one of REL 101, 111, or REL 112. (Rel, HEPT)
REL 261 Religions of South Asia
4 hours
This course will introduce the religious and philosophical traditions of South Asia. Particularly, it will focus on the historical, textual, and doctrinal foundations of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. It will analyze excerpts of their sacred scriptures, survey their beliefs, study their practices, and explore their ethical systems. Additional consideration will be given to contemporary issues facing these traditions. Prerequisite: one of REL 101, 111, or REL 112. (Rel, HEPT, Intcl)
REL 262 Religions of East Asia
4 hours
This course will introduce the religious and philosophical traditions of China, Korea, and Japan. Particularly, it will focus on the historical, textual, and doctrinal foundations of Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, and Shintoism. It will analyze excerpts of their sacred scriptures, survey their beliefs, study their practices, and explore their ethical systems. Additional consideration will be given to contemporary issues facing these traditions. Prerequisite: one of REL 101, 111, or REL 112. (Rel, HEPT, Intcl)
REL 312 The World of the Bible
4 hours
Using archaeological, literary, and artistic sources together with the Bible, this course examines the environment within which the biblical books were written. Both Old and New Testaments are examined in the light of outside sources. Prerequisite: one of REL 101, 111, or REL 112. (Rel)
REL 316 Jesus and the Gospels
4 hours
An examination of the different ways in which the Jesus tradition was assimilated in the first two centuries of the common era. The course centers its attention on the four New Testament portraits of Jesus because they became the accepted interpretation of Jesus. Those portraits will be compared and contrasted with other ancient options available from recent discoveries. Topics studied will include: the canonical Gospels and the Synoptic problem, several non-canonical Gospels (including especially the Gospel according to Thomas), and the quest for the historical Jesus. Prerequisite: one of REL 101, 111, or REL 112. (Rel, HEPT)
REL 320 Sacred Spaces of Western Europe: Italy and Germany
4 hours
This course offers an on-site introduction to the “Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification,” signed in 1999, and to the significant venues of Lutheran-Catholic ecumenism. In order to provide background for the modern ecumenical movement between the two church traditions, the course traces the development of the religious, ecclesiological, and liturgical heritage of Germany and Italy, highlighting the historical development of Christianization from Rome (ancient sites, Vatican) to the Roman settlements among Germanic peoples though the origins of the schism of Martin Luther’s time (Wittenberg) to modern efforts on behalf of Roman Catholic-Lutheran reconciliation currently underway (Ecumenical Research Institute, Strasbourg, France—”Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification”). The course is of particular benefit to students interested in the areas of European history and culture, museum studies, religion, ministry, and languages. Prerequisite: one of REL 101, 111, or REL 112. Offered alternate years. (Rel, Hist, Intcl)
REL 321 From Cross to Empire
4 hours
This course in early Christian history explores the diversity of Christian beginnings through the writings of early Christians that were not included in the New Testament canon. Focusing on the first four centuries of the common era, the course will trace the emergences of the categories “orthodoxy” and “heresy” in the context of the struggle for authority between bishops and Gnostic Christian teachers. It examines the testimony of the martyrs whose tortured bodies became central icons and alternative sites of Christian spirituality. It explores the ways in which early Christianity both replicated and modified the values and insights of the larger Greco-Roman world. Attention will be given throughout the course to often invisible historical subjects, such as women and slaves, and to the intersection between historical and contemporary religious debates. Prerequisite: one of REL 101, 111, or REL 112. (Rel, HEPT, Hist)
REL 324 Religion in America
4 hours
A historical survey of the role of religion in American life, focusing on the interaction between religion and culture in the United States. The course will examine the development of religious pluralism in the U.S. and explore selected issues that have arisen and continue to affect American culture, such as religious liberty, revivalism, utopianism, immigration and ethnicity, slavery, fundamentalism, and the contributions of women and minorities. Prerequisite: one of REL 101, 111, or REL 112. (Rel, HB, Hist)
REL 332 Human Nature and Religion
4 hours
All religious traditions are in some measure shaped by their conceptions of human nature. Academic theories of religion, too, are shaped by conceptions of human nature. Human self-understanding is therefore central both to the believer’s search for religious meaning and to the scholar’s search for the meaning of religion. This course will examine the roles played by conceptions of human nature in various religious traditions and in various theories of religion. The course will also assess whether and how contemporary scientific accounts of human nature challenge traditional belief systems. Prerequisite: REL 101 or 111 or REL 112. Offered alternate years. (Rel, HEPT, HB)
REL 334 Dietrich Bonhoeffer
4 hours
An introduction to the life and thought of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Lutheran theologian executed for his participation in a conspiracy to assassinate Adolf Hitler. His theological ethics are examined in their historical context through three major primary texts: The Cost of Discipleship, Ethics, and Letters and Papers from Prison. Attention is given to the significance of Bonhoeffer’s work for today. Prerequisite: one of REL 101, 111, or REL 112. Offered alternate years. (Rel, HEPT)
