Religious Studies Program

Director

Paul W. Wallace
Department of Classics

Faculty

Distinguished Service Professor

Ronald A. Bosco, Ph.D.
Department of English

Paul W. Wallace, Ph.D.
Department of Classics

Distinguished Teaching Professor

Gary H. Gossen, Ph.D.
Department of Anthropology

Professors Emeritae/i

Jerome Eckstein, Ph.D.
Department of Judaic Studies

Thomas R. Martland, Ph.D.
Department of Philosophy

Hans A. Pohlsander, Ph.D.
Department of Classics

Professors

Judith Baskin, Ph.D. (Collins Fellow)
Department of Judaic Studies

Donald Biggs, Ed.D.
Department of Counseling Psychology

Warren S. Ginsberg, Ph.D.
Department of English

Charles Hartman, Ph.D.
Department of East Asian Studies

John Monfasani, Ph.D.
Department of History

William L. Reese, Ph.D.
Department of Philosophy

Louis Roberts, Ph.D.
Department of Classics

Herman P. Salomon, D. Litt.
Department of French Studies

Associate Professors

Armand F. Baker, Ph.D.
Department of Hispanic and Italian Studies

Robert M. Garvin, Ph.D.
Department of Philosophy

Daniel Grossberg, Ph.D.
Department of Judaic Studies

K. Drew Hartzell, Ph.D.
Department of Music

Stanley J. Isser, Ph.D.
Department of Judaic Studies

George A. Levesque, Ph.D.
Department of Africana Studies

Roger W. Stump, Ph.D.
Department of Geography and Planning

Mary Beth Winn, Ph.D.
Department of French Studies

The Religious Studies Program is an interdisciplinary program reflecting a wide variety of academic interests and disciplines. Its purpose as a program is to produce a formal structure for the study of the religions of humankind.

"Religion" is that which is to be studied; "religious studies" is the composite program and/or the official title for the formal structure produced for the study of religion. Religious belief will not be necessary in order to take courses or to participate in the program.

Religion, one of the most basic of human concerns, has occupied a leading place in the thought and activities of all peoples from the earliest civilizations (as shown by archaeology), through early literate societies, (as seen in their religious texts), to the present, where religious beliefs and their consequences continue to shape the daily news.

Degree Requirements for a Faculty-Initiated Interdisciplinary Major with a Concentration in Religious Studies

General program B.A.: Religious Studies requires a minimum of 36 credits, at least 18 of which must be on the 300 and 400 level, distributed as follows:

  1. 15 credits from Breadth Courses, of which the following are required: A Rel 100L, A Phi 214, A Ant 363.

    Breadth Courses: A Aas 341; A Ant 175L; A Cas 222; A Clc 105L (or 105E); A Gog 102M (or 102G), 442Z; A His 235 (or 235Z), A His 387 (or 387Z), A His 388 (or 388Z); A Jst 150, 253; A Phi 116L, 311, 322, 342, 344, 346; A Rel 200L, 299, 397; A Soc 352.

  2. 18 credits from one of the Concentrations: Religious Creative Expressions (Art, Architecture, Music, Literature); Religion and Society; or Critical Issues of Religion.

    Courses for the Concentration in Religious Creative Expressions (Art, Architecture, Music, Literature): A Ant 268L; A Arh 170L, 171L, 331, 332, 341, 342Z, 374, 432, 442; A Eac 199; A Cla 207L, 207E, 208L, 307, 402, 460; A Clc 223L; A Eng 221 (or A Jst 242, or A Rel 221), 289, 348, 421, 432; A Heb 203, 390; A Ita 421; A Jst 230, 280, 281 (or 281Z), 330, 337; A Mus 205, 432Z; A Thr 221L.

    Courses for the Concentration in Religion and Society: A Ant 145, 243, 341M or (341G), 433; A Cas 160 (or 160Z); A Clc 402, 403, 407; A His 324, 338, 339, 348, 381, 383, 387, 388, 425A, 463; A Jst 221, 244, 248, 251, 252, 254, 341, 342, 343 (or 343Z), 344 (or 344Z); A Spn 313.

    Courses for the Concentration in Critical Issues in Religion: A Est 120; A Jst 291, 325, 335, 430; A Phy 201L or 201E; A Pos 358, 359; or A Ssw 220.

  3. Three credits from the senior seminar A Rel 499.

NOTE: Courses which conform to the intent and content of the program, but are not listed may be counted towards fulfilling the requirements upon approval of the program director. A rearrangement of courses into new concentrations may be possible upon the approval of the program director.

