Current Courses

Course Offerings (Spring 2024)

View a full list of religious studies courses, including those not offered this semester.

General education courses are marked with an asterisk (*).

*REL1000: Religions of the World (Asynchronous and Web-Based)

Students should know that the first section is 100% online and asynchronous. If you would rather have an in-person experience, please enroll in second, third, or fourth section of REL 1000. This course provides a general introduction to the world's religions, including major traditions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, along with smaller indigenous traditions. The approach of the course is objective and academic, it is not designed to advocate any particular religious perspective or ideology. This is an Integrative Learning Core (ILC) course that awards general education credit; it is also one of the basic requirements for the Religious Studies major.

Section	Date & Time	Instructor	Location
001	TTH 9:00 - 10:20	Lauren Horn Griffin	102 Allen
002	MWF 8:30 - 9:20	Kenneth Smith	152 Coates
003	100% Web - Based and Asynchronous	Kenneth Smith
004	100% Web-Based and Asynchronous	Kenneth Smith
005	TTH 4:30 - 5:50	Claire Hautot	209 Coates
006	TTH 6:00 - 7:20	Claire Hautot	209 Coates

*REL 2001: Faith and Doubt

This course considers how religious faith is challenged or supported by various factors, such as reason, morality, organized religion, and the experience of suffering. The course uses a selection of readings from Paine, Hume, Clifford, James, Kierkegaard, Hesse, Weil, Kushner, and others to address the following questions of religious faith and skepticism: (1) Is belief in God compatible with reason? (2) Is it valid to evaluate religious faith by critical reason? (3) What are the limits, if any, of religious knowledge? (4) To what extent is religious belief validated by the existence of moral norms? (5) To what extent does an individual's faith depend upon or come into conflict with organized religion? (6) How has traditional theistic belief and language been challenged or modified by modern religious thinkers? (7) Is religious faith compatible with the experience of suffering and evil? This is an Integrative Learning Core (ILC) course that awards general education credit.

Section	Date & Time	Instructor	Location
001	TTH 1:30 - 2:50	Madhuri Yadlapati	220 Stubbs

*REL 2027: Asian Religions

Asian civilizations have a long history with far-reaching impact and influence on our global community today. One does not need to travel to Asia to be affected by Asian people, economic and political activities, cuisine, arts and entertainment, health treatment options, and religious orientations. The religious landscape of Asia is crucial to understanding Asian civilizations. This course focuses on a variety of Asian religious traditions, including fundamental teachings of the Hindu, Confucian, Taoist, Shinto, and Buddhist traditions of India, Tibet, China, and Japan. We explore how religious values influence decision-making processes in personal and public spheres. This is an Integrative Learning Core (ILC) course that awards general education credit.

Section	Date & Time	Instructor	Location
001	TTH 3:00 - 4:20	Madhuri Yadlapati	220 Stubbs

*REL/PHIL 2028: Philosophy of Religion

Is there an all- powerful, infinitely intelligent, loving being (i.e., God) who created the visible universe and all within it? If so, can the existence of such a being be proven rationally? And if so, is there a rational explanation for the presence of evil in the world that this being created and governs? Does human consciousness survive the death of the physical body? Is it reasonable to believe in miracles, e.g., the claim that Jesus walked on water or that some Hindu saints have brought human beings back from the dead even after they have been cremated? In approaching these, and other, religious questions philosophically, we will focus upon the reasons, evidence, arguments and counter arguments that have been advanced with respect to these questions. The goal of this class is not only to make students familiar with those theories falling under the general rubric of the philosophy of religion, but to further refine each student's ability to reason critically through any sort of logical argument, religious or otherwise. This is an Integrative Learning Core (ILC) course that awards general education credit.

Section	Date & Time	Instructor	Location
001	MW 4:30 - 5:50	Daniel Felty	209 Coates Hall

*REL 2029: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

This course introduces students to the histories, teachings, beliefs, and practices of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to engage with guest speakers, take field trips to synagogues, churches, and mosques, and watch a number of videos pertaining to contemporary issues (e.g., women's roles, waging war) within these religions. This is an Integrative Learning Core (ILC) course that awards general education credit; it is also one of the basic requirements for the Religious Studies major. This is an Integrative Learning Core (ILC) course that awards general education credit.

