Undergraduate Department of Religion

College of Arts and Sciences

Chair: Kavka; Professors: Corrigan, Cuevas, Gaiser, Goff, Kalbian, Kavka, Kelsay, Yu; Associate Professors: Cecil, Day, Hellweg, Kelley, Levenson, McTighe, McVicar; Assistant Professors: Durdin, Hazard, Kellison, Shinnar; Professors Emeriti: Moore, Porterfield, Spivey; Visiting Teaching Faculty: Cole

Since its founding in 1965, the Department of Religion at Florida State University has been a leader among America's public institutions in the academic study of religion. The courses offered by the department examine the diverse array of religious cultures around the globe from anthropological, ethical, historical, philosophical, and social perspectives. In addition, the department offers students, if they desire, the opportunity to study the languages relevant to religious traditions, with regular introductory and advanced classes in biblical Hebrew, classical Chinese, Ethiopic, New Testament Greek, Sanskrit, and Tibetan, as well as advanced classes in Aramaic, classical Arabic, Coptic, and Syriac.

Located in the humanities area of the College of Arts and Sciences, the department participates actively in the University's CoreFSU Curriculum program. Several religion courses are approved for CoreFSU Curriculum credits for the diversity, ethics, humanities and cultural practice, oral communication, scholarship in practice, and writing requirements. The department is committed to offering several CoreFSU Curriculum honors courses and honors augmented courses each semester. Members of the department regularly teach in the Bryan Hall living and learning community. Students are encouraged to take advantage of the University's international programs, especially those in London, Florence, and Valencia. We have also arranged for student research in Ivory Coast. The department encourages students to consider participating in the Honors in the Major and IDEA Grant programs and applying for fellowships and grants through our Office of National Fellowships.

A concentration in religion provides students the opportunity to acquire a broad liberal arts education, whether through our religion major or human rights and social justice major. Inside the classroom, the department emphasizes clear and critical thinking and excellence in writing and speaking, in classes that range in content from action research, cultural studies, ethical thought, ethnography, and philosophical analysis to religious history. Additionally, the curriculum in either major encourages students to broaden their horizons by thinking about the complexity and diversity of our globalized world, wherein religion plays an increasingly central role. These skills have benefited our graduates in the various fields that they have gone on to pursue, ranging from anthropology, bioethics, business, education, health, journalism, and law to ministry, politics, public and university administration, religious studies, theology, and social work.

The department is housed in Dodd Hall with facilities that include a small library of standard reference works for our religion students' use.

College Requirements

Please review all college-wide degree requirements summarized in the “College of Arts and Sciences” chapter of this General Bulletin.

Digital Literacy Requirement

Students must complete at least one course designated as meeting the Digital Literacy Requirement with a grade of “C–” or higher. Courses fulfilling the Digital Literacy Requirement must accomplish at least three of the following outcomes:

Evaluate and interpret the accuracy, credibility, and relevance of digital information
Evaluate and interpret digital data and their implications
Discuss the ways in which society and/or culture interact with digital technology
Discuss digital technology trends and their professional implications
Demonstrate the ability to use digital technology effectively
Demonstrate the knowledge to use digital technology safely and ethically

Each academic major has determined the courses that fulfill the Digital Literacy requirement for that major. Students should contact their major department(s) to determine which courses will fulfill their Digital Literacy requirement.

Undergraduate majors in religion satisfy this requirement by earning a grade of “C–” or higher in CGS 2060, CGS 2100, or HUM 2831.

State of Florida Common Program Prerequisites

No statewide common program prerequisites have been identified for this program; however, the faculty in this program recommend that students take several lower-level religion courses with the REL prefix.

Requirements for a Major in Religion

Advisor: David Levenson (Department of Religion)

To complete a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree with a major in religion, a student must complete (in addition to other college requirements) thirty semester hours of religion courses structured in the following manner:

At least three semester hours in each of the three areas: Western, Asian or African, Issues and Approaches. For purposes of the major requirement, religion courses are categorized as follows:

Western: REL 2121, 2210, 2211, 2240, 2292, 2462, 3128r, 3209, 3224, 3293r, 3363, 3367, 3430, 3505, 3541, 3607, 4203r, 4214, 4215, 4290r, 4324r, 4366, 4393, 4510, 4511, 4613, 4914r; IDS 2342, 2420, 3317
Asian or African: REL 2315, 2350, 3333, 3337, 3340, 3345, 3351, 3358, 3370, 3935r, 4335, 4357r, 4359r, 4912r; IDS 3466
Issues and Approaches: REL 3112, 3142, 3145, 3155, 3152, 3160, 3170, 3171r, 3180, 3194, 3431, 3484; IDH 2119, 2140, 2611; IDS 2679, 3197, 3326, 3392, 3671; PHI 3700

Note: Either REL 3194 or IDS 3197 (but not both) may count toward the major.

