Courses

SPRING 2012 OFFERINGS

REL 20100: Interpretation of the New Testament
CRN: 58105
Thomas Ryba
MWF 10:30-11:20
An investigation of the religious content of the Christian scriptures in light of the historical, social, and intellectural contexts out of which they emerged.  Other canons and extra-canonical interpretations of the New Testament will also be investigated.

REL 23000: Religions of the East
Meets with PHIL 33000
CRN: 38202
Thomas Ryba
MWF 12:30-1:20
The purpose of this course is to provide a systematic survey of those religions variously described, in the West, as 'Eastern Religions' or 'Religions of the East.' Immediately, a problem arises because both descriptions are problematic. On one hand, the descriptions 'Eastern' or 'of the East' have been understood as designating not only a geo-cultural location - which, itself, is not easy to define - but also a homogeneous style of religious thought. Contemporary scholars of religion, and indigenous believers, often contest this imputed homogeneity. On the other hand, there is another complication. There is also the question as to whether all things designated by the term 'religions' in these descriptions are really religions. The term 'religion' is a Western description whose applicability to Asian institutions has been contested, as well. Aware of the challenges such descriptions present, we, in this course, will engage in a comparative study of the systems of belief, thought, and practice traditionally termed 'Eastern Religions' by Western scholars of religions. This will be accomplished through a series of readings on these systems' histories, philosophies, and scriptures. The approach adopted in this course is phenomenological and comparative. Adopting the phenomenological method in the academic study of religion means that we shall try to study these religions objectively and emphatetically. Adopting the comparative method in the academic study of religion means that we shall try to compare and contrast the features of these religions with the intent of observing similarities, dissimilarities and regularities, where meaningful points of comparison occur. The phenomenological method (done properly) gives us access to a religion's rationale; the comparative method (done properly) gives us access to the rationale of Religion. The systems of belief, thought, and practice which will be studied and compared in this course are: (1) the Hindu tradition [* > 1500 BCE], (2) the Jain tradition [* > ~569], (3) the Buddhist tradition [* ~ 528 BCE], (4) the Taoist tradition [* > 6th BCE], and (5) the Confucian tradition [* ~ 501 BCE]. This survey and comparison will take place according to a fixed set of categories. Surveyed for each of these traditions will be: (a) its worldview, (b) its scriptures, (c) its cosmology, (d) its hierology, (e) its anthropology, (f) its soteriology, and (g) its most important schools of thought (or forms of scholasticism). Prerequisites: None. Course requirements: three objective examinations; six optional extra-credit assignments. This course will be offered for an honors option.

REL 23100: Religions of the West
Meets with PHIL 33100
CRN: 38203
Thomas Ryba
MWF 2:30-3:20
The purpose of this course is to provide a systematic survey of those religions variously described, in the West, as 'Western Religions' or 'Religions of the West.' Immediately, a problem arises because the adjective, 'Western,' is questionable. The descriptions 'Western' or 'of the West' have been understood as designating a problematic geo-cultural location-but also a homogeneous style of religious thought because of their common origins as Abrahamic monotheisms. Contemporary scholars of religion, and indigenous believers, often contest this imputed homogeneity and have pointed to the incredible complexity and fluidity of these traditions, characteristics which resist simplistic classification. Well aware of the challenges such descriptions present, we, in this course, will engage in a comparative study of the systems of belief, thought, and practice traditionally termed 'Western Religions' by Western scholars of religions. This will be accomplished through a series of readings on these systems' histories, philosophies and scriptures. The approach adopted in this course is phenomenological and comparative. Adopting the phenomenological method in the academic study of religion means that we shall try to study these religions objectively and empathetically. Adopting the comparative method in the academic study of religion means that we shall try to compare and contrast the features of these religions with the intent of observing similarities, dissimilarities and regularities, where meaningful points of comparison occur. The phenomenological method (properly applied) gives us access to a religion's rationale; the comparative method (properly applied) gives us access to the rationale of Religion. The systems of belief, thought and practice which will be studied and compared in this course are: (1) the Judaic tradition, (2) the Christian tradition, and (3) the Islamic tradition. This survey and comparison will take place according to a fixed set of categories. Surveyed for each of these traditions will be: (a) its worldview, (b) its scriptures, (c) its hierology, (d) its cosmology, (e) its anthropology, (f) its soteriology, and (g) its most important schools of thought (or forms of scholasticism). Prerequisites: None. Course requirements: three objective examinations; six optional extra-credit assignments. This course will be offered for an honors option.

