Religion

102. Introduction to Religion: Belief and Unbelief.

An introduction to religious studies focusing on the religious meaning of being human in the modern world. The nature of religion, the diversity of religions, the nature of religious knowledge, and the significance of a religious orientation in modern society are examined. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours.

103. Religious and Philosophical Foundations of the West: I.

A study of the religious ideals, passions, and movements which decisively shaped Western thought and life from antiquity to the late middle ages. The interplay between Greek and Biblical categories and ideas, the meaning, impact and continuing significance of the great religious controversies, and the profoundly religious character of western thought will be explored. Enduring themes, questions and ideas will be clarified. Cornerstone 1A. Three hours.

HUMANITIES 101. Western Traditions.

An interdisciplinary introduction to enduring ideas of the classical and Judeo-Christian traditions at the root of Western civilization. Through study of selected works of literature by Greek, Roman, Hebrew, early Christian, and Renaissance authors, students will explore issues surrounding citizenship, leadership, justice, honor, war death, and friendship. This course may be substituted for Hist 101, Eng 116 or Rel 103. Cornerstone 1A. Three hours.

104. Religious and Philosophical Foundations of the West: II.

This course begins with an examination of the religious ideas and motivations of the Protestant Reformation. It will investigate the development of Western religious thought in interaction with the appearance of new forms of philosophy, the scientific revolution, social revolution and experiment, and the bewildering events and movements of the twentieth century. Cornerstone 1B. Three hours.

111. The Growth and Religion of the Old Testament.

Introduction to the history, literature, and religion of the Old Testament with special emphasis upon understanding the Old Testament’s views of God, persons, and society as these have infl uenced the development of contemporary Western culture. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours.

112. Jesus.

A study of the life of Jesus of Nazareth as the story is told in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Particular attention will be paid to the use of story in the parables of Jesus. The meaning of these stories and the story of the life of Jesus for modern life will be investigated. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours.

120. Introduction to World Religions.

This course provides a basic introduction to several major world religions, including Buddhism, Hinduism, and Confucianism from the Eastern tradition and Judaism, Islam, and Christianity from the Western tradition. The course will acquaint students with foundational rituals, concepts and/ or literature of each tradition, and will introduce the comparative study of religion. Students will become aware of global religious movements as well as the diversity of religious traditions currently practiced within the United States. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours.

190. Special Topics in Religion.

217. Paul’s Interpretation of Jesus.

This course will explore the writings of the Apostle Paul. Attention will be given to the categories he used, the traditions he drew upon, and the structure of the arguments in his monumental effort to think through the meaning of Jesus. How Paul’s teaching was understood later in the Christian tradition may be included as well. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours.

218. John’s Interpretation of Jesus.

A study of the meaning of Jesus of Nazareth in the New Testament writings attributed to John. The course will focus on the Gospel According to John and read the letters of John as belonging to the same tradition. Later uses and interpretations of this Johannine tradition may also be explored. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours.

219. Employment Experience in Religion.

221. American Religion.

A survey of the major figures, events, and ideas in American Religion from the Puritans to today, including the Great Awakening, black religion, the Social Gospel, Christian realism, Catholicism, and Judaism. Emphasis on how the American context infl uenced theological development and the ongoing relationship between church and state. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours.

222. Theologies of the Oppressed.

An exploration of the ways theological traditions change in response to the experience of marginalized groups in American life. Through the study of black, feminist, gay, and liberation theologies, students will explore the importance of race, gender, sexual orientation, and class as moral and religious categories, coming to understand political marginalization as a theological category with unique relevance to specific communities. Cornerstone 6. Three Hours.

223. Contemporary Religious Thought.

An analysis of the major developments in contemporary religious thought. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours.

225. Women and Religion in American Culture.

An introduction to the life and thought of selected American religious women who have participated in the struggle for justice and equality in religious institutions and society at large. Readings will include history, biography, autobiography and contemporary feminist perspectives. Cornerstone 6. Three hours.

