Courses
110. Introduction to the Study of Religion (Baird)
Four credits. This course seeks to introduce the academic study of religion through an examination of a variety of methods. Rather than read theoretical accounts of each method, we will analyze engaging books and/or articles that embody each method. We will endeavor to understand in each case the questions that are being asked, the values and the limits of those questions and the evidence that might be used to verify or falsify potential answers to the questions. The course will address the contributions of psychology, anthropology, sociology, phenomenology, history, theology and philosophy to the study of religion. Above all, we will try to develop the critical ability to think methodologically. That skill will provide an important level of understanding not only for the study of religion, but also for academic work in other disciplines of the liberal arts curriculum.
121. Introduction to the Hebrew Scriptures (Brusin)
Four credits. This course is an introduction to the collection of literature known as The Hebrew Bible, or by the acronym, TANACH, standing for its three main divisions – Torah, Prophets {Nevi’im], and Writings [Ketuvium]. No prior knowledge and no particular religious commitment are presumed. Actually, we will put all religious preconceptions and beliefs aside as we try to confront the biblical text on its own. One issue we face is deciding to what extent this is possible. The Hebrew Bible is ancient literature that has greatly influenced the course of Western Civilization as well as some of its most important writers and thinkers for more than two millennia. It gave rise to three monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The questions that emerge and with which we will struggle throughout the course are just as important, therefore, as the answers we might agree upon along the way. Our central concern is not to arrive at a definitive understanding of the texts we examine; our main purpose is to appreciate the genius and majesty of the biblical writers and of biblical themes and ideas. There is a vast and growing body of scholarship focused on analyzing and interpreting the Hebrew Bible from many different perspectives. We will familiarize ourselves with some of these trends; we will consider the arguments of some of these biblical scholars. Still, our central objective will always remain the same: to hear the voice of the biblical writers, to do our best to understand that voice and to allow ourselves to respond to it, each in his or her own way.
122. Introduction to the Christian Scriptures (Smith)
Four credits. The main foci of the course will include the major themes in Jewish culture and religion in the centuries just before and after Jesus’ life, the method and contributions of historical criticism to an understanding of the Bible, and the structure and theology of the Acts of the Apostles, the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), the Gospel of John, selected Pauline epistles (I Corinthians, Galatians and Romans) and Revelation.
221. Comparative World Religions (Smith)
Four credits. This course focuses on the origin and development of several world religions, including primal religions (in Africa and the United States), Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Basic texts of these religions will be analyzed as well as the historical evolution of the beliefs and practices of the respective adherents (and major subgroups)
over time. Counts toward the Global and Cultural Studies requirement.
222. Introduction to a Major Religious Tradition (Staff)
Four credits. Offered periodically. This course focuses on the origin and development of an individual religion (e.g. Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism), or of regional traditions (e.g. Chinese religions, Japanese religions, Native American religions). The basic tenets and texts of this religion (or tradition), as well as the historical evolution of beliefs and practices over time, will be explored. No prerequisites necessary. Some topics may count toward the Global and Cultural Studies requirement.
231. History of Christian Theology and Ethics (Smith)
Four credits. A historical survey of the major themes in Christian religious and moral teachings from biblical times to the mid-20th century. Special attention will be given to how changes in Christian
teaching have occurred in response to new intellectual developments in the Church and to new cultural and political challenges in secular society.
232. The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Bible (Brusin)
Four credits. Offered in spring 2008 and alternate years. This course will explore a new (old) world revealed by the ancient Jewish literature discovered at Qumran, Israel in 1947 – known as the Dead Sea Scrolls. We will examine the contribution of these documents to our understanding of the theological motifs emerging in Second Temple times and the diversity in Judaism from the third century BCE to the first century CE. We also will attempt to understand the culture and religious climate in which Rabbinic Judaism and early Christianity arose and the relationship between the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Scriptures.
242. Modern Hinduism (Baird)
Four credits. Offered in fall 2007. The term “Hindu” initially had a geographical connotation meaning “India.” When Muslims invaded India at the end of the first millennium CE, the term “Hindu” came to carry a religious meaning, used by Muslims to distinguish the existing inhabitants of India and their religious beliefs and practices from themselves. In the 19th and 20th centuries, a wide range of Hindu thinkers sought to define and defend Hinduism in the face of criticism, first from Muslims and later from Christians. In this course, we will survey Hindu devotional practice and beliefs, as well as examine the thought of selected modern Hindu thinkers who construct their versions of “Hinduism”: against the backdrop of British colonialism. Some of the thinkers to be considered are: Ramakrishna, Rammohan Roy, Vivekananda, Dayanand Saraswati, Gandhi, Aurobindo, Radhakrishnan. Visusal materials will be utilized wherever possible to enable the student to gain a better understanding of these Hindu worlds. Counts toward the Global and Cultural Studies requirement.
