Course Offerings

The Department of Religious Stfudies offers a wide range of courses in the categories of Religion/Religions, Theology, Bible, and Ethics.

Introductory Courses

Religious Studies 101 - Introduction to the Comparative Study of Religion
Alternate years
Introduction to the nature and place of religion in the human experience as critically understood through the modern disciplines of comparative history, text criticism, and social science. Viewpoints covered include the psychoanalytic, philosophical, biological, artistic, and anthropological. Sources range broadly from the Bible to modern fiction, Lao Tzu to Celtic myths. The course also examines the effects of modern change on religion in global perspective. One unit.

Religious Studies 120 - Comparative Religions/World View
Spring
Systematic exploration of similarities and differences within and among several traditions (Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam) and an examination of several key issues within the academic study of religion. One unit.

Religious Studies 147 - Introduction to Judaism
Annually
Introduction to the history, theology, and practices of the Jews which uses the evidence of Judaism to exemplify the interrelationship between a religious civilization and the historical and cultural framework within which it exists. How does what happens to the Jews affect their formulation of their religion, Judaism? By answering this question and by learning the details of Jewish belief and practice, students will come to comprehend both Judaism and the social construction of religion in general. One unit.

Religious Studies 149 - Judaism in the Time of Jesus
Every third year
Judaism as we know it took shape in the first six centuries C.E., in roughly the same period that saw the emergence of Christianity. This course describes and interprets early Judaism against its historical backdrop, evaluating the theological beliefs and ritual practices Jews developed and espoused. The main focus is Judaism’s central theological conceptions, concerning, e.g., life-after-death, the messiah, divine providence, revelation. The larger goal is to comprehend how religious ideologies respond to and make sense of the world in which the adherents of the religion live. One unit.

Religious Studies 161 - Religions: China and Japan
Spring
Introduction to the history and phenomenology of the religions of China and Japan. An examination of Confucianism, Taoism, Shintoism, Chinese-Japanese Buddhism and Zen Buddhism as an expression of reaction to the total human situation in which persons live. One unit.

Religious Studies 165 - Ancient and Medieval Hinduism
Spring
Introduction to key themes in ancient and medieval Hinduism. Considers the sacrificial worldview of the Vedas and Brahmanas and then moves to discuss the significance of the Upanishads and yoga. Special attention will be given to the two chief Hindu epics: the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Also examines key elements in Hindu law through a reading of The Laws of Manu. Concludes with a consideration of Hindu devotional theism in the worship Shiva, Krishna, and the goddess Kali. One unit

Religious Studies 195 - Jews and Judaism in America
Every third year
Evaluation of the history and ideologies of Jews in America as an example of contemporary religious life in general: why and how do modern people maintain religious affiliations? In what ways do their religions carry forward inherited ideals, and in what regards are they simply, or primarily, products of the modern period? These questions are answered through an examination of the character of the American Jewish community and an analysis of the perspectives of American Jews on contemporary social and political issues. Appropriate for students with no prior knowledge of Judaism or Jewish history. One unit.

Intermediate Courses

Religious Studies 206 - Buddhism
Alternate years
Survey of the Buddhist tradition, from its origins in ancient India through its evolution as a pan-Asian faith. Topics include the legends of the Buddha, the early monastic community, the emergence of Theravada and Mahayana teachings, Buddhist ethics and social philosophy, meditation traditions, and the later development of distinctive Tibetan, Chinese, and Japanese schools. Utilizes textual and anthropological sources. One unit.

Religious Studies 207 - Islam
Fall, spring
Examination of Islamic religious beliefs and practices from the origins of Islam to the present. Particular stress is placed on Islamic religious ideals, institutions and personalities. Central topics include: Islamic scripture and traditions, prophecy, law, rituals, theology and philosophy, sectarianism, mysticism, aesthetic ideals, art and architecture, pedagogy, and modern reinterpretations of the tradition. Also explores wider issues of religious identity by looking at the diversity of the Islamic tradition, tensions between elite and popular culture, and issues of gender and ethnicity. One unit.

