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MINOR IN CATHOLIC STUDIES
The minor in Catholic studies is open to students who wish either to increase their knowledge of Catholicism, or to deepen their understanding of the same. Although the religious studies department is the primary sponsoring department for the program, the departments of history and philosophy also offer courses that can fulfill some of the requirements of the minor. In order to complete the minor, the student must take:
Rel 200 Religious Perspectives
Rel 375 Understanding Catholicism
Four other courses selected in consultation with the student's adviser from among those courses appearing in the catalog which are pertinent to the topic.
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Courses
REL 200. Religious Perspectives on the Human Situation (3).
An introduction to religion as a dimension of human experience which affects all aspects of life. Students will be introduced to the basic concepts and methods necessary for the study of religion and will be exposed to the basic modes of religious experience and expression as found in the world's religions. Special emphasis will be placed on the Jewish and Christian religious traditions. Not open to students who have taken the course formerly known as REL 100. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or permission of the chair.
All 300-level courses require junior standing.
REL 300. Religion and Healing (3).
This study of healing in several religious traditions first of all introduces students to the study of religion. Then it guides them in exploring the plurality of healing cultures represented by both patients and practitioners. Students discuss the understandings which religions and healing systems have of the human condition, of health, and of acceptable ways of restoring health. They explore how religious commitments and practices both facilitate and inhibit processes of healing. The course is designed to make students more aware of faith positions, both explicit and implicit, which medical practitioners and patients bring to healing interactions. Exclusively for students in the Physician Assistant Program.
INTERPRETATION OF RELIGIOUS TEXTS
REL 301. Literature of Ancient Israel (3).
A general introduction to the literature of the Hebrew Bible (the Christian Old Testament). The course will consider different approaches to this material, such as historical criticism, rhetorical analysis, etc. Students will also explore the history of biblical Israel within the context of the ancient Near East. Selections of the Torah (Pentateuch), the prophets and the writings will be studied. Prerequisite: REL 200 and senior standing.
REL 302. The Torah of the Hebrew Bible (3).
An in-depth examination of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible (the Pentateuch). The course will explore the historical horizons of the material, how the present text came to be, the question of theme and the narrative integrity of the material. It will also consider such categories as creation, promise, liberation/redemption, covenant, law, history and images of God and of Israel in relation to a close reading of the text. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 303. The Prophets of Israel (3).
This course concerns the prophetic writings of the Hebrew Bible. The class will study the phenomenon of prophecy in the ancient Near East in general and in biblical Israel in particular. Using the work of anthropologists and social scientists, the class will also consider briefly prophecy in contemporary tribal societies in order to understand the role of prophecy in Israelite society. The class will meet the prophetic books on their own terms, as the works of theologians and thinkers, influenced by their social contexts, with specific notions about God, history, the future, and the role of human choice and behavior in shaping national and personal destiny. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 304. Wives and Wealth, Sex and Suffering: Themes in Wisdom Literature (3).
This course will study wisdom literature of the Hebrew Bible (selected Psalms, Job, Qoheleth, Song of Songs, selections in Proverbs) as well as selections from the deutero canonical material (Wisdom of Solomon and Ben Sira). The material will be analyzed according to such themes as: the role of Torah as divine instruction or guidance, the possibility of humanity knowing or understanding the divine plan, the relationship between men and women, the images of women, social responsibility, attitudes toward poverty and wealth; hope and cynicism. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 305. Historical Narratives in the Hebrew Bible and the Deuterocanonical Books (3).
Students will study selections from the books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings; Chronicles; Maccabees; Ruth; Judith; Tobit; Esther. The course will explore the theological function of these books and the extent to which they can be used to reconstruct the history of ancient (Biblical) Israel. It will also examine current views about historiography in Israel in particular and in the ancient Near East in general. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 308. Biblical Narrative and Biblical Poetry: The Art of Reading (3).
