Introduction to major religions of world/academic study of religion. Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, some pre-Christian religions of Antiquity.

Through examination of several contemporary issues this course introduces students to the complex ways in which religion functions in everyday life. The course will examine the intersection of religion with several cultural and social contexts and issues, such as gender, the environment, politics, power, race, ethnicity, health, medicine, food, art, and entertainment. It will draw upon the practices, texts, communities, and institutions of several religious traditions and familiarize students with interdisciplinary, humanistic methods for studying religion.

This course traces the development of Judaism and Jewish civilizations from their beginnings to the present. With over three millennia as its subject, the course must of necessity be a general survey. Together we will explore the mythic structures, significant documents, historical experiences, narratives, practices, beliefs, and worldviews of the Jewish people. The course begins by examining the roots of Judaism in the Hebrew Bible and the history of ancient Israel but quickly focuses on the creative forces that developed within Judaism as a national narrative confronted the forces of history, especially in the forms of the Persian, Greek, and Roman empires. Rabbinic Judaism becomes the most dominant creative force and will receive our greatest attention, both in its formative years and as it encounters the rise of Christianity and Islam. After studying the Jewish experience in the medieval world, we will turn to Judaism?s encounter with the enlightenment and modernity. The historical survey concludes by attending to the transformations within Judaism and Jewish life of the last 150 years, including a confrontation with the experience of the Holocaust. Woven throughout this historical survey will be repeated engagements with core questions: ?Who is a Jew?? ?What do Jews believe?? ?What do Jews do?? ?What do we mean by ?religion??? ?How do Jews read texts within their tradition?? And perhaps most importantly, ?How many answers are there to a Jewish question?? Students in this course can expect to come away with some knowledge of the Bible in Judaism, rabbinic literature and law, Jewish mysticism and philosophy, Jewish nationalism and Zionism, Jewish culture, ritual, and worship in the synagogue, the home, and the community, and Jewish celebrations of life cycle events and the festivals.

This course traces the development of Judaism and Jewish civilizations from their beginnings to the present. With over three millennia as its subject, the course must of necessity be a general survey. Together we will explore the mythic structures, significant documents, historical experiences, narratives, practices, beliefs, and worldviews of the Jewish people. The course begins by examining the roots of Judaism in the Hebrew Bible and the history of ancient Israel but quickly focuses on the creative forces that developed within Judaism as a national narrative confronted the forces of history, especially in the forms of the Persian, Greek, and Roman empires. Rabbinic Judaism becomes the most dominant creative force and will receive our greatest attention, both in its formative years and as it encounters the rise of Christianity and Islam. After studying the Jewish experience in the medieval world, we will turn to Judaism?s encounter with the enlightenment and modernity. The historical survey concludes by attending to the transformations within Judaism and Jewish life of the last 150 years, including a confrontation with the experience of the Holocaust. Woven throughout this historical survey will be repeated engagements with core questions: ?Who is a Jew?? ?What do Jews believe?? ?What do Jews do?? ?What do we mean by ?religion??? ?How do Jews read texts within their tradition?? And perhaps most importantly, ?How many answers are there to a Jewish question?? Students in this course can expect to come away with some knowledge of the Bible in Judaism, rabbinic literature and law, Jewish mysticism and philosophy, Jewish nationalism and Zionism, Jewish culture, ritual, and worship in the synagogue, the home, and the community, and Jewish celebrations of life cycle events and the festivals.

This course traces the development of Judaism and Jewish civilizations from their beginnings to the present. With over three millennia as its subject, the course must of necessity be a general survey. Together we will explore the mythic structures, significant documents, historical experiences, narratives, practices, beliefs, and worldviews of the Jewish people. The course begins by examining the roots of Judaism in the Hebrew Bible and the history of ancient Israel but quickly focuses on the creative forces that developed within Judaism as a national narrative confronted the forces of history, especially in the forms of the Persian, Greek, and Roman empires. Rabbinic Judaism becomes the most dominant creative force and will receive our greatest attention, both in its formative years and as it encounters the rise of Christianity and Islam. After studying the Jewish experience in the medieval world, we will turn to Judaism?s encounter with the enlightenment and modernity. The historical survey concludes by attending to the transformations within Judaism and Jewish life of the last 150 years, including a confrontation with the experience of the Holocaust. Woven throughout this historical survey will be repeated engagements with core questions: ?Who is a Jew?? ?What do Jews believe?? ?What do Jews do?? ?What do we mean by ?religion??? ?How do Jews read texts within their tradition?? And perhaps most importantly, ?How many answers are there to a Jewish question?? Students in this course can expect to come away with some knowledge of the Bible in Judaism, rabbinic literature and law, Jewish mysticism and philosophy, Jewish nationalism and Zionism, Jewish culture, ritual, and worship in the synagogue, the home, and the community, and Jewish celebrations of life cycle events and the festivals.

