Religion (REL)

An investigation of the world's major religions which will give attention to their origin, history, mythology and doctrines. May be used for general education credit.

Where do we come from, and what is our place in the universe? What gives life happiness, purpose and meaning? How can we make sense of religious diversity, and how can we live well together in the midst of our differences? This course is a cross-cultural introduction to some of the ways people across the world have asked, answered and lived out these questions. May be used for general education credit.

Course on various topics in religious studies and/or theological studies. May be taken multiple times for credit.

This course will provide an introduction to some of the most influential thinkers, common methodologies, important debates and key concepts in the academic study of religion. The course will also consider recent challenges to this field of study. Emphasis will be on applying insights to real-world examples.

A study of selected texts in the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament using the methods of biblical studies, which examines texts in their original historical settings. No prior familiarity with the Bible is needed. Includes introductions to religious texts and cultures in ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the Levant. We will also consider how contemporary readers use the Bible to support a range of policy issues and social platforms as we reflect on how a biblical studies approach might inform these positions.

This course discusses the literature of the New Testament in light of historical, social and religious conditions from which it emerged. Particular attention is given to historical issues related to Jesus and the origins of Christianity.

The purpose of this course is to offer students the opportunity to explore the broad contours of the intersection of religion with other important facets of American society, such as politics and law, civic space and social activism, social identities, intellectual life, and the arts and media. It will consider the relationship of religion to the constructing of an American identity rooted in ideas of pluralism, tolerance, equality, freedom of conscience, democracy and secularism.

This course is a introduction to early Chinese thought. The word "thought" is used instead of "philosophy" or "religion" because the Chinese intellectual tradition did not distinguish between philosophy and religion. We will examine how philosophical, religious and literary elements are all uniquely deployed in texts such as the Analects of Confucius, the Dao De Jing and other classics. Our approach will involve analysis of language, arguments, cultural context and authorial intent.

This course introduces Hinduism through the concepts of order (dharma), chaos or disorder (non-dharma), and ethic of responsibility (karma), and their relationships to the pursuits of pleasure and material well-being and the quest for liberation. It makes sense of chaos and discovers the lurking irrationality of order, and thereby suggests a creative role of chaos in order. This course also challenges the category of religion and the universalism associated with Western religious mythologies.

Beginning with the earliest classics and continuing to the present, the course examines Daoism from historical, literary, philosophical and religious perspectives. It explores the difficulties categorizing Daoism as a "philosophy" or "religion," and how it still informs political, philosophical and religious thought in China. First-person exercises in and out of class will yield a holistic and lived understanding of the Daoist tradition.

This course offers an intensive examination of religion from the standpoint of philosophical thinking with particular emphasis on the way philosophers view such problems as the existence of God, evil, immortality, religious language, etc.

This course will offer an examination of the beliefs, practices and historical development of the various forms of Judaism represented in America today: Orthodox, Reform, Conservative and Reconstructionist.

This course provides a broad survey of the Christian tradition, from its origins in the Mediterranean to its contemporary expressions in diverse communities. In addition to its historical development, the course will consider Christian belief, ritual, moral practice and social engagement. Major intellectual and theological traditions will be addressed through the study of foundational texts. Students will gain a working knowledge of major church communions as well as minor and marginalized movements.

What constitutes Islam and how has it been defined throughout history? Who represents and speaks for Islam? How have we come to our Islamic studies archive and how does it impact how we view Islam? Students will discover the different ways Muslims and non-Muslims have answered these questions, in different places, times and social contexts. Based on the most recent research and original source material, the course will cover major themes of Islamic religious thought including the Qur'an and its interpretation, the intellectual history of Islam, Sufism, Islamic law, and Muslim reform and revivalism. Students will explore how these components have manifested in diverse cultures throughout Islam's history. In addition to gaining a solid understanding of the problems associated with the study of Islam, successful completion of this course should also equip students with the tools required to analyze broader theoretical issues pertinent to the study of religion. A further goal of this course is to provide a strong theoretical foundation in religious studies so that students are able to think and speak about religion in an informed and insightful manner. The scope of this course is not limited to Islam, as the example of Islam will be used as a case study to wrestle with broader intellectual issues relating to the intersection among religion, history and politics.

This course explores the historical origins of Buddhism, the central tenets of Buddhist thought, the major meditative practices Buddhists employ, and the relationship between meditation and social action in contemporary Buddhist communities.