This course will explore the art of biblical narrative and poetry by means of a close reading of the text. Students will develop expertise in rhetorical analysis through attention to such literary devices as word play, characterization and character development, ambiguity, irony, plot development, ellipsis, dialogue and silence within the text. The emphasis will be on uncovering the multiple interpretive possibilities available to the careful reader. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 309. Introduction to the New Testament (3).
An introduction to the literature of the New Testament in the context of the history and religion of its times. After an overview of Hellenistic Judaism and the larger Greco-Roman world, the focus will be on the New Testament documents themselves: their history, literary structure and features, their theological stances, and the insight they may give into early Christian communities. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 310. Synoptic Gospels (3).
An in-depth examination of Matthew, Mark and Luke. This course will examine what is common to the first three Gospels, including, but not limited to, parables, healing stories, controversy stories, and accounts of the passion and resurrection. Questions of methodology and background will be treated as necessary. The emphasis will then shift to close readings of each Gospel in order to gain an appreciation for the distinctive theology and literary structure of the three. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 311. The Johannine Literature (3).
An in-depth examination of the fourth Gospel and Johannine epistles. The distinctive Johannine theology will be assessed, with some attention to the differences (literary and theological) between John and the synoptic Gospels. The course will also discuss theories of the history of the Johannine community, with consideration for how the community's situation may have affected its theology. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 312. The Apostle Paul and His Epistles (3).
The course has two main purposes: (1) to answer the question, "What gospel does Paul preach?"-that is, to come to an understanding of Paul's rich theology; and (2) to learn, through the epistles, more about the milieu in which Paul worked: the social conditions, competing theological movements within early Christianity, issues of community life. As time permits, the course may also include an overview of the images of Paul preserved by other writings such as Acts of the Apostles and the deutero-Pauline letters. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 313. Oral Tradition and Religion (3).
An analysis of selected texts which have been transmitted orally through storytelling and association with ritual. Students will discuss the relationship of texts to cultural and religious traditions and explore the interpretations they offer of the human situation. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 315 (ANT 315). Temples, Shrines, and Tells: Ancient Near Eastern Archaeology (3).
Archaeology opens one window on the past. With its data we can create a theoretical reconstruction of life in antiquity: city size and design; types of economy; agricultural methods; industrial and military technologies; cult centers and artifacts. This particular course focuses on the archaeology of Syro-Palestine, especially on Jordan and Israel. It features a practical overview of an archaeological excavation set in the Middle East, from field work and record keeping to preservation of artifacts and analysis of data. It provides an overview of historical and cultural developments in the Middle East from the Paleolithic to Late Islamic periods. It also develops the skills to interpret and evaluate critically a variety of archaeological publications and data. Prerequisite for Religious Studies credit: REL 200.
REL 460-465. Topics in the Interpretation of Religious Texts (3).
These courses provide an opportunity for advanced study in the area of interpretation of religious texts. The specific content of the courses and the approach taken will vary according to faculty expertise. Various topics will be offered as student interest and faculty availability permit.
REL 466. Reading the Text: A Survey of Methodologies (3).
A study of current traditional and non-traditional methodological approaches to the biblical text: e.g., the historical-critical method (source criticism, form criticism, traditional criticism, redactio criticism); sociological and anthropological approaches; rhetorical criticism; structuralism;
reader response criticism; liberationist approaches; the feminist critique. The various approaches will be critiqued and their hermeneutic presuppositions discussed. Prerequisite: REL 200 and one other course in the Hebrew Bible or the New Testament or approval of the instructor.
REL 467. Luke-Acts (3).
A close reading of this major New Testament work. Introductory questions to be answered include: the relation of Luke to the other synoptic Gospels, the "reliability" of the history in Acts, the genre of the writing and its place within Jewish, Christian and other Greco-Roman literature. The course will then turn to a thematic investigation of the writing, including such topics as wealth and poverty, the Spirit, the role of women, healing and fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. Prerequisite: REL 200 and a 300-level course in religion. Offered primarily to majors.
RELIGION AND CULTURE
REL 317. Catholicism Confronts Current Issues (3).