Does time, place, and culture affect our picture of Jesus? We'll start by constructing our own Jesus story and then go backwards in time to examine modern times (film, music, and modern art), pre-Civil War America (views of Jesus from enslaved people and their enslavers), Renaissance and Medieval Europe and North Africa (art and architecture), and finally end with the ancient world (art and writings about Jesus, including the biblical gospels). No background in religious studies required, and students of any, all, or no religious background are welcome.

Does time, place, and culture affect our picture of Jesus? We'll start by constructing our own Jesus story and then go backwards in time to examine modern times (film, music, and modern art), pre-Civil War America (views of Jesus from enslaved people and their enslavers), Renaissance and Medieval Europe and North Africa (art and architecture), and finally end with the ancient world (art and writings about Jesus, including the biblical gospels). No background in religious studies required, and students of any, all, or no religious background are welcome.

The Hebrew Bible and Old Testament are literary collections that modern Jewish and Christian traditions maintain as important, but these collections were initially produced by ancient Israelite scribes who composed and/or compiled the biblical texts at particular time periods in the ancient Near East. This course will introduce the academic study of biblical texts, which demands critical analysis of the literature and an openness to reading the literature from the perspective of ancient Israelite writers (who lived in a world far different from today). The course will spend considerable time on the literary (and scribal) composition of biblical prose texts; time will also be spent on the historical circumstances of biblical prophets and other writers of the biblical texts. This course will only address the ancient setting of the biblical texts and not re-interpretations in Jewish or Christian traditions. Given the scope of the course, modern interpretations of the biblical literature will not be discussed; we will only focus on this literature in its ancient setting. prereq: Knowledge of Hebrew not required

The Hebrew Bible and Old Testament are literary collections that modern Jewish and Christian traditions maintain as important, but these collections were initially produced by ancient Israelite scribes who composed and/or compiled the biblical texts at particular time periods in the ancient Near East. This course will introduce the academic study of biblical texts, which demands critical analysis of the literature and an openness to reading the literature from the perspective of ancient Israelite writers (who lived in a world far different from today). The course will spend considerable time on the literary (and scribal) composition of biblical prose texts; time will also be spent on the historical circumstances of biblical prophets and other writers of the biblical texts. This course will only address the ancient setting of the biblical texts and not re-interpretations in Jewish or Christian traditions. Given the scope of the course, modern interpretations of the biblical literature will not be discussed; we will only focus on this literature in its ancient setting. prereq: Knowledge of Hebrew not required

The Hebrew Bible and Old Testament are literary collections that modern Jewish and Christian traditions maintain as important, but these collections were initially produced by ancient Israelite scribes who composed and/or compiled the biblical texts at particular time periods in the ancient Near East. This course will introduce the academic study of biblical texts, which demands critical analysis of the literature and an openness to reading the literature from the perspective of ancient Israelite writers (who lived in a world far different from today). The course will spend considerable time on the literary (and scribal) composition of biblical prose texts; time will also be spent on the historical circumstances of biblical prophets and other writers of the biblical texts. This course will only address the ancient setting of the biblical texts and not re-interpretations in Jewish or Christian traditions. Given the scope of the course, modern interpretations of the biblical literature will not be discussed; we will only focus on this literature in its ancient setting. prereq: Knowledge of Hebrew not required

Theoretical/methodological issues in academic study of religion. Theories of origin, character, and function of religion as a human phenomenon. Psychological, sociological, anthropological, and phenomenological perspectives.

Theoretical/methodological issues in academic study of religion. Theories of origin, character, and function of religion as a human phenomenon. Psychological, sociological, anthropological, and phenomenological perspectives. prereq: Sr or grad student or instr consent

This course examines the development and ramifications of gender ideologies within several religious groups in North America from the colonial period to the present and explores women's strategies that have contributed to and resisted these ideologies.

Student works with faculty on a subject decided upon by both.

TBD prereq: instr consent

Topics vary. Major cultural movement as it developed over several centuries. Draws on evidence in literature, archival records, inscriptions, documentary papyri, and archaeological remains. Artistic media such as wall painting, architectural ornament, funerary sculpture, or manuscript illumination. prereq: Grad student in relevant field

This course introduces students to the original meaning and significance of religious law and ethics within Judaism. Law is the single most important part of Jewish history and identity. At the same time, law is also the least understood part of Judaism and has often been the source of criticism and hatred. We shall therefore confront one of the most important parts of Jewish civilization and seek to understand it on its own terms. In demonstrating how law becomes a fundamental religious and ethical ideal, the course will focus on the biblical and Rabbinic periods but spans the entire history of Judaism. Consistent with the First Amendment, the approach taken is secular. There are no prerequisites: the course is open to all qualified students. The course begins with ideas of law in ancient Babylon and then studies the ongoing history of those ideas. The biblical idea that a covenant binds Israel to God, along with its implications for human worth - including the view of woman as person - will be examined. Comparative cultural issues include the reinterpretations of covenant within Christianity and Islam. The course investigates the rabbinic concept of oral law, the use of law to maintain the civil and religious stability of the Jewish people, and the kabbalistic transformation of law. The course concludes with contemporary Jewish thinkers who return to the Bible while seeking to establish a modern system of universal ethics. The premise of the course is the discipline of academic religious studies. The assumptions of the course are therefore academic and secular, as required by the First Amendment. All texts and all religious traditions will be examined analytically and critically. Students are expected to understand and master this approach, which includes questioning conventional cultural assumptions about the composition and authorship of the Bible. Willingness to ask such questions and openness to new ways of thinking are essential to success in the course. Old: Significance of religious law in Judaism. Babylonian background of biblical law. Biblical creation of the person as a legal category. Rabbinic transformations of biblical norms. Covenant in Christianity/Islam. Contemporary Jewish literature/philosophy.