Section	Date & Time	Instructor	Location
001	TTH 12:00 - 1:20	Maria Rethelyi	209 Coates

REL/ANTH 3004: Archaeology and the Bible

Since Napoleon's expedition to Egypt and Palestine in 1798, archaeologists have discovered a vast quantity of artifacts and texts from the ancient Near East. This course examines a selection of the archaeological finds that relate to the historical study of the Hebrew Bible (Old testament). Specific topics include Israel's settlement in Palestine, the United Monarchy of David and Solomon, tenth-century Jerusalem, the Omride kings as builders and their role in international politics, Israelite sanctuaries, the veneration of the goddess Asherah, sacred pillars in Israelite religion, and the cult of the dead. The main goal of the course is to become conversant with the interpretive issues and scholarly debates.

Section	Date & Time	Instructor	Location
001	TTH 1:30 - 2:50	Stuart Irvine	E131 Howe Russell

*REL 3010: Religion in Modern Israel

The class looks at the different major religions of Modern Israel, such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.To understand these religions in Israel today, first, we will learn about modern Israeli history (the emergence of the State of Israel, Arab - Israeli conflicts, the relationship of Israel to the Jewish Diaspora). Then we will look at what religions exist in Israel today and what cultural events shape modern Israel. We will supplement our learning with the aid of Israeli and Palestinian films to have a better feeling of contemporary Israeli society with its living religions, diverse cultures, and diverse people.

Section	Date & Time	Instructor	Location
001	TTH 10:30 - 11:50	Mari Rethelyi	209 Coates

REL/CLST 3090: Comparative Mythology

Comparative Mythology offers a wonderful opportunity to explore myths from various cultures, past and present. Students will be introduced to theories of myth and asked to apply these theories to the myths in order to gain insight into the different thought patterns. Students will also learn methods of comparison so that students will be able to recognize both the similarities and differences of myths from different cultures. Textual and visual sources will be examined.

Section	Date & Time	Instructor	Location
001	TTH 9:00 - 10:20	Albert Watanabe	253 Himes

REL 3203: Religion and Parapsychology

This course explores the role of the paranormal in the history of religions, and in the history of scholarly thought about religion. Perhaps most importantly, this course takes seriously alternate ways of understanding the nature of reality and human experiences that fall outside the norms and methods of contemporary thought and science.

Section	Date & Time	Instructor	Location
001	MWF 10:30 - 11:20	Kenneth Smith	202 Coates

REL 4011: Age of Reformation

This course will examine the course of religious change in Europe between 1400 and 1650, and how it brought about the end of medieval Latin Christendom. Subjects covered include the reforming movements of Martin Luther, John Calvin and the Anabaptists, as well as Catholic reform. We will examine not just theology but the complicated political, social and cultural changes in Europe and abroad brought about the splintering of European Christianity.

Section	Date & Time	Instructor	Location
001	MWF 10:30 - 11:20	Christine Kooi	234 Coates

REL/ SOCI 4441: Sociology of Religion

Prereq: SOCL 2001 or equivalent. Nature of religion; societal and cultural factors in religion; role of religion in social change and in contemporary society.

Section	Date & Time	Instructor	Location
001	TTH 12:00 - 1:20	Stroope	220 Stubbs

REL/ HIST 4161: History of Religion in the U.S.

This course is a chronological and thematic survey of American religious history, with special consideration given to the diversity of religion in the United States. The course begins with the European colonization of the Americas and moves through topics such as the Great Awakenings, slave religions, Mormonism, Native American religions, fundamentalism, Roman Catholicism, and Judaism, as well as new immigrant religions like Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam. Students will learn how religious groups influenced and were influenced by American culture. An assortment of reading materials, writing assignments, and creative projects will allow students to engage a variety of religious issues and understand the significance and relevance of religion in the history of the United States.

Section	Date & Time	Instructor	Location
001	M 6:00 - 8:50	Lauren Horn Griffin	211 Coates