This course will attempt to chart the complex process by which Catholicism became free from the traditional fear of modernity and articulated a program for apostolic insertion into the modern world. Special emphasis will be placed on a comparative study of the ecclesiologies of Trent, Vatican I and Vatican II. In addition, such topics as liturgical renewal, sexual morality and Roman Catholic social ethics will be examined. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 320. Women and Religion (3).
In view of the rapidly changing self-concepts and roles of women, both in the churches and in society as well as the discussion about the nature of our images of God and our use of God language, this course explores some of the implications of these changes for modern women and men. Historical, archetypal and contemporary material is used in a seminar format. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 321 (ANT 311). Local Religions of Native America, Africa, Oceania (3).
Religions function within particular geographical and cultural settings. That is, they have a local aspect. While some religions, those referred to as "world religions," have extended beyond their original locations, others have maintained a primarily local orientation. Among these are religions of Aboriginal Australia, Melanesia, Black Africa and Native America which will be studied in this course. Although the traditions are very different from each other, they are grouped together because of their strong identification with their local cultures. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 322. Ritual Performance (3).
An analysis of ritual performance in a number of religious traditions. Attention will be given to the orchestration of symbols and to the location of rituals within religio-cultural contexts. Each student will be expected to analyze a ritual in which he or she has participated and another which will be presented via documentary film in the course. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 323 (ANT 312). Native American Religions (3).
A study of selected Native American traditions from historical and comparative perspectives. Particular attention will be given to the Iroquois and will include discussion of Iroquois-Christian interaction. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 346. Religion and Life Stories (3).
One way in which humans carry out their quest for meaning in life is by attending to the lives of others. Such a quest involves the religious dimensions (broadly understood) of human existence. This course investigates such a quest for meaning in the life stories of significant individuals in history. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 347. Christian Life and Symbol (3).
This course will explore various components of Christian life as it is contemporaneously experienced and symbolized. To achieve this, the topics of religious experience, faith, belief and conversion will be treated in the context of various modes of symbolization: scripture, sacrament and liturgy, doctrine and literature. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 348. The Spiritual Journey (3).
This course will investigate the various ways in which men and women experience and relate to the spiritual dimension of human existence. It will examine a variety of spiritualities: western, eastern, theistic, non-theistic, Native American, African-American, feminist. The historical development of spiritual traditions, as well as their sociological and psychological aspects will be considered. Students will have the opportunity to practice such techniques as meditation and journal keeping. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 349. Religion in Contemporary Films (3).
This core course is a writing-intensive critical analysis of contemporary European and American films from the perspective of concerns and questions associated with a critical study of religion: freedom, violence, gender and sexuality, grace, eros, reconciliation, sacrifice, the other, redemption. Visual texts or films for the course include, but are not limited to, Amadeus, Kundun, Little Buddah, Smoke Signals, Unforgiven, Aliens, Babette's Feast, and Breaking the Waves. Course readings are (1) primary religious texts from indigenous traditions, Asian religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; and (2) film criticism incorporating feminist, literary, biblical, and theological methodologies. Class style: short lectures, guided discussion (led by students and instructor), screening of films. There are weekly papers or electronic postings, a course project, and short presentation on that project. Fulfills REL 300 core requirement. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 360 (ANT 360). Anthropology Examines Traditional Religions: Witchcraft, Oracles, and Magic (3).
See course description for ANT 360.
REL 470-475. Topics in Religion and Culture (3).
These courses provide an opportunity for advanced study in the area of religion and culture. The specific content and approach taken will vary according to faculty expertise. Topics included, for example, might be religion and literature, religion and science, religion and psychology, religion and sociology/anthropology. Various topics will be offered on an irregular basis as student interest and faculty availability permit.
RELIGIOUS ETHICS
REL 331. Introduction to Religious Ethics (3).
An introduction to significant approaches to religious ethics and the study of particular personal and social problems from religious perspectives. Examples of topics included might be marriage, abortion, homosexuality, nuclear warfare and world hunger. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 332. Catholic Social Teaching (3).