This course introduces students to the original meaning and significance of religious law and ethics within Judaism. Law is the single most important part of Jewish history and identity. At the same time, law is also the least understood part of Judaism and has often been the source of criticism and hatred. We shall therefore confront one of the most important parts of Jewish civilization and seek to understand it on its own terms. In demonstrating how law becomes a fundamental religious and ethical ideal, the course will focus on the biblical and Rabbinic periods but spans the entire history of Judaism. Consistent with the First Amendment, the approach taken is secular. There are no prerequisites: the course is open to all qualified students. The course begins with ideas of law in ancient Babylon and then studies the ongoing history of those ideas. The biblical idea that a covenant binds Israel to God, along with its implications for human worth - including the view of woman as person - will be examined. Comparative cultural issues include the reinterpretations of covenant within Christianity and Islam. The course investigates the rabbinic concept of oral law, the use of law to maintain the civil and religious stability of the Jewish people, and the kabbalistic transformation of law. The course concludes with contemporary Jewish thinkers who return to the Bible while seeking to establish a modern system of universal ethics. The premise of the course is the discipline of academic religious studies. The assumptions of the course are therefore academic and secular, as required by the First Amendment. All texts and all religious traditions will be examined analytically and critically. Students are expected to understand and master this approach, which includes questioning conventional cultural assumptions about the composition and authorship of the Bible. Willingness to ask such questions and openness to new ways of thinking are essential to success in the course.

This course introduces students to the original meaning and significance of religious law and ethics within Judaism. Law is the single most important part of Jewish history and identity. At the same time, law is also the least understood part of Judaism and has often been the source of criticism and hatred. We shall therefore confront one of the most important parts of Jewish civilization and seek to understand it on its own terms. In demonstrating how law becomes a fundamental religious and ethical ideal, the course will focus on the biblical and Rabbinic periods but spans the entire history of Judaism. Consistent with the First Amendment, the approach taken is secular. There are no prerequisites: the course is open to all qualified students. The course begins with ideas of law in ancient Babylon and then studies the ongoing history of those ideas. The biblical idea that a covenant binds Israel to God, along with its implications for human worth - including the view of woman as person - will be examined. Comparative cultural issues include the reinterpretations of covenant within Christianity and Islam. The course investigates the rabbinic concept of oral law, the use of law to maintain the civil and religious stability of the Jewish people, and the kabbalistic transformation of law. The course concludes with contemporary Jewish thinkers who return to the Bible while seeking to establish a modern system of universal ethics. The premise of the course is the discipline of academic religious studies. The assumptions of the course are therefore academic and secular, as required by the First Amendment. All texts and all religious traditions will be examined analytically and critically. Students are expected to understand and master this approach, which includes questioning conventional cultural assumptions about the composition and authorship of the Bible. Willingness to ask such questions and openness to new ways of thinking are essential to success in the course.

This course introduces students to the original meaning and significance of religious law and ethics within Judaism. Law is the single most important part of Jewish history and identity. At the same time, law is also the least understood part of Judaism and has often been the source of criticism and hatred. We shall therefore confront one of the most important parts of Jewish civilization and seek to understand it on its own terms. In demonstrating how law becomes a fundamental religious and ethical ideal, the course will focus on the biblical and Rabbinic periods but spans the entire history of Judaism. Consistent with the First Amendment, the approach taken is secular. There are no prerequisites: the course is open to all qualified students. The course begins with ideas of law in ancient Babylon and then studies the ongoing history of those ideas. The biblical idea that a covenant binds Israel to God, along with its implications for human worth - including the view of woman as person - will be examined. Comparative cultural issues include the reinterpretations of covenant within Christianity and Islam. The course investigates the rabbinic concept of oral law, the use of law to maintain the civil and religious stability of the Jewish people, and the kabbalistic transformation of law. The course concludes with contemporary Jewish thinkers who return to the Bible while seeking to establish a modern system of universal ethics. The premise of the course is the discipline of academic religious studies. The assumptions of the course are therefore academic and secular, as required by the First Amendment. All texts and all religious traditions will be examined analytically and critically. Students are expected to understand and master this approach, which includes questioning conventional cultural assumptions about the composition and authorship of the Bible. Willingness to ask such questions and openness to new ways of thinking are essential to success in the course.

