| Course No |
Title |
| REL*101 |
Intro to the Bible |
| |
A study of the
contents, historical contexts, themes,
development, and transmission of the Hebrew Bible
(Old Testament) and New Testament. |
| REL*104 |
Questions of Christianity |
| |
Who is God? How is Jesus the Christ?
What is sin? Where did we come from? This course
examines questions like these to introduce
students to foundational concepts of Christian
faith and their development in the life of the
Church. |
| REL*141 |
Introduction to Classical
Hebrew (A) |
| |
A thorough and
rigorous introduction to biblical Hebrew, with
emphasis on grammar, syntax and vocabulary, in
preparation for translation of biblical prose.
Readings in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament begin
in the first semester and increase in complexity
throughout the year. |
| REL*142 |
Introduction to Classical
Hebrew (B) |
| |
A continuation of
Rel 141, with emphasis on reading more complex
materials, such as poetry. Prerequisite: Rel 141. |
| REL*151 |
Introduction to Biblical
Greek (A) |
| |
A thorough and
rigorous introduction to biblical Greek, with
emphasis on grammar, syntax and vocabulary, in
preparation for translation of biblical prose.
Readings in the New Testament begin in the first
semester and increase in complexity throughout
the year |
| REL*152 |
Introduction to Biblical
Greek (B) |
| |
A continuation of
Rel 151, with emphasis on reading more complex
materials, including Greek documents outside the
New Testament. Prerequisite: Rel 151. |
| REL*203 |
The Christian Tradition |
| |
This course
introduces students to central developments in
the history of the Christian tradition by
examining primary texts in the Christian
intellectual tradition. These include texts from
the bible, early Christianity, the Reformation,
the Enlightenment, contemporary theology, and
other relevant eras. Prerequisite: Questions of
Christianity (REL 104), or Introduction to the
Bible (REL 101). |
| REL*205 |
Hebrew Bible |
| |
A historical introduction to the religion
and literature of the Hebrew Bible, placing it into its Ancient Near Eastern context.
Offered alternate fall semesters. |
| REL*208 |
Intertestamental
literature |
| |
A survey of
Jewish literature produced from around 200 BCE
until 100 CE. Emphasis will be placed on
understanding the relationship between political
history, Jewish mythic perceptions of the world,
and setting the stage for Jesus and the early
Christians as well as Rabbinic Judaism. |
| REL*212 |
New Testament |
| |
A historical introduction to the religious
faith of the early Christian community and its
theological interpretations. Attention will be paid to relating the early Christians to other Jewish groups and to their Greco-Roman historical mileu.
Offered alternate spring semesters. |
| REL*213 |
Contemporary Religious
Issues |
| |
An examination of one issue or topic currently debated in contemporary religious thought. Topics will change periodically. Past topics include "Women's Ordination." Check the on-line catalogue for current topic.
|
| REL*216 |
Religion & Film |
| |
This class will
explore how American mythology and civil religion
shape the products of Hollywood and, vice versa,
how Hollywood shapes America. Is there a
correlation between blockbusters and their use of
American mythology? We will examine this question
by studying myth theory, film making, and popular
films. |
| REL*250 |
Sect and Cult |
| |
The rise and
spread of smaller religious groups and
non-traditional religious followings primarily in
Western culture but with special emphasis in
America, both historically and currently. |
| REL*260 |
Religion and Literature |
| |
This course
examines various modern literary works, with a
focus upon their theological themes concerning
perennial and recent issues of life and faith. |
| REL*265 |
God, Suffering and Evil |
| |
How can God be
all-good and all-powerful if evil exists? This
basic question of theodicy guides this course,
with a study of classic and contemporary attempts
to deal with the problem of evil in light of
God's proposed goodness and power. Prerequisite:
sophomore standing or permission of instructor. |
| REL*288 |
Rel of the World: Eastern |
| |
A survey of
globally important religious traditions that have
emerged from South and East Asia, including those
commonly called Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism,
Sikhism, Daoism, Confucianism, and Shinto. |
| REL*289 |
Abrahamic Faiths |
| |
A survey of the
three religions -- Judaism, Christianity, and
Islam -- which trace their origins to Abraham and
the Hebrew Bible. A thematic approach,
contrasting the way each tradition approaches
scripture, ritual and worship, law and ethics,
and organization of sacred space, will be used to
study these three faiths. |
| REL*291 |
Religious Traditions of
Japan |
| |
An historical
study of Japanese religions in their classical
and modern forms. No previous knowledge of Japan
assumed: the course offers an introduction to
Japanese history and culture. Prerequiste: REL*101
or REL*205 or REL*212. |
| REL*304 |
Phil of Religion |
| |
An examination of
the nature of faith, its relation to reason, the
nature and knowledge of God, and the problem of
evil. Taught through discussions of classical
readings in thinkers such as Augustine, Anselm,
Aquinas, Hume, and Kierkegaard. (See PHIL 304.) |
| REL*313 |
Rel of the Ancient Near
East |
| |
A study of the
religions of Mesopotamia (Sumeria, Babylonia,
Assyria), Egypt, Anatolia, and Syria-Palestine
(Canaan, Aram) through analysis of literature and
archaeological remains. We will study various
mythic concepts of the 'divine", how worship
was conducted, and the relationship between the
Israelites and other ancient Near East cultures.
Prior completion of REL 101 or 205 is
recommended. |
| REL*320 |
Art & Arch of Ancient
Med |
| |
A study of the
art and archaeology of the eastern Mediterranean
(Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Palestine) from
around 2000 BCE to 500 CE. Primary attention will
be paid to development and relations between
artistic themes, techniques, and the ideas in a
variety of cultures. |
| REL*333 |
Age of Faith, Age of
Reason |
| |
Key religious and
intellectual developments within their cultural
contexts, as embodied by selected men and women
of early modern Europe and America (17th - 18th
centuries). |
| REL*370 |
Process Theology &
Philosophy |
| |
The nature of
God, the relation of God to the world, and basic
ideas about how the world works are at issue in
the philosophy of organism developed by Alfred
North Whitehead. This course looks both at
primary texts and at theological interpretation
of them among contemporary theologians including
Charles Hartshorne, John Cobb, and Marjorie
Suchocki. Prerequisite: one philosophy or
religion course, or permission of instructor. See
PHIL 370. |
| REL*371 |
Women, Race and Theology |
| |
What difference
does being a woman make for doing theology? What
difference does race make for women doing
theology? This course explores possibilities for
dialogue and creativity among women in different
racial contexts in the United States doing
theology. Attention will be paid to the critical
and constructive written work of several
feminist, womanist, and mujerista scholars in the
U.S. Prerequisites: REL 101 or REL 104. |
| REL*376 |
Sociology of Rel |
| |
A study of the
interrelationships of society, culture, and
religion. Special emphasis given to the
relationship of religion to social
stratification, economics, and social change.
Prerequisite: SOC 101. (See SOC 376.) |
| REL*411 |
Independent Reading |
| |
(2 - 3 each
semester) |
| REL*412 |
Independent Reading |
| |
(2 - 3 each
semester) |