This course aims to help students clarify their unexpressed values as a step toward developing a value system. It seeks to develop habits of re-examining the student's purposes, aspirations, attitudes and feelings to find an intelligent relationship between his or her life and the world. The course begins with a consideration of the viability of Christian ethics as applied to the personal and social aspects of life. It evaluates the value presuppositions of both students and leaders and applies these values to case studies.
REL 336. Comparative Religious Ethics and Social Concerns (3).
The course is a study in comparative religious ethics. The course will guide students through the ethical perspectives that eastern, western, and indigenous religious traditions have developed on four social issues facing our world: the construction of sexuality and gender, social justice, violence and the environment. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 337. Christian Social Ethics (3).
This course offers an approach to contemporary social issues and underscores the importance of the Christian ethical dimension in these issues and in character formation. Students will be introduced to the methods and resources for ethical analysis and decision making. Issues addressed will include the family, liberation, violence, non-violence, the environment, sexuality, the economy, life and death and medicine. Prerequisites: REL 200.
REL 420-429. Topics in Religious Ethics (3).
These courses provide an opportunity for advanced study in the area of religious ethics. The specific content and approach taken will vary according to faculty expertise. Topics included, for example, would be methods in religious ethics, specific problems in personal and social ethics, and comparative studies in religious ethics. Various topics will be offered on an irregular basis as student interest and faculty availability permit.
HISTORY OF RELIGION
REL 361 (HST 340). The Church in History (3).
See description of HST 240.
REL 362. The Development of Jewish Thought (3).
The general purpose of this course is to provide a historical survey of Jewish religious thought from its biblical origins through the post-biblical era to the present. An overview of the major ideas that influenced Jewish history is followed by an analysis of the outstanding theological concepts. Consideration is given to the life cycle that affects Jewish personal existence. This course also indicates the ethical and moral precepts that characterize Judaism throughout the ages. Course sponsored by the Jewish Chautauqua Society. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 363. Religions of Asia (3).
The practices, beliefs and history of Hinduism, Buddhism (including Japanese developments) and Taoism will be examined in this course. Particular attention will be given to the relationship of each tradition to its cultural context in the course of history and to problems confronting each tradition in the modern world. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 364. Religion in America (3).
From a religious point of view, major historians have described America variously as a righteous empire, a lively experiment in pluralism and a nation with the soul of a church. As these descriptions, taken together hint, American religious history is colored by the existence of three distinct and often conflicting forces: evangelical piety, a political pluralism and a distinctive form of civil religion. This course will attempt to trace and to celebrate the enduring vitality of each of these forces throughout the history of the republic and to make the student aware of the tensions which have arisen and which continue to arise as a result of the divided pedigree of American religion. Topics to be covered will include the New England way, immigration and nativism, Manifest Destiny, and the rise of indigenous American religious communities. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 365. Islam (3).
This course will study the life and personality of the Prophet Muhammad, the form and doctrines of the Qur'an, the growth of tradition and the development of Islamic law. Special attention will be given to Sufism, the mystical current in Islam, its teachings, practices, major figures, and the impact of the Sufi Orders on the spread of Islam. The course will examine various expressions of Muslim piety, particularly as reflected in art and poetry. Finally, the course will consider the pre-modernist reform movements and modern developments, especially the rise of fundamentalism. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 366. Reformation and Reformations (3).
This course will introduce the student to the four major strains of 16th century Reformation thought and activity: Magisterial, English, Radical and Catholic. Special emphasis will be placed on studies of Luther, Calvin, The Brotherhood of Puritan Preachers and the early history of the Society of Jesus. In addition, the course will examine some of the ways in which the legacy of the Reformation continues to influence Western Christianity and Western political and social life. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 367. American Catholicism: The History of Multiple Loyalties (3).
