Religion Degrees Online

The Theology Department offers students a faithful but critical consideration of the Judeo-Christian tradition. The program provides a forum for considering the transcendent and ultimate questions of human existence and prepares men and women for a variety of ministries within the Church. The major and minor programs both require specific liberal education courses in history and philosophy.

Philosophy Minor
The Philosophy minor program gives students an opportunity to examine the fundamental questions of human existence through courses on great philosophical thinkers and important philosophical issues. The program places special emphasis on a knowledge of the historical origins of the Western philosophical tradition and on the development of skills of philosophical analysis.

Together, the areas of Philosophy and Religion comprise the study of humanity’s efforts to arrive at reasonable answers to life’s most fundamental questions. As a student in Philosophy/Religion, you’ll examine key assumptions that underlie our thinking, the range of human thought about the universe, and humanity’s place within the universe.

Here, you’ll gain valuable analytical, problem solving, and synthesizing skills. You’ll learn how to analyze and construct well-reasoned arguments, consider the history and subfields of philosophy, and investigate the world’s great religions. In one week, you might go from reading a Buddhist text — to examining Nietzsche’s analysis of morality — to discussing Plato’s theory of the soul.

As a Philosophy/Religion major, you will also have ample opportunity to learn beyond the classroom. With their strong professional contacts, our faculty brings to Farmington two or three eminent academics to speak to classes and the wider UMF community each semester. These renowned experts come to campus to discuss in depth topics being covered in the classroom.

For instance, an expert who is involved with the United Nations came and spoke about Native American land rights issues. Another from Tokyo spoke about religion and violence in modern Japan. During these presentations, students had the opportunity to interact and talk candidly with some of the brightest and most respected minds in the field — an opportunity rarely found at undergraduate colleges.

In addition, the UMF Religion and Philosophy Club (a student organization) regularly participates in academic conferences, hosts guest speakers, and holds public forums for student presentations.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

REL 101 INTRODUCTION TO THE OLD TESTAMENT Credit 3 hrs.
This course provides a basic overview and study of the Old Testament. The history of Israel is presented along with the economic, social, political, cultural and religious life of the Hebrew people. Each Old Testament book and major biblical characters will be examined. Primary attention is also devoted to contemporary biblical interpretation and historical research.

REL 102 INTRODUCTION TO THE NEW TESTAMENT Credit 3 hrs.
This course provides a basic overview and study of the New Testament books. The political, religious, and sociological environment surrounding the formation of the writings will be examined along with outstanding characters and teachings of each book. Attention is devoted to contemporary biblical interpretation and historical research.

REL 103 SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT I Credit 3 hrs.
This course examines the dynamics of the Call of God on an individual’s life. Attention is focused on self evaluation of personal spiritual development and progress in light of scriptural teachings.

REL 113 FIELD EXPERIENCE (PRACTICUM I) Credit 3 hrs.
Prerequisite: Permission of Instructor
This course provides individual work under faculty or ministerial supervision in a church setting. Evaluation is based on demonstrated practical experience utilizing skills attained from completed coursework.

REL 114 FIELD EXPERIENCE (PRACTICUM II) Credit 3 hrs.
Prerequisite: Permission of Instructor
This course is a Continuation of REL 113. It provides the individual with additional hands on experience under faculty or ministerial supervision in a church setting with evaluation based on demonstrated practical experience utilizing skills attained from completed coursework.

REL 115 THE BIBLE AND CHRISTIAN EDUCATION Credit 3 hrs.
This above course will examine the Bible as a foundation for Christian Education. Fundamental questions of Biblical hermeneutics and theology will be explored in the context of Christian education.

REL 116 THE CHURCH’S MINISTRY WTH CHILDREN Credit 3 hrs.
This course explores the lives of children and parents and their involvement in the larger life and ministry of the church. It involves direct observation of children, findings of students from child psychology, studies of such issues as age level/faith development characteristics, and children’s worship.

