50:840:101 Introduction to Religious Studies (3) Introduction to the academic study of religion as a category of analysis in Western civilization. Attention to major methodological approaches to comparative study of religion and major categories of analysis such as myth, ritual, mysticism, scripture, prayer, sacred space, and time.

50:840:103 Introduction to World Religions (3) A general introduction to the basic religious concerns of humanity and the ways in which religions have developed in Eastern and Western history, giving intellectual, moral, and institutional expression to the meaning of human existence.

50:840:108 Introduction to Religion and Contemporary Culture (3) A study of the ways that religion may or may not have significance for our world today, examining issues such as the meaning of religious experience, evil and goodness, the purposes of ritual, roles of religion in society and culture, the impact of science and technology on religion, and issues in ethics.

50:840:110 Introduction to the Bible (3) Historical and literary exploration of portions of the Tanakh (Old Testament) and New Testament that have had the most lasting influence on Western culture. Focus on the meaning of key terms like covenant and evil, biblical authorship, and different ways the text may be interpreted today.

50:840:111 Asian Religions (3) A historical and comparative study of the religions of Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Shinto and their expressions in the cultures of India, China, and Japan.

50:840:112 Jews, Christians, and Muslims (3) The historical development of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam from the earliest roots in the myths and rituals of the ancient world to their modern forms. The interaction between each tradition and the cultural context in which it emerges and develops. The popular expression of each religion's beliefs in its holidays, rituals, and legends.

50:840:123 Myth and Symbol (3) Comparative studies of the creation myths and hero myths of selected Eastern, Middle Eastern, European, Native American, and African cultures. Attention given to the religious worldview, the psychological and social implications, and the symbolic forms of expression of each. Various methodologies for the study of myth investigated.

50:840:130 Religion and Film (3) Examines the use of mythical and religious images and symbols in contemporary films. The cinematic representation of issues such as ultimate meaning and ethical values, spiritual quests, hopelessness, and salvation are analyzed. May be taken as part of the filmmaking concentration.

50:840:190 Reading Seminar in Religion (3) In this small, seminar-style course, students will work through either one significant book or a similarly substantive collection of essays, with the topic varying by semester. Students will engage in intensive close reading of the text, identifying particular arguments and ideas during student discussion in the seminar meetings. The course meets for 1/3 the time of a regular course, that is, on average one hour a week (or two hours every other week). This course can be repeated up to three times for credit. (Note that there is also a similar course in Philosophy, 50:730:190, which can be taken up to an additional three times.)

50:840:195 Lab in Diversity (0) Cross-listing� for occasional courses meeting the general education diversity requirement.

50:840:196 Lab in Engaged Civic Learning (0) Cross-listing for occasional courses meeting the general education engaged civic learning requirement.

50:840:197 Lab in Experiential Learning (0) Cross-listing for occasional courses meeting the general education experiential learning requirement.

50:840:198 Lab in Writing (0) Cross-listing for occasional courses meeting the general education writing requirement.

50:840:203 God (3) This course is an in-depth examination of conceptions of God, broadly and cross-culturally understood.�In particular, it examines the ways in which diverse religious groups have understood God across different time periods and localities, as well as the varieties of God-concepts expressed around the world (e.g., theism, kathenotheism, polytheism, monotheism, nontheism, monism, and atheism). The course also explores the ways in which the concept of God has been the subject of intense intra-religious debate. The course concludes with a study of historical and contemporary debates about the existence/non-existence of God, including the arguments from evil, naturalism and physicalism. Materials are drawn from a range of religious traditions including but not limited to Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism,�Christianity, and Islam.

50:840:208 The Historical Jesus (3) Who was the Jewish teacher named Jesus? This course will explore how scholars use historical method to reconstruct the life of an ancient figure as well as how ideas and beliefs about a religious leader develop over time. It will examine the original sources for the historical Jesus and the major issues under debate in current scholarship.

50:840:210 Paul and the Founding of Christianity (3) This course will explore the writings of Paul, arguably the most influential author in Christianity, as well as those who reacted to him and even directly opposed him. It will also consider Paul's relationship to Judaism, the historical Jesus, and the early followers of Jesus as well as his contribution to what would eventually become the new religion of Christianity.

50:840:215 Gods, Sex, and Violence in the Old Testament (3) Introduces select books of the Tanakh (Old Testament), as well as the history behind them, in order to examine some of the most unusual, strange, and fascinating stories, legends and folktales in the Bible and try to understand them from the point of view of the cultures in which they were written.