Religious Studies 214 - The Modernization of Asian Religions
Alternate years
How could Chairman Mao be turned into a deity on taxicab good luck charms? Are Japanese truly a “nonreligious people?” Can India abandon its secular constitution to become a “Hindu nation”? How are Buddhist monks involved in adapting to the profound crises affecting their societies? This seminar addresses these issues and examines the modernization of Asian religions across the region, analyzing the impact of colonialism, the diffusion of scientific thought from Europe, and the impact of Protestant missions. Drawing upon recent research on Hinduism, Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism, Shinto, Daoism, and the “New Religions” of Japan, this interdisciplinary course draws upon studies from history, religion, and anthropology. One unit.

Religious Studies 216 - Readings in Asian Religious Texts
Alternate years
Focuses on critical and analytical readings of sacred writings in translation from the Asian religious traditions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Daosim. The genres sampled include law codes, works of ascetic mysticism, religious biography, popular narrative, and scholastic treatises. Also examines the cross-cultural definition of “text,” the idea of a “scriptural canon,” and the construction of tradition in the western historical imagination. One unit.

Religious Studies 222 - Millennialism in Cross-Cultural Perspective
Alternate years
Examination of millennial and “end-time” beliefs in a variety of cultures around the world. Topics include: roots of millennial ideas, Jewish apocalypticism, beginnings of Christianity and Islam, the modern case studies from the Pacific Islands, China, Nigeria and the United States. Elicits general conclusions regarding millennial and messianic ideas through detailed discussions of specific examples. Previous course work in religious studies, history, or anthropology is helpful but not required. One unit.

Religious Studies 233 - Islam and the West
Spring
Introduction to the long history of the Islamic world and the West. The early encounters between Islam and the West throughout the Middle Ages are illustrated by examining such fields of interaction as philosophy, science, education, and military-political history. Analyzes the Western perceptions of Islam during the Renaissance and the Enlightenment, which paves the way for the modern Western conceptions of Islam and the Islamic world. Special attention is paid to the rise of the West as the superior power of the modern world and its impact on the relation of the two civilizations in negotiating patterns of encounter, challenge, rejection, reaction, and adaptation. Also analyzes the highly sophisticated network of media, academics, entertainment culture, and policy-making mechanisms to highlight the main sources of the current Western perceptions of Islam. This is followed by a discussion of various responses of the contemporary Islamic world to such challenges as modernism, secularism, and science and technology. Concludes with the current roots of confrontation and the possibilities of mutual understanding between the two civilizations. One unit.

Religious Studies 235 - Islam in the Modern World
Fall
Detailed survey of Islam and Muslim societies in the modern period. Beginning with a study of major developments in the 18th and 19th centuries, discusses the decline of classical Islamic civilization, decentralization of Muslim political power, European colonialism, modernization, and the emergence of a new class of Muslim intelligentsia. Particular emphasis on intellectual currents, challenges of modern science and technology, and the responses of Muslims scholars and leaders. In addition to a short survey of the important social and political events in the 20th-century Muslim world, also analyzes such issues as tensions between tradition and modernity, secularism, democracy, women, human rights, education, Islamic political movements, Sufism, Wahhabism, and Muslims in the West. One unit.

Religious Studies 255 - Ecology and Religion
Spring
Explores various perspectives on nature articulated in the history of the world’s religions beginning with hunter-gatherer and tribal peoples. Distinctive doctrines derived from sacred texts and by philosophers/theologians, as well as the impact of ritual practices, are reviewed to understand the impact of religion on human ecology. After considering the perspective of Enlightenment thought on the natural world, the course surveys early North American exponents of ecological spirituality (Thoreau; Emerson; Muir), the writings of Eco-theologians (Fox; Berry; Schweitzer; McFague), and how cosmologies articulated by modern ecologists (Leopold; Lovelock) and activists (Earth First! And Greenpeace) have sought to define as sacred the human connection with the natural world. One unit.