REL 117 THE CHURCH’S MINISTRY WITH YOUTH Credit 3 hrs.
This course explores the challenges facing youth in contemporary society and how the church can best minister to them. Students study faith development and pastoral care for youth in crisis, as they learn to plan, develop, and implement effective youth ministry programs.

REL 118 THE CHURCH’S MINISTRY WITH ADULTS Credit 3 hrs.
This course explores the social, psychological, cultural, and theological understanding of adults. It involves theological foundations, educational possibilities, and developmental issues of pastoral care.

REL 201 SERMON PREPARATION Credit 3 hrs.
This course is a study of the theology of preaching, as well as the mechanics of sermon preparation for the purpose of enabling the student to communicate God’s Word effectively and correctly in the 20th century.

REL 202 SERMON DELIVERY Credit 3 hrs.
Prerequisite: REL 201
This course is a continuation of REL 201. It provides students with the experience of analyzing the sermons of others. Course includes student preaching and in class analysis of sermons.

REL 203 SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT II Credit 3 hrs.
This course explores the spirituality of the pastor and the impact of his spiritual development on his/her ministry.

REL 204 BLACK RELIGIOUS LEADERSHIP Credit 3 hrs.
This course provides an opportunity for students to research the historical and theological development of Black Christian denominations. Attention is given to Black worship, some major leaders, assessment of the potential influence of religious leaders in the 21st century, and the church’s current challenges.

REL 205 WORLD RELIGIONS Credit 3 hrs.
This course surveys the major religions of the world: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Animism (traditional religion). The major tenets of each religion are studied along with their impact and place in world history and civilization.

REL 206 CREATIVE STYLES OF WORSHIP Credit 3 hrs.
This course is a study of the nature, techniques, and conduct of church worship, with emphasis on the preparation and administration of services for various denominations and occasions. The use of appropriate church music, information, worship opportunities, and new experimental forms of worship are emphasized.

REL 207 CHRISTIAN EDUCATION AND THE BLACK CHURCH Credit 3 hrs.
This course focuses on an examination of the origin, extent, potential, and direction of religious education in the Black Church.

REL 208 THE CHRISTIAN EDUCATOR AS CHANGE AGENT Credit 3 hrs.
This course examines the theory, ways, and means by which the Christian educator can engage in planned change in the local church or related settings.

REL 304 HISTORY OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH Credit 3 hrs.
This course briefly explores the history of the Christian church from the Apostolic Age to the present.

REL 307 CHURCH ADMINSTRATION Credit 3 hrs.
This course explores the role of the Chief Executive Officer or Minister in planning and directing relevant programs, structures and finance, the development of effective lay workers, and the guidance of staff workers. The problems of planning for and financing recurring long and short funds used in the day to day operations of the church are also examined.

REL 308 CHRISTIAN EDUCATION Credit 3 hrs.
This course provides an understanding of the meaning and significance of the church’s educational ministry. Opportunities for exercises in teaching learning units are also provided.

REL 309 PASTORAL CARE AND COUNSELING Credit 3 hrs.
This course is an introduction to the ministry of pastoral care with emphasis on the helping relationship, the theology of pastoral care, pastoral use of psychotherapeutic theories and strategies for change, and various types of pastoral care and counseling such as death, crisis, premarital, marriage, and family are emphasized.

REL 310 OFFICERS AS LEADERS Credit 3 hrs.
This course addresses the role of local church officers and emphasizes administrative and community duties, as well as pastoral officer relationships.

REL 311 SYNOPTIC GOSPELS Credit 3 hrs.
This course is the study of the origin of the Gospels of Mark, Matthew, and Luke with particular attention to their similarities. An examination of each gospel’s uniqueness is included.

REL 312 BLACKS AND THE BIBLE Credit 3 hrs.
This course examines Black biblical characters with particular attention to historical methods used to identify a person’s ancestry.

REL 314 THE WRITINGS OF PAUL Credit 3 hrs.
Grounded in Paul’s writing style, this course investigates the apostle’s theology and its influence upon the first century church.

REL 315 THE TORAH Credit 3 hrs.
This course examines recent biblical scholarship on the Torah as the foundation document of Jewish and Christian faiths.