Students may also complete a minor in religious studies.

Courses

A Rel 100L Introduction to the Study of Religion (3)
Meets General Education: CHP, HA & HD
Exploration of the religious dimension of life, with an introduction to the theory and practice of religion, including such topics as myth, ritual, belief, reason, revelation, mysticism, religious organization, etc., and their relation to other personal, social and cultural aspects of human experience, past and present.

A Rel 103L (same as A Clg 103L) Introduction to New Testament Greek I (4)
Meets General Education: CHP & HA
Introduction to the fundamentals of the grammar and vocabulary of the New Testament. Readings in the gospel of John and the Book of Acts. No previous knowledge of Greek required. Only one of A Clg 103L & A Rel 103L may be taken for credit.

A Rel 104L (same as A Clg 104L) Introduction to New Testament Greek II (4)
Meets General Education: CHP & HA
Continuation of A Clg 103L. Only one of A Clg 104L & A Rel 104L may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A Clg 103L or permission of instructor.

A Rel 116L (same as A Phi 116L) World Views (3)
Meets General Education: CHP & HA
Examination of some of the major systems of assumptions and values humans have used in attempting to understand reality, the meaning of life, and their dealings with others. World views studied may vary from semester to semester. Examples are Greek, Judeo-Christian, Marxist and libertarian. Only one of A Phi 116L & A Rel 116L may be taken for credit.

A Rel 155 (same as A Jst 155) Judaism: Traditions and Practices (3)
Meets General Education: HD
Examines development of normative Jewish traditions and practices from rabbinic period to present. Major focus is Jewish religious groups and observances in contemporary United States. Topics include how different Jewish groups situate themselves in American society; Jewish calendar and life-cycle observances; impact of feminism; social action agendas; role of Israel.

A Rel 175L (same as A Ant 175L) Anthropology and Folklore (3)
Meets General Education: HA
Introduction to the study of folklore as an aspect of culture, symbolically expressing people's identity, beliefs and values. The focus is on oral text traditions-myths, folktales, and legends-topics in folk custom and ritual, folk music and folk art are also included. Includes folklore from Western and non- Western cultures. Offered fall semester only. Only one of A Ant 175L & A Rel 175L may be taken for credit.

A Rel 199 (same as A Eac 199) Introduction to the I-Ching (3)
The I-Ching, which is probably the oldest book in existence, is a repository of concepts basic to Chinese culture and its development of a uniquely Chinese world view. This course will focus on the central position of the I-Ching in Chinese intellectual and spiritual life and provide a system of knowledge whereby man can analyze the pattern of changes in life governed by the Immutable Law of Change. Only one of A Rel 199 & A Eac 199 may be taken for credit.

A Rel 200L Introduction to the Bible (3)
Meets General Education: HA This course is intended to introduce the student to the content, background, and nature of the writings which constitute the basis of Judeo-Christian culture. Modern methods of research (textual, archaeological) will be discussed, and class sessions will often be illustrated by slides of works of art (statuary, mosaic, painting) inspired by the Biblical narrative. May not be offered during 1998-99.

A Rel 203 (same as A Heb 203) Biblical Hebrew (3)
Methods and research tools of modern Bible study. Grammar and syntax of classical Hebrew for students familiar with modern Hebrew. Only one of A Rel 203 & A Heb 203 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A Heb 102.

A Rel 214 (same as A Phi 214) World Religions (3)
Meets General Education: CHP & HD
Survey of the major religions of the world, concentrating on those practices and beliefs that contribute to their value systems. Religions include Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Taoism. Only one of A Rel 214 & A Phi 214 may be taken for credit.

A Rel 221 (same as A Eng 221 & A Jst 242) Old Testament Literature (3)
Meets General Education: CHP
Various literary genres of the Old Testament and the culture from which they emerged. Some attention to parallel developments in other literatures and to the influence of the Old Testament on Western life and letters. Only one of A Eng 221, A Jst 242 & A Rel 221 may be taken for credit.

A Rel 252 (same as A Jst 252) Jews, Hellenism, and Early Christianity (3)
Meets General Education: CHP
History of the Jewish people from Alexander the Great to the decline of the ancient world. Topics include examination of cultural conflict in Judaea and the diaspora, confrontation with Greco-Roman Hellenism and early Christianity, sectarianism, and the beginnings of Rabbinic institutions. Only one of A Jst 252, 342, 342Z & A Rel 252 may be taken for credit.