233. Islam.

A survey of the major texts, figures, events, and ideas of religious life and practice in the Islamic tradition. Through the study of the Qur’an, Islamic history, ritual practices, law, and ethics, students will explore the impact of the tradition on the contemporary world. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours.

251. Introduction to Christian Ethics

An exploration of the relationship between faith and practice in the Christian tradition, emphasizing the importance of Christian community and identity. Students will learn the basics of ethical theory in relationship to Christian sources and norms, as well as applications of theory to a number of social-ethical issues, such as poverty, racism, capital punishment, marriage, sexuality, and crime. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours.

260. Feminist Interpretation of the Bible.

This course explores feminist interpretation of the Bible, both as a theoretical orientation and as a feminist interpretive lens pertains to selected texts of the Hebrew Bible and New Testament. Students will be exposed to the work of Jewish and Christian feminist scholars. The course introduces feminism as a hermeneutic for sacred texts, and also explores the history of textual interpretation from a feminist perspective. Most students enrolling in this course will want to have taken either Introduction to Women’s Studies or any introductory biblical studies course. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours.

261. Christian Ethics, Wealth and Property.

An examination of basic economic themes drawing on biblical, classical, and modern theological resources. Students will explore the function of money in community, the moral dimensions of private property, and the relation of economic systems to theories of justice. Specific topics may include economics in the Torah and New Testament, the prophetic tradition, Aquinas, Luther, capitalism, Christian socialism, the Social Gospel, and American Evangelicalism. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours.

290. Special Topics in Religion.

301. Major Figures in Christian Ethics.

An advanced examination of major figures in Christian moral theology, including Augustine, Aquinas, the Anabaptists, Luther, Calvin, Niebuhr, and Barth. Students will learn how the classical expressions of systematic theology relate to morality, with particular attention to moral psychology and sanctification. A broad overview of each fi gure in historical context will give way to specific treatments of marriage, sexuality, and political theory. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours.

310. The Growth and Development of Judaism.

In this course students will investigate the development of Judaism and Jewish life from the intertestamental to the modern periods. Students will grapple with central themes and ideas, practices and movements. Both classical and contemporary texts will be employed in order to give students as full an understanding as possible of the rich, fertile and diverse reality of Judaism. Figures as different as Philo, Akiba, Saadia Gaon, Maimonides, the Baal Shem Tov, Spinoza, Theodor Herzl, Hermann Cohen, Abraham Heschel and Richard Rubenstein will be introduced. Time will also be spent examining Jewish life in America and the development of Jewish thought and life here. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours.

315. Readings in Modern Theology.

This seminar course will provide an intensive study of the writings of only one or two modern theologians during a semester. Emphasis will be placed on developing the ability to follow complex arguments, identify key ideas and respond critically and in an informed way to theological writing. Each semester a different theologian or set of theologians will be under consideration. For example, one semester this seminar will deal with Schleiermacher and Barth; another semester it will study Tillich and Pannenberg; and yet another semester it will deal with Feuerbach and Barth, or perhaps Kierkegaard. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours.

319. Internship in Religion.

320. Ethics, Religion, and Conflict.

An exploration of the role religion plays in social and political confl ict on the international stage. After an introduction to the traditions of holy war, just war, and pacifism, students will examine how political theories account for religion, as well as the role of religion in terrorism, ethnic religious conflict, and humanitarian intervention. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours.

331. Theology and Social Theory.

An advanced seminar treating significant movements in political theology, selected from classical and contemporary sources. Theological examination of nationality, ethnicity, race, and other social distinctions will be examined in conjunction with particular political contexts, leading to a significant exercise in student research. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours.

332. Philosophy of Religion.

The nature of philosophy of religion; its methods, and the relation of its method and content to the modern philosophical tradition. An examination of the philosophical importance of religious sensibility for understanding the structures of person, being, and knowing. Identical with Philosophy 332. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours.

380. Independent Study in Religion.

385. Senior Seminar in Philosophy and Religion.

This capstone course for majors in religion requires students to engage some of the important methodological questions in doing research in religion. Each student will prepare a major research paper and present it to the departmental faculty during the final weeks of the semester. Three hours.