Note: The areas in which REL 3936r, 4190r, 4304r, 4491r, 4905r, and 4932r fall depend on the topic. Students should inquire at the department office or consult with the departmental undergraduate advisors for a current list of all courses and their areas.

At least eighteen semester hours at the 3000/4000 level
REL 4044, which can only be taken after successful completion of at least twelve hours of coursework in the department
At least one religion course with a seminar format (either a course listed as a seminar or one approved as such by the department)
An exit interview or survey

Note: Courses in which the student receives a grade below “C–” will not count toward the major.

Requirements for a Major in Human Rights and Social Justice

Advisors: Religion: Matthew Goff, Joseph Hellweg

To complete a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree with an interdisciplinary major in human rights and social justice, anchored in the Department of Religion, a student must complete (in addition to other college requirements) thirty semester hours of coursework in religion and other fields in the following manner:

Four Core Courses (12 Credits):

“Introduction to the Human Rights Movement,” currently taught as “International Human Rights and State Crime” (CCJ 4938),
offered by the College of Criminology & Criminal Justice
“Foundations of Human Rights” (human rights from a religious studies perspective), offered by the Department of Religion

“Philosophy of Human Rights” (PHM 3351) (philosophical approaches to human rights), offered by the Department of Philosophy
“Who Is Human? What Are Rights?” (anthropological, ethnographic, and historical approaches to human rights), offered by the Department of Religion
One course in the Religion Department among those that meet the “Issues and Approaches” requirement for the religion major. These courses cover comparative, ethical, literary, and/or philosophical themes in religious studies. See the “Issues and Approaches” list above under “Requirements for a Major in Religion.”

Six Electives (18 Credits):

Six elective courses will come from other departments at FSU. Two (6 credits) may overlap with another major that the student is pursuing if those courses are also among those approved for the human rights and social justice major. These six courses may include the following:

One 3-credit Directed Individual Studies (DIS) course with an affiliated FSU faculty member
Courses taught at FSU that include a human rights framework or a significant rights-based dimension, including any of the courses listed in Appendix B, under the “Requirements for the Human Rights in Social Justice Major” tab on the Religion Department website.

Student Plan of Study:

Each student must propose a provisional plan of study, comprised primarily of a list of eligible courses, by the end of their second semester in the major based on the major requirements as listed above and with reference to the lists of approved courses. The undergraduate advisor(s) for the major must approve the plan, understanding that it may change along with department course schedules.

Note: Courses in which the student receives a grade below “C–” will not count toward the major.

Minor

The religion major and human rights and social justice major require the completion of a minor in another department or program unless the student is pursuing a double-major. Check the appropriate department for minor requirements.

Honors in the Major

The Department of Religion offers an honors program in both the religion major and the human rights and social justice major to encourage talented juniors and seniors to undertake independent and original research as part of the undergraduate experience. For requirements and other information, see the “Undergraduate University Honors Office and Honor Societies” chapter of this General Bulletin.

Joint Major in Religion and Classics

The Departments of Religion and Classics cooperate in a joint major designed for students with a special interest in religion in the ancient world. Students interested in this program should discuss it with David Levenson in the Department or Religion or the undergraduate director in the Department of Classics.

Cooperation with Other Programs and Departments

Because religion touches upon many facets of human life, the study of religion is inherently interdisciplinary. The department therefore participates in several interdepartmental programs, including the following: American Studies, Asian Studies, African American Studies, History and Philosophy of Science, Humanities, Middle Eastern Studies, and Women's Studies. In addition, students of religion will find related courses in other departments, including Anthropology, Art History, Classics, English, French, German, History, International Affairs, Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Middle Eastern Studies, Museum Studies, Philosophy, Russian and Slavic Languages, Sociology, and Spanish. Students undertaking a major in either religion or human rights and social justice, or seeking a minor in religion, should discuss such courses with the undergraduate advisor(s) in religion.

