Courses
A Rel 100L Introduction to the Study of Religion (3)
general education: CHP, HA & HD
Exploration of the religious dimension of life, with an introduction to the theory and practice of religion,
including such topics as myth, ritual, belief, reason, revelation, mysticism, religious organization, etc.,
and their relation to other personal, social and cultural aspects of human experience, past and present.
A Rel 103L (= A Clg 103L) Introduction to New Testament Greek I (4)
general education: CHP & HA
Introduction to the fundamentals of the grammar and vocabulary of the New Testament. Readings in the gospel
of John and the Book of Acts. No previous knowledge of Greek required. Only one of A Clg 103L & A Rel 103L
may be taken for credit.
A Rel 104L (= A Clg 104L) Introduction to New Testament Greek II (4)
general education: CHP & HA
Continuation of A Clg 103L. Only one of A Clg 104L & A Rel 104L may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s):
A Clg 103L or permission of instructor.
A Rel 116L (= A Phi 116L) World Views (3)
general education: CHP & HA
Examination of some of the major systems of assumptions and values humans have used in attempting to
understand reality, the meaning of life, and their dealings with others. World views studied may vary from
semester to semester. Examples are Greek, Judeo-Christian, Marxist and libertarian. Only one of A Phi 116L &
A Rel 116L may be taken for credit.
A Rel 155 (= A Jst 155) Judaism: Traditions and Practices (3)
general education: HD
Examines development of normative Jewish traditions and practices from rabbinic period to present. Major
focus is Jewish religious groups and observances in contemporary United States. Topics include how different
Jewish groups situate themselves in American society; Jewish calendar and life-cycle observances; impact of
feminism; social action agendas; role of Israel.
A Rel 175L (= A Ant 175L) Anthropology and Folklore (3)
general education: HA
Introduction to the study of folklore as an aspect of culture, symbolically expressing people's identity,
beliefs and values. The focus is on oral text traditions-myths, folktales, and legends-topics in folk custom
and ritual, folk music and folk art are also included. Includes folklore from Western and non-Western
cultures. Offered fall semester only. Only one of A Ant 175L & A Rel 175L may be taken for credit.
A Rel 199 (= A Eac 199) Introduction to the I-Ching (3)
The I-Ching, which is probably the oldest book in existence, is a repository of concepts basic to Chinese
culture and its development of a uniquely Chinese world view. This course will focus on the central position
of the I-Ching in Chinese intellectual and spiritual life and provide a system of knowledge whereby man can
analyze the pattern of changes in life governed by the Immutable Law of Change. Only one of A Rel 199 & A Eac
199 may be taken for credit.
A Rel 200L Introduction to the Bible (3)
general education: HA
This course is intended to introduce the student to the content, background, and nature of the writings that
constitute the basis of Judeo-Christian culture. Modern methods of research (textual, archaeological) will be
discussed, and class sessions will often be illustrated by slides of works of art (statuary, mosaic,
painting) inspired by the Biblical narrative. May not be offered during 2001-2002.
A Rel 203 (= A Heb 203) Biblical Hebrew (3)
Methods and research tools of modern Bible study. Grammar and syntax of classical Hebrew for students
familiar with modern Hebrew. Only one of A Rel 203 & A Heb 203 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s):
A Heb 102.
A Rel 214 (= A Phi 214) World Religions (3)
general education: CHP & HD
Survey of the major religions of the world, concentrating on those practices and beliefs that contribute to
their value systems. Religions include Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and
Taoism. Only one of A Rel 214 & A Phi 214 may be taken for credit.
A Rel 221 (= A Eng 221 & A Jst 242) The Bible as Literature (3)
general education: CHP
Literary genres of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) and the cultures from which they emerged. Attention to
parallel developments in other literatures and to the influence of the Hebrew Bible on Western life and
letters. Only one of A Eng 221, A Jst 242 & A Rel 221 may be taken for credit.
A Rel 231 (= A Jst 231) Modern Jewish Thought (3)
An examination of changes over time in Jewish thought and philosophy from the seventeenth century to the present. Focuses on key Jewish thinkers, philosophers, and theologians. One-third of the course is devoted to Jewish thought in the American context.
A Rel 252 (= A Jst 252) Jews, Hellenism, and Early Christianity (3)
general education: CHP
History of the Jewish people from Alexander the Great to the decline of the ancient world. Topics include
examination of cultural conflict in Judaea and the diaspora, confrontation with Greco-Roman Hellenism and
early Christianity, sectarianism, and the beginnings of Rabbinic institutions. Only one of A Jst 252, 342,
342Z & A Rel 252 may be taken for credit.
