Religious Studies (Non-Comprehensive)

1. General Education (see General Education section of catalog)

2. Major Requirements

   1. REL 100(3), 101(3), 102(3), 131(3), 210(3), 580(3)

   2. Complete 15 hours from the following four areas, distributed so that there will be at least six hours in one area and three hours in each of the other three areas. Courses must be chosen to include at least one 500-level course and another course at the 300-level or above*:

      1. History of Religions: REL 315(3), 350(3), 355(3), 360(3), 540(3)

      2. Biblical Studies: REL 312(3), 320(3), 321(3), 362(3), 510(3), 520(3), 570(3), 571(3)

      3. History of Judaism and Christianity: REL 103(1), 330(3), 340(3), 550(1-3)

      4. Religion, Self, and Society: REL 200(1), 332(3), 344(3), 345(3), 365(3), 370(3), 530(3); SOC 390(3) or PSY 533(3)
         
         *Variable content courses (REL 197, 397, 399) may be counted where appropriate with the approval of the advisor and department head.

3. Minor Required

4. Specific Requirements for Bachelor of Arts Degree (see “Academic Programs and Requirements” section of catalog)

5. General Baccalaureate Degree Requirements (see “Academic Programs and Requirements” section of catalog)

Religious Studies

1. REL 100(3); 101(3) or 102(3); 210(3)

2. Plus nine hours of Religious Studies electives to include at least six hours of courses at the 300-level or above to total 18 hours.

Religion Courses

REL 100 Introduction to Religion 3(3-0), F,S

General Education Course (Self-Understanding/Humanities Perspective) Investigates what religion is and does, compares religious ideas and practices, and explores how religion influences the relationship between individual and community.

REL 101 Literature and World of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible 3(3-0), F,S

General Education Course (Culture and Society/Humanities Perspective) Explores the religion, life experiences, cultures, thoughts, and history of the ancient Israelites as found in their literature and artifacts.

REL 102 Literature and World of the New Testament 3(3-0), F,S

General Education Course (Culture and Society/Humanities Perspective) An introduction to early Christian literature and the persons and movements that produced it in their Jewish and Greco-Roman contexts.

REL 103 History of the English Bible 1(1-0), D

The ancient manuscripts of the Bible; early versions; the English Bible; evaluation of recent translations.

REL 131 Religion in America 3(3-0), F,S

General Education Course (Culture and Society/Humanities Perspective) A historical survey of different religious groups in America and their contributions to American identity and values. Includes the connections between religious affiliation and race, ethnicity, gender, politics, the media, and other aspects of U.S. society and culture.

REL 197 (199) Topics in Religious Studies 1-3, D

Topics of general interest in the area of religious studies such as Humor in the Bible, Religion and Literature, Religion and Film. May be repeated, as topics change, to a maximum of 6 hours. Variable Content Course.

REL 200 Religion in the News 1(1-0), D

Increases students' awareness of the presence and relevance of religion in current events and examines the influence of the news media on shaping public awareness and opinion of religion-related issues.

REL 210 Paths of World Religions 3(3-0), F,S

General Education Course (Self-Understanding/Humanities Perspective) A global survey of religious movements, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Students will learn how these religions have affected individual and cultural identities in history and in the contemporary world.

REL 312 The Hebrew Prophets 3(3-0), D

Prerequisite: REL 101 or permission. A survey of the prophetic literature of ancient Israel in its social and historical contexts.

REL 315 Native American Religions 3(3-0), D

Prerequisite: REL 131 or permission. A survey of historical and contemporary Native American cultures and spiritualities, including Native responses to European contact and colonization.

REL 319 The Bible and Film 3(3-0), D

This movie-viewing course enables students to compare and to contrast films reflecting on biblical stories and themes. Films are viewed and grouped according to biblical stories, books, and themes and change each semester.

REL 320 Jesus of Nazareth 3(3-0), F

Prerequisite: REL 102 or permission. Jesus as presented in the canonical gospels and other early sources with attention given to literary and historical issues.

REL 321 Paul 3(3-0), S

Prerequisite: REL 102 or permission. An introduction to the historical Paul and scholarly interpretation of his writings.

REL 323 Apocalypses 3(3-0), D

Prerequisite: REL 101 or REL 102 or permission. A historical and socio-rhetorical analysis of ancient Jewish and Christian apocalyptic movements and literature with some attention to modern examples. Canonical texts such as Daniel and Revelation will be examined in the context of numerous extra-canonical Jewish and Christian apocalypses.

REL 330 Judaism 3(3-0), D

A survey of the history and religion of the Jewish peoples, including the Holocaust, the State of Israel, and modern Jewish movements.

REL 332 Modern Religious Thought 3(3-0), D

Examines ways modernity impacted philosophy of religion in Europe and North America in the twentieth century. Major movements studied may include: Existentialism (Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, Tillich); Process Thought (Whitehead); Feminism (Ruether, Daly); Deconstruction (Derrida, Caputo); and African American thought (King, Cone).