Minor in Religion

Students majoring in other disciplines and wishing to minor in religion must take a minimum of twelve semester hours in the religion curriculum. At least six semester hours of credit must be earned in courses at the 3000 level or higher. Courses in which the student receives a grade below “C–” will not count toward the minor.

Minor in Jewish Studies

Advisor: Martin Kavka (Department of Religion)

The Jewish Studies minor is concerned with the diversity and complexity of Jewish religious and cultural expression from the time of the Bible to the present day. The minor is interdisciplinary, allowing students to take classes with faculty in various departments at FSU (including but not limited to the departments of religion, history, modern languages, and political science) and to begin to deepen their knowledge of Biblical and/or Modern Hebrew.

Requirements for Jewish Studies Minor

The minor consists of fifteen semester hours, including two semesters of Biblical or Modern Hebrew, or of another Jewish language approved by the advisor for the minor, unless equivalent competence is demonstrated. Courses fulfilling the minor requirements can be comprised of any of the core courses listed below, and any additional courses approved by the advisor for the minor. No more than eight semester hours of 1000-level or 2000-level language courses may count toward the minor, and no language courses taken toward the minor may fulfill any University language requirement. Each semester, additional courses will count as core classes (Examples: REL 3293 “Topics in Biblical Studies”; REL 4290 “Undergraduate Biblical Studies Seminar”; or HIS 4935 “Senior Seminar”). To receive a list of such courses, or request that a course count as a core course for the minor, please contact the advisor for the minor.

Students may count toward the minor three semester hours of courses with significant, yet not majority, Jewish-studies content (Examples: ASH 4223 “Modern Middle East”; EUH 4465 “Weimar and Nazi Germany”; or FOW 4930 “Transnational Literature”). Note that either REL 3194 or IDS 3197 may count toward the minor, but not both. Students who are not applying any language classes to the minor may count six semester hours of such classes toward the minor. To receive a list of such courses for a given semester, or to request that a course count in this category, please contact the advisor for the minor.

History:

EUH 4241 The Holocaust In Historical Perspective (3)

Modern Languages:

HBR 1120 Elementary Modern Hebrew I (4)

HBR 1121 Elementary Modern Hebrew II (4)

HBR 2220 Intermediate Modern Hebrew (4)

IDS 3188 German Society Through Film: The Legacy of Nazi Crimes Against Humanity (3)

Political Science:

INR 4272 Studies in International Politics: The Middle East (3)

Religion:

HBR 1102 Beginning Hebrew I (4)

HBR 1103 Beginning Hebrew II (4)

HBR 2222 Intermediate Hebrew (4)

IDS 3197 Responses to the Holocaust (3)

REL 2210 Introduction to the Old Testament (3)

REL 3194 The Holocaust (3)

REL 3209 The Dead Sea Scrolls (3)

REL 3224 The Hebrew Prophets (3)

REL 3607 The Jewish Tradition (3)

REL 4203 Readings in Classical Hebrew Texts (1–3)

REL 4212 The Book of Genesis: Literary and Historical Approaches (3)

REL 4215 Judaism in the Greco-Roman World (3)

REL 4613 Modern Judaism (3)

Definitions of Prefixes

GRW—Classical Greek Literature (Writings)

HBR—Modern Hebrew Language

HPS—History and Philosophy of Science

IDH—Interdisciplinary Honors

IDS—Interdisciplinary Studies

PHI—Philosophy

REL—Religion: Undergraduate

RLG—Religion: Graduate

SRK—Sanskrit Language

Undergraduate Courses

GRW 3250r. New Testament Greek (3). Prerequisite: GRE 2220 or completion of twelve-hour foreign language sequence in Greek. This course offers an introduction to reading the New Testament in Greek; it involves a comparison of New Testament Greek to Attic Greek grammar, as well as an introduction to New Testament scholarship. May be repeated to a maximum of six semester hours provided texts change.

HBR 1102. Beginning Hebrew I (4). This course is an introduction to the basic grammar, syntax, and phonology of modern and classical Hebrew. Meets the foreign language requirement for the BA degree. No language laboratory required.

