Religion


Religion 1102 (formerly C050): Introduction to Asian Religions
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: Asian Studies 1102)

An introduction to the major Asian religions and their philosophical and cultural traditions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Shintoism). Emphasis is on the cultural roots of each religious tradition through an analysis of the religion's principal teachings and practices and the major cultural expressions in religious art, ritual, poetry, music, and scriptures. Note, this course is not open to those who have taken Religion 1101 or Religion 0107.



Religion 1401 (formerly C051): Introduction to Western Religions
3 credit hours

An illustration of why and how the three major religions-Judaism, Christianity, and Islam-arose and of why they are still central pillars of the modern world. The course focuses on origins-the powerful insights of charismatic individuals into human nature and its inherent problems and their deep visions of 1) the ultimate fulfillment of human existence, 2) the answer to the devastating reality of inevitable death, and 3) the ultimate meaning of history. To help capture some of the drama of biblical events, video movies will sometimes be used. Note, this course is not open to those who have taken Religion 1101.



Religion 1003 (formerly C052): Religion in America
3 credit hours

A historical and sociological study of the practices and beliefs of various religious groups that have shaped American culture, with special attention to ethnic and racial minorities, to women, and to traditional mainline groups and newer movements.



Religion 1101 (formerly C053): Introduction to World Religions
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: Asian Studies 1101)

An examination of how the major world religions (Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, Confucianism, Islam, Christianity, and Judaism) have tried to respond to humanities profoundest questions and a consideration of whether these religions still have meaning for modern persons. Human beings have throughout time tried to find an inner freedom, peace, or happiness that cannot be destroyed by anything, not even death. Despite the elusiveness of this quest, basic questions remain that we cannot easily escape: Who am I and why am I? What is the meaning of human life if in the end I must be erased by death? If there is a final meaning or purpose to life, how is it to be reached? Why is it so difficult to find peace? Am I ultimately alone, or is there a way of finding a home in this infinite universe? Why must there be evil and suffering, and how can they be overcome? Note, this course is not open to those who have taken Religion 1102 or Religion 1401.



Religion 1001 (formerly C054): Religion and Society
3 credit hours

An introduction to the nature of religion. What is the relation of religion to personal identity, social life, and political structures? What ethical issues arise out of the tension between religion and society?



Religion 2000 (formerly 0100): Topics in Religious Studies
3 credit hours

A topical course in religion, with variable content. Note, as long as the topic is different Religion 2000 may be repeated for credit.



Religion 2000 (formerly 0100): Topics in Religious Studies: Classics in Asian Thought
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: Asian Studies 2000)

A course covering the major classics that have influenced Asian cultures. Our approach is interdisciplinary, drawing from areas such as art, literature, mythology, religion, philosophy, and political theory. In addition to Indian sources like the Upamishads and Mahabharata, chapters from the works of Mencius, Chuang Tsu, Han Tsu, Shinran, Kukai, and the Zen masters make the reading list. The emphasis is on reading. One term paper, of five to seven pages, is required. Note, as long as the topic is different Religion 2000 may be repeated for credit.



Religion 2000 (formerly 100): Topics in Religious Studies: Love, Power, and Justice
3 credit hours

An examination of the relationship between love, power, and justice. Must we, as Jesus said, "turn the other cheek" when treated unjustly? Can love, in its attempt to achieve justice, make use of power, even violent power, without ceasing to be love? Can a love that fails to consider the demands of justice be destructive, not only to others but also to oneself? Note, as long as the topic is different Religion 2000 may be repeated for credit.



Religion 2000 (formerly 100): Topics in Religious Studies: Religious Themes in Film
3 credit hours

An examination of various films (The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, Ikiru, Lilies of the Field, Sophie's Choice, and The Chosen) considers such issues as the basic loneliness or alienation of the self, the quest for true selfhood and ultimate reality, the possibility of the tragic destruction of the self through unavoidable acts of evil, and the ambiguous (both creative and destructive) influence of religion on the individual and society. Note, as long as the topic is different Religion 2000 may be repeated for credit.



Religion 2101 (formerly 0106/W106): Religions of India
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: Asian Studies 2101)

An introduction to the origins and development of classical Hinduism and its beliefs and practices. An introduction to the origins and development of Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism in India. The story of Islam in India. And modern Hindu movements in India.



Religion 0113: Buddhism-Psycho-Existential Analysis
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: Asian Studies 3201)

An exploration of the experiential dimension of the human psyche by delving into three prominent conceptual articulations of it in Buddhism; psychoanalysis (also analytical psychology); and existential analysis. The leading question for this course is How best can we live our lives given the structure of the human psyche? Course reading material includes selections from early Buddhist texts and from Mahayana Buddhist texts, Freud, Jung, and Sartre.