Selected topics in religion are studied in depth. See MyMadison for current topic. Course may be repeated for credit when content changes.

This course will explore Sicily's rich medieval history through the lenses of religion, art and identity. Bringing together primary source texts, contemporary theory and material evidence, we will analyze how the island's Jews, Christians and Muslims competed over a shared intellectual, artistic and material heritage to construct their identities. Taught on-site in Palermo, Sicily.

Legal savants and Sufi sages, jinn wranglers and revolutionaries, African Muslims past and present have developed rich traditions of religious learning, community and practice. This course will explore a few of these traditions, focusing primarily on Islam in sub-Saharan Africa from the medieval period to today. Through a critical attention to both primary and secondary sources, a plurality of African Muslim perspectives will be analyzed while grappling with the thorny theoretical questions they provoke (e.g., Can we speak of a distinctly African Islam? If so, what do we mean? And what are the stakes of asking this question?)

This course will investigate how Muslims across space and time have imagined gender and sexuality. How have Islamic societies mapped the possibilities of sexed bodies and gendered performances? In what ways have they cultivated and disciplined human desire? What boundaries or spectra have they negotiated and contested? What modes of subjectivity and agency have their worlds made possible? Throughout the semester, students will develop a self-reflexive approach to their own ethical ideals, exploring how a critical engagement with diverse Islamic perspectives can illuminate the complexities of gender and sexuality both in the past and today.

This course will explore how careful attention to questions of knowledge and identity can illuminate the complexity of Muslim perspectives and societies. Philosophers and poets, esotericists and encyclopedists, artists and artisans, reformers and renunciants: Muslims from Detroit to Damascus have wielded a vast array of discourses and practices to fashion themselves and the world(s) around them. Throughout the course, students will investigate these ideas and strategies as dynamic and contingent human products, inextricable from urgent social and political concerns. Students will analyze how knowledge is shaped by relationships of power and molded by institutions, values and practices that privilege some individuals and exclude others. At the same time, students will examine how knowledge production can reorient relationships and identities, opening up new possibilities for action.

Humanity has a double legacy, symbolized in two 9/11s, one at each end of the twentieth century, carrying opposite messages. The 9/11 of 2001, when terrorist Osama bin Laden attacked America; and the less remembered, the 9/11 of 1906, when the apostle of peace Mahatma Gandhi launched a new way of waging conflict that can lead humanity from the mire of hatred into the clear land of peace. This course tells the story of the older 9/11: the story of Satyagraha, the way of nonviolence and truth.

Students will explore the diverse relationships between women and the world's major religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam), both in the past and today. Topics will include women's roles, rights, practices, bodies, sexualities, clothing, representations and more. Feminist approaches for critiquing religious histories, texts and traditions will also be considered.

What values are advanced in Hindu religious and ethical teachings? How do Hindu texts and traditions define and teach the good life and virtuous living? Is moral responsibility conditioned by caste, class, gender or other socioeconomic factors? These are some of the questions that will be considered in this study on Hindu modes of moral reasoning.This course will also make sense of the structure of chaos (adharma) and the chaos of structure (dharma) and thereby suggest that adharma might somewhat make more sense than dharma.

This course is a sociological analysis of the nature, function, and structure of religion. Survey of the relationship between religion and society: the social nature of religious phenomena, the interaction between religious beliefs and practices and other arenas of secular societies, the social functions of religion, and the way religion changes and is changed by secular society.

In an increasingly globalized world, ethical decisions often involve considering diverse systems of beliefs about how one ought to live. In this course, students will think about ethical questions from cross-cultural perspectives, including perspectives of Buddhism, Confucianism, Aristotelianism and utilitarianism. By analyzing arguments made in Eastern and Western philosophical and religious traditions, students will begin to see similarities - such as the use of logical reasoning and the undesirability of pain - as well as fundamental differences. Case studies and examinations of contemporary issues make the course content relevant to the present day.

The election of Pope Francis to the papacy reflects the growing influence of Latin America upon world Christianity. This course will provide a historical and thematic overview of the changes in the history of Latin American Christianity. It moves chronologically and geographically, from colonial Latin America to Hispanic immigrant communities. Topics covered include race and colonialism, the Cuban Revolution, the Second Vatican Council, social justice and Christianity, the rise of Pentecostalism, labor movements and inequality, and U.S. Hispanic political influence.

