Introductory Courses in the Study of Religion

Religious Traditions

Topics in the Study of Religion [200s] [300s]

Courses for Majors and Advanced Students in Religion

Religious Studies Department Homepage

INTRODUCTORY COURSES IN THE STUDY OF RELIGION

A basic cross-cultural survey course of major religious traditions, usually Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Chinese and Japanese religions with comparative references to major Western religions. Particular attention is paid to the thought, scriptures, practices and institutions of these traditions.

REL 130E. This course always includes sections on Chinese and Japanese religions and may be counted toward either the Religion or East Asian Studies majors.

REL 132. Judaism, Christianity, Islam (1 course)

A basic cross-cultural survey course of the major religious traditions of the West: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Particular attention is paid to the thought, scriptures, practices and institutions of these traditions.

REL 141. The Hebrew Scripture  (1 course)

The literature and faith of the Hebrew Scriptures (Tanakh/Old Testament), studies within the historical and cultural context of the ancient Near East and particularly of ancient Israel and Judah.

REL 142. New Testament (1 course)

The literature and faith of the New Testament communities studied in the context of the early church and the Judaic and Greco-Roman world.

REL 197.  First-Year Seminar (1 course)

A seminar focused on a theme in the study of religion. Open only to first-year students. May be repeated once in the first year with a different topic.

RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS

An assessment of the Old and New Testament as anthologies of poetry and prose. Students will be invited to observe the varieties of literary genre, the artistic character of literary traditions and of individual books and the role of the author or editor in delivering a specific message to an audience and the role of contemporary literary theory and interpretation.

REL 244. Judaism (1 course)

An introduction to Jewish life, thought and practice. Description of basic Jewish beliefs, attitudes, values and practices.

REL 250. Christianity (1 course)

A survey of major beliefs, practices and forms of the Christian religion. Special attention will be given to the Biblical foundations, theological formation and pivotal historical developments.

REL 252. Islam (An Introduction) (1 course)

A survey of the major beliefs, rituals and institutions of Islam. Special emphasis will be given to recurring themes and issues that have shaped Muslim self-understanding throughout history.

REL 253. Religions of India (1 course)

A study of Hinduism, early Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Islam and Syrian Christianity, with emphasis on how each tradition has changed, or has been changed by, the others with which it has come into contact.

REL 257. Hinduism (1 course)

A survey of the history of Hinduism, beginning with the Vedic tradition and ending with modern movements that focus on the guru, or religious teacher. Includes readings from the epics, puranas and devotional hymns.

REL 258. Buddhism (1 course)

Examines the development of Buddhist thought, scriptures, practices and institutions in India and the religion's spread to China and Japan.

REL 261. Chinese Philosophical and Literary Classics (1 course)

Reading and discussion of major works of Chinese thought and literature. Literary classics include the Book of Songs, poetry of the T'ang dynasty (7th-8th c.) and the novels Journey to the West (16th c.) and Dream of the Red Chamber (18th c.); philosophical classics will be drawn from the Confucian, Taoist and Chinese Buddhist traditions.

REL 262. Religion and Traditional Japanese Culture (1 course)

An introduction to Japanese religion. Special consideration given to the world views of Japan's major religious traditions (Buddhism, Confucianism, Shinto) and to the interaction between them and aspects of traditional Japanese culture.

TOPICS IN THE STUDY OF RELIGION

The class examines both historical and contemporary examples of the relationship between religion and culture in the United States in light of such questions as: In what ways has religion in the United States reflected the values of the larger culture? In what ways has it rejected those values? What happens when religious traditions conflict with or seek to convert one another? In what ways, apart from institutional settings such as churches and synagogues, have Americans found religious grounding for their lives? How does religious affiliation affect adherents' views of racial relationships, family life or capitalism? What myths undergird American identities?

REL 265. African American Religious History (1 course)

This class provides a survey of African-American religious history. It includes such topics as: the enduring impact of Africanisms in American religious culture, slave religion (with attention given to themes of resistance and accommodation), the rise of independent African-American churches, African American missions to Africa, strategies for racial uplift, black nationalist movements, gender relations within African-American religions, new religious movements (such as Black Judaism), and the reemergence of older religious traditions (such as santeria). Particular attention will be given to the civil rights movements of the 1950s and 1960s.

REL 269. Liberation Theology (1 course)

An examination of the interaction between Western religious traditions and the foremost liberation movements: Third-World, black, gay and women's liberation.

REL 271. Feminist Theologies (1 course)

Feminist theologies posit the equality of all human beings and value personal experience (and not abstract logic alone) as a ground for doing theology. Feminist theologies reject hierarchy as a paradigm of social ordering and seek to embrace a diversity of racial, ethnic, and socio-economic perspectives. Through journaling, extensive reading, group projects, papers, exams and discussions, this class reacts to those claims. Attention is devoted to mujerista, womanist, minjung, and other Biblical and theological critiques of the Christian tradition; revolutionary and reformist positions within Judaism also receive attention. Other religious traditions may be examined, depending upon the interests of the students in the class. 