Religion 2301 (formerly 0115): Introduction to Zen Buddhism
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: Asian Studies 2301)

An examination of the meaning of the satori, or "awakening," that is the basis of unusual words and actions in Zen and of the methods-zazen, mondo, and koan-by which this awakening is achieved. A ninth-century Chinese Zen master says: "You must grasp the whole universe at once right on your eyelashes." Another from the same period, whenever he was asked a question, answered by raising one finger. A third died standing on his head.



Religion 2201 (formerly 0116): Chinese Religions?Confucius to Mao
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: Asian Studies 2201)

An introduction to the religious, moral, and social traditions of China. Includes the classical religions of Confucianism and Taoism; the arrival of Buddhism and the development of Chinese Buddhist schools (Tien Tai, Hua Yen, Chan, and Pure Land); and the revival of neo-Confucianism. Also includes a look at Chinese Marxism and religion in China today.



Religion 0118: Chinese Buddhism
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: Asian Studies 0166)

A study of the history, of the schools of thought, and of the practice of Buddhism in China. Spans the introduction of Buddhism to China from India; its interaction with the classical religions of China (Confucianism, Taoism); and the rise of the major schools of Chinese Buddhism (Tien Tai, Hua Yen, Chan [Zen], and Pure Land.)



Religion 3301 (formerly 0119): Japanese Religions
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: Asian Studies 3301)

An introduction to Japanese religions, their origins and their development in the social, cultural, and intellectual history of Japan. Religions covered are Shinto, Japanese Buddhism, folk religions, Japanese Confucianism, and the new religions. Some attention is paid to the expression of Japanese spirituality in the fine arts, martial arts, festivals, and rituals.



Religion 3302 (formerly 0120): Japanese Buddhism
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: Asian Studies 3302)

Prerequisite: Religion 1102, Religion 1101, or an upper-level religion course, and IH X051

An introduction to the classical thinkers of Japanese Buddhism: Kukai, Dogen, Shinran, Nichiren, and Hakuin. Schools covered are Shingon, Pure Land, Soto Zen, Rinzai Zen, and Nichiren.



Religion 2102 (formerly 0122/W122): Introduction to Buddhism
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: Asian Studies 2102)

An introduction to the historical development of Buddhism in relation to other East Asian religions. Topics include the four Noble Truths of Basic Buddhism, the Hinayana-Mahayana controversy over Buddhist Dharma and practice, and the development of Buddhist thought throughout Asia, including Zen Buddhism in Japan.



Religion 2606/2696 (formerly 0200/W200): Introduction to Islam
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: Asian Studies 2606/2696)

A general survey of the religion of Islam, including its history, beliefs, sacred texts (Qur'an and Hadith) and their interpretation, religious law, Sufism, philosophy, art, and science. Particular attention also is given to actual Muslim practice and to Islam as a way of life.



Religion 0327: Comparative Philosophy of Religion
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: Asian Studies 0327)

An introduction to the comparative philosophy of religion, Asian and Western. After asking what is meant by the comparative philosophy of religion, we will focus on a comparative philosophical study of basic concepts and issues in Western and Asian religious traditions. For example, we will look at the concepts of divine or ultimate reality, arguments for the existence of an ultimate reality, the relation of faith and reason, critiques of religion, the problem of evil, the concepts of personal destiny and immortality, the relation of religion to morality, religious and mystical experience, the nature of religious language, the problem of conflicting truth claims, and religious pluralism.



Religion 3003 (formerly 0341): Psychology and Religion
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: Psychology 3000)

An examination of what new developments in evolutionary and cognitive psychology imply about the role of religion in adult life. We will begin with the Freudian and Nietzschian critiques of religion. We will then turn to the Jungian school, in which religion plays a very positive role in adult development. Next, we will explore Thomas Kuhn's theory of scientific epistemology and compare it with the mystical tradition of religion. Then, we will examine the research of Stanislav Grof, et al., on the transcendent scope and range of human consciousness. The course will conclude with a synthesis, by each student, of these various elements into a working hypothesis about the role of religious experience in modern life.



Religion 4002 (formerly 0346): Religion and the Arts: Japan
3 credit hours

(Cross-Listings: Asian Studies 2000)

A focus on the complex relationship between the arts and religions in Japan. The search for religious iconography (religious images, signs, and symbols) in present-day Japanese society through advertising, festivals, and rituals reveals the diversity (eclecticism) and the unity (syncretism) of Japanese religious expression. We will go back to the origins of Shintoism, Buddhism, and Christianity in Japan and study how their specific religious identities are expressed in the arts of different periods and how the arts reflect the influence of religions upon each other. The arts include painting, sculpture, architecture, crafts, and gardens. They also include traditional music; Noh drama; and even, in a broad sense, land art, as in the Shintoist sacralisation of nature, or the Zen-Taoist ways, as in chado, kendo, etc.



Note:
Please note: the information contained in these course descriptions is subject to change, and individual courses may be added or deleted as necessary. If you wish to know what specific courses are being offered in a given term, please see the current course schedule.