Introduction to Religious Studies
This course is an introduction to the contemporary field of religious studies, focusing on both the theoretical investigations of religious traditions, as well as on the study of selected religious texts and practices (such as creation stories, sacred biographies, sacred scriptures of a religious tradition(s) rituals, ritual taboos, religiously motivated behaviors.
Outcomes: Students will be able to analyze and interpret various ways in which religious traditions intersect with contemporary issues.
This course is an introduction to the contemporary field of religious studies, focusing on both the theoretical investigations of religious traditions, as well as on the study of selected religious texts and practices (such as creation stories, sacred biographies, sacred scriptures of a religious tradition(s) rituals, ritual taboos, religiously motivated behaviors.
Outcomes: Students will be able to analyze and interpret various ways in which religious traditions intersect with contemporary issues.
Foundational Theological Knowledge
Interreligious and Interfaith Studies
This course is designed to introduce students to the study of religion. We will analyze the major global religions, dividing them into the following groups: Abrahamic (Christianity, Islam, Judaism) and religions native to India (Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism). Attention will be paid to the origins of each religion (as far as it can be established in scientifically grounded fashion), its mythology, the principal milestones in its history, and its contemporary practice. The course incorporates a large number of documentaries, bringing the voices and perspectives of the adherents of each of the religions under discussion into the classroom, and exploring important holy sites. Particular attention is paid to the features all of these religions have in common and the universal questions and concerns that they seek to address.
Class Details
Class Availability