This course will introduce the student to the history of American Catholicism from colonial days to the present. Special emphasis will be placed upon a consideration of the problems which the church faced as it tried simultaneously to be American enough to please a frequently skeptical and sometimes hostile American culture; conspicuously Catholic enough to please Rome and Catholic enough in the forms of piety and governance to please the diverse ethnic groups that comprised its membership. Topics covered will include Catholic patriotism, Americanization, the Americanist crisis, Nativism and American Catholic intellectual life. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 372. Judaism in the Second Temple Period (3).
An investigation of a critical period in Jewish history. The approach will be primarily historical, emphasizing the period between Maccabean times and the fall of the Second Temple, as well as reactions to the loss of the Temple through the Bar Kockba revolt. Within the historical framework, a number of topics will receive special attention: the growth of the wisdom tradition, the emergence of apocalyptic, Judaism in the diaspora, the literature and history of Qumran, Jewish sects, messianic hopes and movements, the emergence of Christianity and the beginnings of the rabbinic movement.
Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 374 (HST 373). African-American Religions (3).
See course description for HST 373.
REL 441. Ethnic Religion in America (3).
This course will attempt to trace the various roles which the churches have played both in sustaining and in suppressing the ethnic character of America's various cultural groups. In the course of the term, the student will be exposed to the 19th century outbursts of nativism, the development of an accommodationist Americanizing school of thought, the growth of black churches, the post-world wars' phenomenon of assimilation and the rehabilitation of ethnicity in the 1970s.
Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 445-449. Topics in the History of Religion (3).
These courses provide an opportunity for advanced study in the area of the history of religion. The specific content and approach taken will vary according to faculty expertise. Topics included, for example, would be method in the history of religion, the history of religious thought and institutions in various periods and cultures. Various topics will be offered on an irregular basis as student interest and faculty availability permit.
RELIGIOUS THOUGHT
REL 368. Religious Thought and Culture in Latin America (3).
This course offers a thematic examination of religious thought and culture in Latin America from the time of conquest to the present. From the perspective of cultural studies, this course explores the pervasive influence of religion in the formation of Latin America identity, culture, politics, and material history. Particular attention will be given to the diversity and syncretization of religious traditions, as well as to the continuing importance and influence of pre-conquest religious ideas, values, and traditions. Topics considered include: colonialism and missionary history; influence and effects of Spanish and African religious traditions; religion and intellectual life; political movements and the theologies of liberation; relationship; relationship to U.S. Latino religious identity and traditions. Prerequisite: Rel 200.
REL 375. Understanding Catholicism (3).
This course will introduce the student to contemporary understandings of Catholicism. The development of the church's tradition will be traced from its foundations in Scripture and the Councils of the Church to the present day. Topics to be covered include Christology, ecclesiology, morality and sacramental theology. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 376. The Theological Venture (3).
The purpose of this course is threefold: to introduce the student to various traditional and contemporary understandings of the theological task, to show how theology is undertaken by theologians representing a variety of historical and anthropological periods, and to assist students in developing their personal skill in theologizing. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 378. Jesus Christ Through History (3).
From the time of the historical Jesus until the present, the figure of Jesus has undergone significant changes in interpretation. This course will trace these changes and assess the reasons for them. The course will also allow students to assess contemporary interpretations of Jesus. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 380. Christian Theologies of the Third World (3).
This course studies Christian theologies developed in Africa, Asia and Latin America. There will be consideration of problems such as the inculturation of Christianity, revolution and violence, and the national security state. A variety of viewpoints are treated, ranging from official church teachings to their radical critiques by contemporary Third World theologians.
REL 382. Buddhism and Catholicism in Dialogue (3).
This course will enter into the contemporary dialogue between Catholicism and Buddhism, exploring both the fundamental differences and the possible affinities between them. In addition to becoming acquainted with another major world religion, students will be presented with fresh perspectives for approaching Catholicism's own rich heritage of mysticism, monasticism and social service. Students will pursue comparative study of such topics as the relation between religious language and experience, concepts of the self and ultimate reality, the causes of and remedies for human suffering, and the meaning of spirituality as an engagement with the world, not a flight from it. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 383 (PHL 335). Philosophies of
Judaism (3).
See course description for PHL 335.