HBR 1103. Beginning Hebrew II (4). This course is an introduction to the basic grammar, syntax, and phonology of modern and classical Hebrew. Meets the foreign language requirement for the BA degree. No language laboratory required.

HBR 2222. Intermediate Hebrew (4). This course focuses on translation and commentary on selected Hebrew readings. Meets the foreign language requirement for the BA degree. No language laboratory required.

IDH 2602. Us and Them: Navigating Disagreements in a Polarized Society (3). Prerequisite: Admission to the Honors program. In this course, students learn about the roots of those divisions and practice developing strategies to navigate our divided society.

IDH 3119. Truth, Justice, and the American Way? Ethics, Religion, and Superheroes (3). Prerequisite: Admission to the Honors Program This course uses superhero mythology as a lens through which to view the historical development of ethical norms in the United States. Students unpack the ideological meanings of these stories while thinking critically about the political, historical, philosophical, psychological, and religious ideas that are reflected in the mythology. Special attention is paid to race, gender, and religion.

IDH 3140. Freedom and Religion: Muslim and Liberal Perspectives (3). Prerequisite: Admission to the Honors Program. This course addresses issues such as free speech, sexual mores and identity, and compulsory military service. The course examines the ways that Muslims and liberals negotiate the notions of freedom and religion.

IDH 3611. Race and Religion in America Today: The Legacies of the Civil Rights and Black Power Movements (3). Prerequisite: Admission to the Honors program. This course explores the ways that appeals to religious concepts and identities have influenced racial relations and politics in America, with a focus on the legacies of the Civil Rights and Black Power movements.

IDS 2342. Noah's Flood Through the Ages (3). This course is an examination of the biblical flood story from its roots in the ancient Near East to antiquity up until today. Special focus on how the flood story has been a focus for contemporary debates involving religion and science since the 1600s.

IDS 2420. Heretics, Rebels and Militants in the Islamic World (3). This e-series honors seminar evaluates the topics of Islamic sectarianism and denominationalism by tracing the main sectarian movements among medieval and modern Muslims. Students engage in broad, critical and creative thinking about the creation of “orthodoxy” and “heresy,” the development of religious differences, the interaction between politics, culture and religion, and the issue of religious violence. They gain knowledge and critical thinking skills that assist them as they navigate a range of perspectives and trajectories related to the world's many different Muslims.

IDS 2679. Need and Greed (Is Money the Root of All Evil?) (3). This course examines the ethics of money, wealth, and poverty from the perspective of religious communities.

IDS 3197. Responses to the Holocaust (3). This course examines various responses – literary, theological, and cinematic – to the attempted destruction of the Jews of Europe during World War II.

IDS 3326. Understanding Religion: Understanding People (3). This course introduces students to the evaluation of some key ethical questions relating, in particular, to religious liberty and toleration, to multiculturalism, to personal spiritual exploration, and ultimately to issues of life and death. The course is specifically designed for students studying at the FSU London Study Centre as it makes extensive use of the city itself as a site of discovery, inspiration, and reflection.

IDS 3466. India Through Bollywood Film (3). This course examines Indian identity, cultural, and religious values as expressed in film. The popular cinema produced in Bombay (now Mumbai), dubbed ‘Bollywood,' predominates, spanning the period from Indian and Pakistani Independence (1947) to the 21st century.

IDS 3671. Science Fiction, Dystopia, Fate, and the Problem of Evil (3). This course explores the concepts of fate, providence, and the problem of evil in religion and popular culture through the critical study of several highly successful science fiction and dystopian novels authored during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. It situates these novels in the context of philosophical and theological developments from ancient times to the present.

PHI 3700. Philosophy of Religion (3). This course is an analysis of major issues in philosophy of religion. Topics may include the rationality of religious belief, faith, religious experience, religious language, evil, and the relation between religion and morality. Also offered by the Department of Religion.

REL 1300. Introduction to World Religions (3). This course surveys the major living religious traditions of the world, with attention to their origins in the ancient world and their classic beliefs and practices.

REL 2121. Religion in the United States (3). This course examines the scope and nature of religious movements, trends, and figures in American religious history, with an emphasis on the role that religious groups and institutions have played in conceptions of America and formations of American identity.

