Introduction to Religious Studies
50:840:101:91, hybrid, Wed 9:35 am – 10:55 am (Gen Ed: GCM)
Professor Karapanagiotis
This course introduces students to major academic methods for the study of religion and theories about religious belief and practice. It draws on diverse materials from the world’s religions and multiple disciplinary approaches. Topics may include belief systems, morality, sacred literature, myth, ritual, history, gender, ethnicity, and debates about the roles of religion in contemporary life.
Introduction to World Religion
50:840:103:90, Online (Gen Ed: GCM)
Professor Salyer
A general introduction to the basic religious concerns of humanity, and the ways in which religions have developed in Eastern and Western history, giving intellectual, moral, and institutional expression to the meaning of human existence.
Introduction to Religion and Contemporary Culture
50:840:108:91, Hybrid, T 9:35 am – 10:55 am (Gen Ed: EAV)
Professor Banner
A study of the ways that religion may or may not have significance for our world today, examining issues such as the meaning of religious experience, evil and goodness, the purposes of ritual, roles of religion in society and culture, the impact of science and technology on religion, and issues in ethics.
The Historical Jesus
50:840:208:91, Hybrid, T 110:10 am – 12:30 pm (Gen Ed: HAC)
Professor Banner
Who was the Jewish teacher named Jesus? This course will explore how scholars use historical method to reconstruct the life of an ancient figure as well as how ideas and beliefs about a religious leader develop over time. It will examine the original sources for the historical Jesus and the major issues under debate in current scholarship.
Gods, Sex, and Violence in the Old Testament
50:840:123:90, Online (Gen Ed: AAI)
Professor Banner
Comparative studies of the creation myths and hero myths of selected Eastern, Middle Eastern, European, Native American, and African cultures. Attention given to the religious worldview, the psychological and social implications, and the symbolic forms of expression of each. Various methodologies for the study of myth investigated.
Islam in the Modern World
50:840:235:90, Online (Gen Ed: GCM)
Professor Alkiek
An exploration of the diverse manifestations of Islam in the twenty-first century around the globe. Includes study of Islam in relation to such issues as modernity, globalization, women’s rights, fundamentalism, war, and culture.
Religion and Health
50:840:240:90 Online
Professor Walker
Examines the response of American religious communities to the pandemic and the intersection of religion and health in American public schools and hospitals.
Death and Dying in Religion
50:840:278:01, Mond/Wed 2:05 pm – 3:25 pm (Gen Ed: GCM)
Professor Gilmore-Clough
An exploration of the way diverse world religions try to make sense of the inevitability of death. The course examines rituals around death, notions of spirit/body relationships, conceptions of an afterlife, and the human struggle to find meaning in life in the face of death.
Religion and Law
50:840:318:90, Online (Gen Ed: EAV)
Professor Walker
This course explores the history of religious liberty across five eras: Colonizing America, Constituting America, Reconstructing America, Incorporating America, and Diversifying America.
Cults and New Religious Movements
50:840:366:91, Hybrid, Mon 9:35 am – 10:55 am (Gen Ed: USW)
Professor Karapanagiotis
This course examines religious groups in the United States that have been labeled in the public as “cults.” We investigate their beliefs and practices, as well as their histories, social dynamics, recruitment strategies, and relationships with the public. Focus will be on building a scholarly toolkit by which to understand these religious groups in an objective and critical manner.
Independent Study in Religion
50:840:389:01, 02
Advanced students pursue a research topic under the direction of a faculty member, culminating in a paper.Coming soon.