A Rel 253 (same as A Jst 253) Medieval Jews Among Muslims and Christians (3)
Meets General Education: CHP
Studies Jewish history, life and culture in the contexts of the Muslim and Christian civilizations of the Middle Ages. Discusses differences among Jews, Muslims and Christians; emphasizes reactions to persecution, Jewish autonomy and social life as a minority group in a majority culture, and the development of Jewish law, literature, philosophy and mysticism. Only one of A Jst 253, 343, 343Z & A Rel 253 may be taken for credit.

A Rel 254 (same as A Jst 254) The Jews in the Modern World (3)
Meets General Education: CHP
A survey of modern Jewish history from 1700 to the present, emphasizing the Jewish encounter with modernity in both Western and Eastern Europe. Themes include the struggle for enlightenment and civil rights; religious reforms in Judaism, the Hasidic movement, reactions to anti-Semitism, Jewish nationalist and political movements, the Holocaust, events leading up to the founding of the State of Israel, and Jewish history in the United States. Includes readings from primary sources and fiction. Only one of A Jst 254, 344, 344Z & A Rel 254 may be taken for credit.

A Rel 270 (same as A Jst 270) Jewish-Christian Relations (3)
Meets General Education: HD
This course compares and contrasts the belief systems and historical contacts, both positive and negative, of Jews and Christians, from the origins of Christianity to the ecumenical movement in the contemporary United States. Only one of A Jst 270 & A Rel 270 may be taken for credit.

A Rel 275 (same as E Edu 275) Social Morality and Citizenship Education (3)
Meets General Education: CHP & HD
This course discusses the concepts of good and bad citizens that have given rise to disputes about citizenship and education for citizenship. It considers various historical, philosophical, and cultural perspectives on public virtues and the concept of the common good in the context of a pluralistic and democratic society. Only one of A Rel 275 & A Edu 275 may be taken for credit.

A Rel 280 (same as A Jst 280) The Torah (3)
General introduction to The Five Books of Moses (in English) considered against a background of religious, social and philosophical aspects. Studies the significance of the Torah in the development of Judaic civilization. Only one of A Jst 280 & A Rel 280 may be taken for credit.

A Rel 281 (same as A Jst 281) The Prophets (3)
Survey of the prophets in general (in English), emphasizing the moral and social role of the individual prophet and his impact upon Judaism and Western civilization. A Rel 281Z & A Jst 281Z are the writing intensive versions of A Jst 281 & A Rel 281; only one of the four courses may be taken for credit.

A Rel 281Z (same as A Jst 281Z) The Prophets (4)
Meets General Education: WI
A Rel 281Z & A Jst 281Z are the writing intensive versions of A Jst 281 & A Rel 281; only one of the four courses may be taken for credit.

A Rel 282 (same as A Jst 282) Late Biblical Literature (3)
Examination of books in the "Ketuvim" (Writings) section of the Hebrew Bible and some works of the Apocrypha (in English). Topics include stories (Ruth, Judith) poetry (Psalms Song of Songs) wisdom (Job, Ecclesiastes) historiography (Chronicles) and apocalyptic (Daniel, II Esdras) and how these works develop themes from earlier biblical literature. Only one of A Rel 282 & A Jst 282 may be taken for credit.

A Rel 291 (same as A Jst 291) Messiah and Messianism in Judaism and Christianity (3)
Meets General Education: CHP
Origins of Jewish and Christian messianism in the Old and New Testaments and related literature. Topics include the projection of a society's ultimate values, and the tension caused by the actual attempts to realize those values; i.e., to achieve salvation through messianic movements. Only one of A Jst 291 & A Rel 291 may be taken for credit.

A Rel 297L Religion and Society in History (same as A His 297L) (3)
Meets General Education: HA
This course will focus on the role religion has played in societies from antiquity to the present. Our examination will include the anointed kings of ancient Israel, the idealized unity of emperor and patriarch in Byzantium, the universal claims of the Holy Roman Empire, the role of the prophet in Islam, the divinity of the Emperor in China and Japan, the conception of the monarchy in Western and Eastern Europe, the anti-religious rhetoric of European revolutions, the separation of church and state in contemporary secular societies, the current revival of fundamentalism, and the persistence of wards based on religion. Architecture, music, iconography, and rituals will be examined for the information they provide.

A Rel 297E Religion and Society in History (4) (same as A His 297E)
Meets General Education: HA & WI
A Rel 297E is the writing intensive version of A Rel 297L; only one may be taken for credit.