Religious Studies 260 - Comparative Mysticisms
Fall
A phenomenological analysis of mystical experience, both theory and practice, and an investigation of the epistemological and ontological status of this experience. Approach is pluralistic considering mysticism from the following perspectives: psychological, religious, anthropological, philosophical and scientific. Examines various conceptions of ultimate reality and a variety of practices constituting the mystic path or way. Mystical experience is broadly conceived as a state of consciousness whose dominant symbols and structures of thought, behavior and expression relate to the ultimate transformation of self and world. One unit.

Religious Studies 265 - Modern and Contemporary Hinduism
Annually
A survey of Hinduism in the modern and contemporary periods. Issues examined include: opposition to British rule, Hindu temple worship, village Hinduism, new Hindu movements, caste, and the role of women in Indian society and culture. Special consideration is also given to the life of Mahatma Gandhi. Readings include novels by Rabindranath Tagore, Mulk Raj Anand, and Premchand. This course also draws heavily upon ethnographic case studies. Students may enroll in Modern and Contemporary Hinduism if they have taken either Ancient and Medieval Hinduism (RELS-165) or Comparative Religions Worldview (RELS-120). One unit.

Religious Studies 276 - Comparative Catholicisms
Spring
Comparative examination of Catholicism in four broad culture areas: the United States, Europe, Africa and Asia. Topics include: inculturation, interreligious conflict, popular devotion and the cult of Mary, sanctity, Catholic charismatic and healing movements, as well as Catholic social and political resistance. Special attention is given to whether we can understand world Catholicism as a unified system of religious beliefs and practices. One unit.

Religious Studies 277 - Modern Religious Movements
Spring
Examines the phenomenon of modern religious movements within the United States. The movements considered are popularly known as cults, and one of our most important objectives will be to examine critically this term and other categories, such as brainwashing. Ranges broadly, from a consideration of contemporary movements such as Scientology, the Branch Davidians, the People’s Temple, and UFO Cults, to other groups that have experienced longer histories, such as the Latter Day Saints (the Mormons) and the Watchtower (Jehovah’s Witnesses). Special attention is also given to contemporary religious movements within Catholicism. A consideration of modern religious movements is inevitably highly charged. The fundamental purpose of the course is to provide the analytic tools to consider not only modern religious movements themselves but also the discourse surrounding them. One unit.

Advanced Courses

Religious Studies 305 - Mahayana Buddhism
Alternate years
Seminar examining prominent movements within the Northern School of Buddhism, with particular attention to Indic, Tibetan, and east Asian developments. Topics include the Bodhisattva doctrine, Madhyamika and Hua-yen philosophies, Pure Land lineages, and the esoteric schools. Focuses upon influential texts (Lotus Sutra, Vimalakirtinirdesa Sutra) and associated devotional practices. One unit.

Religious Studies 311 - Zen Buddhism: Seminar
Spring
Examination of Zen Buddhism and its influences on East Asian civilizations. Surveys the texts and monastic practices that define Zen spiritual cultivation and the history of the Soto and Rinzai schools’ evolution. Special attention is also devoted to the distinctive poetic (haiku), fine arts (painting, gardening, tea ceremony), and martial arts (swordsmanship) disciplines that this tradition has inspired in China and Japan. One unit.

Religious Studies 312 - Theravada Buddhism
Alternate years
Seminar examining the prominent texts, doctrines and practices of the Theravada Buddhist tradition. Surveys the historical development of the tradition in India, with attention to major schools of interpretation and practice. Theravada social philosophy and ethics are studied, as are the patterns of accommodation with non-Buddhist religions. The second half of the course focuses upon the distinctive practices of Burma, Sri Lanka, and Thailand as well as reformist modern movements. One unit.