A Rel 253 (= A Jst 253) Medieval Jews Among Muslims and Christians (3)
general education: CHP
Studies Jewish history, life and culture in the contexts of the Muslim and Christian civilizations of the
Middle Ages. Discusses differences among Jews, Muslims and Christians; emphasizes reactions to persecution,
Jewish autonomy and social life as a minority group in a majority culture, and the development of Jewish law,
literature, philosophy and mysticism. Only one of A Jst 253, 343, 343Z & A Rel 253 may be taken for credit.
A Rel 254 (= A Jst 254) The Jews in the Modern World (3)
general education: CHP
A survey of modern Jewish history from 1700 to the present, emphasizing the Jewish encounter with modernity
in both Western and Eastern Europe. Themes include the struggle for enlightenment and civil rights; religious
reforms in Judaism, the Hasidic movement, reactions to anti-Semitism, Jewish nationalist and political
movements, the Holocaust, events leading up to the founding of the State of Israel, and Jewish history in the
United States. Includes readings from primary sources and fiction. Only one of A Jst 254, 344, 344Z & A Rel
254 may be taken for credit.
A Rel 256 (= A Jst 256) World Jewry since the Holocaust (3)
An examination of the trajectory of the historical and demographic changes in Jewish civilization since World War II and the Holocaust. Investigates significant changes in diaspora Jewry as well as the emergence of America and Israel as the postwar centers of modern Jewish life. One-third of the course is devoted to changes in American Jewish life and culture.
A Rel 270 (= A Jst 270) Jewish-Christian Relations (3)
general education: HD
This course compares and contrasts the belief systems and historical contacts, both positive and negative, of
Jews and Christians, from the origins of Christianity to the ecumenical movement in the contemporary United
States. Only one of A Jst 270 & A Rel 270 may be taken for credit.
A Rel 275 (= E Edu 275) Social Morality and Citizenship Education (3)
general education: CHP & HD
This course discusses the concepts of good and bad citizens that have given rise to disputes about
citizenship and education for citizenship. It considers various historical, philosophical, and cultural
perspectives on public virtues and the concept of the common good in the context of a pluralistic and
democratic society. Only one of A Rel 275 & A Edu 275 may be taken for credit.
A Rel 280 (= A Jst 280) The Torah (3)
General introduction to The Five Books of Moses (in English) considered against a background of religious,
social and philosophical aspects. Studies the significance of the Torah in the development of Judaic
civilization. Only one of A Jst 280 & A Rel 280 may be taken for credit.
A Rel 281 (= A Jst 281) The Prophets (3)
Survey of the prophets in general (in English), emphasizing the moral and social role of the individual
prophet and his impact upon Judaism and Western civilization. A Rel 281Z & A Jst 281Z are the writing
intensive versions of A Jst 281 & A Rel 281; only one of the four courses may be taken for credit.
A Rel 281Z (= A Jst 281Z) The Prophets (4)
general education: WI
A Rel 281Z & A Jst 281Z are the writing intensive versions of A Jst 281 & A Rel 281; only one of the four
courses may be taken for credit.
A Rel 282 (= A Jst 282) Late Biblical Literature (3)
Examination of books in the "Ketuvim" (Writings) section of the Hebrew Bible and some works of the Apocrypha
(in English). Topics include stories (Ruth, Judith) poetry (Psalms Song of Songs) wisdom (Job, Ecclesiastes)
historiography (Chronicles) and apocalyptic (Daniel, II Esdras) and how these works develop themes from
earlier biblical literature. Only one of A Rel 282 & A Jst 282 may be taken for credit.
A Rel 285 (= A Jst 285) Hero and Antihero in Scripture (3)
An examination of different kinds of heroic figures in biblical literature, with questions about literary presentation, religious significance, and historicity. The course looks at ideal and roguish characteristics of heroic individuals in the biblical text and how these are treated in later exegesis and modern scholarship. A wide variety of men and women from the Hebrew Bible, the Apocrypha, and the New Testament are studied, but particular emphasis is placed on Moses, David and Jesus.
A Rel 286 (= a Jst 286) Jerusalem: the City and the Idea (3)
Now the capital of Israel, Jerusalem has been central to Jewish history and religion, as well as to Christianity and Islam. The course surveys its physical history, its image in religion, nationalism, literature, and the arts, and its various populations and their subgroups. It aims to provide a sophisticated understanding of the demographics and politics of contemporary Jerusalem.