This course traces the development of Judaism and Jewish civilizations from their beginnings to the present. With over three millennia as its subject, the course must of necessity be a general survey. Together we will explore the mythic structures, significant documents, historical experiences, narratives, practices, beliefs, and worldviews of the Jewish people. The course begins by examining the roots of Judaism in the Hebrew Bible and the history of ancient Israel but quickly focuses on the creative forces that developed within Judaism as a national narrative confronted the forces of history, especially in the forms of the Persian, Greek, and Roman empires. Rabbinic Judaism becomes the most dominant creative force and will receive our greatest attention, both in its formative years and as it encounters the rise of Christianity and Islam. After studying the Jewish experience in the medieval world, we will turn to Judaism?s encounter with the enlightenment and modernity. The historical survey concludes by attending to the transformations within Judaism and Jewish life of the last 150 years, including a confrontation with the experience of the Holocaust. Woven throughout this historical survey will be repeated engagements with core questions: ?Who is a Jew?? ?What do Jews believe?? ?What do Jews do?? ?What do we mean by ?religion??? ?How do Jews read texts within their tradition?? And perhaps most importantly, ?How many answers are there to a Jewish question?? Students in this course can expect to come away with some knowledge of the Bible in Judaism, rabbinic literature and law, Jewish mysticism and philosophy, Jewish nationalism and Zionism, Jewish culture, ritual, and worship in the synagogue, the home, and the community, and Jewish celebrations of life cycle events and the festivals.

This course traces the development of Judaism and Jewish civilizations from their beginnings to the present. With over three millennia as its subject, the course must of necessity be a general survey. Together we will explore the mythic structures, significant documents, historical experiences, narratives, practices, beliefs, and worldviews of the Jewish people. The course begins by examining the roots of Judaism in the Hebrew Bible and the history of ancient Israel but quickly focuses on the creative forces that developed within Judaism as a national narrative confronted the forces of history, especially in the forms of the Persian, Greek, and Roman empires. Rabbinic Judaism becomes the most dominant creative force and will receive our greatest attention, both in its formative years and as it encounters the rise of Christianity and Islam. After studying the Jewish experience in the medieval world, we will turn to Judaism?s encounter with the enlightenment and modernity. The historical survey concludes by attending to the transformations within Judaism and Jewish life of the last 150 years, including a confrontation with the experience of the Holocaust. Woven throughout this historical survey will be repeated engagements with core questions: ?Who is a Jew?? ?What do Jews believe?? ?What do Jews do?? ?What do we mean by ?religion??? ?How do Jews read texts within their tradition?? And perhaps most importantly, ?How many answers are there to a Jewish question?? Students in this course can expect to come away with some knowledge of the Bible in Judaism, rabbinic literature and law, Jewish mysticism and philosophy, Jewish nationalism and Zionism, Jewish culture, ritual, and worship in the synagogue, the home, and the community, and Jewish celebrations of life cycle events and the festivals.

This course traces the development of Judaism and Jewish civilizations from their beginnings to the present. With over three millennia as its subject, the course must of necessity be a general survey. Together we will explore the mythic structures, significant documents, historical experiences, narratives, practices, beliefs, and worldviews of the Jewish people. The course begins by examining the roots of Judaism in the Hebrew Bible and the history of ancient Israel but quickly focuses on the creative forces that developed within Judaism as a national narrative confronted the forces of history, especially in the forms of the Persian, Greek, and Roman empires. Rabbinic Judaism becomes the most dominant creative force and will receive our greatest attention, both in its formative years and as it encounters the rise of Christianity and Islam. After studying the Jewish experience in the medieval world, we will turn to Judaism?s encounter with the enlightenment and modernity. The historical survey concludes by attending to the transformations within Judaism and Jewish life of the last 150 years, including a confrontation with the experience of the Holocaust. Woven throughout this historical survey will be repeated engagements with core questions: ?Who is a Jew?? ?What do Jews believe?? ?What do Jews do?? ?What do we mean by ?religion??? ?How do Jews read texts within their tradition?? And perhaps most importantly, ?How many answers are there to a Jewish question?? Students in this course can expect to come away with some knowledge of the Bible in Judaism, rabbinic literature and law, Jewish mysticism and philosophy, Jewish nationalism and Zionism, Jewish culture, ritual, and worship in the synagogue, the home, and the community, and Jewish celebrations of life cycle events and the festivals.

Diverse topics in Religious Studies. Please see below for this semester's selection title.

Greek religion from the Bronze Age to Hellenistic times. Literature, art, archaeology. Homer/Olympian deities. Ritual performance, prayer, sacrifice. Temple architecture. Death/afterlife. Mystery cults. Philosophical religion. Near Eastern salvation religions. Meets with 3171.

Greek religion from Bronze Age to Hellenistic times. Literature, art, archaeology. Homer/Olympian deities. Ritual performance, prayer, sacrifice. Temple architecture. Death/afterlife. Mystery cults. Philosophical religion. Near Eastern salvation religions. Meets with 3071.