Religious Studies 315 - Islamic Philosophy and Theology
Alternate years
Introduction to the major issues, figures, and texts of Islamic philosophy and theology. Attempts to answer the question of what Islamic philosophy and theology are and how they figure in Islamic tradition. While dealing with such towering figures as Kindi, Farabi, Ibn Sina, Ghazali, Ibn Rushd, Ibn Hazm, Ibn Tufayl, Ibn Bajjah, Suhrawardi, the school of Ibn al-Arabi, Nasir al-Din Tusi, and Mulla Sadra, also discusses central issues and concepts of Islamic philosophy, including existence and essence, God’s existence and knowledge of the world, knowledge and its foundations, cosmology, causality and its role in sciences of nature and political thought. Kalam or Islamic theology is the focus of the second part of the course. Examines classical debates around such issues as God’s names and qualities, free will and determinism, reason and revelation, ethics, and political philosophy. One unit.

Religious Studies 327 - The Holocaust: Confronting Evil
Annually
Seeks to interpret an event that defies representation and lacks discernible logic or meaning. By evaluating how others have depicted, attempted to create meaningful narratives about, and drawn conclusions from the Holocaust, we hope ourselves to reach some understanding of this event, of its significance for modern society, and of its potential for helping us to recognize our own responsibilities in a world in which ultimate evil is possible. One unit.

Bible

Introductory Courses

Religious Studies 118 - Introduction to the New Testament
Fall, spring
Introduction to early Christian literature and thought in light of the historical, literary, and religious milieu of the Greco-Roman world, including Judaism. Topics discussed include the diverse of representations of Jesus, the emergence of the category “Christian,” and the genres of New Testament and other early Christian books. Contemporary approaches are addressed, but the primary focus is the ancient texts themselves. One unit

Religious Studies 122 - Jesus and His Contemporaries
Annually
A historical and theological study of Second Temple Judaism (520 B.C.E. to 70 C.E.) paying attention to the variety, richness and complexity of the Judaism of this period. Major Jewish groups are treated: Sadducees, Pharisees, Essenes, Priests, Scribes and Christians. Focus also is on apocalypse as a literary genre and apocalypticism as a worldview and social phenomenon. Attention is paid to the interrelatedness of belief, community structure, ethics, economics and politics. Special emphasis is placed on the ways in which Jesus has been seen to fit into this context. One unit.

Religious Studies 126 - Introduction to the Old Testament
Fall, spring
Introduction to the texts of the Hebrew Scriptures/Old Testament, the course explores the social and cultural worlds that produced the texts, examines the biblical texts themselves, and investigates the assumptions and methods employed by pre-modern, modern (post-Enlightenment), and postmodern interpreters of the Bible. One unit.

Intermediate Courses

Religious Studies 212 - The Gospels
Alternate years
In-depth study of the theological concerns of Matthew, Mark, and Luke as reflected in their varying presentations of the Christian kerygma. Attention paid to the literary and historical character of each Gospel as a unique expression of the traditions about Jesus and an exploration of selected contemporary modes of theological reflection as models for understanding the Evangelists as theologians. One unit.

Religious Studies 221 - Women in Early Christianity
Every third year
Exploration of the activity of women in the early church as witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus, missionaries, teachers, ascetics, martyrs, and deacons. Considers the historical and social context of women’s lives in the Greco-Roman world in an environment of religious pluralism, women’s self-understanding, and the controversy over women’s leadership in the developing church. Texts studied include the canonical gospels of Matthew, Luke, and John, the non-canonical Gospel of Mary, as well as Christian texts from the 2nd - 4th centuries. One unit.

Religious Studies 229 - Paul the Apostle
Spring
Study of the writings, thought, and historical context(s) of the apostle Paul and the Christians who claimed his authority. Particular attention is paid to Paul’s self-representation, to the positions he took on issues of vital concern to the first Christians, and to the diverse representations of both Paul and his teachings by second- and third-generation Christians. One unit.

Advanced Courses

Religious Studies 301 - Quest for the Historical Jesus
Annually
Since the Enlightenment, scholars have recognized the difficulties involved in trying to recover the historical Jesus. This course acquaints the student with the exegetical and historical problems encountered in the quest for the historical Jesus; reviews the history of scholarship to the present to determine presuppositions, methods and results; examines the range of options currently available and the exegetical strategies used to support those options; encourages the student to take up an option and defend it. One unit.

