Courses and Syllabi
The University Catalog is the authoritative source for information on courses. The Schedule of Classes is the authoritative source for information on classes scheduled for this semester. See the Schedule for the most up-to-date information and see Patriot web to register for classes.
Religious Studies Spring 2021
Undergraduate
100-Level Courses in RELI
Examines main forms of religious expression as embodied in several important religious traditions in contemporary world. Investigates religious experience; myth and ritual; teachings and scripture; ethical, social, and artistic aspects of religion; and nature and function of religion in human society. Limited to three attempts.
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6 Sections Currently Scheduled »
200-Level Courses in RELI
Focuses on Judaism, Christianity, and Islam from historical, comparative, and cross-cultural perspectives. May also include modern developments of those faiths such as Mormonism and Baha'ism, as well as Zoroastrianism and religions of ancient Near Eastern cultures. Limited to three attempts.
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2 Sections Currently Scheduled
Surveys religions of India, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, Buddhism, and the religions of the Far East, China, and Japan, including Daosim, Confucianism, Shinto, from origins to present. Limited to three attempts.
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4 Sections Currently Scheduled »
Explores the relationship between religion and literature in different times and cultures, the influence of religion on literary works, and how literature expresses major religious themes such as death and immortality, divine will and justice, suffering and human destiny, and religion and state. Limited to three attempts.
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8 Sections Currently Scheduled »
RELI 272:
Islam
(3 Credits)
Introduces basic religious beliefs and practices of Islam, with view to diverse manifestations of Islamic culture in different ethnic and social contexts. Provides overview of essential rituals of Islamic life, mystical practices of Sufis, certain popular forms of religious practice, sources and application of Islamic law, and distinctive Islamic artistic and literary forms. Limited to three attempts.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
300-Level Courses in RELI
Surveys Buddhist religious traditions. Includes historical development of Buddhism in India, China, and Japan, examining both Theravada and Mahayana traditions; philosophical and religious significance of Buddhism; and social and political implications of Buddhist traditions in South Asian and East Asian countries. Limited to three attempts.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Examines influential Christian thinkers and Christian intellectual trends of the modern period, from the Enlightenment through the present. Limited to three attempts.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Investigates the genre of autobiography as employed by religious authors, both classical and modern. Introduces students to personal, historical, and religious doctrinal contexts that shape the autobiographical literature. Limited to three attempts.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Comparative treatment of major expressions of mysticism in East and West through exploration of various ways of understanding mystical experience. Readings and discussion emphasize one or more of the Eastern (Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Zen) and Western (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) traditions. Limited to three attempts.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Examines religion and history of ancient Israel from origins around 1250 BCE to Babylonian Exile in 587 BCE. Topics include debate on historical value of biblical narratives, extra-biblical texts mentioning Israel, move from polytheism to monotheism, archaeology and artifacts, and development of Israel's unique religious and historical self-understanding. Limited to three attempts.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Examines Gospel accounts of Jesus in context of first-century Christianity. Applies variety of historical and literary methods to gain understanding of Jesus and history and theology of early church. Limited to three attempts.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Surveys representations of religious beliefs, practices, persons, and institutions in popular film. Focuses on the media consumption of box office movies in the United States. Examines how religion is imaged in film and how that religious imagination relates to social constructions of national, ethnic, racial, gender, and sexual identities. Limited to three attempts.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Explores issues relating to law and religion. Focuses on the legal doctrines that have arisen in cases under the Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses of the First Amendment. Topics include religion and public schools, government aid to religious institutions, including school vouchers, government endorsement of religious symbols, freedom of religious expression, and freedom of religious practice. Limited to three attempts.
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2 Sections Currently Scheduled
Explores two primary sources of Islamic belief and practice: Qur'an and Hadith. Discusses thematic structure and literary quality, and examines theological and moral issues. Also introduces various methods of interpretation and critical analysis applied to texts in both Islamic and Western scholarship. Lecture and discussion. Limited to three attempts.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Selected topics from a philosophical perspective. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 12 credits.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Explores the history of Christianity around the world in the context of political and social structures as well as religious beliefs and practices. Limited to three attempts.
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2 Sections Currently Scheduled
400-Level Courses in RELI
Senior seminar on a specific topic of relevance to religious studies. Content varies. Notes: May be repeated when topic varies. Students with other majors may be take the course if the topic is sufficiently close to their field of study. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 12 credits.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Topics in RELI
Selected topics from a philosophical perspective. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 12 credits.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Senior seminar on a specific topic of relevance to religious studies. Content varies. Notes: May be repeated when topic varies. Students with other majors may be take the course if the topic is sufficiently close to their field of study. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 12 credits.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
Graduate
600-Level Courses in RELI
Introduces foundational Islamic texts; scholarly traditions of commentary, criticism and analysis on these texts; and application and significance of these texts in contemporary Islamic discourses. May not be repeated for credit.
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1 Section Currently Scheduled