Greek religion from the Bronze Age to Hellenistic times. Sources include literature, art, and archaeology. Homer and Olympian deities, ritual performance, prayer/sacrifice, temple architecture, death and the afterlife, mystery cults, philosophical religion. Near Eastern salvation religions.

Greek religion from Bronze Age to Hellenistic times. Literature, art, archaeology. Homer/Olympian deities. Ritual performance, prayer, sacrifice. Temple architecture. Death/afterlife. Mystery cults. Philosophical religion. Near Eastern salvation religions. Meets with 3071.

Early Jesus movement in cultural/historical setting. Origins in Judaism. Traditions about Jesus. Apostle Paul, controversies/interpreters. Authority, religious practice, structure. Emergence of canon. Contemporary methods of New Testament study. Biblical writings as history/narrative. CNES 3072/CNES 5072/RELS 3072/RELS 5072 meet together.

Early Jesus movement in cultural/historical setting. Origins in Judaism. Traditions about Jesus. Apostle Paul, controversies/interpreters. Authority, religious practice, structure. Emergence of canon. Contemporary methods of New Testament study. Biblical writings as history/narrative. CNES 3072/CNES 5072/RELS 3072/RELS 5072 meet together.

Early Jesus movement in cultural/historical setting. Origins in Judaism. Traditions about Jesus. Apostle Paul, controversies/interpreters. Authority, religious practice, structure. Emergence of canon. Contemporary methods of New Testament study. Biblical writings as history/narrative. CNES 3072/CNES 5072/RELS 3072/RELS 5072 meet together.

Early Jesus movement in cultural/historical setting. Origins in Judaism. Traditions about Jesus. Apostle Paul, controversies/interpreters. Authority, religious practice, structure. Emergence of canon. Contemporary methods of New Testament study. Biblical writings as history/narrative. CNES 3072/CNES 5072/RELS 3072/RELS 5072 meet together.

How/what can we know about Paul. What his message was. What he was fighting. How he was later understood by friends/foes.

How/what can we know about Paul. What his message was. What he was fighting. How he was later understood by friends/foes.

Diversity of social/cultural interactions between Muslims and Jews and between Islam and Judaism since 1700. What enabled the two religious communities to peacefully coexist? What were causes of conflict? Why is history of Muslim-Jewish relations such a contested issue?

Diversity of social/cultural interactions between Muslims and Jews and between Islam and Judaism since 1700. What enabled the two religious communities to peacefully coexist? What were causes of conflict? Why is history of Muslim-Jewish relations such a contested issue?

Does time, place, and culture affect our picture of Jesus? We'll start by constructing our own Jesus story and then go backwards in time to examine modern times (film, music, and modern art), pre-Civil War America (views of Jesus from enslaved people and their enslavers), Renaissance and Medieval Europe and North Africa (art and architecture), and finally end with the ancient world (art and writings about Jesus, including the biblical gospels). No background in religious studies required, and students of any, all, or no religious background are welcome.

Does time, place, and culture affect our picture of Jesus? We'll start by constructing our own Jesus story and then go backwards in time to examine modern times (film, music, and modern art), pre-Civil War America (views of Jesus from enslaved people and their enslavers), Renaissance and Medieval Europe and North Africa (art and architecture), and finally end with the ancient world (art and writings about Jesus, including the biblical gospels). No background in religious studies required, and students of any, all, or no religious background are welcome.

Does time, place, and culture affect our picture of Jesus? We'll start by constructing our own Jesus story and then go backwards in time to examine modern times (film, music, and modern art), pre-Civil War America (views of Jesus from enslaved people and their enslavers), Renaissance and Medieval Europe and North Africa (art and architecture), and finally end with the ancient world (art and writings about Jesus, including the biblical gospels). No background in religious studies required, and students of any, all, or no religious background are welcome.

History of Zionism/Israel. Arab-Jewish conflict, tensions between religious/secular Jews. Relationships between Mizrahi, Ashkenazi, Russian, Ethiopian, Arab citizens. Israeli cultural imagery. Newsreels, political posters, television shows, films, popular music.

History of Zionism/Israel. Arab-Jewish conflict, tensions between religious/secular Jews. Relationships between Mizrahi, Ashkenazi, Russian, Ethiopian, Arab citizens. Israeli cultural imagery. Newsreels, political posters, television shows, films, popular music.

This course will provide students with foundational knowledge in the art, architecture and archaeology of Egypt, East Africa, Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, Iran and Central Asia from the Neolithic through Late Antiquity (ca. 7,000 B.C.E. - 650 C.E.). Students will gain an understanding of the relationship between the visual material and the social, intellectual, political and religious contexts in which it developed and functioned. In this regard, students will also gain an understanding of the evolution of, and exchanges and differences among, the visual cultures of these time periods and regions. It will also expose them to the preconditions for contemporary geopolitics in the region.