Theology

Introductory Courses

Religious Studies 114 - Introduction to Theology
Fall, spring
Introduction to major claims in Christian theology through a close examination of historical and contemporary Catholic and Protestant theologies. Topics include: methods in doing theology and in biblical interpretation; images of God and of Jesus; the human condition; different marks and models of the church; and religious diversity. Readings address the interplay in theological reflection between religious tradition and social location, and analyze the implications and challenges of Christian claims in light of gender, race and poverty. One unit.

Religious Studies 115 - The Church in the World
Fall
A basic presentation of how the Catholic Church sees itself, its mission, and its ministry in today’s world in light of the major decrees of the Second Vatican Council. Topics include: different models of the Church and the Church’s approach to contemporary issues of justice and peace as reflected in Catholic social teaching of the popes and national conferences of bishops. One unit.

Religious Studies 116 - Introduction to Catholicism
Alternate years
Introduction to the basic doctrine of Roman Catholic Christianity and to the situation of the church in the contemporary United States. Topics include: differing approaches to Catholicism; doctrinal foundations of the Church; structure, authority, and diversity; spirituality, worship, and the sacramental tradition; Vatican Council II; Catholic moral teaching; the role of women; Catholicism and other religions; and current issues in Catholicism. One unit.

Religious Studies 117 - History of Christianity 1
Fall
A survey of the origins and development of Christianity, both its theology and its structures, from the apostolic period to the eve of the Reformation. Special attention is paid to the evolution of Christian doctrine and worship during the early and medieval periods of the Christian history. The interplay between orthodoxy and heterodoxy will be stressed in a close examination of heretical movements and their impact on the formation of the tradition. The interaction between Church and society will also be addressed. One unit.

Religious Studies 119 - History of Christianity 2
Spring
A survey of the development of Christianity, both its theology and its structures, from the Reformation period to today. Special attention is paid to the development of the various Protestant traditions, and their doctrine and worship. The interplay between Roman Catholicism and the Protestant churches is discussed. The impact of these Christian traditions on American society is also addressed. One unit.

Religious Studies 133 - Contemporary Christian Spirituality
Fall
An introduction to Christian spirituality understood as discipleship. Examines the lived experience and writings of influential 20th-century Christians such as Dorothy Day, Thomas Merton, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Gustavo Gutierrez. Focuses on the quest for justice as an imperative of faith. One unit.

Religious Studies 139 - Understanding Jesus
Fall, spring
An examination of the figure of Jesus as presented in the gospels with attention devoted to historical questions about Jesus’ life and teaching, the theological claims about Jesus being made by the evangelists, and the direct challenge which the gospel story presents to the church and the world today. One unit.

Intermediate Courses

Religious Studies 200 - Reformation & Counter Reformation
Alternate years in spring
The most significant political, intellectual, and religious developments of the Protestant and Catholic Reformation movements in 16th- and 17th-century Europe. Cross-listed in the Department of History as History 248. One unit.

Religious Studies 217 - Eucharist: History and Theology
Alternate years
Provides a detailed study of the historical development and theological significance of the Eucharist in Christian tradition. Treats underlying concepts in sacramental theology in terms of Eucharistic ritual. Special attention is paid to the Roman Catholic experience, but other Christian traditions will be discussed. One unit.

Religious Studies 218 - Sacramental Theology
Alternate years
Provides a general study of the historical development and theological significance of Christian sacraments. Begins with discussion of key underlying concepts in sacramental theology: the experience of the sacred; sign, symbol, ritual; and Christ/Church as sacrament. Special attention is paid to the Roman Catholic experience, but other Christian traditions are discussed. One unit.

Religious Studies 219 - Christian Prayer in Theory and Practice
Alternate years
Considers Christian prayer as both a topic for theological study and a body of disciplines and practices. Topics include various ways of understanding Christian discipleship, different approaches to the meaning and purpose of prayer, various techniques for prayer, (including the contexts in which they have been developed and the practical advantages and problems that they carry), and relationships between prayer and theology. Readings draw from both classic sources and contemporary interpretations of Christian prayer. Weekly practicum sessions focus on observing and/or participating in various forms of Christian prayer. One unit.