REL 384. Mystery and Symbol: The Christian Creed (3).
An exploration and critique of the beliefs of Christianity through an examination of its expression in the ancient creeds of the Church. The course will relate the Nicene Creed common to nearly all Christians to its roots in the Bible and then develop a commentary of the contents of the Creed from a contemporary perspective. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 385-389. Special Topics in Religion (3).
This course provides the opportunity to teach a course one time only. This provides professors and students the opportunity to explore a course of mutual interest. Prerequisite: REL 200.
SPECIAL STUDY
REL 390-394. Independent Study.
A student who wishes to pursue independent study for academic credit must submit, prior to registration, a proposed plan of study that includes the topic to be studied, the goal to be achieved, the methodology to be followed, the schedule of supervision, the end product, the evaluation procedure and the number of credits sought. All proposals must be approved by the supervising faculty member, the department chair and the academic dean. They will be kept on file in the academic dean's office. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 395-399. Student-Initiated Course in Religious Studies (3).
The department of religious studies recognizes that students often have interests that are not covered in the scheduled course offerings. REL 395-399 provides a structure by which a group of students may petition the department to offer a course in a subject matter of particular interest to the students. The following conditions must be met in order for such a course to be offered: (1) A group of at least 10 students must agree on an area of inquiry and submit formal petition to the chair of the department; (2) the petition normally must be filed with the chair by Oct. 15 for a spring semester course and by March 1 for a fall semester course; (3) necessary resources among faculty and library must be available; and (4) the petition must be reviewed and approved by the curriculum committee of the department of religious studies. Prerequisite: REL 200.
Senior Studies
REL 400-419. Senior Seminars in Religious Studies (3).
These courses are designed to investigate the presuppositions, structures and images that underlie the human attempt to understand basic religious issues. Through various unifying foci (such as the question of God, theory and praxis, faith and justice, etc.), students will be enabled to come to a reflective understanding of their own religious assumptions and values in the context of their previous years of study. The courses will have a seminar format, with an emphasis on student discussion and active integration of material through class presentations and written work.
REL 401. Corporate Responsibility (3).
Corporations (public and private) play important roles in the lives and livelihoods of individuals; in fact, they seem to envelope, if not replace, persons as the loci of power and responsibility. Corporate Responsibility is an integrative and interdisciplinary senior capstone course which deals with the critical social and moral questions that such an economic life raises. Through a combination of case studies, lectures and student group projects, the course will underscore the importance of the religious ethical traditions, especially the Christian, in the struggle to understand whether "economic decisions have human consequences and moral content." Open to students from all major disciplines. Senior core seminar. Prerequisites: REL 200 a REL 300-level course, and senior standing.
REL 405. Ethics from the Perspective of the Oppressed (3).
This senior seminar will study ethics from the perspective of social groups in American society whose voices have too often been muted because of oppression and marginalization. Those groups include the poor, women, people of color (African-American, Native American, and Latino) and gays/lesbians. The focus will be to allow these groups to voice the nature of their oppression (its causes and extent), to challenge the inadequacies of traditional morality and to identify the moral resources to promote social change. Prerequisites: REL 200 a REL 300-level course, and senior standing.
REL 411. Public Religion and the Social Order: Christian
Strategies (3).
This seminar will study the religious dimensions of secular, social behavior by uncovering the experiences of ultimacy or sacrality in political, economic and social institutions, myths and behavior. During the semester, students will investigate a variety of models which Christians have used historically both to interpret and to interact with the secular political order. Senior core seminar. Prerequisites: REL 200 a REL 300-level course, and senior standing.
REL 412 (WMS 416). Religion, Sex and Gender (3).
This seminar will study the religious understandings of sex and sexuality, and the role which religion plays in establishing and reinforcing gender roles. Students will explore the attitudes toward sex and sexuality found in religious art, music and literature. The course will treat the dualisms which prevail in all cultures and academic disciplines that assign different tasks and qualities to men and women. Students will also discuss the gender expectations of different religious traditions to assess the impact that such expectations have on the pursuit of knowledge. Senior core seminar. Prerequisites: REL 200 a REL 300-level course, and senior standing.