REL 335 Science and Religion
4 hours
Ever since the rise of modern science in the 17th-century a lively debate has centered on supposed conflicts between the methods and content of science and those of the religious life. Are the assertions of faith open to scientific scrutiny? Are the biblical narratives of creation compatible with evolutionary theory? Is the experience of revelation in conflict with the empirical methods of science? This course explores aspects of the history and substance of such issues. Prerequisite: one of REL 101, 111, or REL 112. (Rel, HEPT)
REL 337 God and Gender
4 hours
An investigation of how our understanding and experience of gender are connected to our views of God, human beings, and the natural world. The course explores the works of a variety of thinkers and pays special attention to issues raised by feminist theologians who stand both inside and outside the Christian tradition. Possible topics include: language about God, human sexuality, views of women in the Bible, the nature of biblical authority, the feminist movement, the men’s movement, images of nature in Western religious thought, and the ordination of women. Prerequisite: one of REL 101, 111, or REL 112. Offered alternate years. (Same as WGST 337.) (Rel, HE, Intcl)
REL 341 Environmental Ethics
4 hours
A critical examination of issues in environmental ethics from diverse Christian perspectives. The course examines root causes of environmental problems, philosophical and theological assumptions about nature, and resources for response in Christian traditions. Particular attention is given to demographic and economic factors at the global level as well as personal consumption decisions at the local level. Case studies ground reflection in concrete situation. Typically offered during alternate years at Holden Village, a Lutheran retreat center in the Cascade Mountains of Washington state. Prerequisite: one of REL 101, 111, or REL 112. Offered alternate years. (Rel, HEPT)
REL 354 Judaism
4 hours
The course will provide a basic introduction to the development of Judaism as a religious culture from its beginnings to the present day. By reading primary texts from the biblical, rabbinic, medieval, and modern periods, students will examine religious experiences, worldviews, beliefs, behaviors, and symbols of the Jewish tradition, and the historical forces—cultural, political, social, and economic—that have shaped Judaism. Throughout the course we will address issues raised by the history of Judaism that are particularly relevant today—imperialism, genocide, post-Holocaust theology, the State of Israel, gender, and so on. Prerequisite: one of REL 101, 111, or REL 112. (Rel, HEPT, Hist Intcl)
REL 356 Islam
4 hours
This course will introduce students to the history, development, and theological traditions of Islam. Special attention will be given to Muhammad and the founding of the Muslim community; the Quran and Sunnah (the way of the Prophet) and their roles as sources for Muslim religious traditions; and the various expressions of Islam in the contemporary world, especially revivalism and modernism. The relationship between Islam and Christianity will also be a topic of consideration. Prerequisite: one of REL 101, 111, or REL 112. (Rel, HEPT, Intcl)
REL 362 Gender and Sexuality In Asian Religions
4 hours
This course will explore the construction of gender and the role of sexuality in the religious traditions of South and East Asia. It will investigate gender and sexual politics in primary texts and institutional settings. In addition, the course will analyze feminist readings of scriptures and institutional policies from within and without the respective traditions. Particular emphasis will be given to Asian feminist theories. Prerequisite: one of REL 101, 111, or REL 112. (Same as WGST 362.) (Rel, HEPT, Intcl)
REL 366 Buddhism in Japan
4 hours
This course introduces students to Japanese Buddhism with a particular emphasis on Zen, Shingon, and Pure Land Buddhism. It explores the relationship of Japanese Buddhism with other religious traditions of Japan such as Shintoism, Taoism, and Christianity as well as its influence on Japanese culture. The course entails a three-week trip to Japan. It will explore specifically different forms of monastic and popular spirituality by participating in the life of a Zen monastery and the pilgrimage in honor of Kukai, one of Japan’s foremost saints. In addition to its experiential dimension, the course will familiarize students with the history, scriptures, and beliefs of Japanese Buddhism through readings of primary texts, lectures, videos, and class discussions. Further, it will analyze the Buddhist response to general topics and problems in religious studies as the absolute, the notion of self, the problem of human existence, and soteriological and ethical issues. Prerequisite: one of REL 101, 111, or REL 112. Offered alternate years. (Rel, Intcl)
REL 380 Internship in Ministry
1, 2, or 4 hours
A supervised intern program integrating study and practical experience in parish and extra-parish settings. This internship allows students to explore various aspects of professional lay or ordained ministry by working with staff members in a congregation or church institution. The internship can be tailored to fit a student’s particular interests in ministry (such as youth, education, music, camping, hospital ministries). Sites are chosen and programs approved by the department of religion and philosophy in consultation with college ministries and the career center. Evaluation is based on participation in assigned activities, journal, and concluding essay. Prerequisites: religion major/minor, junior standing, fulfillment of the religion/philosophy requirement.