Religious Studiesf 224 - The Church and Homosexuality
Annually
Self-affirming homosexual persons today challenge the Church’s traditional teaching about homosexuality and its understanding of the relationship between God and homosexual persons, producing a sharp debate in churches and societies around the world. This course aims to provide students with a clear understanding of the Catholic Church’s official teaching on homosexuality and the major criticisms made of the teaching. One unit.

Religious Studies 227 - God and Human Experience
Alternate years
Studies the important religious concept of revelation, but does so with an eye to the ordinary ways in which the divine mystery presents itself to human beings. Examines biblical writings and other narratives of faith in which men and women describe the religious dimension of their lives. One unit.

Religious Studies 231 - Early Christian Writers
Alternate years
This seminar examines a number of writers from the second to the fifth centuries who shaped the Christian theological tradition in various ways: Irenaeus, Athanasius, Origen, Augustine, John Chrysostom, Gregory of Nyssa, as well as the Fathers and Mothers of the Desert. In particular, the course looks at how these writers interpreted the Bible, how they related faith and culture, the contributions they made to the Church’s understanding of Jesus, their analysis of human nature, their doctrine of sin and grace, their approach to the interior life, and how they were affected by the intellectual currents of their time.

Religious Studies 234 - Conflicts in the Church
Fall
Examines selected issues which have generated considerable controversy in the contemporary Catholic church (i.e., liberation theology; women’s leadership; birth control; abortion; divorce and remarriage; homosexuality). Topics are considered in relation to differing views on the origin, structure, and purpose of the church itself. Readings draw from official Catholic church teaching as well as writings of so-called “progressive” and “neoconservative” theologians. Concepts covered include: infallibility; teaching authority of theologians and the magisterium; the sensus fidelium; legitimate dissent and the development of doctrine. One unit.

Religious Studies 236 - Makers of Modern Theology
Alternate years
This seminar examines authors or schools of thought which have helped to shape modern theological thinking. Authors examined in years past include: Karl Barth, Dietrich Bonhoefer, Rudolf Bulltmann, Paul Tillich, Karl Rahner, Edward Schillebeeckx, Rosemary Ruether, Hans Küng, James Cone, Ada Maria Isasi-Diaz. Schools of thought represented include: liberal Protestant theology, process thought, transcendental Thomism, liberation theologies. One unit.

Religious Studies 243 - Theology of the New Testament
Alternate years
Drawing on contemporary biblical exegesis, this course explores both the major theological questions which the New Testament writers were addressing in their own time and place and the theological questions those writings force the Church of today to raise in light of our present historical and cultural circumstances. What is faith? What is salvation? What does the New Testament tell us about the mystery of God? Why does Christian religious experience lead us to think about the Church? How does the New Testament as a whole help us to face the concerns of today, such as Christianity’s relationship to the other world religions, environmental justice, as well as the perennial thirst for the transcendent? One unit.

Religious Studies 261 - Feminist Perspectives in Theology
Alternate years
Introduces students to the critiques and alternative reconstructions that feminist/womanist/mujerista theologians present with respect to traditional Christian understandings of scripture, God, Jesus, creation, human personhood, sin, grace, the church, spirituality, and theological method. One unit.

Religious Studies 262 - The Living Church
Fall
This seminar is an exploration of ecclesiology—the church’s theological understanding of itself—and also an exercise in observational learning. Examines the nature of church through readings of a variety of recent theological and sociological works and official documents. Students are guided through semester-long fieldwork projects to explore aspects of church as lived and practiced in local communities. Seminar sessions discuss these observations in light of the course readings. One unit.

Religious Studies 275 - Latin American Liberation Theology
Spring
Based on the principle of God’s special identification with history’s outcasts, liberation theology explores the problems of biblical interpretation, Church teaching and Christian commitment in the contemporary world. With special reference to Latin America, this course examines the relationship between the sociopolitical consciousness of marginalized peoples and their Christian faith. One unit.