50:840:216 African-American Religion (3) The effects of American enslavement on the religious and social institutions of the African people and the development of religious beliefs and institutions within the African-American community. The relationship between black and white religious institutions and the role of religion in the development of black political consciousness.

50:840:220 Hinduism (3) Exploration of the diverse religious and cultural traditions in India.� Focus on evolution of religious doctrines, festivals, rituals, and spiritual practices.

50:840:222 Buddhism (3) An in-depth investigation into the Buddhist traditions, including their various histories, philosophies and texts, practices, rituals, ethical systems, politics of representation, and cultural diversities.

50:840:230 Contemporary Judaism (3) A study of the development of Judaism in America and an analysis of the major religious issues of modem Judaism as expressed by major Jewish thinkers. Topics include contemporary attitudes toward God and Torah, Israel and Zionism, the Holocaust and the death of God, the dialogue of Judaism and Christianity, the challenge of secularism, and the Jew in modem literature.

50:840:233 Introduction to Islam (3) An introduction to the world's second-largest religion in its historical, cultural, textual, ritual, theological, ethical, political, and contemporary complexities.

50:840:235 Islam and the Modern World (3) An exploration of the diverse manifestations of Islam in the 21st century around the globe. Includes study of Islam in relation to such issues as modernity, globalization, women's rights, fundamentalism, war, and culture.

50:840:240 Religion and Health (3) "Religion and Health"is a multidisciplinary course in which students cultivate three professional skills: religious literacy, legal literacy, and science literacy. They apply these frameworks to case studies that reveal moral dilemmas about religion and health as experienced in communities, schools, and hospitals. Students explore social science research about diverse religious responses to COVID-19 and case studies about the helpful or harmful roles that community leaders, religious professionals, and houses of worship played in managing the pandemic. Students then explore the legal parameters and political challenges to vaccine mandates in K-12 schools by examining how public employees responded to private requests for medical, philosophical, and religious exemptions. Students also explore how patients and healthcare professionals understand the body, illness, healing, life, and death through case studies about hospital chaplains and their work with multidisciplinary healthcare teams. The course concludes with students presenting their professional integration plan, demonstrating how they intend to apply these three civic competencies--religious, legal, and science literacies--to a profession of their choice.

50:840:266 Race, Politics, and Religion (3) This course examines how religion shaped the political and racial priorities of American history. Topics include the role and definition of civil religion, the struggle George Washington had with defining the role of religion in a new republic, the impact of slavery, and the social construction of whiteness.

50:840:267 Justice, Forgiveness, and Reparations (3) The course attempts to focus understanding on the relation between the concepts of justice, and its sub-elements of forgiveness and reparations, in the context of recent domestic and international approaches to the righting of historical and intergenerational social wrongs, including enslavement, war crimes, crimes against humanity, apartheid, and genocide.

50:840:270 Gender, Sexuality, and Religion (3) This class looks at the ways that women and men have been portrayed and treated in the myths, symbols and rituals of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (with options to explore other religions as well). � We will examine how these traditions and views of the body, nature, sexuality, the sacred, and the divine affected each others.�� We'll look at the tradition of Goddess worship that was supplanted by the major western religions and why it has enjoyed a resurgence among some people today.� We'll discuss the question of whether elements of these religions are sexist and/or homophobic and whether they contribute to oppression of women and LBGTQ people.�� We will consider suggestions from various sources about how to make religious stories and rituals more welcoming of people regardless of gender or sexuality.

50:840:276 Happiness (3) "Happiness" is a multidisciplinary exploration of human flourishing. The course draws from the academic study of happiness explored in the humanities, specifically psychology, philosophy, religious studies, cultural studies, history, and law. The course surveys empirical scientific research, such as positive psychology, neuroscience, and biology. The content of what is studied mirrors how it is taught by drawing upon teaching methods used in resiliency education. Ultimately, the course studies how humans organize themselves, their internal lives, relationships, and environments-communally and globally

50:840:278 Death and Dying in World Religions (3) An exploration of the way diverse world religions try to make sense of the inevitability of death. The course examines rituals around death, notions of spirit/body relationships, conceptions of an afterlife, and the human struggle to find meaning in life in the face of death.

50:840:284 Philosophical and Religious Perspectives on Childhood (3) This course explores the complex diversity of philosophical and religious approaches to the meaning of childhood. It is often assumed that children's lives are universal and simple to understand, but in fact they are diverse, highly complex, and differently interpreted. The first half of the course critically examines a range of the most influential philosophical and religious writings on childhood from history. The second half explores in depth contemporary issues such as the nature of children's thinking, children's rights, children's participation in politics, and the like. By combining historical and contemporary perspectives, students gain critical tools for thinking critically and complexly about childhoods.

