Spring 2013 Schedule

 

103.001
Introduction to the Bible Michael Candelaria
  MWF 1100-1150  
  In this course we will survey the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) and the New Testament. We will examine the historical, cultural, social, geographic, political, and religious backgrounds of each of the thirty nine books of the Old Testament and of the twenty seven books of the New Testament. We will examine how these backgrounds inform the books of the Bible. We will study the authorship, date, audience, context, and content of each book. We will trace the origins, the transmission, compilation, the editing, and final edition of each work. We will also explore methods of Biblical interpretation and discuss Biblical theologies.
     
107.001
Living World Religions Daniel Wolne
  TR 1100-1215  
  Introduction to major living world religions; Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism.
     
     
107.003
Living World Religions Daniel Wolne
  M 1600-1830  
  Introduction to major living world religions; Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism.
     
107.006
Living World Religions Michael Candelaria
  Online  
  Introduction to major living world religions; Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism.
     
107.008
Living World Religions Ruth Meredith
  Online  
  Introduction to major living world religions; Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism.
     
230.001
Hebrew Scriptures Judith Todd
  Online  
  Pentateuch and the historical books of the Old Testament.
     
231.001
Hebrew Prophets Michael Nutkiewicz
  T 1730-2000  
  This course will consider the central ideas and literary artistry of the biblical prophets in the Hebrew Scripture(Old Testament). The approach will be both historical and literary. Prophetic ideas will be studied in the context of the history and politics of the time. Great attention will be paid to the literary quality of the prophetic texts in order to understand the power of their communication. We will focus on two of the "major prophets" (Isiah and Ezekiel) and the Twelve Prophets, especially Hosea, Amos, and Jonah. Rabbinic, Christian and contemporary reflection on the meaning of prophecy will be introduced.
   
232.001
Christian Scriptures Franklin Yates
  W 1730-2000  
  This course is an introduction to the writings of the Christian Scriptures, the twenty-seven books collected into what became known as the New Testament. This course examines the historical and social background of the First Century, its Jewish, Greek, and Roman influences, and the contribution that the new Christian movement made to the world. This study focuses on the four Gospels and the writings of Paul. No previous background in religious studies is required.  
   
263.002
Eastern Religions Daniel Wolne
  MWF 1200-1250  
  A study of major Asian traditions; Daoism, Hinduism and Buddhism.
   
264.002
Western Religions Donna Ray
  TR 1230-1345  
  A study of major Asian traditions; Daoism, Hinduism and Buddhism.
   
264.003
Western Religions Hilary Lipka
  Online  
  A study of major Asian traditions; Daoism, Hinduism and Buddhism.
   
303.001
Intro to Black Lib Religion Charles Becknell
  TR 0930-1045  
  Students will be introduced to the Black experience, which necessitates the redefinition of God and Jesus Christ in the lives of Black people as the struggle for transcendental and political freedom.
   
347.001
T: Religion and Animals Lisa Gerber
  TR 1230-1345  
  This course explores the way concepts of animals are shaped by religion. That is, how are animals conceived, how do non-human animals differ from humans, how should animals be treated, and which animals are given special status. We will look at the views and treatment of animals in the traditions of indigenous people, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. Wel will explore the extremes - from the exploitation of animals to the ethical treatment of animals. We will analyze whether there is a relationship between religious belief and the treatment of animals. IF religion does shape the way people view and treat animals, can religious traditions provide a route to the better treatment of animals? Our theoretical study will be tethered to the concrete lives of animals.  
   
347.002
T: Politics of Fundamentalism Mozafar Banihashemi
  TR 1700-1815  
  This course introduces students to the social, political, and cultural study of religious fundamentalism. The content of the course is directed toward understanding the relation between socio/political life and fundamentalist trends of two major world religions. Given the variety of religious expressions of fundamentalism and the limited amount of reading possible in a short semester, the discussion of all religious traditions is implausible. Rather, the focus will be on Christianity and Islam. In this respect, the concept of fundamentalism and its application to the above religions will be discussed.  
   
   
347.004
T: Everyday Art Susan Dever
  S 1200-1830  
  Studies in major religious figures or movements. Topic varies.  
   
347.005
T: Christianity 1517-Present Donna Ray
  TR 1530-1645  
  This course covers the development of Christianity from the Protestant Reformation into the modern world, including biography, doctrine, liturgy, institutions, and religious practice, together with the interaction of Christianity with society at large./em>  
   
347.007
T: Modern Occult & Neo Paganism Hilary Lipka
  T 1370-2000  
  In this class we will discuss some of the major occult and neo-pagan movements of the last 300 years, including spiritualism, theosophy, Wicca, Neo-Shamanism, and Satanism. We will consider why these particular revival movements arose when and where they did, which figures were central in their revival, and how much of their practicce was based on resumption of ancient beliefs and rituals, and how much was re-invention. We will also consider the influence that these movements have on popular culture today.  
   