252. The Buddhist Tradition Through its Scriptures (Baird)
Four credits. Offered in spring 2007 and alternate years. The Tradition following the Buddha began in India and was carried in various forms throughout Southeast Asia, China, Tibet and Japan. In recent years, it has been practiced and studied in Western countries as well. We will examine the diversity of religious beliefs and practices that claim to be based on the teachings of the Buddha. This will be accomplished by reading a historical narrative and through a careful study of select “Buddhist Scriptures.” Some of the traditions considered will be Theravada, Mahayana schools such as Pure Land, Madhyamika and Yogacara. We also will examine Buddhist schools in China and Japan such as Hua-yen, T’ien Tai (Tendai) and Ch’an (Zen). Attention will be paid to ancient and traditional religious expressions as well as modern developments. Counts toward the Global and Cultural Studies requirement
300. Departmental Studies (Staff)
Two to four credits. Offered periodically. Special subjects in religion not covered sufficiently by regular courses. Topics have included: Religious Dimensions of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict; Judaism and the Jewish People; Karma, Rebirth and Human Destiny; and Violence and Religious Terrorism. This course may be repeated for credit when topics change. Some topics may count toward the Global and Cultural Studies requirement.
Course for 2007-08:
Terrorism and Religious Violence (Kaplan)
Four credits. Terrorism and Religious Violence is designed to provide students with a thorough theoretical grounding in the study of religiously motivated terrorism. The course is composed of modules, each with its own set of readings and audio-visual materials. These include: Terrorism Defined and Differentiated; History of Religious Terrorism; Terrorist Texts; Terrorist Biography and Memoirs; The Tactical Evolution of Terrorism; and Strategic Outlooks and Counterterrorism.
321. Ethics and International Affairs (Smith)
Four credits. The central question addressed in this course is whether or not ethically motivated action in international affairs is possible. Do the absence of global consensus on moral values and the lack of a world government to impose sanctions mean that nations and trans-national organizations will engage in pursuit of political and economic interests without ethical restraints? The first part of the course will deal with contrasting arguments by political theorists on the role of morality in international relations. The second part focuses on specific issues in contemporary international relations that have moral implications – 1) new forms of international warfare; 2) international intervention inside nation states to stop genocide; 3) the protection of human rights; 4) the legitimacy of international tribunals to punish crimes against humanity; and 5) economic justice for developing countries. Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing, and Politics and Government 111 or 112 or 280. Same as Politics and Government 383.
322. Religion and Politics in Comparative Perspective (Smith)
Four credits. Offered in spring 2008 and alternate years. An analysis of the interaction between religious beliefs and practices (Christian, Jewish, Islamic, Hindu and Buddhist), with political dynamics in various countries in the 20th century. Regional areas will include Central and South America, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, Southern Asia and the United States. Counts toward the Global and Cultural Studies requirement. Same as Politics and Government 375. Prerequisite: Politics and Government 111 or 112 or 280, or Religion 221.
332. Comparative Religious Ethics (Smith)
Four credits. An outline of various moral theories and what religious faith adds to ethical reflection. The religious traditions covered are: Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam. The current problems facing religious ethical reflection covered in the course include human sexuality, abortion, euthanasia, gender and racial justice, protection of the environment and capital punishment. Counts toward the Global and Cultural Studies requirement.
442. The Problem of God in Comparative Perspective (Smith)
Four credits. Offered in spring 2007 and alternate years. This course will explore the meaning of transcendence/God in various religious traditions, including primal religion, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism. It also will examine the challenges to religious belief articulated by classic proponents of atheism in the modern Western world – including Hume, Feuerbach, Marx, Freud and Darwin. It also will assess the grounds for religious faith presented by some modern Western religious scholars, such as Wie-sel and Bonhoeffer, and explore through film some contemporary problems of religious faith. Prerequisites: Junior or Senior standing and Philosophy 120 or Religion 221.
450, 45l, 452. Senior Seminar (Smith)
Four credits (450), or two credits per semester (451, 452). Readings on a major theme in religion, followed by a research paper by religion majors on a theme or author(s) that synthesizes what the student has learned over the two or three years of concentration in religion.
541, 542. Independent Study (Staff)
Two to four credits. Supervised reading course with regular meetings with the professor that normally results in one substantial research paper or several short essays. Prerequisite: Junior or Senior standing.
551, 552. Independent Study: Internship (Smith)
Two to four credits. Supervised field work, normally involving part time employment or participant observation, in local church organizations (for those interested in some form of ministry), or in local professional establishments or meetings, e.g., law, business, medicine, government (for those interested in contemporary ethical challenges in these professions).