50:840:288 Religion and Science (3) Explores the historic tension between science and religion and analyzes areas of conflict and compatibility. Issues such as cosmology and creation, evolution and human nature, neurology and spirituality are discussed.

50:840:293,294 Special Topics in Religion (3,3) Intermediate-level focus on selected special topics in religious studies.

50:840:295 Lab 2 in Diversity (0) Cross-listing for occasional courses meeting the general education diversity requirement.

50:840:296 Lab 2 in Engaged Civic Learning (0) Cross-listing for occasional courses meeting the general education engaged civic learning requirement.

50:840:297 Lab 2 in Experiential Learning (0) Cross-listing for occasional courses meeting the general education experiential learning requirement.

50:840:298 Lab 2 in Writing (0) Cross-listing for occasional courses meeting the general education writing requirement.

50:840:318 Religion and Law (3) "Religion & Law" examines the origins and developments of religious liberty in the United States from the colonial and founding periods to the present day. Attention is given to the historical and legal foundations that currently govern the relationship of religion and the state; that define "free exercise" protections for people of all religions and none; that set limitations on the state from "establishing" or privileging a religion; and provides a civic framework for people to self-govern one of the most religiously diverse societies in the world.

50:840:322 Religion and Democracy (3) Critical examination of contemporary theories of liberalism and democracy as they relate to the inclusion of religious citizens in political contexts. Topics include the defense of religious freedom and tolerance, the use of religious reasons to justify laws regulating abortion and marriage, and the ideals of mutual respect and understanding in pluralistic political societies.

50:840:333 Evil (3) An examination of the phenomenon of evil, particularly moral evil, through close readings of ancient and modern philosophical, religious, political, and literary texts. Questions include whether humanity is vile, how evil could be explained, whether it is compatible with belief in God, and if it sheds useful lighton contemporary issues like terrorism, genocide, racism, and poverty. Credit not given for this course and 50:730:333.

50:840:337 Religion and Psychology (3) Survey of different approaches to the psychological interpretation of religious phenomena, such as images of God, myths and legends, rituals, mysticism, faith healing, meditation, and conversion experiences. The works of Freud, Jung, and others considered.

50:840:339 Gods and Monsters: Understanding Power (3) We experience power in some form every day, yet we rarely think critically about the role it plays in our lives. Gods and monsters symbolize the extreme poles of our understandings of power and thus serve as instructive benchmarks for this interdisciplinary exploration. The course approaches the study of power from theoretical (e.g., philosophical, political, sociological, and historical), literary, and artistic perspectives and applies these understandings to issues in the public sphere. Some of the questions we will ask include: How are gods and monsters made and what cultural functions do they serve? What is power? How is it created, maintained, and distributed? How does power change? How is power gendered?

50:840:351 Selling God in the Digital Age (3) The goals of the course are 1) to learn techniques of "netnographic" research on online religious communities in the United States and abroad; 2) to critically analyze digital religion and the questions it raises about the different components of religion; 3) to explore how religious leaders and groups use the internet and technology to brand and market their religious products to wide audience of potential customer-converts; and 4) to understand the power of "new media" as a marketing tool for religion and spirituality in the United States and globally.

50:840:363 Magic and Ritual Power (3) An examination of magic throughout history and today in ritual, community, literature, film, television, and personal spirituality. Is magic a form of religion? Are religious rituals forms of magic? How can magic be defined? What is its power? Such questions are asked across diverse practices and beliefs such as in Judaism, Christianity, Wicca, and paganism.

50:840:366 Cults and New Religious Movements (3) This course examines religious groups in the United States that have been labeled in the public as "cults."� We investigate their beliefs and practices, as well as their histories, social dynamics, recruitment strategies, and relationships with the�public.� Focus will be on building a scholarly toolkit by which to understand these religious groups in an objective and critical manner.

50:840:380,381,382 Learning Abroad Program (0) Cross-listing for designating a course a learning abroad course.

50:840:389,390 Independent Study (3,3) Advanced students pursue a research topic under the direction of a faculty member, culminating in a paper.

50:840:393,394,395,396 Special Topics in Religion (3,3,3,3)

50:840:401 Capstone Studies in Religion (3) Opportunity for majors in the department to pursue independent research in chosen area of religious studies.