Study of the variety of responses by contemporary Catholic theologians and philosophers to key elements in Christian doctrine and practice. Topics include Vatican II; scripture, tradition and modern scholarship; Jesus and Christology; contemporary Catholic spirituality; moral issues in the church; and ecumenism.

An examination of the character of religious traditions, beliefs and liturgical practices of African and African-Diaspora communities. Both primary (historical and anthropological) and secondary sources examined.

Evangelical Protestantism has played a vital role in shaping American religious history. The religious and social allegiances of evangelicalism are quite diverse, however. Evangelicals also maintain a paradoxical relationship with American society, functioning both as powerful insiders and vocal outsiders. This course is designed to introduce students to the history of evangelicalism, its religious patterns and its negotiations with contemporary American culture.

What did early Jews and Christians believe about angels, demons, and dreams? How did they understand heaven, hell, the afterlife, illness and healing, and the end of the world? The course introduces students to a broad range of writings (both within and outside of the Bible) that ancient Jews and Christians considered to be their inspired Scriptures in the late Persian, Hellenistic, and Roman eras (ca. 500 BCE-200 CE). We will utilize interdisciplinary methodologies from biblical studies to explore Jewish and Christian apocalypses, biblical retellings, magical texts, and other genres of literature, as well as archaeological artifacts and remains, as we weigh the evidence for early Jewish and Christian beliefs about the afterlife, heaven, hell, God, Satan, angels, illness and healing, dreams and visions, the soul, magic, revealed secrets, and the end time. A major unit will focus on what archaeology and an ancient library can tell us about the members of the Dead Sea Scrolls community and their struggles with Hellenistic and Roman cultures, which culminated in war. The course is ideal for any students interested in Biblical Studies, ancient Mediterranean studies, Classical Studies and mythology.

America has proven to be fertile soil for the development of new religious traditions. It has encouraged religious pluralism, and has allowed hundreds of new communities to establish themselves as important elements of society. This course will consider some of the representative new religions in America by examining their histories, beliefs, and practices.

The purpose of this course is to familiarize the student with the broad contours of the African American religious experience, and its history, practices, and communities by examining the intersection of race and religion in America. Through the close reading of primary texts and increased familiarity with significant scholarly literature, students will gain a basic understanding of the fundamental categories in African American religion.

This course will explore a variety of philosophical perspectives from across the Islamic world, employing methodological tools from both philosophy and religious studies. Themes may include: What is knowledge and how is it acquired? What does it mean to be human? What is the relationship between reason and other human faculties? What is the nature of time and history? What do we really mean when we talk about God? Philosophers covered may include: al-Kindi (d. 873), Ibn Sina (d. 1037), Ibn 'Arabi (d. 1240), Mulla Sadra (d. 1636), Muhammad Iqbal (d. 1938) and Fatema Mernissi (d. 2015).

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are the familiar "canonical" gospels. In the early centuries of Christianity other gospels circulated: the Gospel of Peter, "Q", Infancy Gospels and the so-called Gnostic gospels. This course examines the origins of the canonical and non-canonical gospels, the historical and theological factors at work in the emergence of the canonical gospels to a position of primacy, and the struggles within early Christianity to define its authoritative tradition.

A study of the attempts of scholarship since the Enlightenment to discover the so-called historical Jesus. Includes discussion of historiographical problems raised in past and present scholarly "quests" for the historical Jesus, analysis of the relationship between memory and the Jesus traditions, and practice in situating the Gospel materials in the social and political context of ancient Roman Palestine.

Some scholars argue that the Apostle Paul was the "real" founder of Christianity, others that he was the faithful interpreter of the Jesus traditions to the Greco-Roman world. After reconstructing the historical course of Paul's life and journeys from the available sources, the course will analyze selected Pauline epistles, sent to early Christian communities, in order to reconstruct his teaching and ethics and to assess his significance for the origins of Christianity.

Of the four New Testament gospels, the Gospel of John is the most mystical, philosophical and, in some respects, the most challenging to understand and interpret. It is both a deeply Jewish work and a deeply Christian work. It is a textual encounter zone between ancient Judaism and emergent Christianity. This course focuses on a close reading of the entire Gospel that situates it within the wider narrative world of ancient Judaism and observes its re-centering of that narrative world around the figure of Jesus.

Christianity plays a vital role in many societies around the world. Though often treated as a mostly western or European religion, it was in fact a global religion first and foremost. This course examines Christianity from that global perspective. What does Christianity look like around the world? How have indigenous cultures fashioned their own versions of Christianity in the modern world? Is there unity in the diversity of these global Christianities?