REL 340 Christianity 3(3-0), D

Surveys Christian history from the second century to the present, exploring how past events have led to the development of contemporary churches, denominations, beliefs, and practices. Major topics: Eastern Christianity, Medieval Christendom, the Protestant Reformation, the Enlightenment, and global Christianity in the twenty-first century.

REL 344 (244) New Religious Movements 3(3-0), D

Prerequisite: REL 100 or 131 or permission. Often negatively designated by outsiders as "cults," New Religious Movements continue to emerge at a rapid rate. This course examines the histories, structures, beliefs, and impacts of such groups as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Nation of Islam, Scientology, Raelians, and others.

REL 345 African American Religious Experience 3(3-0), D

Prerequisite: REL 131 or permission. Explores the establishment and maintenance of African American religious institutions, particularly the Black Churches and their future development.

REL 350 Islam 3(3-0), D

Origin, expansion, and continuity of Islam, including pre-Islamic influences, Muhammad, Qur'an and Tradition (hadith), sects, ritual and law, community and worldview, prayer and mysticism.

REL 355 Buddhism 3(3-0), D

Prerequisite: 3 hours in Religious Studies or permission. A broad survey of the diverse patterns and expressions of Buddhist life throughout history. Studies will examine the beliefs, practices, and values that have existed among adherents of Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana Buddhism. Course materials will be drawn from Asian and Western cultures.

REL 360 Hinduism 3(3-0), D

Prerequisite: 3 hours in Religious Studies or permission. An historical and thematic survey of the religions of India from the Vedic period to the present day.

REL 362 Jesus and the Parable Tradition 3(3-0), D

A survey of extant parables in Greek, Jewish, Gnostic, Synoptic and Patristic traditions, and an examination of the history of methods in the interpretation of the Parables of Jesus. In the light of this study the student will read and interpret selected parables of Jesus.

REL 365 The Life and Thought of Martin Luther King, Jr 3(3-0), S

Prerequisite: 6 hours of Religious Studies or permission. Studies the cultural roots, intellectual odyssey, social thought and action of Martin Luther King, Jr. Investigates his role in the Civil Rights Movement and compares him with other prominent leaders of this century.

REL 370 Women and Religion 3(3-0), F,S

Exploration of women's roles in Christianity and other religions. Alienation from places of power has had profound implications for the personal, social, political, economic, and religious aspects of women's existence. Course will examine patterns of religious domination of women and explore possibilities for transformation.

REL 385 Religious Studies Service Learning 1(0-2), D

Prerequisite: 30 hours, concurrent registration in a Religious Studies course designated as a service learning offering. Designed to provide a learning environment for research and reflection on the meaning of public and community service, this course is intended to strengthen human communities by modeling an ethos of service and integrating service into the Religious Studies curriculum. May be repeated but no more than two hours of service learning credit may count toward graduation.

REL 397 (390) Religious Studies Topics 1-3, D

Prerequisite: 3 hours in Religious Studies or permission. Selected topics of general interest in Religious Studies. Examples: Introduction to Archaeology and the Bible, Women in the Bible, Dead Sea Scrolls, the Holocaust, C. S. Lewis, Food and American Religion. May be repeated, as topics change, to a maximum of 6 hours. Variable Content Course.

REL 399 Independent Study 1-3, F,S

Prerequisite: 9 hours in Religious Studies and permission of instructor. Independent study of a Religious Studies topic related to student's major or special interest. Before registering for the course, student and instructor must sign an agreement that details the course requirements. May be repeated to a total of 6 hours. Variable content course.

REL 510 Topics in Old Testament Studies 3(3-0), D

Prerequisite: REL 101, 50 hours, or permission. Advanced introduction and/or exegesis of primary documents from the Old Testament period, canonical and non-canonical, usually in the original language. Examples: Genesis, Jeremiah, The Hittites and the Old Testament, Daily Life in Old Testament Times. May be repeated, as topics change, to a maximum of 9 hours. Variable Content Course.

REL 520 Topics in New Testament Studies 3(3-0), D

Prerequisite: REL 102, 50 hours, or permission. Advanced introduction and/or exegesis of primary documents from the New Testament period, canonical and non-canonical, usually in the original language. Examples: Johannine literature, Revelation and Apocalyptic literature, Luke and Acts, Romans. May be repeated, as topics change, to a maximum of 9 hours. Variable Content Course.

REL 530 Topics in Religion, Self, and Society 3(3-0), D

Prerequisite: 50 hours including REL 100 and REL 131 or permission. Explores advanced issues in the study of religion as a component of cultural life including issues of gender, race, and ethnicity. Examples of topics: Religion and Politics; Religion, Media, and Popular Culture; Religion and Visual Culture; American Religious Communities; Lived Religion; Bible Belt Religion; Food and Religion; Women and Religion. Variable Content Course. May be repeated, as topics change, to a maximum of 9 hours.