REL 31800: The Bible & Its Early Interpreters
CRN: 40885
Stuart Robertson
TTh 3:00-4:15
This course will start with observation of the development of early themes in later parts of the Hebrew Bible and proceed to the on-going influence of these themes in Jewish literature outside the Hebrew canon (apocrypha, pseudepigrapha, tagums, midrash, Josephus, Philo, and other Hellenistic Jewish authors), as well as pagan literature of this era and in early Christian literature, particularly the New Testament.

REL 45000: Christian Ethics
CRN: 58106
Thomas Ryba
T 7:00-9:50
The course explores the historical development of Christian moral theology, from pre-Christian times to the present. It includes a study of Biblical moral conceptions, patristic, medieval, Enlightenment, modern, and contemporary understandings of Christian ethics.

ENGL 26400: The Bible as Literature
CRN: 58084
Dorothy Deering
MWF 9:30-11:20
My section of ENGL 264 will read selected portions of the Hebrew Bible, New Testament, and Apocrypha.  The course will entail a close study of a variety of literary forms and techniques: the structure of historical and biographical narratives (the Garden of Eden, the Exodus from Egypt, the Crucifixion/Resurrection), development of plot and ccharacter (in the stories of Abraham, David, Elijah, Jesus), and growth of prophetic and poetic styles and traditions (Isaiah, Micha, Job, Psalms), and the distinctive features of wisdom (proverbs, parables) and apocalyptic literature (Daniel, Revelation).  Students will write 10-12 one page papers.  There will be no tests or final exam.  Students will participate weekly in team discussions of the reading.

ENGL 44400: Milton: Devil's Advocate, God's Champion
CRN: 59353
Angelica Duran
MWF 10:30-11:20
In this class, we will explore Milton's at times oppositional, oftentimes indiscernible, and always intriguing construction of good and evil in Milton's minor poems, major works (Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained, and Samson Agonistes), and select prose.  Selected readings from the period will inform our discussions.  For example, we will look at early documents of the Royal Society to inform our understanding of the anxieties surrounding the transformation of diabolic magic to rational science; William Blake's interpretation of Milton as "of the devil's party" to add to our own reader response to God and Satan in Paradise Lost; and political documents to appreciate Milton's revolutionary contruction of the upstart Jesus in Paradise Regained.

ENGL 46200: The Bible as Literature
CRN: 59355
Sandor Goodhart
MW 4:30-5:45
A study of Hebrew Scripture. In this course we will read closely selections from Hebrew Scripture - the Pentateuch (the five Books of Moses), the books of the Prophets, and the Holy Writings - with the goal of understanding these texts within the Rabbinical tradition of Biblical interpretation. All texts will be examined in English and no knowledge of the Hebrew language (however desireable) will be expected. There will be no exams but students will keep a journal and write weekly informal papers and one final longer paper. Classes will proceed by paying repeated close attention to the kinds of matters one would consider in any advanced course on literary reading.