REL 316 THE MAJOR PROPHETS Credit 3 hrs.
This course presents a chronological and synthetic overview of each major prophet with special attention being given to the origin, theme, structure, and general content of each book.

REL 317 THE HISTORY AND POLITY OF THE AME CHURCH Credit 3 hrs.
This course investigates the historical development of the AME Church from its founding to the present. Particular emphasis is placed on the Conference system of the AME Church’s sacraments, worship, and mission.

REL 318 THE PASTOR AND FAMILY LIFE Credit 3 hrs.
This course is a study of the characteristics and needs of families with special attention being given to the pastor as a family person.

REL 401 INTRODUCTION TO THEOLOGY Credit 3 hrs.
This course introduces the student to the nature and context of theology, with special emphasis on the Black Christian experience in America.

REL 402 OLD TESTAMENT THEOLOGY Credit 3 hrs.
Prerequisite: REL 401
This course investigates the theological basis of the religion of the Old Testament. An assignment of the redemptive and creative acts of God, the judgment and salvation of God, and the worship and service of God are the focal points.

REL 403 NEW TESTAMENT THEOLOGY Credit 3 hrs.
Prerequisite: REL 401
This course is an interpretation of the developing theology of the early Christian movement as expressed in the literature of the New Testament and Apostolic fathers.

REL 404 SUPERVISED MINISTRY Credit 9 hrs.
Prerequisites: Senior standing and completion of REL 205, 307, 309, 405, and 410
Each student is required to complete a supervised ministry in a congregation with a pastor with a minimum of Master of Divinity Degree. During this supervised ministry the student participates in a broad range of pastoral functions in a structured theological setting allowing for both participation and reflection. (Semester Course.)

REL 405 CHRISTIAN SOCIAL ETHICS Credit 3 hrs.
This course examines the nature and expectation of Christian and social ethics, the human perception of the modern world and the social forces which help inform and help to shape moral consciousness, along with addressing the criteria for social ethics as it applies to current issues.

REL 408 HISTORY OF THE BLACK CHURCH IN AMERICA Credit 3 hrs.
This course is a study of the historical, social, cultural, and political factors in the development of Christianity in America shaped by the experience of African Americans. Attention is given to Black denominations from colonial times to the present.

REL 409 SEMINAR IN RELIGION Credit 1-3 hrs.
This course emphasizes studies on topics of special interest in religion, including Moral Philosophy, Comparative Religion, Functional Ministry for Contemporary Problems, and Religion in Education.

REL 410 MISSION OF THE CHURCH Credit 3 hrs.
This course is a study of the biblical and theological basis for the mission of the church, missionary principles and practices of the patterns through the centuries, including the Black Church, and emerging new patterns of the Christian mission today.

REL 412 CHURCH MUSIC Credit 3 hrs.
This course explores the relationship of culture and worship from the perspective of the historical use of music. The appropriate musical forms for use in the church are examined. Content also includes the study of liturgy, order of worship, hymns, choir organization, and discussion and evaluation of contemporary Christian musical expression.

REL 413 BLACK RELIGIOUS MUSIC Credit 3 hrs.
This course explores the contributions made to religious music by Black Americans. Consideration is given to the African heritage and its influence upon contemporary, gospel, and Pan African musical development and various musical styles.

REL 414 SERMONS FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS Credit 3 hrs.
This course explores sermons for special occasions such as revivals, funerals, liturgical days, homecoming, Founder’s Day, Mother’s and Father’s Day, etc.

Philosophy and Religious Studies are two different ways of approaching the most fundamental questions about human existence: How do we relate to the world around us? What can we be sure of? Is there some basic truth that holds all other truths together?

Philosophy has traditionally sought answers to these and other questions through the proper use of rational thought, the application of human intellect to the mysteries of the world around us. Religions have looked for the answers in human connection with the divine, the power that creates and directs the human world and interacts with human beings in community. The field of Religious Studies is concerned with all forms and manifestations of religious faith in world culture, past and present. Both Philosophy and Religious Studies give students the opportunity to examine some of the most fundamental issues in a liberal education, and so provide a basis for life-long learning.