Religious Studies 285 - Jesuit Spirituality
Alternate years
Examines the distinctive characteristics of Jesuit Spirituality as reflected in the four weeks of the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola, his autobiography, and other early Jesuit writings. Examines the religious experience that gave birth to the Society of Jesus, the Society’s keen interest in education, and contemporary expressions of the Ignatian vision. One unit.

Religious Studies 292 - Medieval Christianity
Alternate years
This seminar provides an in-depth study of the origins and development of medieval Christianity in Western Europe. It covers theology and structural evolution from the fall of the Roman Empire to the eve of the Reformation. Special attention is paid to the evolution of Christian doctrine, spirituality, architecture and worship during the “high” and “late” Middle Ages, the interplay between orthodoxy and heterodoxy, their impact on the formation of the tradition, and the interaction between church and society. One unit.

Advanced Courses

Religious Studies 333 - Comparative Theology
Spring
An exploration of the meaning and significance of Christianity’s encounter with the Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic, and other religious traditions, both new and old. Investigates major theological questions emerging from the dialogue between Christianity and other world religions. One unit.

Religious Studies 353 - Theology and Ecology
Fall
This seminar provides an opportunity to participate in the conversation currently underway regarding religious faith and contemporary ecological concerns; it seeks to develop a greater consciousness of the interdependence between human beings and other living beings, and between all life forms and non-living created matter. What does it mean to do biblical interpretation and Christian theology at the beginning of the third millennium in a global context that is developing an ever greater awareness of the limited nature of natural resources and an ever increasing appreciation of created matter in the cosmos? One unit.

Religious Studies 355 - Contemporary Feminist Theology
Alternate years
This seminar examines U.S. feminist theology, African-American womanist theology, and mujerista/Latina feminist theology with regard to Christian theological anthropology, or religious reflection on the human person. Considers implications of major Christian claims (about God, Christ, creation, sin/grace, church, etc.) for both historical and contemporary Christian understandings of the human person. Examines theological reconstructions of those claims, as developed through feminist/womanist/Latina analyses of gender, race, class, sexuality, and ecology. Analyzes the expanding scholarship in feminist theology and feminist theory regarding the significance of post-modernity for reinterpreting human identity, especially notions of agency, autonomy, and relationality. One unit.

Religious Studies 357 - Modern Catholic Theology
Alternate years
Examines selected theological questions addressed by modern Catholic theologians such as Rahner, Schillebeeckx, Dulles, Tracy, Gutierrez, and Ruether. Several major works are read and discussed in detail. One unit.

Religious Studies 371 - Contemporary Christology
Fall
A comparative analysis of the christological writings of major contemporary Catholic and Protestant theologians, with emphasis given to an examination of each theologian’s understanding of the centrality of Jesus in modern society, the nature of the Scripture and what it reveals about Jesus, and the nature of faith in Christ and in His resurrection. Prerequisite: Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better. One unit.

Religious Studies 376 - North American Theologies of Liberation
Spring
Explores recent theological reflection on the dynamics of oppression and liberation in the context of the U.S. This course attempts to sketch the outline of a theology responsive to both the liberating message of the gospel and the socio-political and cultural life of the United States with special attention given to Black, U.S. Hispanic and Gay/Lesbian theological works. One unit.

Religious Studies 395 - Saints and Sinners
Every third year
This seminar offers an examination of the historical and theological development of the ideals and practices of Christian life, from the Middle Ages to the Early Modern era. The focus is on “saints” and “sinners” as windows into the attitudes and values, the fears and hopes, the virtues and vices, the piety and the heresy, of western European culture. Special attention is paid to the following themes: gendered perceptions of sanctity and sin; community and solitude; poverty and riches; feasting and fasting as religious and cultural activity. One unit.

Ethics

Introductory Courses

Religious Studies 141 - Contemporary Christian Morality
Fall
A suggested methodology for evaluating contemporary Christian thought and practice in major areas of ethical concern. An in-depth discussion of responsible decision-making in an age of situationism and ethical relativism, with detailed application to crucial moral dilemmas facing modern persons. One unit.

