A comparative study of some of the basic patterns of religion. The course will focus upon such themes as religious experience, myths of creation, stories of religious founders and heroes, the origin and resolution of human suffering, and the structure and meaning of religious community and ritual. Source material for these themes will be taken from the literary and artistic resources of the following religious traditions: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism. Open to all classes. Dist: TMV or INT.
3 (12) Modern Religious and Anti-Religious Thinkers (Instructor: Frankenberry)
Critical examination of some of the most influential modern proponents and opponents of religious faith, with special emphasis on the question: what is involved in belief in God? Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: W.
7 (10A) First Year Seminar (Instructor: Raz)
12 (10A) Religion and Society in America (Instructor: Balmer)
A study of religious groups and movements in this country, ranging from the major institutional faiths to religious protest groups, cults, and the religions of the 'counter-culture.' Special attention is given to the social forces which shape religious expression in America. Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: W.
18 (2) Indian Buddhism (Instructor: Ohnuma)
An introductory survey of the Buddhism of South Asia from its beginnings in the 6th cen¬tury B.C.E. to its eventual demise in the 12th century C.E. Emphasis will be given to the major beliefs, practices, and institutions characteristic of Indian Buddhism, the develop¬ment of its different varieties (Hinayana, Mahayana, and Vajrayana), and its impact upon South Asian civilization at large. Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: NW.
19.1 (2A) Evangelical Life in Modern America (Instructor: Balmer)
A survey of evangelicalism, America's "folk religion," by far the most important and influential religious movement in American history, from its origins in the Great Awakening to its political and cultural influence in recent years. Open to all classes. DIST: TMV.
19.2 (12) Magic in the Old Testament (Instructor: Schmitt)
Many Old Testament scholars assert that magic in the Old Testament is something opposed to the monotheistic religion of ancient Israel. Nevertheless, the Old Testament mentions various ritual acts either performed by prophets or men of God which seem magical in their essence. This course examines the biblical sources on magic and also comparative texts from the Bible's ancient Near Eastern environment. The course also covers the theoretical framework that led biblical scholarship to assert that monotheism has overcome "magic." Open to all classes. Dist: TMV.
21 (10) Judaism in Late Antiquity: The Rabbinic Revolution (Instructor: Benor) (Identical to JWST 60)
The course begins with a survey of the development of Judaism from a Persian-era temple religion into the religion of the synagogue and the academy in response to Greco-Roman civilization and its eventual Christianization. The course engages the students in careful interrogation of texts from the Mishna and the Talmud to recover the theological and experiential contours and concerns of a religious world in formative transition. Some of these developments are then traced through the Middle Ages to early modernity. Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: W.
24 (2) Jewish Philosophers of Religion (Instrtuctor: Benor) (Identical to JWST 63)
The course is conducted through close reading and discussion of works by Spinoza, Buber, and Levinas that translate insights from the Jewish experience to the idiom of modern European culture and, in so doing, make unique contributions to such subjects of modern religious thought as: God and infinity; religion, morality, and politics; autonomy and transcendence; and the role of Jewish intellectuals in the modern era. Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: W.
33 (2A) Christians, Jews and Muslims in the Age of the Crusades (Instructor: MacEvitt)
This course will focus on the interactions of the three major religious communities of the medieval Mediterranean - Christian, Jewish and Muslim, beginning with the First Crusade in 1096 and ending with the arrival of the Black Death in 1347. Most towns in the Mediterranean held at least two different religious communities, and many held all three. By examining topics such as pilgrimage, crusade and jihad, the status of minority communities and intellectual life, we will explore how Christians, Jews and Muslims clashed, cooperated, influenced and misunderstood each other. Open to all classes.
42 (11) Goddesses of India (Instructor: Ohnuma) (Identical to WGST 43.4)
This course will use both elite and popular Hindu religious texts in conjunction with contemporary sociological and anthropological accounts, scholarly analyses, visual art, and film to explore the diverse identities and roles of India's many goddesses, both ancient and modern. Special emphasis will also be given to the relationship between goddesses and women. Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: NW.
47 (10) Buddhism in China (Instructor: Raz)
A study of the advent of Buddhism in China, its accommodating yet transforming response to Chinese traditions and values, the emergence of the authentically Chinese schools of T'ien-T'ai, Hua-yen, Ch'an, and Pure Land Buddhism, and the enduring Buddhist heritage of China. Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: NW.
55 (2A) Ancient Egyptian Religion (Instructor: Ackerman)
Ancient Egyptian Religion. The great civilization of ancient Egypt, which spanned a period of almost 3000 years, has left us a wealth of literary, artistic, architectural, and funerary religious remains. This course will focus on three major aspects of Egypt's religious heritage: (1) the pantheon and the myths and stories about Egypt's gods; (2) temple complexes; and (3) tombs, especially the tombs of royalty and other nobles. Dist: TMV; WCult: NW.
85 (10A) Senior Colloquium: Truth and Justification (Instructor: Frankenberry)
As a culminating activity for senior majors, this colloquium serves as a forum for researching and writing the Senior Essay. Two faculty members convene the colloquia and guide the selection of essay topics. Other faculty and guest speakers may visit during the first five weeks of the term for discussion of common readings. The 25-page Senior Essay is expected (1) to display expertise in at least one cultural area, historical period, methodological approach, or body of literature, (2) to build upon previous course preparation, and (3) to engage with one of several approaches or readings discussed in the colloquium. Students who choose to enroll in Religion 84 or Religion 86 and 87 as their Culminating Experience are normally expected to participate in the Senior Colloquium but are excused from the writing component. Prerequisite: Religion 1. Open only to senior majors. Dist: TMV.