The Religious Studies department focuses on the role which religion has played and continues to play in the life of the individual and society. Religion addresses itself to fundamental questions relating to the meaning of human existence. Religious answers to these questions reflect the encounter between human beings and the transcendent. The courses which the department offers examine the relationship among religion, the individual, and society, recognizing that the answers provided by religions are both shaped by and shape the society of which they are a part. The department offers a wide range of courses dealing with both Western and Eastern religious traditions and cultures. Contemporary life issues are also examined in various courses in connection with religions and students are encouraged to become familiar with the primary texts (in translation) of various religions.

The department’s courses are intended for a broad range of undergraduate students who may complete a major, advanced major, or honours in religious studies. Students in other disciplines can expect their appreciation of these disciplines to be enriched through a study of religion. Courses will be of interest both to students who are associated with a particular religious tradition as well as to students who have no formal religious affiliation.

Why Study Religion? It is impossible to read the daily newspaper or watch a television newscast without coming across references to religion. Whether the report is about charitable work in the third world, bloody battles between rival religious factions, or the mass suicide of a strange cult, it is clear that religion is a major force in every part of the world. Religion has inspired great works of art and literature and it also has provided justification for bigotry and genocide. Whether in your multi-cultural neighborhood or in the “global village,” chances are that you are in contact with people who belong to different religious communities. In such a pluralistic world, it is crucial for people to be religiously literate.

The Department of Religious Studies promotes open, non-denominational examination of the world’s great spiritual traditions. Courses in Western and Eastern Religions emphasize the historical development of the world’s great religions, introducing students to their scriptures and describing their main institutions and beliefs. Courses in the Nature of Religion provide opportunities for reflection on the nature and function of religion in society as well as in the psychology of individuals. Comparative analysis and the study of new religious movements also play a part in the attempt to understand religion and its place in the contemporary world.

Why take this program?
Often students choose a Religious Studies major because they have an intense interest in, or a love for, the subject matter. They have a great curiosity about different cultural belief systems, and how others perceive the world and the universe. The Religious Studies field provides students with an opportunity to explore life’s fundamental questions and discover how others have answered them.

Would you like to pursue graduate studies in Religious Studies? An Honours degree in Religious Studies prepares students for the rigors of graduate studies. Discover your passions in the field of Religion as you complete an Honours thesis/research project in your final year, which is supervised by a department member.

What will I study in my first year?
As all students in Religious Studies are expected declare one of the three streams as a concentration, this is the perfect opportunity for you to sample each of the streams to decide which one you would like to focus on. Religious Studies 201 will provide you with an introduction to Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Religious Studies 203 explores Eastern religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism. Finally, Religious Studies 205 looks at the nature of religion and the academic study of religion.

You are encouraged to explore a variety of option courses in your first year that will compliment your studies in Religious Studies. Many students take courses in second languages, and are encouraged to take courses from the faculties of Communication and Culture, Fine Arts, Science or Social Sciences. For example, you might take a history course that complements your studies in Eastern Religions or an archeology course that lets you explore your interest ancient peoples and places. You could also take a Computer Science course to gain computer skills that employers love seeing on student’s résumés.

What will I study in later years?
As you move into your senior years you will continue to explore options in other faculties while continuing with your studies. Some examples of the courses that you might take at the senior level include: Religion and Politics, Religion and Social Morality and Women and Religion.

The Religious Studies and Applied Ethics program is a joint degree offered by the departments of Religious Studies and Philosophy. The field of Religious Studies explores the religions of humankind to foster understanding of a wide variety of religions that have shaped and continue to influence societies today. Religious Studies scholars try to understand religion’s complex role in culture and experience and reflect sympathetically and critically upon religious phenomena and claims. In Applied Ethics, you will apply moral philosophy (which asks fundamental questions about good and evil, right and wrong) to the analysis of moral problems encountered in contemporary life settings. Applied Ethics uses the tools of philosophical reasoning to critically assess behaviour choices and policies related to moral dilemmas.