Religious Studies 143 - Social Ethics
Fall
An introduction to Christian ethical evaluation of such issues as impoverishment and economic justice, racism, and First World/Two-Thirds World relations in the struggle against war and the search for peace. One unit.

Religious Studies 151 - Faith/World Poverty
Spring
Investigates the historical and structural foundations of escalating world poverty. It explores the dynamics of 21st-century capitalism and its international institutions as they are understood by the tradition of Catholic social teaching and by Christian communities in the United States and the Two-Thirds World. The challenge facing people of faith has two sides: one is the reality of oppression and domination, and the other is that of liberation and self-determination. One unit.

Intermediate Courses

Religious Studies 209 - War and Peace in the Christian Tradition
Fall
An introduction to some of the important ethical issues involved in war/peace studies. Beginning with an examination of the two major religious traditions, just war theory and pacifism/nonviolence, the course then turns to an examination of the experience of war by a focus on World War II and Vietnam. In light of an examination of both approaches to issues of war and peace and the experiences of war, the course concludes with a critical analysis of the American bishops’ pastoral letter, The Challenge of Peace. One unit.

Religious Studies 230 - Theological Perspectives on Medical Ethics
Spring
Deals with the basic issues in contemporary health care ethics from the standpoint of the Christian theological tradition. A central concern is the relation between religious beliefs and individual or social choices regarding health and health care. One unit.

Religious Studies 294 — Sexual Justice: A Social Ethic of Sexuality
Alternate Years
This course analyzes sexuality within a broader system of class, race, gender and disability dynamics. Drawing upon expanding work in Christian ethics, feminist theory, and class and race analyses, the course focuses on the ways sexual love and happiness are connected to larger issues of cultural, political and economic well being. One unit.

Advanced Courses

Religious Studies 313 - HIV/AIDS and Ethics
Alternate Years
Explores the many ethical questions brought into relief by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, arguably one of the most pressing global public health issues of our time. Focusing primarily on issues of social justice, the course mines the traditions of Christian ethics and Catholic social teaching for resources with which to address topics including HIV prevention, treatment, research, access, and global public health. We will become familiar with key ethical methods and concepts, including casuistry, the common good, solidarity, and the option for the poor. One unit.

Religious Studies 335 - Economics and Ethical Values
Alternate years
Investigates the ethical dimensions of contemporary economic issues such as the restructured labor market, income and wealth distribution, the extent of globalization, the international debt crisis, and alternative economic models. Focus also includes the economic dimensions of race and gender relations and their relevance to economic justice. One unit.

Religious Studies 337 - Character and Ethical Responsibility
Fall
Seminar addresses the problems of moral weakness and the agent’s ethical responsibility for acts of weakness from the perspectives of philosophy, theology, psychology, film and modern fiction. The term moral weakness is a translation of the Greek word akrasia, and refers to a moral agent’s perceived ability to perform an action that he or she knows to be evil, or failing to perform an action known to be good. Thus an inquiry into the problem of moral weakness is ultimately an inquiry into character and virtue. One unit.

Religious Studies 342 - Sexual Ethics
Fall
Seminar provides an opportunity to explore ethical issues of both personal and societal importance. Among the topics covered are historical development of Christian sexual ethics; embodiment; gender; and significance of the relation between sexuality, love and reproduction. One unit.

Special Topics

Religious Studies 199 - Special Topics
Fall, spring
Introductory level courses on special topics in religion, theology, Bible, and ethics. One unit.

Religious Studies 299 - Special Topics
Fall, spring
Intermediate level courses on special topics in religion, theology, Bible, and ethics. One unit.

Religious Studies 399 - Special Topics
Fall, spring
Advanced level courses on special topics in religion, theology, Bible, and ethics. One unit.

Religious Studies 411 - Tutorial
Fall, spring
One unit.

The final authority on College and departmental policy, including faculty and course information, is the Course Catalog.  Please consult the Catalog for more information.