REL 1220 World Religions

[3 credit hours]

A study of the major religions of the world, with an emphasis on their histories, beliefs and practices

Term Offered: Spring, Summer, Fall

Core Arts & Humanities, Multicultural Non-US Diversity, OT36 Arts and Humanities

REL 2000 Introduction To Religion

[3 credit hours]

Critical and thematic study of the concepts, values, practices and world-views intrinsic to the religious life.

Term Offered: Spring, Summer, Fall

Core Arts & Humanities, OT36 Arts and Humanities

REL 2070 Early Judaism

[3 credit hours]

Institutions, culture and religion from the earliest times through the Biblical period to the Medieval period.

REL 2310 Old Testament/Tanakh

[3 credit hours]

An examination of the history and ideas of the Jewish scriptures within the context of Judaism and their appropriation within Christian traditions.

Term Offered: Fall

Core Arts & Humanities, OT36 Arts and Humanities

REL 2320 Judaism

[3 credit hours]

An inductive introduction to the history, beliefs, and practices of Judaism, with an emphasis on various forms of Jewish culture and identity.

Term Offered: Spring, Fall

REL 2330 New Testament History And Ideas

[3 credit hours]

Examination of the history and ideas of the New Testament.

Term Offered: Spring

Core Arts & Humanities, OT36 Arts and Humanities

REL 2380 Topics In Catholic Thought

[3 credit hours]

Critical examination of selected topics in contemporary Catholic thought and life.

Term Offered: Spring, Fall

REL 2410 Christianity

[3 credit hours]

This course is designed to ground students with the basics of the Christian tradition, with particular focus on the contents of the bible and the dynamics of Christian history. Through careful reading of the assigned material, class discussion, and written assignments, students are expected to attain a wide-based knowledge of Christian self-understanding, values, and theology.

Term Offered: Fall

REL 2500 Islam

[3 credit hours]

An introduction to the academic understanding of Islam. Topics may include; faith, rituals, law (Shari'h), jurisprudence (Figh), theology (Kalam), and stories from the Islamic heritage. Non-Western multicultural course.

Term Offered: Spring, Fall

Core Arts & Humanities, Multicultural Non-US Diversity, Multicultural US Diversity

REL 2980 Special Topics In Religious Studies

[3 credit hours]

Special topics courses. Course may be repeated for credit as topics vary.

Term Offered: Spring, Fall

REL 3000 Religious Studies Proseminar

[1 credit hour]

This course enhances students' professional development in fields related to religious studies.

REL 3080 Jewish Biblical Studies

[3 credit hours]

An examination of the texts and methods of historical and contemporary Jewish scriptural studies.

Term Offered: Spring, Fall

REL 3210 Ancient And Medieval Philosophy

[3 credit hours]

A study of ancient and medieval philosophy from the pre-Socratics to Aquinas.

Term Offered: Fall

REL 3350 The Qur'an And Hadith

[3 credit hours]

A study of the two main texts for Islamic belief and practice: Qur'an and the Hadith (the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad). Topics include their thematic structure, methods of interpretation, and their unique authority within Islam.

REL 3420 Christian Ethical Perspectives

[3 credit hours]

This course will study fundamental ethical concerns in Christian thought, with an extended consideration given to a particular Christian tradition determined by the instructor.

Term Offered: Spring

REL 3500 Eastern Thought

[3 credit hours]

An examination of major philosophies of Asia and the Far East, their specific concerns and their relevance to contemporary problems.

Term Offered: Spring, Fall

Multicultural Non-US Diversity

REL 3510 Comparative Religion: Living Non-Western Religions

[3 credit hours]

Study of the major attitudes toward life, human existence and the world embodied in such major religions of the world as Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam and Taoism. Non-U.S. Diversity

REL 3570 Philosophy Of Religion

[3 credit hours]

A critical, philosophical exploration of questions about the nature of religion, including the existence and nature of God, the problem of evil, and the relation between faith and knowledge. Other topics may include the relation of religion to science and morality, as well as the role of religious experience and miracles in religious belief.

Term Offered: Spring, Fall

REL 3580 Contemporary Issues In Islam

[3 credit hours]

An examination of key contemporary issues facing Islamic thought and culture, such as the changing and contested understandings of religious authority, jihad, role of women, courting, and family norms and the effects on all these of globalization and social media. Course may be repeated for credit as topics vary. Non-Western multicultural course.

Term Offered: Spring, Fall

Multicultural Non-US Diversity

REL 3710 Literature Of The Old Testament

[3 credit hours]

A study of the Old Testament from the literary point of view, including ancient poetry, history, romance, short story, hymn, prophecy and wisdom writing. Recommended: ENGL 2700 or 2800.

Term Offered: Spring, Summer

REL 3900 Seminar-Contemporary Religious Thought

[3 credit hours]

A critical examination of selected topics in the area of religion.

Term Offered: Spring, Fall

REL 3980 Special Topics In Religious Studies

[3 credit hours]

Special topics courses. Course may be repeated for credit as topics vary.

Term Offered: Spring, Fall

REL 4010 Islamic Law and Society

[3 credit hours]

This course will survey Islamic law in historical and comparative modern contexts. This course will provide (a) basic introduction to the sources and methods of classical Islamic legal interpretation, (b) survey of the most pressing areas in which traditional Islamic norms remain relevant today—criminal law, family law, and commercial law, (c) the challenges and transformations introduced by colonialism, modernity, and the nation-state, and (d) comparison with the American law and the constitution, highlighting comparative interpretive methods such as originalism versus progressivism, and innovative dimensions of Islamic law such as legal pluralism, wide room for local custom, religious diversity, and restorative justice.

Term Offered: Spring

REL 4610 Religious Studies Topics In The Humanities

[3 credit hours]

Cross listings with 4000-level courses offered in the humanities departments. Specific topics vary, and course may be repeated for credit as topics vary. Check course schedules for specific subject and prerequisites.

Term Offered: Spring, Fall

REL 4630 Religion, Violence and Peace

[3 credit hours]

This seminar is a sustained exploration of whether religion is related to the occurrence of violence, peace or community-building, and if so, when and how.

REL 4820 Anthropology Of Religion

[3 credit hours]

A cross-cultural approach to the description and analyses of magical and religious beliefs and practices in Asia, Africa, Latin America and Indigenous North America.

Prerequisites: ANTH 2800 with a minimum grade of D-

Term Offered: Spring, Fall

Multicultural Non-US Diversity

REL 4900 Seminar In Religious Studies

[3 credit hours]

Topics vary. Course may be repeated for credit as topics vary. See adviser for Seminar Request Form.

Term Offered: Spring, Summer, Fall

REL 4940 Internship In Religious Studies

[1-6 credit hours]

Student is placed in a campus or community setting approved by the instructor of record to work on issues pertaining to religion, and analyzes verbally and in writing how religion functioned in this setting.

Term Offered: Spring, Summer, Fall

REL 4960 Senior Thesis for Honors

[3 credit hours]

Prerequisite: Junior standing and consent of program director

Term Offered: Spring, Summer, Fall

REL 4980 Special Topics In Religious Studies

[3 credit hours]

Topics vary. Course may be repeated for credit as topics vary.

Term Offered: Spring, Fall

REL 4990 Independent Study In Religious Studies

[1-4 credit hours]

Directed study in religious studies under the supervision of a religious studies instructor.

Term Offered: Spring, Fall