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
Welcome to Intro to Religious Studies!! This course will teach how to apply three approaches to the sociological study of religion, characterized as belief, ritual mechanics, and religious experience. The course is set up like an iceberg chart. We begin with general, common ideas on dogmas and statements of faith; move to obscure concepts, easter eggs, and theories of practice; and end with anomalies, rumors, and conspiracies surrounding religious experiences. You will read academic sources to gain insights into theories and methods, but also evaluate case studies to assess how religion emerges in daily life. You will also experience original historical texts and material culture from archives and museums, such as the Rare Books Collection and the Weber Ethnographic Collection on campus, and the Newberry Library and Art Institute of Chicago in the downtown Chicago area. The course seeks to reveal the fantastic aspects of religion, culture, and practice. THEO 107 fulfills the Theological & Religious Knowledge and Inquiry Foundational/Tier I core requirement.
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