HIST 49200: Catholic Priests & Nuns in the Movies
CRN: 20309/58165
Joseph Dorsey
TTh 3:00-3:50 (lecture)
W 6:00-8:50 (lab)
This seminar examines depictions of Catholic religious (i.e., priests and nuns) from various motion picture industries in the Americas (e.g., Canada, Peru, Mexico, and the U.S.) and Western Europe (e.g., France, Italy, Spain, and the U.K.) from the 1930s to the present. Our filmic foci will include neither documentaries nor shorts. While various approaches for analysis will be considered, such as Hegelian phenomenology, Althusserian post-Marxism, discourse theory, comparative history, representation, and post-coloniality, our principal concern will center on the extent to which defamiliarization—the rendering of something familiar into something strange, for the sake of artistic creation—is useful and applicable to religious films that are predicated on history, historical fiction, and contemporary affairs. Though many of the films will be shown during regularly scheduled film labs, students will also have the opportunity to select from others in order to include them in their comparative critiques by categories or themes.

JWST 33000: Introduction to Jewish Studies
Meets with HIST 30200 & POL 49300
CRN: 38313
Daniel Frank
TTh 12:00-1:15
This course is a survey that introduces students to the culture, literature, history, philosophy, and religious customs of the Jewish people from antiquity to the present. We will see how over the centuries, indeed millennia, Jews have successively understood what it is that defines them as a people: a book, interpretations of a book, a promise, a land, a legal code, hatred of Jews by others, etc. The course will provide an historical overview of the long history of the Jews and their wanderings, driven often by what non-Jews imagined Jews to be and to be practicing. The readings and class discussions will divide into three parts covering the ancient, medieval, and modern periods, though the student will quickly learn that when applied to Jewish history these historical designations do not easily map on to the customary ones. Jewish modernity had to wait for 'modern' Europe to live up to its universalist, Enlightenment ideals, while medieval Europe had to play catch-up to the Islamic and Jewish world that had discovered the brilliance of Greek philosophy and science long before it. We will read Genesis and the Book of Job from the Hebrew Bible, and we will discuss the theological issues contained therein, the creation of the world, the development of monotheism, and the meaning and origins of human suffering. We will read selections from Maimonides' Guide of the Perplexed, the most important Jewish philosophical work, and will attempt to understand how, and why, one might wish to understand a religious way of life in philosophical terms, and then we will turn to Spinoza, whose Tractatus Theologico-Politicus is the most radical critique ever of the religion of the rabbis and of Maimonides in particular. For Spinoza, the Bible is not amenable to philosophical interpretation, but is a simple book for simple minds. With Spinoza and his critique of traditional Judaism, we reach modernity, and the successive attempts by Jews to enter modern life. Modernity demanded that Jews leave their ages-old traditions and customs at the door, if ever they were to become full-fledged citizens of modern, secular states. And so they did for the most part, little realizing that the invitation was less than heartfelt, given the centuries of antipathy toward Jews and their ways. Jews became Germans and Frenchmen, but neither German nor French. And finally, they were slaughtered in numbers hard to comprehend. Rather than dwelling on the unimaginable, we shall read a novel by Aharon Appelfeld, Badenheim 1939, which gives a good sense of the optimism and despair of the final days of Jewry in Europe. In this way, we will come to appreciate better the stranglehold that history has over our cultural ideals. Our final text will be Chaim Potok's The Chosen, a novel, set in America, which paints a vivid picture of the struggle of successive generations living between tradition and modernity.

PHIL 20600: Philosophy of Religion
CRN: 24000
Michael Bergmann
TTh 9:30-10:20
F 8:30-9:20 24003
F 9:30-10:20 24006
F 11:30-12:20 24005
This course will compare two major worldviews: theism and naturalism. According to theism, the natural world was created by a perfect supernatural person (God). According to naturalism, the natural world is a closed system-in other words, there are no supernatural entities. The primary goal of this course will be to investigate the claims made by each of these two worldviews and to critically examine the evidence and arguments for and against them.

PHIL 21900: Introduction to Existentialism
CRN: 24008
Jacqueline Marina
TTh 3:00-4:15
This class will be an exploration of existentialist themes through an analysis of the philosophy of four major philosophers of the 19th and 20th centuries: Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Heidegger and Sartre.  These themes will also be explored through their expression in literature and film: we will read literature by Dostoyevsky and Kafka, as well as view and discuss a contemporary film such as District Nine.