Combining these two disciplines in a single program allows scholars to analyze problems more realistically because many people make ethical decisions in context of their religious beliefs or worldviews. By knowing the religious contexts of people’s decisions, you can better assess the issues and choices in moral problems. As a student in the Religious Studies and Applied Ethics program you learn the applicable religious contexts for understanding why people choose to live or respond to ethical issues as they do. You also learn to identify moral problems arising in contemporary society and develop the tools needed to formulate and critically evaluate various responses. In short, you develop sensitivity to the cultural and religious bases of many people’s moral decisions and learn to make careful and informed decisions about ethical matters in contemporary life.

Co-op is available for Religious Studies and Applied Ethics students. Find out more.

Why take this program?
The Religious Studies and Applied Ethics program is an excellent choice for individuals interested in exploring society’s “tough” questions. You will find the different philosophical and religious perspectives on morality and human experience both challenging and rewarding and will come to appreciate the diversity and richness of human cultures

What will I study in my first year?
As a first year student in the Religious Studies and Applied Ethic program, this will be a great opportunity to complete one of your first requirements by taking three of the four introductory courses. Religious Studies 201 will provide you with an introduction to Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Or perhaps you are interested in studying the bible which is exactly what you will do in Religious Studies 273. You can also explore Eastern religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism by taking Religious Studies 203. Finally, Religious Studies 205 will introduce you to the nature of religion and the academic study of religion.

Religion

RELIGION 102 A: CHRISTIAN FAITH AND LIFE
Professor McDermott
Block 7A (MW 2:20-3:50)
This is an introduction to Christianity-not only its beliefs but also its practices and institutions. It will use its founding documents (the Old and New Testament Scriptures), explore its early history, and investigate contemporary concerns. Midterm, final and field visit/paper.

RELIGION 105 A: SOCRATES, JESUS, & THE BUDDHA
Professor Zorn
Block 5 (MWF 1:10-2:20)
This course is designed to introduce students to the central ideas, texts, and methods in Philosophy and Religion.We will explore fundamental questions about human nature, our place in the universe, and the best way to live as these issues have been addressed by the main figures in the religious and philosophical traditions of the Western and Eastern worlds.All members of the department will contribute lectures.CROSS-LISTED WITH PHILOSOPHY 105 A.

RELIGION 130 A:LIVING RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD
Professor Larson-Harris
Block 12 (TTh 2:40-4:20)
This course will examine the major religious traditions of both East and West.We will engage these religions in both their original forms and their modern practices, in addition to studying the lives of individuals who have shaped these traditions.The course will pay attention to the foundational texts of major world religion as well as their historical development, forms of spirituality, and articulation in theological systems.

RELIGION 201 A:ISRAELITE PATRIARCHS, PROPHETS, PRINCES, AND PRIESTS
Professor Berenson
(Formerly Religion 111: Hebrew Scriptures)
Block 3 (MWF 10:50-11:50)
In this course we will explore the history, religion, and literature of Israelite society from its origins up to the 2ndcentury B.C.E. We will examine representative and interesting texts from various portions of the Hebrew Scriptures. Our primary focus will be on interpreting these texts from a modern scholarly viewpoint in order to understand the development of Israelite society, worship, and their beliefs about God and about their relationship with him. However, central to this course is the recognition that one may interpret the Bible from a number of viewpoints and that the assumptions one brings to the text, along with the questions one asks of the text, determine greatly what one says about a text and its significance. In order to demonstrate this principle and offer alternative ways of reading the Bible, this course will contain a series of workshops called The Synagogue Project through which we will investigate the methods and goals of ancient biblical interpreters.

RELIGION 213 A: RELIGIONS AND PHILOSOPHIES OF INDIA
Professor Kelly
Block 4 (MWF 12:00-1:00)
This course will examine the movement of the religions and philosophies of India from the early Vedic Period to the Modern Period. Topics will include the Vedas, Brahmanism, the Upanishads, Buddhism, the Bhagavad-Gita, the Six Orthodox Philosophies (darsana), and Tantra. Course material will include readings from both primary and secondary literature. Religious experience and its philosophic elaboration will be emphasized. The themes of sacrifice (yajna), mantra, practice (sadhana), yoga, dharma, and karma will be discussed as essential ingredients of Indian spirituality and culture. CROSS-LISTED WITH PHILOSOPHY 213 A.

