Religious Studies Course Descriptions

RELN 111. Introduction to Religion
This course presents recurrent forms and issues in religious life, e.g. myths, rituals, the nature of the divine, good and evil, and introduces students to the academic study of religion. Traditions are covered thematically, with emphasis upon cross-cultural features of religion and pertinent theories.
This course fulfills a General Education requirement in the Humanities.

RELN 112. Survey of World Religions
This introductory course presents the classical expressions of the world's most widespread and historically significant religions. Students will learn about the origins, foundational figures, scriptures, beliefs, and practices of Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
This course fulfills a General Education requirement in either the Humanities or in International and Intercultural Studies.

RELN 200. Survey of the New Testament
This course examines the New Testament using the tools of contemporary scholarship. Through a study of the history of the early Church and the varied stories presented by the different authors of the New Testament, students will learn to see the formative Christian tradition in all of its variety.
This course fulfills a General Education requirement in the Humanities.

RELN 202. Survey of the Old Testament
This course provides an introduction to the methods which inform the study of the Old Testament and examines the three segments of the Old Testament, i.e. The Law, the Prophets, and the Writings. Students view the major events which shaped the history of ancient Israel and encounter the themes which formed the ideology of Israelite religion.
This course fulfills a General Education requirement in the Humanities.

RELN 205. Religion and Culture
This introduction to the social-scientific study of religion examines religion in its cultural context. Topics such as church and state, religion and race, secularization, and religion and economics are covered through historical cases from around the world. Major sociological theories of religion are considered.
This course fulfills a General Education requirement in the Humanities.

RELN 206. Survey of Religious Experiences
This is a cross-cultural and interdisciplinary examination of religious experiences, defined as "reported direct encounters with the supernatural." Students will read accounts from around the world of religious visions and calls, possession, mystical union, and journeys to the afterlife, along with the biographies of shamans, mediums, and mystics. Theories from a variety of academic disciplines will illuminate the human causes and consequences of these extraordinary phenomena.
This course fulfills a General Education requirement in the Humanities.

RELN 305. Religion and Women
Prerequisite: Three hours of religious studies
This course examines the presentation of women in religious texts and history, feminist criticism of religious traditions, and the roles of women (past and present) in selected Western, Eastern, tribal, and neopagan religions.

RELN 320. Jesus and the Gospels
Prerequisite: RELN 200 or RELN 202
This course first examines the three Synoptic Gospels as coherent and independent narratives. It then moves from story to history, by using the tools modern scholars have developed to understand Jesus as a historical figure.

RELN 330. History of Christianity
Prerequisite: RELN 200 or RELN 202
This course examines the history of Christianity, understood both as institution(s) and as intellectual tradition. From its origins until today, Christianity has presented itself in various, usually competing, forms. We will strive to understand the intellectual issues at stake in various ages, what it was like to be an average Christian rather than a theologian, and how outsiders (such as Romans or Jews) viewed the Church.

RELN 350. Religion in India
Prerequisite: RELN 112
This course provides students with an opportunity for advanced study in the historical development of religious thought and practice in India. It includes the study of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Islam, and Sikhism as well as minority religions such as Judaism, Christianity, and the faith of the Parsis.

RELN 360. Religion in China and Japan
Prerequisite: RELN 112
This course provides students with an opportunity for advanced study in the historical development of religious thought and practice in China and Japan. It includes the study of ancestor worship, folk religions, Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism, Shinto, "New Religious Movements" and communism.

RELN 370. American Sects and Cults
Prerequisite: Three hours of religious studies
This course investigates non-conventional religious groups in the United States, from colonial Quakers and Puritans to contemporary Scientology and the Church of Satan. Lectures will survey mainline religious and cultural trends salient to the appearance of sects and cults. Students will evaluate social-scientific theories on topics such as the mental health of leaders and followers, cult-related violence, conversion and defection, the law and deviant religions.

RELN 380. Old Testament Topics
Prerequisite: RELN 200 or RELN 202
This course concentrates on one segment, a particular genre, or a specific issue, to advance the student's knowledge and understanding of the Old Testament. Representative topics include law and covenant, narrative analysis of the Old Testament, wisdom literature, and the prophets. This course may be taken up to three times with a different topic each time.

RELN 420. Topics in Religious Studies
Prerequisite: Three hours of religious studies
This course provides an opportunity for advanced study of a selected topic in religious studies. Examples of topics to be studied may include Zen Buddhism, goddesses, and the letters of Paul. The course may be taken up to three times with a different topic each time.

RELN 488H. Final Honors Project
Prerequisites: Enrollment in the Honors Program, completion of all other Honors Program requirements, a minimum of 3.5 GPA in all courses and in religious studies
Project and topic to be determined by the student, the faculty member with whom the student works, and the department. In order to receive honors credit, a student must earn a grade of "A" or "B" for the final project. Course may not be repeated.

RELN 490. Religious Studies Internship
Prerequisites: 18 hours of Religious Studies; junior or senior standing; minimum 3.0 GPA in major; approval of department chairperson.
Offers an opportunity through experiential learning to apply skills gained through the Religious Studies curriculum in a career-oriented atmosphere. The internship consists of a one or two semester placement with a business, governmental agency, or religious or service organization interested in working with students who have critical thinking skills, research and writing skills, and knowledge of issues addressed in the study of religion. Grading will be on A-F basis. No more than 3 credit hours may be applied toward the requirements for the major.

RELN 498. Independent Study
Prerequisites: Approval of department curriculum committee and department chair
An Independent Study may be taken for up to six credits. The course is designed by the student in consultation with his or her adviser.