PHIL 33000: Religions of the East
Meets with REL 23000
CRN: 24022
Thomas Ryba
MWF 12:30-1:20
The purpose of this course is to provide a systematic survey of those religions variously described, in the West, as 'Eastern Religions' or 'Religions of the East.' Immediately, a problem arises because both descriptions are problematic. On one hand, the descriptions 'Eastern' or 'of the East' have been understood as designating not only a geo-cultural location - which, itself, is not easy to define - but also a homogeneous style of religious thought. Contemporary scholars of religion, and indigenous believers, often contest this imputed homogeneity. On the other hand, there is another complication. There is also the question as to whether all things designated by the term 'religions' in these descriptions are really religions. The term 'religion' is a Western description whose applicability to Asian institutions has been contested, as well. Aware of the challenges such descriptions present, we, in this course, will engage in a comparative study of the systems of belief, thought, and practice traditionally termed 'Eastern Religions' by Western scholars of religions. This will be accomplished through a series of readings on these systems' histories, philosophies, and scriptures. The approach adopted in this course is phenomenological and comparative. Adopting the phenomenological method in the academic study of religion means that we shall try to study these religions objectively and emphatetically. Adopting the comparative method in the academic study of religion means that we shall try to compare and contrast the features of these religions with the intent of observing similarities, dissimilarities and regularities, where meaningful points of comparison occur. The phenomenological method (done properly) gives us access to a religion's rationale; the comparative method (done properly) gives us access to the rationale of Religion. The systems of belief, thought, and practice which will be studied and compared in this course are: (1) the Hindu tradition [* > 1500 BCE], (2) the Jain tradition [* > ~569], (3) the Buddhist tradition [* ~ 528 BCE], (4) the Taoist tradition [* > 6th BCE], and (5) the Confucian tradition [* ~ 501 BCE]. This survey and comparison will take place according to a fixed set of categories. Surveyed for each of these traditions will be: (a) its worldview, (b) its scriptures, (c) its cosmology, (d) its hierology, (e) its anthropology, (f) its soteriology, and (g) its most important schools of thought (or forms of scholasticism). Prerequisites: None. Course requirements: three objective examinations; six optional extra-credit assignments. This course will be offered for an honors option.

PHIL 33100: Religions of the West
Meets with REL 23100
CRN: 32968
Thomas Ryba
MWF 2:30-3:20
The purpose of this course is to provide a systematic survey of those religions variously described, in the West, as 'Western Religions' or 'Religions of the West.' Immediately, a problem arises because the adjective, 'Western,' is questionable. The descriptions 'Western' or 'of the West' have been understood as designating a problematic geo-cultural location-but also a homogeneous style of religious thought because of their common origins as Abrahamic monotheisms. Contemporary scholars of religion, and indigenous believers, often contest this imputed homogeneity and have pointed to the incredible complexity and fluidity of these traditions, characteristics which resist simplistic classification. Well aware of the challenges such descriptions present, we, in this course, will engage in a comparative study of the systems of belief, thought, and practice traditionally termed 'Western Religions' by Western scholars of religions. This will be accomplished through a series of readings on these systems' histories, philosophies and scriptures. The approach adopted in this course is phenomenological and comparative. Adopting the phenomenological method in the academic study of religion means that we shall try to study these religions objectively and empathetically. Adopting the comparative method in the academic study of religion means that we shall try to compare and contrast the features of these religions with the intent of observing similarities, dissimilarities and regularities, where meaningful points of comparison occur. The phenomenological method (properly applied) gives us access to a religion's rationale; the comparative method (properly applied) gives us access to the rationale of Religion. The systems of belief, thought and practice which will be studied and compared in this course are: (1) the Judaic tradition, (2) the Christian tradition, and (3) the Islamic tradition. This survey and comparison will take place according to a fixed set of categories. Surveyed for each of these traditions will be: (a) its worldview, (b) its scriptures, (c) its hierology, (d) its cosmology, (e) its anthropology, (f) its soteriology, and (g) its most important schools of thought (or forms of scholasticism). Prerequisites: None. Course requirements: three objective examinations; six optional extra-credit assignments. This course will be offered for an honors option.