REL 395 Independent Study
1, 2, or 4 hours
REL 410 Traveling Acts in Greece and Turkey
4 hours
In this course students study the book of Acts as a travel narrative while visiting the ruins of ancient Greco-Roman cities in which the first Christians lived, worked, and gathered together as communities of “the Way.” By exploring archaeological ruins, museums, and churches in such places as Athens, Corinth, Thessaloniki, Ephesus, and Pergamon we will attempt to reconstruct the diverse social and political world of the early Christians—a world in which understanding the rhetoric of Acts and its attempt to create a unified and harmonious story of Christian beginnings. The course also explores larger themes in the study of religion such as the construction of sacred space, religious pilgrimage, asceticism, and inter-religious exchange. Prerequisite: REL 101 or REL 112. Offered alternate years. (Rel, Hist)
REL 411 Archaeology and the Bible
4 hours
This course will explore the role of archaeology in biblical studies as well as studies of the history of ancient Israel. The course will consist of an examination of the methods and techniques used in Palestinian archaeology; an overview of the role that archaeology has played in biblical studies from the nineteenth century to the present; and an examination of specific archaeological sites and artifacts and their relation to biblical texts. Prerequisite: one of REL 101, 111, or REL 112. Offered alternate years. (Rel, Hist)
REL 432 Christianity and Contemporary Culture
4 hours
An examination of selected contemporary issues and responses of Christian theologians to them. Possible issues include: secularization, language about God, relationships between science and religion, environmental problems, human sexuality, the feminist movement. Readings from both Christian and non-Christian thinkers. Prerequisite: one of REL 101, 111, or REL 112. Offered occasionally. (Rel)
REL 438 Topics In Asian Religions
4 hours
This course will explore one particular topic in the field of Asian religions. Likely topics include meditation theory, nationalism and religion, and theories of justice. This course is designed for students with a particular interest in Asian studies, religious studies, or philosophy. Prerequisite: one of REL 101, 111, or REL 112. Offered alternate years. (Rel)
REL 442 Hate, Holocaust, Hope
4 hours
Through the use of film, eye-witness testimonies, historical narrative, and fiction, this course will examine the background, development, and meaning of the Holocaust, the deliberate state-supported murder of European Jews and other groups labeled as “undesirable” or “subhuman” by the Nazi regime. It will focus especially on theological and ethical issues raised by this event (such as anti-Semitism, genocide, other types of prejudice and hate crimes, and theological responses) and relate these issues to contemporary society. Prerequisite: one of REL 101, 111, or REL 112. Offered alternate years. (Rel, HE)
REL 485 Seminar
4 hours
Prerequisite: three courses in religion, or consent of instructor. (W)
REL 490 Senior Project
1-2 hours
REL 493 Senior Honors Project
4 hours
A year-long independent research project. Applications are completed on the “Honors Program” form available at the registrar’s office, requiring the signatures of a faculty supervisor, the department head, the honors program director, and the registrar. Interdisciplinary projects require the signatures of two faculty supervisors. The project must be completed by the due date for senior projects. The completed project is evaluated by a review committee consisting of the faculty supervisor, another faculty member from the major department, and a faculty member from outside the major department. All projects must be presented publicly. Only projects awarded an “A-” or “A” qualify for “department honors” designation. The honors project fulfills the all-college senior project requirement.