347.008
T: Ancient Religion and Magic Staff
  TR 1530-1645  
  The ancient Greeks did not have a term to describe our modern notion of 'religion' but rather an amalgamation of various rituals, beliefs and practices. This course will examine both the traditional, civic pratices sanctioned by the state such as oracular consultation and cult festivals as well as the more unconventional, personal practices of magic which excludes binding spells, love charms and curses. These two aspects of ancient religion will be examined in the original cultural context through the use of primary sources which describe the practitioners, their rationale and the perceived efficacy of their belief system.One of the key themes in ancient religion and magic is communication between gods and men: how humanity speaks with the divine, and how the gods speak to humanity. Sacrifice is the best example of the former and several of methods of divination serve to demonstrate the latter. Through the study of the beliefs and practices of the Ancient Greeks and Romans from the Classical era through Late Antiquity, this class will attempt to make sense of these two connected, yet varying notions of ancient religion and magic. Some of the specific topics covered include the various deities worshiped in the Classical world, the notion of polytheism, important civic festivals such as the Panathenaea, oracles such as Delphi, sacred space in antiquity, the similarities and differences between magic and religion, magical spells, amulets, magic and the law, magicians and their techniques. GRADING: Weekly quizzes, two exams, and one short essay.  
   
350.003
Religion and Literature Phillip Schoenberg
  TR 1730-1845  
  This course is an introduction to the relationship between religious and literary traditions. We will read several literary works ranging widely from Augustine through the twentieth-first century. Although the focus of the course will be on original texts, we will also sample certain important and influential works of criticism relevant to religious themes in literature. The latter part of the course will focus on literature that explores the difficulties faced by religious believers (or would-be believers) in the modern age.
   
365.001
T: Philosophy of Religion Joachim Oberst
  W 1600-1830  
  Studies in major religious figures or movements. Topic varies.  
   
431.001
Ch'an and Zen Richard Hayes
  TR 1100-1215  
 
   
441.001
Sem: History of Religion USA Donna Ray
  TR 1530-1645  
  The United States is the most religiously diverse nation in the world, and religion is an integral part of American social, cultural, and political discourse. In this course, we will look at the ways various Americans have historically understood and expressed this important aspect of their identity, how American culture as a whole has been shaped by religion, and how Americans have dealt with religious differences historically.
   
447.003
Sem: Psychology of Religion Lynn Bridgers
  TR 1530-1645  
  The 1909 conference at Clark University, organized by G. Stanley Hall, brought together three pivotal figures in the psychology of religion -- Sigmund Freud, C. G. Jung and William James. This course begins with an overview of Gustav Fechner's work, the experimental psychologist who influenced all three figures. It then explores the contributions of the seminal figures at the Clark conference - the psychology of religion as interpreted by Freud, Jung and James. Shifting to contemporary understandings of religious experience we will examine more biologically based views, including Jerome Kagan's temperament studies, Judith Lewis Herman's traumatic studies, Lawrence Calhoun and Richard Tedeschi's posttraumatic growth, Victor Frankl's logotherapy, and Andrew Newberg's research in neurotheology. It concludes with an exploration of the strengths and limitations that psychology brings to our understanding of religion and religious experience and the implications for clinical and pastoral practice
   
447.005
Sem: Philosophy and Liberation Michael Candelaria
  MWR 1300-1350  
  In this course we will examine Marxism, Critical Theory, and Latin American Liberation Philosophy. We will begin with the Hegelian influence on the early Marx and move on to see how the Hegelian Marx informs the Hungarian Marxist Georgi Lukacs. Our examination of Critical Theory begins with the Frankfurt theorists—Adorno, Horkheimer, Marcuse, and Habermas. Here our attention turns to the theory/practice problem, the dialectic of the Enlightenment, the relation between philosophy and practice, reason as domination, and culture and technology as ideology. Then we will consider critics of Habermas—Lyotard, Foucault, Nancy Fraser, and Seyla Benhabib. The last part of the semester will be devoted to a study of Latin American liberation philosophy with an emphasis on the Latin American critique of European and North American Philosophy as ideology.
 
463.001
Sem: The Theology of Paul Franklin Yates
  M 1730-2000  
  The Theology of Paul is a systematic analysis of the New Testament literature attributed to Paul the apostle. This course focuses on Paul's letter to the Romans as an overview of his entire theology. Topic varies.
     
497.001
Independent Studies John Bussanich
  Arranged  
  Restriction: permission of program chairperson.
     
497.002
Independent Studies Daniel Wolne
  Arranged  
  Restriction: permission of program chairperson.  
     
551.001
MA Problems John Bussanich
  Tutorial arrangement with a member of the graduate faculty.