This course will provide students with foundational knowledge in the art, architecture, and archaeology of Egypt, East Africa, Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, Iran and Central Asia from the Neolithic through Late Antiquity (ca. 7,000 B.C.E. - 650 C.E.). Students will gain an understanding of the relationship between the visual material and the social, intellectual, political, and religious contexts in which it developed and functioned. In this regard, students will also gain an understanding of the evolution of, and exchanges and differences among, the visual cultures of these time periods and regions. It will also expose them to the preconditions for contemporary geopolitics in the region.

This course will provide students with foundational knowledge in the art, architecture, and archaeology of Egypt, East Africa, Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, Iran and Central Asia from the Neolithic through Late Antiquity (ca. 7,000 B.C.E. - 650 C.E.). Students will gain an understanding of the relationship between the visual material and the social, intellectual, political, and religious contexts in which it developed and functioned. In this regard, students will also gain an understanding of the evolution of, and exchanges and differences among, the visual cultures of these time periods and regions. It will also expose them to the preconditions for contemporary geopolitics in the region.

The Hebrew Bible and Old Testament are literary collections that modern Jewish and Christian traditions maintain as important, but these collections were initially produced by ancient Israelite scribes who composed and/or compiled the biblical texts at particular time periods in the ancient Near East. This course will introduce the academic study of biblical texts, which demands critical analysis of the literature and an openness to reading the literature from the perspective of ancient Israelite writers (who lived in a world far different from today). The course will spend considerable time on the literary (and scribal) composition of biblical prose texts; time will also be spent on the historical circumstances of biblical prophets and other writers of the biblical texts. This course will only address the ancient setting of the biblical texts and not re-interpretations in Jewish or Christian traditions. Given the scope of the course, modern interpretations of the biblical literature will not be discussed; we will only focus on this literature in its ancient setting. prereq: Knowledge of Hebrew not required

The Hebrew Bible and Old Testament are literary collections that modern Jewish and Christian traditions maintain as important, but these collections were initially produced by ancient Israelite scribes who composed and/or compiled the biblical texts at particular time periods in the ancient Near East. This course will introduce the academic study of biblical texts, which demands critical analysis of the literature and an openness to reading the literature from the perspective of ancient Israelite writers (who lived in a world far different from today). The course will spend considerable time on the literary (and scribal) composition of biblical prose texts; time will also be spent on the historical circumstances of biblical prophets and other writers of the biblical texts. This course will only address the ancient setting of the biblical texts and not re-interpretations in Jewish or Christian traditions. Given the scope of the course, modern interpretations of the biblical literature will not be discussed; we will only focus on this literature in its ancient setting. prereq: Knowledge of Hebrew not required

The Hebrew Bible and Old Testament are literary collections that modern Jewish and Christian traditions maintain as important, but these collections were initially produced by ancient Israelite scribes who composed and/or compiled the biblical texts at particular time periods in the ancient Near East. This course will introduce the academic study of biblical texts, which demands critical analysis of the literature and an openness to reading the literature from the perspective of ancient Israelite writers (who lived in a world far different from today). The course will spend considerable time on the literary (and scribal) composition of biblical prose texts; time will also be spent on the historical circumstances of biblical prophets and other writers of the biblical texts. This course will only address the ancient setting of the biblical texts and not re-interpretations in Jewish or Christian traditions. Given the scope of the course, modern interpretations of the biblical literature will not be discussed; we will only focus on this literature in its ancient setting. prereq: Knowledge of Hebrew not required

Survey of Israelite prophets. Emphasizes Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Second Isaiah. Prophetic contributions to Israelite religion. Personality of prophets. Politics, prophetic reaction. Textual analysis, Biblical scholarship. Prophecy viewed cross-culturally. prereq: [RelS 1001] or [CNES 1201 or JWST 1201 or RELS 1201 or CNES 3201 or JWST 3201 or RELS 3201]

Survey of Israelite prophets. Emphasizes Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Second Isaiah. Prophetic contributions to Israelite religion. Personality of prophets. Politics, prophetic reaction. Textual analysis, biblical scholarship. Prophecy viewed cross-culturally. prereq: [RelS 1001] or [CNES 1201 or JWST 1201 or RELS 1201 or CNES 3201 or JWST 3201 or RELS 3201]

Introduction to Dead Sea Scrolls and Qumran. Contents of Dead Sea Scrolls, significance for development of Bible. Background of Judaism and Christianity. Archaeological site of Qumran. The course will focus on the material in translation and academic scholarship on the literature and archaeological site. Open to graduate students across the college; knowledge of classical Hebrew will not be required. The course is open to upper level undergraduate students with permission of the instructor.

Introduction to Dead Sea Scrolls and Qumran. Contents of Dead Sea Scrolls, significance for development of Bible. Background of Judaism and Christianity. Archaeological site of Qumran. Open to graduate students across the college; knowledge of classical Hebrew will not be required. The course is open to upper level undergraduate students with permission of the instructor.

Introduction to Dead Sea Scrolls and Qumran. Contents of Dead Sea Scrolls, significance for understanding development of the Bible. Background of Judaism and Christianity. Archaeological site of Qumran. Open to graduate students across the college; knowledge of classical Hebrew will not be required. The course is open to upper level undergraduate students with permission of the instructor.