REL 2122. Culture Wars (3). The class focuses on studying the historical development of the “culture wars” from the emergence of the concept in the early 1990s to its contemporary relevance in American political, social, and cultural discourse.

REL 2210. Introduction to the Old Testament (3). This course studies the history, religious thought, and social institutions of ancient Israel as reflected primarily in its literature.

REL 2211. The Lost Books of the Bible (3). In this course, students engage and confront the “lost books of the Bible”—a corpus of texts that are in the Old Testament in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions but are generally not printed in Protestant Bibles today. Many American Christians are not familiar with these texts, even though they were in all Christian forms of the Bible for well over a thousand years.

REL 2240. Introduction to the New Testament (3). This course introduces students to the writings of the New Testament in the context of the historical development of early Christianity.

REL 2292. Apocalypse Now and Then (3). In this course, students analyze and engage the apocalyptic tradition, as expressed in Judaism, Christianity and Islam, in order to better understand apocalyptic worldviews and how they developed in response to historical and cultural factors in antiquity. The course focuses on apocalyptic traditions in non-Western cultures and the contemporary world.

REL 2315. Religions of South Asia (3). This course studies the history and culture of the religious traditions of South Asia. A study of the manifestations of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Islam, Sikhism, and Christianity in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.

REL 2350. Religions of East Asia (3). This course is an introduction to the history, thought, and practice of religion in China, Korea, and Japan. Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, and popular religious traditions from ancient through modern times are covered.

REL 2462. Demons, the Antichrist, and Satan (3). This course examines traditions regarding demons, the Antichrist and Satan in the Bible, Judaism and Christianity. Biblical and ancient non-biblical texts that describe these figures are examined in their historical contexts. Traditions regarding Satan and other evil personages are traced historically so that students have a sense of how an understanding of these figures changed over time.

REL 3112. Religion and 20th Century Fantasy Literature (3). This course offers an overview of theological and anti-theological elements in twentieth and twenty-first century fantasy literature from authors Lewis, Tolkien, Rowling, and Pullman.

REL 3128r. Topics in Religion in the Americas (3). May be repeated to a maximum of nine semester hours; may be repeated within the same term.

REL 3138. Religious Intolerance in America (0–1). This course examines the long and ongoing history of religious intolerance in America with respect to a wide range of religious groups and agnostic/atheistic persons, and with an eye to the ways in which religious intolerance intersects with race, ethnicity, class, and gender.

REL 3142. Religion, the Self, and Society (3). This course covers interpretation of religious phenomena by the major social theorists of modern times. The course is divided into two parts: the psychology of religion and the sociology of religion.

REL 3145. Gender and Religion (3). This course considers the impact of gender on religion. Includes cross-cultural studies, theoretical works, and gender issues within religious traditions.

REL 3152. Religion, Race, and Ethnicity (3). This course examines the relationship between race, ethnicity, and religious beliefs in a cross-cultural context.

REL 3160. Religion and Science (3). This course provides an historical and philosophical analysis of major questions in the relationship between religion and science.

REL 3170. Religious Ethics and Moral Problems (3). This course discusses contemporary moral problems such as deception, sexual activities and relations, and capital punishment from the standpoints of major religious traditions.

REL 3171r. Topics in Ethics (3). This course considers themes and problems in modern ethics. May be repeated to a maximum of nine semester hours. May be repeated within the same semester.

REL 3180. Religion and Bioethics (3). This course offers an introduction to theoretical and practical issues in bioethics from the perspective of a variety of religious and secular positions.

REL 3194. The Holocaust (3). This course examines the origins, the process, and the consequences of the destruction of the European Jews during World War II.

REL 3209. The Dead Sea Scrolls (3). Prerequisite: REL 2210 or equivalent. This course examines key manuscripts of the Qumran corpus and focuses on issues such as the history, beliefs, and praxis of the Jewish sectarian movement that is associated with the scrolls; the archaeology of the Qumran site; and the significance of the scrolls for understanding Second Temple Judaism.

REL 3224. The Hebrew Prophets (3). This course analyzes the prophetic books of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the twelve minor prophets. The course examines the role of prophecy elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible (as in the Elijah stories) and situates the biblical prophets within the broader context of prophecy, as a religious and social phenomenon in the ancient Near East.