RELIGION 261 A: HISTORY OF WORLD CHRISTIANITY I: 325-1500
Professor McDermott
Block 8 (MW 4:00-5:30)
This is a survey of “world” Christianity from Nicaea and Constantine to the dawn of the Reformation. It highlights the expansion of the church outside Europe and North America.

RELIGION 270 B: EXPLORATIONS: CHRISTIAN SEXUAL ETHICS
Professor Benne
Block 10 (TTh 10:10-11:40)
This course aims at understanding and engaging normative Christian sexual ethics. It will examine historical and contemporary accounts of how Christians should lead lives in the areas of sex and marriage.

RELIGION 270 C: EXPLORATIONS:WOMEN’S SPIRITUALITY AND CHRISTIAN TRADITION
Professors Henold and W. Larson-Harris
Block 10 (TTh 10:10-11:40)
This is a collaborative course taught by Wendy Larson-Harris from English and Mary Henold from History.The course will examine the experience and contributions of women as participants in the practice of Christianity with special emphasis on the Middle Ages and 20th Century.
CROSS-LISTED WITH ENGLISH 220 B AND HISTORY 290 B.

RELIGION 325 A: MODERN THEOLOGY
Professor Wisnefske
Block 11 (TTh 1:10-2:40)
The course will study major texts which shaped and influenced Christian theology in the Modern period, roughly 1650-1950.The course could be organized around key themes (such as the influence of scientific reasoning and discoveries on Christian thought, the problem of evil, etc.), major thinkers (Kant, Schleiermacher, Kierkegaard, Bultmann, Barth, Niebuhr, etc.), or central texts (Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion, Religion within the Limits of Reason Alone, On Religion, The Essence of Christianity, Commentary on Romans, Kerygma and Myth, The Nature and Destiny of Man, etc.).

GREEK 101 A: ELEMENTARY ANCIENT GREEK I
Professor Berenson
Block 2 (MWF 9:40-10:40)
A study of the fundamentals of ancient Greek with emphasis on grammar, syntax, and vocabulary building.This course will prepare students to read both Early Christian texts (New Testament, Apostolic Fathers, Justin Martyr, etc.) as well as Classical and Hellenistic Greek authors/texts (Plato, Herodotus, Josephus, etc.).Additional readings (in English) of the dialogue On Heroes will provide students with a broad introduction to the religion and culture of ancient Greece.
Philosophy

PHILOSOPHY 105 A: SOCRATES, JESUS, & THE BUDDHA
Professor Zorn
Block 5 (MWF 1:10-2:10)
This course is designed to introduce students to the central ideas, texts, and methods in Philosophy and Religion. We will explore fundamental questions about human nature, our place in the universe, and the best way to live as these issues have been addressed by the main figures in the religious and philosophical traditions of the Western and Eastern worlds. All members of the department will contribute lectures. CROSS-LISTED WITH RELIGION 105 A.

PHILOSOPHY 205 A: MORAL PHILOSOPHY
Professor Vilhauer
Block 11 (TTh 1:10-2:40)
An introduction to the most influential ethical thinkers of Western philosophy. The course follows the search for a common ethical standard from its beginnings in Ancient Greece with Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, to the modern period of Hume, Kant, and Mill, and finally into the overarching critique of this long tradition and attempt to rethink ethics with Friedrich Nietzsche. An excellent companion course to PHIL 206: Social Philosophy.