A Rel 299 Topics in Religious Studies (1-4)
Study of a selected topic in religious studies. May be taken more than once with different content. Consult fall and spring schedule of classes for specific topics.

A Rel 322 (same as A Phi 322) Philosophy of Religion (3)
Philosophical analysis of selected religious concepts and programs, based upon the writings of representative philosophers and theologians. Focuses on Judeo-Christian tradition. Only one of A Rel 322 & A Phi 322 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): a 100- or 200-level course in philosophy.

A Rel 335 (same as A Jst 335) The Holocaust in Christian and Jewish Theology (3)
The Christian and Jewish theological and philosophic response to the genocide committed by the Nazis. Christian theologians deal with Christianity's role in the Holocaust, and Jewish theologians examine the problem of God's justice. Examines the works of Flannery, Eckhardt, Littell, Rubenstein, Fackenheim and Berkovits. Only one of A Jst 335 & A Rel 335 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A Jst 150 or a course in philosophy.

A Rel 342 (same as A Phi 342) Indian Philosophies (3)
Introduction to Indian philosophies from pre-Vedic India to contemporary thought. Only one of A Rel 342 & A Phi 342 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A Phi 214 or A His 176 or A His 177 (or 177Z), or junior or senior class standing.

A Rel 344 (same as A Eac 344 & A Phi 344) Chinese Philosophies (3)
Introduction to Chinese philosophies from the Chou period to contemporary thought. Only one of A Phi 344, A Eac 344 & A Rel 344 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A Phi 214 or A Eac 170 or A His 176 or A His 177 (or 177Z); or junior or senior class standing.

A Rel 346 (same as A Phi 346) Japanese Religions and Philosophies (3)
Introduction to Japanese philosophies and religions from the pre-Buddhist period to contemporary Japan. Only one of A Rel 346 & A Phi 346 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A Phi 214 or A His 176 or A His 177 (or 177Z), or junior or senior class standing.

A Rel 363 (same as A Ant 363) Ethnology of Religion (3)
Examination of the form and functions of ritual systems as related to myth and world view on a cross-cultural basis. Emphasizes the religions of nonliterate and peasant peoples. Only one of A Ant 363 & A Rel 363 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A Ant 100 or 108M or 108G, or A Phi 214. Offered spring semester.

A Rel 390 (same as A Heb 390) Readings in Biblical Literature (3)
Studies in a selected biblical book or genre emphasizing the tools and concerns of current biblical research as applied to both classical (traditional) and modern commentaries. The course may be taken more than once if different topics are examined. Prerequisite(s): second-year Hebrew competence, A Heb 203, or permission of instructor.

A Rel 391 (same as A Heb 391) Wisdom Literature in the Bible (3)
A study of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes as representatives of Biblical Wisdom literature. The literary form, cultural tradition and world outlook of these wisdom books will be examined. Course is conducted in Hebrew. Only one of A Rel 391 & A Heb 391 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): third-year Hebrew competence, A Heb 203, or permission of instructor.

A Rel 392 (same as A Heb 392) Love Poetry in the Bible (3)
A study of the Song of Songs. The place of this erotic literature in the Hebrew Bible and the puzzling literary form of the work will be examined. Course in conducted in Hebrew. Only one of A Rel 392 & A Heb 392 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): third-year Hebrew competence, A Heb 203, or permission of instructor.

A Rel 397 Independent Study of Religious Studies (1-4)
Independent reading and research on selected topics under the direction of a faculty member. May be repeated for credit when topics differ. Prerequisite(s): junior or senior class standing, permission of faculty member, and approval of program director.

A Rel 402 (same as A Clc 402) Greek and Roman Religion (3)
Survey of Greek and Roman religions at large followed by a detailed examination of the so-called mystery religions. Interdisciplinary in nature, it employs not only religious but also philosophical, especially ethical, literary, historical and archaeological materials. Only one of A Rel 402 & A Clc 402 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): junior or senior class standing and some background in either classical or religious studies. May not be offered during 1998-99.

A Rel 403 (same as A Clc 403) Roman Civilization and Christianity (3)
Roman civilization in the late Empire; the relation between pagan and Christian culture based on a study of literary and archaeological sources. Only one of A Rel 403 & A Clc 403 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A Clc 134 or A His 235 or 235Z. May not be offered during 1998-99.

A Rel 499 Senior Seminar in Religious Studies (3)
Seminar on selected topics in religious studies. Preparation of a paper under the direction of a faculty member. Open to seniors with permission of director.


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