REL 3293r. Topics in Biblical Studies (3). Prerequisites: REL 2210 and REL 2240 or instructor permission. This course focuses on selected topics dealing with biblical writings in their ancient historical contexts and/or their interpretation in later periods. May be repeated to a maximum of nine semester hours.

REL 3322. Religions of the Greek and Roman World (3). This course introduces students to the religions of the ancient Mediterranean world from the rise of classical Athens to the late Roman empire. Specific emphasis is placed on the gods, rituals, and institutions of Greek and Roman city-states, new religious movements, and ancient mythic and philosophical elaboration on the nature of religion.

REL 3333. Ramayana in Indian Culture and Beyond (3). This course is an introduction to the Hindu tradition through the Ramayana, one of its most popular and celebrated sacred texts.

REL 3337. Goddesses, Women, and Power in Hinduism (3). This course studies female power in Hindu cosmology, mythology, and society. A study of Hindu goddesses, women, and female symbolism and the multifaceted relationship among them.

REL 3340. The Buddhist Tradition (3). This course surveys the Buddhist tradition from its beginnings through the modern period. Some attention to its contemporary forms.

REL 3345. Chan/Zen Buddhism (3). This course focuses on Chan, a school of Chinese Buddhism popularly known in Japanese as “Zen”. The course surveys Zen both historically and thematically, from its beginnings through the modern period. Topics include Chan's origins, history, doctrine, ethical beliefs, meditation, ritual, and monastic institutions.

REL 3346. Buddhist Ethics (3). This course examines the nature of Buddhist ethics within historical and evolving Buddhist traditions. The first part of the course explores how Buddhist scriptures articulate prescriptive, doctrinal ideas (e.g., cosmology, the self, soteriology, etc.). The second part of the course examines ethical issues thematically (e.g., compassion, compassionate killing, suicides, gender, environment, food, etc.).

REL 3348. Buddhism and the Mythology of Evil (3). The central question this course addresses is: “Does Buddhism have a concept of evil?” Students examine traditional Buddhist interpretations of delusion, sin, and misfortune, and they explore the multiple and shifting representations of the “demonic” in textual, historical, and social contexts.

REL 3349. Buddhist Meditation (3). This course examines the theories and practices of Buddhist meditation in different Buddhist traditions. The course is both historical and experiential. Students explore how Buddhists articulate prescriptive, doctrinal ideas in relation to descriptive meditation experiences. The course includes class discussions, experiential practices, and readings. No previous background necessary.

REL 3351. Japanese Religions (3). This course investigates the influence of Japanese religious traditions on Japanese life, culture, and history; as well as the influence of history and politics on modern Japanese religiosity.

REL 3358. Tibetan and Himalayan Religions (3). This course is an historical and thematic survey of the religions of Tibet and the Himalayas, including Nepal, Bhutan, and Sikkim. The course emphasizes significant facets of this region's rich cultural heritage, including religion, literature, art, and politics.

REL 3363. Islamic Traditions (3). This course provides a historical and topical survey of Islam as a religion and civilization, focusing on the formative and classical periods of its history. The course is primarily concerned with the life and career of Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam; the scriptural sources of Islam (i.e., the Qur'an and the Sunna); and the development of the Muslim community and its principal institutions (schools of thought, law, theology, cultural life, and mystical traditions).

REL 3367. Islamic Traditions II: Islam up to the Modern World (3). This course examines Islam and its adherents from 1300 CE to the present, concentrating on the last two centuries of Islamic history: the period of reform, renewal, and revolution in the wake of Western political and cultural domination. This course investigates a basic question: What happened to different Muslim communities and intellectuals (specifically those in the Arab world, Iran, Turkey, and Africa) as they responded to the challenges posted by “Westernization” and “modernization?” Moreover, it explores the relatively new phenomenon of Islam in America.

REL 3370. Religion in Africa (3). This course examines the variety and complexity of religious practices and beliefs on the African continent, and in particular how African discourses of religion challenge our most fundamental understandings of the term religion.

REL 3430. Issues and Thinkers in Western Religious Thought (3). This course is an introduction to the Western tradition of religious thought as illustrated by the writings of some of its greatest representatives. Readings in such primary sources as Augustine, Dante, Erasmus, Luther, Pascal, Hegel, and Kierkegaard.