How men, women, gender, sexuality is portrayed in Hebrew Bible. Social/religious roles/status of women in ancient Israel. Read biblical texts from academic point of view.

How men, woman, gender, sexuality is portrayed in Hebrew Bible. Social/religious roles/status of women in ancient Israel. Reading biblical texts from academic point of view.

How men, women, gender, sexuality is portrayed in Hebrew Bible. Social/religious roles/status of women in ancient Israel. Read biblical texts from academic point of view.

World views of indigenous people of Americas. Topics include native medicines/healing practices, ceremonies/ritual, governance, ecology, humor, tribal histories, status of contemporary native people.

World views of indigenous people of Americas. Topics include native medicines/healing practices, ceremonies/ritual, governance, ecology, humor, tribal histories, status of contemporary native people.

Historical and contemporary account of the Buddhist religion in Asia/world in terms of its rise, development, various schools, practices, philosophical concepts, and ethics. Current trends in the modern faith and the rise of "socially engaged" Buddhism.

Historical and contemporary account of the Buddhist religion in Asia/world in terms of its rise, development, various schools, practices, philosophical concepts, and ethics. Current trends in the modern faith and the rise of "socially engaged" Buddhism.

Introduction to questions of modernity in Asia and the Middle East and foundational course for the major and the minor in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies. Reflecting the range of geography covered by the department, it will cover topics related to the Middle East, South Asia, and East Asia, and highlight connections among them. Our primary goal is to become versed in a number of key concepts and issues that are essential to being a successful student in upper-division AMES courses. Furthermore, we will engage with theoretical, literary, and filmic texts concerning various regions of the Asian continent and develop the ability to respond to major questions in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies through the close reading of primary and secondary materials and the practical employment of key terms and concepts. There will be a strong focus on proper definitions and historical contextualization, and on analytical application and interpretation.

Varieties of religious experience in imperial China. Religion as lived practices. Textual traditions. Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism, relations among them. Western missionary enterprise in China.

Varieties of religious experience in imperial China. Religion as lived practices. Textual traditions. Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism, relations among them. Western missionary enterprise in China.

Varieties of religious experience in imperial China. Religion as lived practices. Textual traditions. Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism, relations among them. Western missionary enterprise in China.

Buddhism in China, 4th-15th centuries. Introduction of Buddhism to China. Relevance of Buddhist teaching to indigenous thought (e.g., Taoism, Confucianism). Major "schools": Tiantai, Huayan, Chan/Zen, etc.. Cultural activities of monks, nuns, and lay believers.

Buddhism in China, 4th-15th centuries. Introduction of Buddhism to China. Relevance of Buddhist teaching to indigenous thought (e.g., Taoism, Confucianism). Major "schools": Tiantai, Huayan, Chan/Zen, etc.. Cultural activities of monks, nuns, and lay believers.

Indian sculpture, architecture, and paintings from the prehistoric Indus Valley civilization to the present day.

Indian sculpture, architecture, and painting from the prehistoric Indus Valley civilization to the present day.

Israel and Judah were not states of great importance in the ancient Near East. Their population and territory were small, and they could not resist conquest by larger, more powerful states like Assyria and Rome. Yet their ancient history matters greatly today, out of proportion to its insignificance during the periods in which it transpired. The historical experiences of the people of Israel and Judah were accorded religious meaning and literary articulation in the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament), which became a foundational text for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Essential features of Western as well as Islamic civilization are predicated on some element of Israel?s ancient past, as mediated through the Bible; therefore it behooves us to understand that past. But the Bible is a religious work, not a transcript of events, and the history of ancient Israel is not derived merely from reading the biblical accounts of it. Archaeological excavations have revealed the physical remains of the cultures of Israel and neighboring lands, as well as bringing to light inscriptions, documents, and literary works produced by those cultures. These sources, which complement and sometimes contradict the accounts conveyed in the Bible, provide the basis for reconstructing a comprehensive history of ancient Israel. This course covers the history of Israel and Judah from the Late Bronze Age (c. 1550-1200 BCE), by the end of which Israel had emerged as a distinct ethnic entity, to the period of Roman rule (63 BCE-330 CE), which saw the final extinction of ancient Israel, represented by the kingdom of Judea, as a political entity. Knowledge of this history is based on archaeological, epigraphic, and literary sources, including the Hebrew Bible. N.B.: Students should be aware that the study of history, like all the human and natural sciences, is predicated on inquiry, not a priori judgments. Accordingly, the Bible is not privileged as an intrinsically true or authoritative record. No text is presumed inerrant, and all sources are subject to scrutiny, in the context of scholarly discourse. Biblical texts are treated just like all other texts, as the products of human beings embedded in a historical context, and as the subject of analysis and interpretation. Persons of all faiths and of no faith are equally welcome to participate in such scholarly discourse. However, students who feel that their own religious beliefs require an understanding of the Bible that is antithetical to the foregoing statements are cautioned that they may find themselves uncomfortable with this course.