PHIL 40200: Medieval Christian Thought
CRN: 59322
Jeffrey Brower
TTh 12:00-1:15
A study of some of the main trends and major figures of the Christian Middle Ages (roughly 400-1400 A.D.).  Emphasis will be on the way thinkers from this period make use of philosophy in theology, especially in developing their views about such issues as the nature and existence of God, the nature and use of religious language, and specifically Christian doctrines such as Trinity, Incarnation, and Atonement.  Some attention will also be given to the way in which medieval thinkers attempted to build on developments in the early church, especially those of the so-called Patristics.  Readings (in English translation) may include Augustine, Boethius, Anselm, Abelard, Aquinas, Scotus, and Ockham.

SOC 36700: Religion in America
CRN: 27405
Daniel Olson
MWF 1:30-2:20
Examines the social dimensions of religion in American life; religion in American culture; social profiles of America's religious groups, trends in individual commitment; and religion's impact on American life.

SOC 56700: Religion in Social Context
CRN: 58822
Daniel Olson
MWF 12:30-1:20
Examines the social bases of religion at the societal, organizational, and individual levels. Topics include the formation of religious groups and ideas; social dynamics within religious groups; religion's persistence over time; and the conditions under which religion tends to change.
 

FALL 2011 OFFERINGS

REL 20000: Introduction to the Study of Religion
CRN: 45031
Angelica Duran
MWF 9:30-10:20
This course will introduce students to the academic study of religion through an exploration of various methodologies available for a critical, reflective investigation of the study of religion.

REL 20200: Interpretation of the Old Testament
CRN: 51417
Thomas Ryba
MWF 10:30-11:20
An investigation of the religious content of documents Christians call the "Old Testament" in light of the historical, social, and intellectual contexts out of which they arose. The student will be introduced to problems and methods in their interpretation.

REL 23000: Religions of the East
Meets with PHIL 33000-25269
CRN: 41412
Donald Mitchell
MWF 2:30-3:20
A study of the history, teachings, and present institutions of the religions of India, Southeast Asia, China, and Japan. This will include Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Shintoism, and Zoroastrianism.

REL 23100: Religions of the West
Meets with PHIL 33100-25272
CRN: 41413
Thomas Ryba
MWF 11:30-12:20
The purpose of this course is to provide a systematic survey of those religions variously described, in the West, as 'Western Religions' or 'Religions of the West.' Immediately, a problem arises because the adjective, 'Western,' is questionable. The descriptions 'Western' or 'of the West' have been understood as designating a problematic geo-cultural location-but also a homogeneous style of religious thought because of their common origins as Abrahamic monotheisms. Contemporary scholars of religion, and indigenous believers, often contest this imputed homogeneity and have pointed to the incredible complexity and fluidity of these traditions, characteristics which resist simplistic classification. Well aware of the challenges such descriptions present, we, in this course, will engage in a comparative study of the systems of belief, thought, and practice traditionally termed 'Western Religions' by Western scholars of religions. This will be accomplished through a series of readings on these systems' histories, philosophies and scriptures. The approach adopted in this course is phenomenological and comparative. Adopting the phenomenological method in the academic study of religion means that we shall try to study these religions objectively and empathetically. Adopting the comparative method in the academic study of religion means that we shall try to compare and contrast the features of these religions with the intent of observing similarities, dissimilarities and regularities, where meaningful points of comparison occur. The phenomenological method (properly applied) gives us access to a religion's rationale; the comparative method (properly applied) gives us access to the rationale of Religion. The systems of belief, thought and practice which will be studied and compared in this course are: (1) the Judaic tradition, (2) the Christian tradition, and (3) the Islamic tradition. This survey and comparison will take place according to a fixed set of categories. Surveyed for each of these traditions will be: (a) its worldview, (b) its scriptures, (c) its hierology, (d) its cosmology, (e) its anthropology, (f) its soteriology, and (g) its most important schools of thought (or forms of scholasticism). Prerequisites: None. Course requirements: three objective examinations; six optional extra-credit assignments. This course will be offered for an honors option.