REL 3431. Critics of Religion (3). This course is an introduction to the major thinkers and texts in the critique of religion as it developed in the 19th and 20th centuries in the west. Beginning with Schleiermacher, the course moves on to consider the so-called “masters of suspicion” — Feuerbach, Marx, Nietzsche, and Freud. By means of a close examination of central texts, students explore the meaning of a critique of religion, the structure of religious consciousness, the place of religion with respect to other forms of culture, the problem of religion and alienation, and the possibility of a critical faith.

REL 3484. New Religious Movements (3). This course investigates the role of new religious movements (NRMs) in American culture and history.

REL 3493. Religion, Prisons, and Abolition (3). This course makes two claims: 1) Without religious ideas and practices, prisons as we know them would be unthinkable; and 2) Religious ideas and practices are essential for building a world without prisons. Using historical, geographic, ethnographic, and narrative methods to uncover histories of religion, prisons, and abolition in the U.S., students will imagine more just ways of doing justice.

REL 3505. The Christian Tradition (3). This course studies the major beliefs, practices, and institutional forms of Christianity in historical perspective.

REL 3513. Christians Through Roman Eyes (3). This course examines ancient Greek and Roman perspectives on the early Christian movement. Students read and interpret a range of ancient sources and assess the historical and methodological issues these sources raise for understanding the origins of Christianity under the Roman Empire.

REL 3541. American Protestant Thought in Historical Context (3). This course traces the historical development of American protestant thought by examining the writings of influential American protestant thinkers from different time periods, and by considering the social and intellectual forces that influenced their differing conceptions of Christian life.

REL 3607. The Jewish Tradition (3). This course is a survey of the varieties of institutional structures, beliefs, and religious practices of post-biblical Judaism in their historical contexts.

REL 3935r. Topics in Buddhism (3). This course focuses on selected topics and themes in the academic study of Buddhism. The course may explore key subjects and theories in Buddhist studies, including philosophy, history, sociology, anthropology, literature, and art history intended to introduce students to the diversity of Buddhist traditions throughout Asia, Europe, and North America and to help them develop critical skills necessary for evaluating a variety of scholarly approaches to the subject. May be repeated to a maximum of nine semester hours. May be repeated within the same semester.

REL 3936. Special Topics in Religion (1-3). May be repeated to a maximum of nine semester hours.

REL 4044. What Is Religion? What Is Religious Studies? (3). Prerequisite: Successful completion of at least twelve hours of coursework in the department of religion. This course is a survey of how theorists in the modern era have answered questions about the origin, essence, and function of religion, as well as an examination of the methods by which religion is studied in a scholarly environment.

REL 4190r. Undergraduate Religion and Culture Seminar (3). Prerequisite: Instructor permission. This course focuses on problems and issues in religion and culture. Topics vary. Intended for advanced undergraduate students. May be repeated to a maximum of nine semester hours. May be repeated within the same term.

REL 4203r. Readings in Classical Hebrew Texts (1–3). Prerequisite: HEB 2230 or instructor permission. This course consists of intensive work on specific religious texts in classical Hebrew (ancient or medieval). Choice of texts vary. May be repeated to a maximum of twelve semester hours.

REL 4214. The Book of Genesis: Literary and Historical Approaches (3). Prerequisite: REL 2210 or equivalent. This course offers a close and critical reading of the Book of Genesis in terms of its composition, history of its interpretations, its Near Eastern context, its narrative artistry, as well as its relevance for ethics and theology.

REL 4215. Judaism in the Graeco-Roman World (3). This course studies the history of the Jews and the development of Jewish religious ideas, literature, institutions, and practices from the Maccabean Revolt to the redaction of the Babylonian Talmud.

REL 4290r. Undergraduate Biblical Studies Seminar (3). Prerequisite: Instructor permission. This course consists of advanced work in biblical studies for undergraduates. Topics vary. May be repeated to a maximum of nine semester hours. May be repeated within the same semester.

REL 4304r. Undergraduate History of Religions Seminar (3). Prerequisite: Instructor permission. This course studies problems and issues in the history of religions. Topics vary. Intended for advanced undergraduate students. May be repeated to a maximum of nine semester hours.

REL 4324r. Tutorial in Greek Religious Texts (1–3). This course studies selected readings in Greek of Jewish, Christian, and other religious texts from the ancient world. A basic knowledge of Greek grammar is presumed. May be repeated to a maximum of twelve semester hours.