REL 281. Religion, Healing and Medicine (1 course)

This course deals with the fact that religious traditions all over the world understand illness and disease as symptoms of spiritual defects. Additionally, many of these religious groups focus to varying degrees on therapeutic means of dealing with illness. This course considers cross-cultural contexts that include traditions of Asia, South America and the West.

REL 290. Topics in Religion (1 course)

Topics such as religious phenomena, e.g., Millenialism, religious ethics, and historical religious figures and movements. May be repeated for credit with different topics.

REL 320. Genesis and Gender: Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Readings (1 course)

This course considers ways that interpretations of sacred texts influence religious perceptions of gender and social order. Christian readings of Genesis 1-3 are the main focus; yet attention is also be given to under- standings of Eve and Adam in Judaism and Islam. Interpretations of Genesis that historically and presently argue for the subordination of women to men forms a central theme of the course. A counter theme emerges as we consider alternative readings that have traditionally used Genesis 1-3 to argue for gender equality. We will also reflect on the ways in which a hierarchical reading of the text has served to legitimate the domination of groups such as African-American slaves. Texts range from the Gnostic gospels, Philo, the Qur'an, The Maelleus Maleficarum, Paradise Lost, The Bible Defense of Slavery, The Woman's Bible and "The Coming of Lilith." 

REL 340. Topics in Biblical Studies (1 course)

A study of selected problems or current developments in relation to the Old and/or New Testaments. Topics may include history and myth in the Ancient Near East, the social world of the prophets, the Dead Sea Scrolls, the historical Jesus and hermeneutics. May be repeated for credit with different topics.

REL 341. Women and the Bible (1 course)

The effect of the Biblical tradition on women, both ancient and modern. The experiences and stories of women as recorded in the Old and New Testaments read and examined in the light of contemporary feminist hermeneutics. The role of the Bible both in suppressing and liberating women.

REL 350. Modern Christian Thought: From Liberalism to Liberation

Examines the ways in which Christian theology has responded to challenges presented by the modern world, particularly the Enlightenment. Considers the rise of nineteenth-century liberalism, the development of historical critical approaches to scripture, and the search for the historical Jesus; post-World War I disillusionment and the neo-orthodox critique of liberalism; European theological responses to National Socialism; and the formation of gender, ethnic, racial and economic critiques of traditional Christianity that seek to present Christianity as a religion of liberation.

REL 352. Religion in Modern Japanese Society (1 course)

Examines religion within the context of Japanese society from the 17th to the 20th century. Attention given to the rise of Confucianism in the 17th century, the Shinto revival of the 18th century, Buddhism in early modern Japan, the appearance of the new religions, and the relationship of religion to modernization and nationalism. Prerequisite: an introductory course in the department, East Asian history or permission of the instructor.

REL 370. Advanced Topics in Religion (1 course)

Usually a category of religious phenomena such as religious experience, mysticism, the nature of deities; or the role and status of persons; healing in religious traditions; sectarian groups; major thinkers or movements; or themes and approaches in the study of religion. May be repeated for credit with different topics.

REL 371. Goddess Traditions (1 course)

Comparative, cross-cultural consideration of the worship or veneration of female saints and divinities. Emphasis placed on the role of these divinities in the context of the cultures and histories in which they are found. The relationship between a deity's gender and the values transmitted by the tradition of which that deity is a is a basic issue for each deity considered.

REL 380. Satanism, Witchcraft and Spirit Possession (1 course)

Satanism, witchcraft and spirit possession are three distinct religious phenomena intended to enable practitioners to gain access to powers not normally achievable by ordinary human effort. How these powers are perceived and why people seek them is the focus of this course.

COURSES FOR MAJORS AND ADVANCED STUDENTS IN RELIGION

Exegesis of Biblical texts and an examination of current problems in biblical interpretation usually chosen from the following: Psalms, Pentateuch, Intertestamental literature, the Pauline epistles and the Johannine literature. Prerequisite: one previous course in biblical studies. May be repeated for credit with different topics.

REL 479. Seminar in Religion (1/2-1 course)

This class involves readings and discussion of theoretical issues concerning the study of religion, research methods and concentrated research on a topic in Religious Studies. It culminates in a major paper that will be presented to senior majors and department faculty. Prerequisite: major in religious studies and senior status. May not be taken Pass-Fail.

REL 491. Independent Study in Religion (1/4-1 course)

Directed studies in a selected field or fields of religion. May be repeated for credit with different topics.

E-mail questions or comments to: sbates@depauw.edu

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