A Rel 291 (= A Jst 291) Messiah and Messianism in Judaism and Christianity (3)
general education: CHP
Origins of Jewish and Christian messianism in the Old and New Testaments and related literature. Topics
include the projection of a society's ultimate values, and the tension caused by the actual attempts to
realize those values; i.e., to achieve salvation through messianic movements. Only one of A Jst 291 & A Rel
291 may be taken for credit.
A Rel 297L Religion and Society in History (= A His 297L) (3)
general education: HA
This course will focus on the role religion has played in societies from antiquity to the present. Our
examination will include the anointed kings of ancient Israel, the idealized unity of emperor and patriarch
in Byzantium, the universal claims of the Holy Roman Empire, the role of the prophet in Islam, the divinity
of the Emperor in China and Japan, the conception of the monarchy in Western and Eastern Europe, the anti-
religious rhetoric of European revolutions, the separation of church and state in contemporary secular
societies, the current revival of fundamentalism, and the persistence of wards based on religion.
Architecture, music, iconography, and rituals will be examined for the information they provide.
A Rel 297E Religion and Society in History (4) (= A His 297E)
general education: HA & WI
A Rel 297E is the writing intensive version of A Rel 297L; only one may be taken for credit.
A Rel 299 Topics in Religious Studies (1-4)
Study of a selected topic in religious studies. May be taken more than once with different content. Consult
fall and spring schedule of classes for specific topics.
A Rel 322 (= A Phi 322) Philosophy of Religion (3)
Philosophical analysis of selected religious concepts and programs, based upon the writings of representative
philosophers and theologians. Focuses on Judeo-Christian tradition. Only one of A Rel 322 & A Phi 322 may be
taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): a 100- or 200-level course in philosophy.
A Rel 325 (= A Jst 325) Rabbinic Literature (3)
A study of one or more works of rabbinic literature from among Mishnah, Talmud, Midrash, commentaries, and codes. Analytical reading of the texts in English translation and discussion of their religious, legal, historical, and literary implications. May be repeated for credit if topic differs. Prerequisite(s): A Jst 150 or A Jst 155.
A Rel 335 (= A Jst 335) The Holocaust in Christian and Jewish Theology (3)
The Christian and Jewish theological and philosophic response to the genocide committed by the Nazis.
Christian theologians deal with Christianity's role in the Holocaust, and Jewish theologians examine the
problem of God's justice. Examines the works of Flannery, Eckhardt, Littell, Rubenstein, Fackenheim and
Berkovits. Only one of A Jst 335 & A Rel 335 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A Jst 150 or a course
in philosophy.
A Rel 342 (= A Phi 342) Indian Philosophies (3)
Introduction to Indian philosophies from pre-Vedic India to contemporary thought. Only one of A Rel 342 &
A Phi 342 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A Phi 214 or A His 176 or A His 177 (or 177Z), or junior
or senior class standing.
A Rel 344 (= A Eac 344 & A Phi 344) Chinese Philosophies (3)
Introduction to Chinese philosophies from the Chou period to contemporary thought. Only one of A Phi 344,
A Eac 344 & A Rel 344 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A Phi 214 or A Eac 170 or A His 176 or A His
177 (or 177Z); or junior or senior class standing.
A Rel 346 (= A Phi 346) Japanese Religions and Philosophies (3)
Introduction to Japanese philosophies and religions from the pre-Buddhist period to contemporary Japan. Only
one of A Rel 346 & A Phi 346 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A Phi 214 or A His 176 or A His 177
(or 177Z), or junior or senior class standing.
A Rel 351 (= A Eas 351) Traditions of Japanese SpiritualitlySpirituality (3)
An introduction to the major religious traditions of Japan, particularly Shinto and Buddhism, this course will cover the major forms of religious expression in Japanese history from the earliest historical records to the so-called New Religions which arose in the twentieth century. Discussion will include the philosophical, artistic, social, and political dimensions of religion in Japanese society.
A Rel 355 (= A Eas 355) Introduction to Indian Buddhism (3)
An introduction to the story of Buddhism in South Asia. Focus is on the evolution of the Buddhist view of sentient life during its first 1500 years on the subcontinent as expressed primarily in doctrine, but cultural, artistic, social, and political issues will also be considered.