390. Special Topics in Religion.


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Religion 102. Introduction to Religion: Belief and Unbelief. An introduction to religious studies focusing on the religious meaning of being human in the modern world. The nature of religion, the diversity of religions, the nature of religious knowledge, and the significance of a religious orientation in modern society are examined. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours. 103. Religious and Philosophical Foundations of the West: I. A study of the religious ideals, passions, and movements which decisively shaped Western thought and life from antiquity to the late middle ages. The interplay between Greek and Biblical categories and ideas, the meaning, impact and continuing significance of the great religious controversies, and the profoundly religious character of western thought will be explored. Enduring themes, questions and ideas will be clarified. Cornerstone 1A. Three hours. HUMANITIES 101. Western Traditions. An interdisciplinary introduction to enduring ideas of the classical and Judeo-Christian traditions at the root of Western civilization. Through study of selected works of literature by Greek, Roman, Hebrew, early Christian, and Renaissance authors, students will explore issues surrounding citizenship, leadership, justice, honor, war death, and friendship. This course may be substituted for Hist 101, Eng 116 or Rel 103. Cornerstone 1A. Three hours. 104. Religious and Philosophical Foundations of the West: II. This course begins with an examination of the religious ideas and motivations of the Protestant Reformation. It will investigate the development of Western religious thought in interaction with the appearance of new forms of philosophy, the scientific revolution, social revolution and experiment, and the bewildering events and movements of the twentieth century. Cornerstone 1B. Three hours. 111. The Growth and Religion of the Old Testament. Introduction to the history, literature, and religion of the Old Testament with special emphasis upon understanding the Old Testament’s views of God, persons, and society as these have infl uenced the development of contemporary Western culture. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours. 112. Jesus. A study of the life of Jesus of Nazareth as the story is told in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Particular attention will be paid to the use of story in the parables of Jesus. The meaning of these stories and the story of the life of Jesus for modern life will be investigated. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours. 120. Introduction to World Religions. This course provides a basic introduction to several major world religions, including Buddhism, Hinduism, and Confucianism from the Eastern tradition and Judaism, Islam, and Christianity from the Western tradition. The course will acquaint students with foundational rituals, concepts and/ or literature of each tradition, and will introduce the comparative study of religion. Students will become aware of global religious movements as well as the diversity of religious traditions currently practiced within the United States. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours. 190. Special Topics in Religion. 217. Paul’s Interpretation of Jesus. This course will explore the writings of the Apostle Paul. Attention will be given to the categories he used, the traditions he drew upon, and the structure of the arguments in his monumental effort to think through the meaning of Jesus. How Paul’s teaching was understood later in the Christian tradition may be included as well. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours. 218. John’s Interpretation of Jesus. A study of the meaning of Jesus of Nazareth in the New Testament writings attributed to John. The course will focus on the Gospel According to John and read the letters of John as belonging to the same tradition. Later uses and interpretations of this Johannine tradition may also be explored. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours. 219. Employment Experience in Religion. 221. American Religion. A survey of the major figures, events, and ideas in American Religion from the Puritans to today, including the Great Awakening, black religion, the Social Gospel, Christian realism, Catholicism, and Judaism. Emphasis on how the American context infl uenced theological development and the ongoing relationship between church and state. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours. 222. Theologies of the Oppressed. An exploration of the ways theological traditions change in response to the experience of marginalized groups in American life. Through the study of black, feminist, gay, and liberation theologies, students will explore the importance of race, gender, sexual orientation, and class as moral and religious categories, coming to understand political marginalization as a theological category with unique relevance to specific communities. Cornerstone 6. Three Hours. 223. Contemporary Religious Thought. An analysis of the major developments in contemporary religious thought. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours. 225. Women and Religion in American Culture. An introduction to the life and thought of selected American religious women who have participated in the struggle for justice and equality in religious institutions and society at large. Readings will include history, biography, autobiography and contemporary feminist perspectives. Cornerstone 6. Three hours. 