This course traces apocalypticism from its ancient Jewish and Christian roots to its contemporary manifestations in religious groups around the world. Since apocalypticism is a worldview that cuts across religious traditions, the course covers a variety of religious groups. The last half of the course focuses on the complex relationships between apocalyptic thinking and religious terrorism and entails an independent research project.

In this course, students will explore the appearance of the major world religions (Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism) as well as religious themes (such as redemption or the afterlife) in the medium of film. Students will learn to critique cinematic representations and misrepresentations of religion and to analyze their impact on viewers, as well as to consider how films may provide rituals and other experiences that serve a religious function.

This course analyzes the ways in which various religions, especially Judaism and Christianity, understand the relationship of human beings to the environment and non-human animals. We will explore how religious worldviews translate into human impact on the non-human biosphere. Given the global reach of American environmental policies and lifestyles, and the prominent role that biblical interpretation has played in shaping American attitudes and policy, special emphasis will be placed on historical interpretations of the Bible, ranging from human dominionism to human responsibility in caring for the earth, its creatures and its ecosystems. The course explores the complexities involved in using religious positions, interpretations of biblical texts and apocalyptic arguments to inform both environmentalism and policy debates related to the environment. Students will gain a basic introduction to methods of biblical scholarship and familiarity with the general state of scientific consensus on environmental challenges.

What is disability and how is it constructed? What have the major world religions, on their own and in conversation, decided is 'normal' and what they have decided is 'other?' How do they view and treat those individuals/groups they have deemed disabled? How do people with disabilities create their own meaning within and beyond their own religion? This course will investigate the nature of disability in five of the world's religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam). While we will become familiar with how disability intersects with and across each of these religions, the heart of this course will be deep explorations of specific case studies as well as personal reflections on the students' and others' intersectional identities in the context of various communities.

What is the relationship between religion and medicine? How has the idea of healing been influenced by religious faith, historically and philosophically? This course explores a broad range of issues at the intersection of religion and science, from the question of what counts as "proof" to the existential crises that sickness can provoke. Historical perspective is balanced with case studies and current events to show how theoretical concerns affect real-world scenarios. Fulfills the College of Arts and Letters writing-intensive requirement for the major.

Both race and religion are interwoven into who we are and how we inhabit our various worlds, even if we don't think of these as important or relevant parts of our lives. This class will explore the complicated and long-standing intersection of these two concepts, wondering: What do they each mean? How have these terms functioned throughout history? How do race and religion interact? How has one informed or shaped our understanding of the other? When differing racial and religious identities converge for individuals and communities, what happens? With the foundation provided by the course and the time together, students will also have the opportunity to explore their own various identities as well as a case study of the students' choosing that involves an intersection of race and religion.

What counts as a "mental illness" and who gets to decide? Is demonic possession real? If someone hears voices are they sick, or could they be speaking with a supernatural power? What are the right roles of religion and spirituality when it comes to mental health? Do the answers to these questions remain constant throughout history and across cultures? This course will investigate these issues, along with many others that are directly relevant to our personal experience of suffering and joy, and the future of how we understand mental health.

A selected study of 19th-century thought, with emphasis on controversies concerning the nature and limits of reason, the ultimate meaning of history, and the inner meaning and social significance of religion. Pertinent thinkers include Hegel, Marx, Schleiermacher, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche and others.

Throughout American history, religion has been central to how U.S. citizens and residents have thought about and engaged with issues of public concern. This course will pay particular attention to the Civil Rights Movement, where students will gain an introductory knowledge of key figures, competing theological and political themes, and social groups. Students will become equipped to understand how religion has shaped public discourse, dialogue across divides and our public square itself. They will have the opportunity to analyze a combination of primary and secondary sources, with special attention to the archives and personal papers of major players within the wider historiography of the Civil Rights Movement.

This course will examine the main features of hermeneutics with particular emphasis on its contemporary perspectives. Discussion will focus on such themes as human understanding and human finitude, the nature of history and tradition, linguisticality and textuality of experience. Readings may address Gadamer, Ricoeur, Schleiermacher, and Dilthey.

This course will provide an historical survey of the relationship between religion and the sciences; offer overviews of scientific and theological theory; examine the development of theory formation; focus on issues in astronomy, physics and biology; explore the ethical implications of scientific and religious theories; and trace developments.