REL 31700: Ancient Judaism & Early Christianity
Meets with HIST 30200-45561
CRN: 28173
Stuart Robertson
TTH 10:30-11:45
This course is a study of the emergence of Judaism and the rise of Christianity out of roots in the history of ancient Israel. This will include noticing the effects of Greek culture, evidence of anti-Semitism and admiration of the Jews, conversion in a setting of religious pluralism, and the development of Jewish and Christian self-definition in this climate.

REL 45100: Christology
CRN: 51418
Thomas Ryba
T 7:00-9:50
The course examines the historical development of Christological doctrine in the Christian faith from the age of teh New Testament to the late 20th/early 21st century, paying special attention to the New Testament and conciliar formulations.

ANTH 37300: Anthropology of Religion
CRN: 36875
Andrew Buckser
MWF 9:30-10:20
Anthropological theories of the origin, development, and functions of religion, ritual, and myth. Data drawn from western and non-western societies, with special emphasis on the relationship of religion to social structure, cultural patterns, and social change.

ENGL 26400: The Bible as Literature
CRN: 46542
Dorothy Deering
MWF 11:30-12:20
My section of English 264 will read selected portions of the Hebrew Bible, New Testament, and Apocrypha. The course will entail a close study of a variety of literary forms and techniques: the structure of historical and biographical narratives (the Garden of Eden, the Exodus from Egypt, the Crucifixion/Resurrection), development of plot and character (in the stories of Abraham, David, Elijah, Jesus), and growth of prophetic and poetic styles and traditions (Isaiah, Micha, Job, Psalms), and the distinctive features of wisdom (proverbs, parables), and apocalyptic literature (Daniel, Revelation). Students will write 10-12 one page papers. There will be no tests or final exam. Students will participate weekly in team discussions of the reading.

ENGL 53400: 17th Century English Literature & the King James Bible
CRN: 52893
Angelica Duran
MWF 10:30-11:20
This course surveys a variety of foundational works of early modern British literature from a variety of genres - lyric, pastrol, epic, religious prose, scientific prose, romance, biography, etc. - from a variety of writers - Browne, Bunyan, Cavendish, Foxe, Johnson, Marlowe, Milton, etc. We will consider these and other texts primarily in the context of Biblical culture, and we will take advantage of various campus events sponsored in commemoration of the 400-year anniversary of the King James Bible (1611): a Special Collections exhibit and training, a major Purdue conference focused on the King James Bible, etc. Students will be encouraged to bring their areas of expertise to bear on the texts and contexts.

ENGL 59600: Biblical Reading in Literary, Philosophic, and Religious Studies
CRN: 52922
TH 6:30-9:20
My course this fall will examine the practice of Biblical reading as it shows up in the work of certain writers in France and Germany before and after World War Two. We will read selections from the work of Buber, Rosenzweig, Levinas, Scholem, Benjamin, Kafka, Blanchot, Jabes, and Derrida. Our goal will be to understand the way in which Rabbinic reading (as understood in the prophetic tradition of the ancient Jewish writers of scripture, Talmud, Midrash, Kabbalah, and the later Rabbis) differs from the more commonly known Western Platonic representational tradition of interpretation (based upon reason and decision-making). Class will meet on Thursdays from 6:30-9:20 and proceed by lecture and discussion. Students will be asked to give one brief oral presentation and to write one longer formal paper on a project of their own choosing developed in connection with course readings. There are no pre-requisites, the class is open to anyone, and all texts will be in English, although some knowledge of the original language (French, German, or Hebrew) will certainly be of some assistance.