A Rel 356 (= A Eas 356 (= A Eas 356) Introduction to Buddhism in China and Japan (3)
An introduction to the heritage of Buddhism in East Asia. Focus is on the cultural interaction between Indian Buddhist notions of the human condition and the traditional religious and philosophical assumptions of China and Japan. Discussion will center on doctrine and the history of its transmission and understanding, including issues in language, artistic expression, and the establishment of the monastic community.
A Rel 357 (= A Eas 357) Zen Buddhism
An introduction to the religious, philosophical, and artistic tradition of Zen Buddhism in China, Korea, and Japan and the West. This course looks at the birth and subsequent historical evolution of the Zen or Ch'an school of Buddhism in East Asia. We will look at the intersection of :Buddhist and Chinese presumptions about spirituality that gave rise to this unusual religious form, discussing precisely what is and I not iconoclastic about its tenets. The experience of American Zen communities will also be considered.
A Rel 363 (= A Ant 363) Ethnology of Religion (3)
Examination of the form and functions of ritual systems as related to myth and world view on a cross-cultural
basis. Emphasizes the religions of nonliterate and peasant peoples. Only one of A Ant 363 & A Rel 363 may be
taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): A Ant 100 or 108M or 108G, or A Phi 214.
May not be offered during 2001-2002.
A Rel 387 (= A His 387) Islam in the Middle East: Religion & Culture I (3)
Social, political, economic and religious dimensions of Islam from the time of Mohammed through the 18th
century with emphasis on the intellectual, cultural, and educational institutions of the Middle East. Among
topics discussed will be Sunnism-Shi'ism and the schools of law, social and economic infrastructure, science
and education, and reasons for the waning of the Muslim world. Prerequisite(s): Junior or Senior class
standing or 3 credits of history.
A Rel 388 (= A His 388) Islam in the Middle East: Religion & Culture II (3)
Social, political, economic and religious changes in the Middle East from the 18th century to Ayatollah
Khomeini. Among the topics discussed will be the impact of the West on the Middle East, the role of oil in
shaping the global economy, nationalist movements, the crisis in the Persian Gulf, and the rise of Islamic
Revivalism. Prerequisite(s): Junior or Senior class standing or 3 credits of History.
A Rel 390 (= A Heb 390) Readings in Biblical Literature (3)
Studies in a selected biblical book or genre emphasizing the tools and concerns of current biblical research
as applied to both classical (traditional) and modern commentaries. The course may be taken more than once if
different topics are examined. Prerequisite(s): second-year Hebrew competence, A Heb 203, or permission of
instructor.
A Rel 391 (= A Heb 391) Wisdom Literature in the Bible (3)
A study of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes as representatives of Biblical Wisdom literature. The literary form,
cultural tradition and world outlook of these wisdom books will be examined. Course is conducted in Hebrew.
Only one of A Rel 391 & A Heb 391 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): third-year Hebrew competence,
A Heb 203, or permission of instructor.
A Rel 392 (= A Heb 392) Love Poetry in the Bible (3)
A study of the Song of Songs. The place of this erotic literature in the Hebrew Bible and the puzzling
literary form of the work will be examined. Course in conducted in Hebrew. Only one of A Rel 392 & A Heb 392
may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): third-year Hebrew competence, A Heb 203, or permission of
instructor.
A Rel 397 Independent Study of Religious Studies (1-4)
Independent reading and research on selected topics under the direction of a faculty member. May be repeated
for credit when topics differ. Prerequisite(s): junior or senior class standing, permission of faculty
member, and approval of program director.
A Rel 402 (= A Clc 402) Greek and Roman Religion (3)
Survey of Greek and Roman religions at large followed by a detailed examination of the so-called mystery
religions. Interdisciplinary in nature, it employs not only religious but also philosophical, especially
ethical, literary, historical and archaeological materials. Only one of A Rel 402 & A Clc 402 may be taken
for credit. Prerequisite(s): junior or senior class standing and some background in either classical or
religious studies. May not be offered during 2001-2002.
A Rel 403 (= A Clc 403) Roman Civilization and Christianity (3)
Roman civilization in the late Empire; the relation between pagan and Christian culture based on a study of
literary and archaeological sources. Only one of A Rel 403 & A Clc 403 may be taken for credit.
Prerequisite(s): A Clc 134 or A His 235 or 235Z. May not be offered during 2001-2002.
A Rel 499 Senior Seminar in Religious Studies (3)
Seminar on selected topics in religious studies. Preparation of a paper under the direction of a faculty
member. Open to seniors with permission of director.