Focused on the contemporary refugee crisis, this course investigates the intersection of religion with human experiences of displacement, migration, resettlement, and welcome. We also analyze the place of religion in refugee policy debates as well as the role of faith-based organizations in refugee relief and resettlement.

The law of war, or international humanitarian law (IHL), is the body of law that regulates the conduct of armed conflict in order to preserve basic human dignity and reduce suffering. Although IHL was invented in modern Europe, this body of law is rooted in ethical and religious traditions that are thousands of years old and that span diverse cultures. In this course, students analyze the relationship between the military ethics of IHL and the ethical systems of religious traditions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam and select indigenous traditions. Students also explore how the International Committee of the Red Cross engages with religious communities in order to strengthen humanitarianism across the globe.

This course explores the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism as they are practiced and experienced in communities on the Tibetan Plateau. Student research projects investigate the globalization of Tibetan Buddhism, especially through the public life of the Dalai Lama, as well as Tibetan Buddhism's relationship to topics like nonviolence, compassion, mindfulness, interfaith dialogue, psychology and politics.

This course serves as a senior seminar (capstone) for majors in Global Religions and Cultures, centered around various controversies in religion. Original student research, writing and oral presentation are the centerpieces of this religion capstone course. Specific course themes vary by year and instructor.

This course serves as a senior seminar (capstone) for majors in Global Religions and Cultures, centered around Islam and the nature of being. Original student research, writing and oral presentation are the centerpieces of this religion capstone course. Specific course themes vary by year and instructor.

This course serves as a senior seminar (capstone) for majors in Global Religions and Cultures, centered around the subject of religion in American culture. Original student research, writing and oral presentation are the centerpieces of this religion capstone course. Specific course themes vary by year and instructor.

An advanced exploration of diverse ways in which one or more of the world's religions have engaged questions of significant social impact. Specific course themes vary by year and instructor. Original student research, writing and oral presentation are the centerpieces of this religion capstone course. Fulfills the College of Arts and Letters writing-intensive requirement for the major.

An in-depth examination, using critical academic methods, of the historical, literary, and cultural dimensions of selected texts from the literatures of Ancient Judaism and Early Christianity. Fulfills the College of Arts and Letters writing-intensive requirement for the major.

This course serves as a senior seminar (capstone) for majors in Global Religions and Cultures, centered around the subject of women's experiences in global Christianity. Original student research, writing and oral presentation are the centerpieces of this religion capstone course. Specific course themes vary by year and instructor.

This capstone course in the study of religion applies knowledge of Buddhist thought and practice to contemporary global expressions of Buddhism. A key theme of the course is the tension between tradition and modernity in Buddhist communities, especially in light of post-colonialism and globalization. Specific course themes and content rotate by year. Original student research, writing and oral presentation are the centerpieces of this capstone experience. Fulfills the College of Arts and Letters writing-intensive requirement for the major.

This course is designed to give capable students the opportunity to complete independent study in religion under faculty supervision. May be repeated for credit.

The Ghana Summer 4-week program offers students lecture series and experiences that are interdisciplinary and enhance religious and cultural literacy and skills. While Ghanaian society is culturally and religiously pluralistic, the country has experienced relatively limited violence that emanates from religious differences. The purpose of the summer lecture series is to provide students opportunities to observe local professors and religious practitioners discuss the role and place of religion in Ghanaian society-both traditional and modern.

Students participate as course assistants in religion. Assistantships provide students with a sense of what it is like to teach a religion course by allowing them to work closely with faculty members through different phases of course preparation, presentation and evaluation. Assistantships may also provide opportunities for student assistants to lead discussion and to help their peers review the material outside the classroom.

Gives the structured opportunity to gain practical knowledge and experience while serving the community. Students apply skills in religious literacy, intercultural communication, research, writing and more.

The Ghana Summer Internship offers students lectures and experiences that are interdisciplinary and enhance religious and cultural literacy and skills. While Ghanaian society is culturally and religiously pluralistic, the country has experienced relatively limited violence that emanates from religious differences. The purpose of the summer internship in religion and society is to provide students opportunities to observe, interact and engage with the leadership and agencies that have ensured the nation's peaceful religious environment.

An original research project for majors in the religion program who want to graduate with distinction.

An original research project for Global Religions and Cultures majors who want to graduate with distinction.

An original research project for Global Religions and Cultures majors who want to graduate with distinction.