REL 413. Religion and Imagination (3).
In this seminar, students will be asked to examine patterns of symbols in literature, in the visual and performing arts, including religious myths, texts, and rituals. The purpose of this study will be to appreciate the role of the imagination in the creation and interpretation of various cultural expressions. The seminar will also discuss the limitations which post-Enlightenment efforts at demystification impose on understanding the human condition. Senior core seminar. Prerequisites: REL 200 a REL 300-level course, and senior standing.
REL 414. Christian Theology in a Post-Modern Age (3).
In this seminar, students will be asked to explore the mutual influence of theology and culture. Post-modernity critiques the Enlightenment mentality, but there are several strands of such criticism, some congenial to theology, others that are not. Within this context, attention will be paid to postmodern expressions of culture in art, literature and philosophy; the questions raised for and by theology; and the responses of various theologies to these questions. Senior core seminar. Prerequisites: REL 200 a REL 300-level course, and senior standing.
REL 416. Gender, Politics and Religion in the Ancient Near East (3).
During this seminar, students will read religious, literary, and historical texts and study some of the material artifacts (e.g., architecture, art and pottery) produced by the cultures of Mesopotamia and Syria-Palestine in an effort to uncover how these cultures represented masculinity and femininity; how they involved women in their religious, political and economic activities and how they valued that involvement; how political structures, conceptions of the divine world, and religious practices were related. Senior core seminar. Prerequisites: REL 200 a REL 300-level course, and senior standing.
REL 417. Women and Religion in the Greco-Roman World (3).
An investigation of women in the religious sphere of the Greco-Roman world. Topics include a general discussion of women's functions in antiquity, women's roles in various religious communities, religious attitudes toward women, gender and deities. Although a variety of cults will be discussed, the primary focus of the course will be on women within early Jewish and Christian communities. The course will rely largely on readings from primary sources, including deutero-canonical and New Testament texts. Senior core seminar. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 418. Christianity and Slavery (3).
The seminar will address the relationship between slavery and Christianity in two distinctive historical eras: the Mediterranean world antiquity and nineteenth century United States. Of particular interest will be how slave holding Christians in both periods managed to espouse a theology of freedom. As an additional seminar to satisfy fourth year core requirements, this course will enhance study of diversity in the core curriculum with its emphasis on early African-American church traditions.
REL 419. History of the Study of Religion (3).
A survey of the development of the modern study of religion, of the approaches which it has taken, and the issues which it has addressed. Attention will be given to the definition of the field of study, to the work of significant figures, to the relationship of religious studies to other disciplines, and to problems of cross-cultural interpretation. Prerequisites: REL 200, a REL 300-level course in religious studies, and senior standing.
REL 451. Contemporary Topics in Theology (3).
This course examines traditional themes of theology such as revelation, sin, grace, redemption and ecclesiology from the viewpoints of several theologians of the 20th century, including Barth, Tillich, Schillebeeck, Rahner and Lonergan. The course will show how historical circumstances cause the importance of some themes to be emphasized over others and how the continuing development of theological methods results in the ongoing interpretation of these traditional themes. Prerequisite: REL 200.
REL 455-459. Topics in Religious Thought (3).
These courses provide an opportunity for advanced study in the area of religious thought. The specific content and approach taken will vary according to faculty expertise. Topics included, for example, would be specific problems in contemporary religious thought, individual religious thinkers, doctrines and method in religious thought. Various topics will be offered on an irregular basis as student interest and faculty availability permit.
REL 490-499. Research.
An upper-class student who wishes to undertake a research project for academic credit during a given semester must submit a research proposal prior to registration and a research report at the end of the semester. The proposal should specify the number of credits sought. All proposals must be approved by the research director, the department chair and the academic dean. They will be kept on file in the academic dean's office. Prerequisite: REL 200. May be used to fulfill the second religious studies course required by the core curriculum.