233. Islam. A survey of the major texts, figures, events, and ideas of religious life and practice in the Islamic tradition. Through the study of the Qur’an, Islamic history, ritual practices, law, and ethics, students will explore the impact of the tradition on the contemporary world. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours. 251. Introduction to Christian Ethics An exploration of the relationship between faith and practice in the Christian tradition, emphasizing the importance of Christian community and identity. Students will learn the basics of ethical theory in relationship to Christian sources and norms, as well as applications of theory to a number of social-ethical issues, such as poverty, racism, capital punishment, marriage, sexuality, and crime. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours. 260. Feminist Interpretation of the Bible. This course explores feminist interpretation of the Bible, both as a theoretical orientation and as a feminist interpretive lens pertains to selected texts of the Hebrew Bible and New Testament. Students will be exposed to the work of Jewish and Christian feminist scholars. The course introduces feminism as a hermeneutic for sacred texts, and also explores the history of textual interpretation from a feminist perspective. Most students enrolling in this course will want to have taken either Introduction to Women’s Studies or any introductory biblical studies course. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours. 261. Christian Ethics, Wealth and Property. An examination of basic economic themes drawing on biblical, classical, and modern theological resources. Students will explore the function of money in community, the moral dimensions of private property, and the relation of economic systems to theories of justice. Specific topics may include economics in the Torah and New Testament, the prophetic tradition, Aquinas, Luther, capitalism, Christian socialism, the Social Gospel, and American Evangelicalism. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours. 290. Special Topics in Religion. 301. Major Figures in Christian Ethics. An advanced examination of major figures in Christian moral theology, including Augustine, Aquinas, the Anabaptists, Luther, Calvin, Niebuhr, and Barth. Students will learn how the classical expressions of systematic theology relate to morality, with particular attention to moral psychology and sanctification. A broad overview of each fi gure in historical context will give way to specific treatments of marriage, sexuality, and political theory. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours. 310. The Growth and Development of Judaism. In this course students will investigate the development of Judaism and Jewish life from the intertestamental to the modern periods. Students will grapple with central themes and ideas, practices and movements. Both classical and contemporary texts will be employed in order to give students as full an understanding as possible of the rich, fertile and diverse reality of Judaism. Figures as different as Philo, Akiba, Saadia Gaon, Maimonides, the Baal Shem Tov, Spinoza, Theodor Herzl, Hermann Cohen, Abraham Heschel and Richard Rubenstein will be introduced. Time will also be spent examining Jewish life in America and the development of Jewish thought and life here. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours. 315. Readings in Modern Theology. This seminar course will provide an intensive study of the writings of only one or two modern theologians during a semester. Emphasis will be placed on developing the ability to follow complex arguments, identify key ideas and respond critically and in an informed way to theological writing. Each semester a different theologian or set of theologians will be under consideration. For example, one semester this seminar will deal with Schleiermacher and Barth; another semester it will study Tillich and Pannenberg; and yet another semester it will deal with Feuerbach and Barth, or perhaps Kierkegaard. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours. 319. Internship in Religion. 320. Ethics, Religion, and Conflict. An exploration of the role religion plays in social and political confl ict on the international stage. After an introduction to the traditions of holy war, just war, and pacifism, students will examine how political theories account for religion, as well as the role of religion in terrorism, ethnic religious conflict, and humanitarian intervention. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours. 331. Theology and Social Theory. An advanced seminar treating significant movements in political theology, selected from classical and contemporary sources. Theological examination of nationality, ethnicity, race, and other social distinctions will be examined in conjunction with particular political contexts, leading to a significant exercise in student research. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours. 332. Philosophy of Religion. The nature of philosophy of religion; its methods, and the relation of its method and content to the modern philosophical tradition. An examination of the philosophical importance of religious sensibility for understanding the structures of person, being, and knowing. Identical with Philosophy 332. Cornerstone 4A. Three hours. 380. Independent Study in Religion. 385. Senior Seminar in Philosophy and Religion. This capstone course for majors in religion requires students to engage some of the important methodological questions in doing research in religion. Each student will prepare a major research paper and present it to the departmental faculty during the final weeks of the semester. Three hours. 390. Special Topics in Religion.
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