REL 540 Topics in the History of Religions 3(3-0), D

Prerequisite: 50 hours including REL 210 or permission. Studies of advanced topics in comparative religions or in the history of a particular region or religious tradition. Topics may include material ranging from ancient history to the present day. Examples; Mysticism, Colonialism, Religion and Culture, Yoga, Fundamentalism. Variable Content Course. May be repeated, as topics change, to a maximum of 9 hours.

REL 550 Topics in the History of Judaism and Christianity 1-3, D

Prerequisite: 50 hours including REL 330 or REL 340 or permission. Selected topics of advanced content in Christianity and Judaism. Examples: Death and Dying in the Christian Tradition; Spirituality in Christianity; Women in the History of Christianity; Reformation of the Sixteenth Century; Thought of Martin Luther; Eastern Christianity; Ritual in Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Protestantism. Variable Content Course. May be repeated up to 9 hours as topics change.

REL 570 Archaeology and the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible 3(3-0), D

Prerequisite: 50 hours including REL 101 or permission. Archaeological discoveries in their relation to the literary, cultural, and religious background of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible. Methods and objectives of archaeological research, including a brief history of Near Eastern archaeology.

REL 571 Archaeology and the New Testament 3(3-0), D

Prerequisite: 50 hours including REL 102 or permission. Archaeological discoveries in their relation to the literary, cultural, and religious background of the New Testament. Includes methods and objectives of archaeological research.

REL 580 Seminar in Religious Studies 3(3-0), F

Prerequisite: 60 hours and permission. Required capstone course for Religious Studies majors.

REL 610 Basic Issues in South Asian Religions 3(3-0), D

Prerequisite: REL 210 or equivalent. A survey of major ideas and practices associated with the religions of South Asia from early history to the present. Important theories and critical issues related to such concepts as colonialism, gender, nationalism, and text will be examined to orient students in the study of South Asian religions. Material from the Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, Sikh, and Muslim traditions of South Asia may be considered.

REL 611 Seminar in South Asian Religions 3(3-0), D

Prerequisite: REL 610 or permission. This seminar will examine a specific topic or tradition within South Asian religions. Students can expect to do focused reading, discussion, and research on a particular subject related to the Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, Sikh, and/or Muslim traditions of South Asia. Historical and contemporary material, along with critiques of scholarship in the field may be considered. May be repeated once if topic is different.

REL 630 Basic Issues in Biblical Studies 3(3-0), D

Prerequisite: REL 101 and 102 or their equivalent. A survey of the history of research on biblical and related literatures with an emphasis on the period from the Enlightenment to the present. The course will cover classic and contemporary historical and literary problems including the theories and methods devised to address them.

REL 631 Seminar in Biblical Studies 3(3-0), D

Prerequisite: REL 630 or permission. This seminar examines a specific topic within the history and literature of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament and/or New Testament. Students can expect to do focused reading, discussion, and research on a particular historical, literary, and/or methodological issue pertaining to the topic. Variable content course. May be repeated once if the topic is different.

REL 650 Basic Issues in the History of Judaism and Christianity 3(3-0), D

Prerequisite: REL 131 or REL 340 or equivalent. A critical survey of historiographies, evaluative principles and periodizations, their underlying assumptions and results.

REL 651 Seminar in the History of Judaism and Christianity 3(3-0), D

Prerequisite: REL 650 or permission. Detailed study of selected persons, authors, movements, and eras in the history of Judaism and Christianity. Variable content course. May be repeated once if topic is different.

REL 670 Basic Issues in Religion, Self, and Society 3(3-0), D

Prerequisite: REL 100 and REL 131 or equivalent. A critical survey of religion as a cultural, social, and personal phenomenon with attention to theory and methodology from related disciplines.

REL 671 Seminar in Religion, Self, and Society 3(3-0), D

Prerequisite: REL 670 or permission. A seminar applying various perspectives to individual religious practice and religious institutions in selected Western and non-Western societies. May be repeated once if topic is different.

REL 696 Readings in Religious Studies 1-3, F,S

Prerequisite: recommendation of the Religious Studies general graduate advisor and permission of instructor. Arranged program of readings for the individual student directed by a member of the graduate faculty. Before enrolling in the course, student and instructor must sign an agreement that details the course requirements. Variable content course. May be repeated to a maximum of 9 credits when topic varies.

REL 699 Thesis 1-6, F,S

Prerequisite: recommendation of the Religious Studies general graduate advisor and permission of student's thesis advisor. The student will prepare an in-depth thesis on a clearly-defined topic within his or her area of specialization. Before enrolling in the course, student and thesis advisor must sign an agreement that details the course requirement. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours.