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RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY DEPARTMENT

Division of Humanities
Assistant Professor Laura Hobgood-Oster, PhD, Chair
Associate Professor Thomas Scott Blackburn, PhD
Associate Professor N. Elaine Craddock, PhD
Associate Professor Shannon M. Winnubst, PhD
Assistant Professor Peter Gottschalk, PhD
Assistant Professor Philip E. Hopkins, PhD
Assistant Professor David T. Stewart, PhD
Visiting Assistant Professor Jack Green Musselman, PhD (part-time)
Assistant Professor Julie Hiebert, PhD (part-time)
Assistant Professor Akel Kahera, PhD (part-time)
Students may major either in religion or in philosophy but may not combine courses in these two areas for a major. A student may minor in either religion or philosophy.

Religion

The program in the study of religion offers students the opportunity to deepen the understanding of their own religious heritage, to encounter sympathetically the religious traditions, and to develop constructive approaches to contemporary religious issues.
100-LEVEL COURSES are introductions to the study of religion, generally focusing upon a different tradition or geographic area or literature. These courses satisfy the University requirement for POK-The Religious Perspective and are prerequisites for 300-level courses.
200-LEVEL COURSES are topical courses that introduce comparison between or within religious traditions. These courses are open to all students and satisfy the requirement for an additional course in religion for the Bachelor of Arts degree.
300-LEVEL COURSES are second-level courses in religious tradition and literature. These courses are primarily for religion majors, but are open to other students with permission of the instructor, and satisfy the requirement for an additional course in religion for the Bachelor of Arts degree. The exception is 19-303, Selected Topics, which is open to all students.
400–600-LEVEL COURSES are courses related to other areas of study. These courses are open to all students and satisfy the requirement for an additional course in religion for the Bachelor of Arts degree.
900-LEVEL COURSES are advanced courses and are for Religion majors.
A major in Religion is good preparation for graduate work in a number of liberal arts fields (in addition to religion), and is also an excellent complementary (second) major to other liberal arts majors. It is a good undergraduate major for seminary though a number of other liberal arts majors serve as well. Students may also choose the 54-hour paired major between Religion and Women’s Studies.

A major in Religion consists of 33 semester hours distributed as follows:
a. Three introductory courses (9 hours, from 19-103, 123, 133, 143, 153 163, 173, 183);
b. Two topics courses (6 hours, from 19-203, 213, 223, 243, 253, 263, 273, 283, 293);
c. Two seminars (6 hours, from 19-313, 323, 333, 343, 353, 373);
d. Two electives (6 hours) from any of the courses in religion (one of which must be 200 or above);
e. 19-233 (Theories and Methods of Religion); and
f. Either 19-903 or 953, as a capstone course or project, to be chosen or designed in consultation with the religion faculty.
A minor in Religion consists of 18 semester hours of study, of which at least 12 hours must be in courses at the 200-level or above.

Religion (REL)

†19-103 INTRODUCTION TO THE CHRISTIAN TRADITION. A historical and thematic introduction to the Christian thought and practice. The survey begins with the Jesus movement and continues through the current growth of Christianity in the southern hemisphere, particularly sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. Literary genres, gender issues, political contexts, social movements, and ethical dimensions are explored (POK-The Religious Perspective).
†19-123 INTRODUCTION TO THE HEBREW BIBLE. An introduction to the literature of the Hebrew Bible (Christian Old Testament) in its historical and social context. (POK-The Religious Perspective)
†19-133 INTRODUCTION TO THE NEW TESTAMENT. An introduction to the literature of the New Testament in its historical and social context. (POK-The Religious Perspective)
†19-143 INTRODUCTION TO ISLAM. A survey of the history, practices, and beliefs of Islam, and an investigation of special themes such as mysticism, gender, and politics with attention to diverse cultural contexts. (POK-The Religious Perspective)
†19-153 INTRODUCTION TO JUDAISM. A survey of the development of Judaism from the Hebrew Bible’s understanding of Creation through the cultural traditions of the present day. The course balances historical narrative with detailed examination of important topics such as rabbinic interpretation, mysticism, the Holocaust, and emigration. (POK-The Religious Perspective)
†19-163 DIMENSIONS OF RELIGION. An introduction which examines some of the multiple dimensions of religious life through various perspectives from the secular study of religion. The course investigates such aspects as ritual, belief, experience, community, myth, and ethics with a focus on one or more religious traditions. (POK-The Religious Perspective)
†19-173 INTRODUCTION TO HINDUISM. A historical and thematic introduction to the religious ideas and practices that developed primarily in the Indian subcontinent. The course surveys central religious concepts and myths in classical texts and popular traditions; the interaction with Buddhism, Jainism, Islam, and Sikhism; gender issues; and the relationship between religion and politics in South Asia. (POK-Religious Perspective)
†19-183 INTRODUCTION TO BUDDHISM. A historical and thematic introduction to the central ideas and practices of Buddhism. The course begins with the historical Buddha and early developments in India, Sri Lanka, and Tibet, then surveys the spread of Buddhism to China and Japan and the interaction with Confucian, Daoist, and Shinto traditions. (POK-Religious Perspective)
19-203 DEATH, DYING, AND THE AFTERLIFE. A cross-cultural investigation of beliefs regarding the meaning of death and the possibilities for life after death, as well as the way these various constructs impact the relationship between the living, the dying, and the dead. Concepts addressed include: transmigration of souls, resurrection, reincarnation, nirvana, ancestor worship, heaven and hell, extinction and Armageddon. Current media, sacred and secular literature, and rituals provide “texts” for the study.
19-213 RELIGION AND ECOLOGY. An environmental/ecofeminist investigation of the construction of “nature” and the “non-human” in the world’s religions, particularly addressing the problematic and destructive impact of religious-based anthropocentrism. How have religions encouraged human culture in our quest to dominate and destroy nature? Do some religions/cultures offer different constructs of the world that could transform this ruinous relationship? Religions studied include: various indigenous traditions, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, capitalism, and ecofeminist spirituality.
19-223 WOMEN AND RELIGION. A cross-cultural study of the ways women’s voices have been heard and silenced, of the ways that their lives have been influential (as well as violently ended) and of the vital roles women have played in various religious traditions in the Mediterranean/Western/American and, finally, increasingly global cultures of the world. Goddesses, rituals, communities, visual symbols and sacred texts will provide the material for our explorations and a feminist methodology will provide the lens for our gaze. Also Women’s Studies 04-223.
19-233 THEORIES AND METHODS OF RELIGION. An exploration of some of the theories and methods used in contemporary secular studies of religion. Reviews various Western scholars who in the past century have sought to analyze the phenomenon of religion apart from theology through the use of psychology, sociology, anthropology, and comparative studies.
19-243 PILGRIMAGE. A cross-cultural study of religious journeys, focusing on the construction of sacred space and time in several traditions. Different theoretical approaches, as well as case studies, will be investigated. Some of the issues explored are the distinction between physical, metaphorical, and metaphysical journeys, the relationship between religious journeying and “ordinary” life, and how cultural values shape and are shaped by pilgrimages. Traditions studied include Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, and Catholicism.
19-253 MYSTICISM. A cross-cultural investigation into the varieties of deeply personal religious experiences. Examines not only individual mystical experiences but also the institutional, social, material, and ritual dimensions as manifested within a select group of religious traditions.
19-263 DESIRE AND THE BODY IN RELIGIOUS DISCOURSE. A feminist, cross-cultural examination of notions of the embodied human self in various religious traditions, focusing on sexuality and sexual desire. The course will explore how the body is conceptualized; moral proscriptions regarding the body and what they reveal about religion and culture; self-cultivation techniques; and the relationship between gender and sexuality and salvation. Written texts and visual arts will be the media of exploration. Also Women’s Studies 04-263.
19-273 TIME AND SPACE IN RELIGION. A cross-cultural analysis of the various paradigms for time and space among different religious traditions. The course draws on a wide variety of written sources, visual materials, and theoretical perspectives.
19-283 WOMEN AND GODDESSES. A feminist, cross-cultural investigation of the notion of the “female divine” and the ways in which divine and human “femaleness” has been in various ancient and modern, primarily non-Western religious traditions. The course explores the relationship between divine models and human gender roles, how different religious traditions have incorporated as well as excluded women, and how women have resisted and transformed the boundaries placed on their access to spiritual and institutional power. Also Women’s Studies 04-283.
19-293 RELIGION IN MEDIA. An exploration of how one or more cultures express religious beliefs and practices in popular, mass media. The course uses film, television, internet, and/or music as manifestations of societal attitudes toward religion while investigating critical scholarship about the interrelation between culture, tradition, innovation, and public expression.
19-313 SEMINAR ON THE CHRISTIAN TRADITION. Study of a selected aspect of or a topic related to the Christian tradition. Course can be repeated with different content. Prerequisite: 19-103 or by permission of the instructor.
19-323 SEMINAR ON HEBREW BIBLE. Study of a selected portion of Hebrew scripture or aspect of the early Judaic tradition within its cultural setting. Course can be repeated with different content. Prerequisite: 19-123 or by permission of the instructor.
19-333 SEMINAR ON BUDDHISM. Study of a selected aspect of or a topic related to Buddhism. Course may be repeated with different content. Prerequisite: 19-183 or by permission of the instructor.
19-343 SEMINAR ON HINDUISM. Study of a selected aspect of or a topic related to Hinduism. Course may be repeated with different content. Prerequisite: 19-173 or by permission of the instructor.
19-353 SEMINAR ON EARLY CHRISTIANITY. Study of a selected aspect of or a topic related to the development of Christianity in relation to Judaism and Graeco-Roman culture. Course may be repeated with different content. Prerequisite: 19-133 or by permission of the instructor.
19-373 SEMINAR ON ISLAM. An in-depth exploration of the varieties of Muslim perspectives regarding themselves and the world through the study of a specific topic related to Islam. Course may be repeated with different content. Prerequisite: 19-143 or by permission of the instructor.
19-403 GREEK AND ROMAN MYTHOLOGY. See Classics 07-203 and English 10-203.
19-413 PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION. See Philosophy 18-223.
19-463 PSYCHOLOGY AND RELIGION. Prerequisite: Psychology 33-603. See Psychology 33-743 and University Studies 06-233.
19-513 TOPICS IN JEWISH LITERATURE. See English 10-513.
19-593 MODERN JEWISH HISTORY. See History 16-593.
19-603 RELIGION AND POLITICS IN AMERICA. See Political Science 32-603.

19-303 SELECTED TOPICS. Lectures and readings on subjects of special interest. Subjects to be announced. May be repeated with change in topic.

19-903 COLLOQUIUM IN RELIGION. Intended primarily for majors in religion but open to other students with the permission of the instructor.
19-941, 942, 943 ACADEMIC INTERNSHIP.
19-951, 952, 953 INDEPENDENT STUDY: DIRECTED READING. Reading selected to round out the student’s acquaintance with the field of religion or special areas of interest. May be repeated with changed content.
19-983 HONORS. By departmental invitation.

Philosophy

Philosophy deals with a wide variety of topics ranging from the principles of knowledge, valid reasoning, and scientific method to the foundations of law, art, religion, morality, and the ultimate structures of reality. It identifies and critically examines basic commitments and world views that guide our lives and that have had an important place in human culture. A major in Philosophy is good preparation for all fields requiring clear thinking and communication skills. Many Philosophy majors have gone into such areas as law, journalism, education, business management, and government service. Some students combine a major in Philosophy with a major in another field and do graduate work in the other field. A Philosophy major will include, within the 30-hour block, 18-313, 323, 333, 343, and either 903 or 953 as a capstone course or project (to be chosen or designed in consultation with the philosophy faculty). A minor in Philosophy will include 18 semester hours of study, of which at least 12 hours must be in courses at or above the 200-level. It is also possible to do a 54-hour paired major in Philosophy and Women’s Studies by double-counting two courses cross-listed in Philosophy and Women’s Studies—Feminist Positions (18-213) and Theories of Race (18-253).

Philosophy (PHI)

†18-103 INTRODUCTION TO ETHICS. An introduction to issues surrounding moral deliberation, commitment, and choice. Attention will be given to traditional ethical theories, to their implications for moral discussion and decision, and perhaps to related issues such as personal identity and human freedom. (POK-Values Analysis)
†18-113 CONTEMPORARY MORAL PROBLEMS. A study of the process of making ethical decisions in the context of personal and social contemporary moral problems. (POK-Values Analysis)
18-203 EXISTENTIALISM. A critical study of the concern for values, freedom, and the meaning of life as expressed by Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, Sartre, and others. Attention also may be given to the influence and reflection of existentialist thought in literature, drama, and films.
18-213 FEMINIST POSITIONS. A careful exploration of the variety of feminist positions within the larger discourse known as “feminism.” Begins with a general, historical introduction to liberal, Marxist/socialist, and radical feminist perspectives, with close attention paid to bridging the apparent gap between French and Anglo-American feminists. Specific focus is given to the sex/gender distinction and the re-thinking of identity in ways that do not silence sexual, gender, racial, ethnic, physical, historical or economic differences. The course will also raise the question of theory’s place in feminist political resistance and the possibility of speaking out of non-totalizing, pluralistic, feminist positions. Also Women’s Studies 04-213.
18-223 PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION. An examination of some of the principal philosophical problems involved in the nature of religion. Attention will center on the problem of religious knowledge and its relation to religious affirmation. Also Religion 19-413.
18-233 PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORY. An examination of the ways that writers from the pre-Socratics through the 19th century have framed the field of human history as a philosophical object of analysis and the challenges that have been posed to those methods by 20th century thinkers. Attention will focus on whether and how the discipline of philosophy can “think historically.”
18-243 POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY. See Political Science 32-613.
†18-253 THEORIES OF RACE. An introduction and survey of contemporary race theory, with emphases on intersections with gender, class, nationalism, and imperialism. Specific focus on the ways race has been constructed as a category of identity across various cultures, academic disciplines, and historical periods. Also Women’s Studies 04-253. (POK-Values Analysis)
18-263 PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE. A philosophical exploration of modern science—its history, aims, methods, conceptual underpinnings, and
implications.
†18-273 BIOMEDICAL ETHICS. An examination of fundamental moral questions arising in contexts of medical treatment, research, and social policy. (POK-Values Analysis)
†18-283 VALUES AND THE LIBERAL ARTS. An historical survey of predominant models of liberal arts education along with contemporary critiques and apologies. The focus will be analysis of the values explicit or implicit in such models of education in order to assist the student in gaining proficiency at critically engaging his/her own education. (POK-Values Analysis)
18-293 ASIAN PHILOSOPHIES. A survey of major philosophical schools of thought and practice arising from Hindu, Buddhist, Confucian, and Daoist traditions.
18-313 HISTORY OF WESTERN PHILOSOPHY: ANCIENT. A study of the beginnings of philosophical inquiry, emphasizing ancient views of human nature, the nature of society, value, and the limits of knowledge. Also Classics 07-333.
18-323 HISTORY OF WESTERN PHILOSOPHY: MODERN. An inquiry into the works of Descartes, Locke, Hume, Kant, and others. Central concerns will be the rise of the modern conception of “self” and the problem of knowledge.
18-333 HISTORY OF WESTERN PHILOSOPHY: 19TH CENTURY. An investigation of the diverse and influential philosophical theories of the 19th century, including the works of such authors as Hegel, Marx, Mill, and Nietzsche.
18-343 HISTORY OF WESTERN PHILOSOPHY: 20TH CENTURY. A study of the diverse fields and movements in the 20th century, focusing on the widespread concerns with the role of language in philosophical inquiry.
18-363 INTRODUCTION TO LOGIC. An introduction to the use of formal languages and techniques for the analysis and evaluation of reasoning. Considerable attention will be given to the practical application of such tools.
18-443 HISTORICAL STUDIES. Investigation of a specific figure, period, or movement in the history of philosophy—content will vary from year to year. Intended for students who have taken relevant courses from among 18-313, 323, 333, and 343; but open to others with the permission of the instructor.
18-463 CENTRAL TOPICS IN PHILOSOPHY. A critical survey of some major area of contemporary philosophical concern—epistemology, metaphysics, philosophy of mind, philosophy of language, etc. Intended primarily for students majoring or minoring in philosophy, but open to others with permission of the instructor.

18-303 SELECTED TOPICS. Lectures and readings on subjects of special interest. Subjects to be announced. May be repeated with change in topic.