PHILOSOPHY 213 A: RELIGIONS AND PHILOSOPHIES OF INDIA
Professor Kelly
Block 4 (MWF 12:00-1:00)
This course will examine the movement of the religions and philosophies of India from the early Vedic Period to the Modern Period. Topics will include the Vedas, Brahmanism, the Upanishads, Buddhism, the Bhagavad-Gītā, the Six Orthodox Philosophies (darśana), and Tantra. Course material will include readings from both primary and secondary literature. Religious experience and its philosophic elaboration will be emphasized. The themes of sacrifice (yajňa), mantra, practice (sādhana), yoga, dharma, and karma will be discussed as essential ingredients of Indian spirituality and culture. CROSS-LISTED WITH RELIGION 213 A.

PHILOSOPHY 265 A: AMERICAN PHILOSOPHY
Professor Hinlicky
Block 12 (TTh 2:50-4:20)
From its origins in the transition from Puritanism to a secular Republic, American philosophy has been informed by contending traditions of religion and democracy riven by slavery, racism and the catastrophe of civil war. In the modern period this contention was complicated by the rise of evolutionary science. “Pragmatism,” aka “anti-foundationalism,” is the claim that ideas are not representations mirroring a so-called ‘real world’ but tools for coping in a world that is in constant flux. This stance emerged from earlier American forms of Calvinism and draughts of 19TH century German idealism to argue that, whether or not the world is the result of an idea (i.e., God), our ideas of it are at best probable and more often little more than socially interested responses to the ideas of other human beings. The need to act puts even the best-informed person in a position of faith or opinion rather than certitude as also in an ethical position of social responsibility. In this course we will examine representative texts from important chapters in this history of thought. Major texts from the past will include William James’ Varieties of Religious Experience and Josiah Royce’s response to it, The Problem of Christianity, John Dewey’s humanist manifesto, Experience and Nature and Reinhold Niebuhr’s Protestant rejoinder, The Nature and Destiny of Man, Richard Rorty’s critique of the foundationalism of the Analytic tradition, Philosophy and the Mirror of Nature and Alisdair MacIntyre’s “traditionalist” rejoinder, Whose Justice? Which Rationality?

PHILOSOPHY 340 A: TOPICS IN CONTEMPORARY EUROPEAN PHILOSOPHY: HERMENEUTICS
Professor Vilhauer
Block 7A (MW 2:20-3:50)
An introduction to the philosophy of interpretation, or “Hermeneutics.” By focusing on the work of Hans-Georg Gadamer, father of contemporary hermeneutics, we will strive to grasp how understanding is fundamentally an interpretive process — whether we are aiming to understand an artwork, a text, historical tradition, or the spoken articulation of others in dialogue. Our guiding questions will include the following: What makes interpretation possible? What role do prejudices play in interpretation? What causes interpretation to be more or less “correct”? Is “objectivity” possible in interpretation? What ethical commitments must we make in our efforts to understand the meaning of others? Does interpretation always take place in language? These questions will lead us to even more fundamental philosophical questions about the character of human existence, such as whether or not we can understand ourselves as primordially interpretive beings.

The aim of this major in Liberal Arts education is not necessarily to educate a specialist. It is to critically scrutinize principles associated with ideas such as “meaning” and “value” that we as humans all possess in order to cultivate the ability to develop a conclusive foundation. The study of philosophy and religion invokes fundamental questions concerning man and life and constitutes the core elements of a Liberal Arts education that aims to cultivate reverent and independent individuals.

Students majoring in Philosophy and Religion will learn to question premises and perspectives that they take for granted. They will also learn how to understand others’ ideas that differ from their own beliefs and ideas. By asking questions such as “What can I learn?”, “What should I do?” and “What can I hope for?”, students can inquire into man’s ultimate possibilities and limits, and can learn the approaches to the classic, yet modern problem of “Knowing oneself.”

The courses in philosophy are designed to present students with historical and contemporary attempts to think critically and reflectively about fundamental questions of knowledge and value. The study of such philosophical problems in a spirit of free inquiry encourages the student to learn to think clearly and critically and to examine and develop his or her own views.

The courses in religion are designed to ground students in the history, philosophy, theology and ethics of the Judeo-Christian tradition and to expose them to non-Christian religious thought. Ultimately, they aim to provide the intellectual tools necessary to study, interpret and critically evaluate religious beliefs and then to integrate these both intellectually and personally.