HIST 39001: Jews in the Modern World
CRN: 50818
MWF 9:30-10:20
Rebekah Klein-Pejsova
This survey of modern Jewish society, culture, and politics from the expulsion from Spain in 1492 until the collapse of the Interwar state system in 1938 examines Jewish responses to modernity with special attention to the Jewish relationship to the state and with the surrounding non-Jewish cultures, and the diversity of the modern Jewish experience.

HIST 49500: Religion and Politics in Modern America
CRN: 50822
TTH 12:00-1:15
Darren Dochuk

PHIL 20600: Philosophy of Religion
CRN: 25250
TTH 9:30-10:20
Jeffrey Brower
2 W 8:30-9:20
3 W 9:30-10:20
4 W 10:30-11:20
5 W 11:30-12:20
6 W 12:30-1:20
7 W 1:30-2:20
This course will compare two major worldviews: theism and naturalism. According to theism, the natural world was created by a perfect supernatural God. According to naturalism, the natural world is a closed system - in other words, there are no supernatural entities. The two main objectives of this course are to (i) elucidate the claims made by each of these two worldviews and (ii) critically examine the evidence and arguments for and against those claims.

PHIL 33000: Religions of the East
Meets with REL 23000-41412
CRN: 25269
Donald Mitchell
MWF 2:30-3:20
A study of the history, teachings, and present institutions of the religions of India, Southeast Asia, China, and Japan. This will include Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Shintoism, and Zoroastrianism.

PHIL 33100: Religions of the West
Meets with REL 23100-41413
CRN: 25272
Thomas Ryba
MWF 11:30-12:20
The purpose of this course is to provide a systematic survey of those religions variously described, in the West, as 'Western Religions' or 'Religions of the West.' Immediately, a problem arises because the adjective, 'Western,' is questionable. The descriptions 'Western' or 'of the West' have been understood as designating a problematic geo-cultural location-but also a homogeneous style of religious thought because of their common origins as Abrahamic monotheisms. Contemporary scholars of religion, and indigenous believers, often contest this imputed homogeneity and have pointed to the incredible complexity and fluidity of these traditions, characteristics which resist simplistic classification. Well aware of the challenges such descriptions present, we, in this course, will engage in a comparative study of the systems of belief, thought, and practice traditionally termed 'Western Religions' by Western scholars of religions. This will be accomplished through a series of readings on these systems' histories, philosophies and scriptures. The approach adopted in this course is phenomenological and comparative. Adopting the phenomenological method in the academic study of religion means that we shall try to study these religions objectively and empathetically. Adopting the comparative method in the academic study of religion means that we shall try to compare and contrast the features of these religions with the intent of observing similarities, dissimilarities and regularities, where meaningful points of comparison occur. The phenomenological method (properly applied) gives us access to a religion's rationale; the comparative method (properly applied) gives us access to the rationale of Religion. The systems of belief, thought and practice which will be studied and compared in this course are: (1) the Judaic tradition, (2) the Christian tradition, and (3) the Islamic tradition. This survey and comparison will take place according to a fixed set of categories. Surveyed for each of these traditions will be: (a) its worldview, (b) its scriptures, (c) its hierology, (d) its cosmology, (e) its anthropology, (f) its soteriology, and (g) its most important schools of thought (or forms of scholasticism). Prerequisites: None. Course requirements: three objective examinations; six optional extra-credit assignments. This course will be offered for an honors option.

SOC 36700: Religion in America
003-28834, TTH 4:30-5:45, Daniel Olson
004-51108, MWF 1:30-2:20, Fengang Yang
Examines the social dimensions of religion in American life; religion in American culture; social profiles of America's religious groups, trends in individual religious commitment; and religion's impact on American life.

 

 
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