REL 4335. Modern Hinduism (3). Prerequisite: REL 2315, REL 3333, or REL 3337. This course studies selected topics on the Hindu tradition in 19th and 20th century India. Includes modern Hindu thinkers, reform movements, popular religion, Hindu nationalism, and pluralism. Attention also to Hindu-inspired religious movements outside India and to other topics of student interest.

REL 4357r. Classical Tibetan (1–3). This course is a systematic and comprehensive study of basic literary Tibetan grammar, common locutions, and translation devices. Emphasis is on exposure to a variety of styles and genres in Tibetan religious literature including Buddhist texts on philosophy, ritual, and history. May be repeated to a maximum of twelve semester hours.

REL 4359r. Special Topics in Asian Religions (3). This course focuses on selected topics and themes in the academic study of Asian religions with special emphasis on issues of methodology. Topics may include key theories in Asian studies, religion, philosophy, history, sociology, and anthropology intended to help students develop critical skills. May be repeated to a maximum of twelve semester hours as topics vary.

REL 4366. Seminar on Shi'ite Islam (3). This seminar focuses on the manifold expressions of Shi'ism from its origins to the present day. It examines the political divisions within the early Islamic community that led to the development of the shi'a. The seminar also examines the earliest Shi'a sects and the major juridical and theological developments within Ithna-'Ashari (“12er”) Shi'ism, such as the doctrine of the Imamate and the occultation and return of the 12th Imam. The seminar also studies the establishment and elaboration of Fatimid Isma'ilism. The latter part of the seminar is devoted to contemporary issues among the Shi'ites, including contemporary treatments of the martyrdom of Hussayn and the role of Hizbullah in the politics of the Middle East.

REL 4393. Islam in North America (3). This course surveys in seminar format the manifestations of Islam in the United States, as well as American perceptions of Islam and Muslims. The course begins with the early 18th century and examines early American attitudes toward Muslims, and then moves to the experience of Islam among African-Americans. The latter third of the course is devoted to the assimilation of Muslim immigrants in the US, and how the issues of race, gender, “trans-nationalism” and stereotypes impact the American Muslim community.

REL 4491r. Undergraduate Religious Thought Seminar (3). Prerequisite: Instructor permission. Topics vary. Intended for advanced undergraduate students. May be repeated to a maximum of nine semester hours.

REL 4510. Christianity after the New Testament (3). Prerequisite: REL 2240 or instructor permission. This course covers major developments in the history and theology of Christianity in the first three centuries of the Common Era.

REL 4511. Christianity in Late Antiquity (3). This course studies Christian thought, institutions, lifestyles, and literature in their social, cultural, and historical contexts from the time of Jesus to the early Middle Ages.

REL 4613. Modern Judaism (3). This course studies the development of Judaism as a religious and cultural phenomenon in Europe, North America, and the Middle East from the European Enlightenment to the birth of the State of Israel.

REL 4905r. Directed Individual Study (1–3). This course consists of supervised reading and research on selected topics. May be repeated to a maximum of nine semester hours.

REL 4912r. Tutorial in Sanskrit Texts (1–3). Prerequisite: SRK 4103 or equivalent. This course consists of readings in Sanskrit of selected religious texts. Topics vary. May be repeated to a maximum of twelve semester hours.

REL 4914r. Tutorial in Latin Religious Texts (1–3). This course consists of readings in Latin of selected religious texts. Topics vary. A basic knowledge of Latin grammar is presumed. May be repeated to a maximum of twelve semester hours.

REL 4932r. Honors in the Major Research (1–6). In this course, students accepted into the Honors in the Major program complete an original research or creative project in their major area of study. This course must be repeated at least twice to complete a minimum of six credit hours total, but may be repeated up to a maximum of twelve credit hours in total.

SRK 4102. Elementary Sanskrit I (3). This course is an introduction to the morphology and syntax of Sanskrit and introduction to Sanskrit texts.

SRK 4103. Elementary Sanskrit II (3). This course is an introduction to the morphology and syntax of Sanskrit and introduction to Sanskrit texts.

For listings relating to graduate coursework, consult the Graduate Bulletin.

2024-2025 UNDERGRADUATE BULLETIN