Israel and Judah were not states of great importance in the ancient Near East. Their population and territory were small, and they could not resist conquest by larger, more powerful states like Assyria and Rome. Yet their ancient history matters greatly today, out of proportion to its insignificance during the periods in which it transpired. The historical experiences of the people of Israel and Judah were accorded religious meaning and literary articulation in the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament), which became a foundational text for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Essential features of Western as well as Islamic civilization are predicated on some element of Israel?s ancient past, as mediated through the Bible; therefore it behooves us to understand that past. But the Bible is a religious work, not a transcript of events, and the history of ancient Israel is not derived merely from reading the biblical accounts of it. Archaeological excavations have revealed the physical remains of the cultures of Israel and neighboring lands, as well as bringing to light inscriptions, documents, and literary works produced by those cultures. These sources, which complement and sometimes contradict the accounts conveyed in the Bible, provide the basis for reconstructing a comprehensive history of ancient Israel. This course covers the history of Israel and Judah from the Late Bronze Age (c. 1550-1200 BCE), by the end of which Israel had emerged as a distinct ethnic entity, to the period of Roman rule (63 BCE-330 CE), which saw the final extinction of ancient Israel, represented by the kingdom of Judea, as a political entity. Knowledge of this history is based on archaeological, epigraphic, and literary sources, including the Hebrew Bible. N.B.: Students should be aware that the study of history, like all the human and natural sciences, is predicated on inquiry, not a priori judgments. Accordingly, the Bible is not privileged as an intrinsically true or authoritative record. No text is presumed inerrant, and all sources are subject to scrutiny, in the context of scholarly discourse. Biblical texts are treated just like all other texts, as the products of human beings embedded in a historical context, and as the subject of analysis and interpretation. Persons of all faiths and of no faith are equally welcome to participate in such scholarly discourse. However, students who feel that their own religious beliefs require an understanding of the Bible that is antithetical to the foregoing statements are cautioned that they may find themselves uncomfortable with this course.

Israel and Judah were not states of great importance in the ancient Near East. Their population and territory were small, and they could not resist conquest by larger, more powerful states like Assyria and Rome. Yet their ancient history matters greatly today, out of proportion to its insignificance during the periods in which it transpired. The historical experiences of the people of Israel and Judah were accorded religious meaning and literary articulation in the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament), which became a foundational text for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Essential features of Western as well as Islamic civilization are predicated on some element of Israel?s ancient past, as mediated through the Bible; therefore it behooves us to understand that past. But the Bible is a religious work, not a transcript of events, and the history of ancient Israel is not derived merely from reading the biblical accounts of it. Archaeological excavations have revealed the physical remains of the cultures of Israel and neighboring lands, as well as bringing to light inscriptions, documents, and literary works produced by those cultures. These sources, which complement and sometimes contradict the accounts conveyed in the Bible, provide the basis for reconstructing a comprehensive history of ancient Israel. This course covers the history of Israel and Judah from the Late Bronze Age (c. 1550-1200 BCE), by the end of which Israel had emerged as a distinct ethnic entity, to the period of Roman rule (63 BCE-330 CE), which saw the final extinction of ancient Israel, represented by the kingdom of Judea, as a political entity. Knowledge of this history is based on archaeological, epigraphic, and literary sources, including the Hebrew Bible. N.B.: Students should be aware that the study of history, like all the human and natural sciences, is predicated on inquiry, not a priori judgments. Accordingly, the Bible is not privileged as an intrinsically true or authoritative record. No text is presumed inerrant, and all sources are subject to scrutiny, in the context of scholarly discourse. Biblical texts are treated just like all other texts, as the products of human beings embedded in a historical context, and as the subject of analysis and interpretation. Persons of all faiths and of no faith are equally welcome to participate in such scholarly discourse. However, students who feel that their own religious beliefs require an understanding of the Bible that is antithetical to the foregoing statements are cautioned that they may find themselves uncomfortable with this course.

Israel and Judah were not states of great importance in the ancient Near East. Their population and territory were small, and they could not resist conquest by larger, more powerful states like Assyria and Rome. Yet their ancient history matters greatly today, out of proportion to its insignificance during the periods in which it transpired. The historical experiences of the people of Israel and Judah were accorded religious meaning and literary articulation in the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament), which became a foundational text for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Essential features of Western as well as Islamic civilization are predicated on some element of Israel?s ancient past, as mediated through the Bible; therefore it behooves us to understand that past. But the Bible is a religious work, not a transcript of events, and the history of ancient Israel is not derived merely from reading the biblical accounts of it. Archaeological excavations have revealed the physical remains of the cultures of Israel and neighboring lands, as well as bringing to light inscriptions, documents, and literary works produced by those cultures. These sources, which complement and sometimes contradict the accounts conveyed in the Bible, provide the basis for reconstructing a comprehensive history of ancient Israel. This course covers the history of Israel and Judah from the Late Bronze Age (c. 1550-1200 BCE), by the end of which Israel had emerged as a distinct ethnic entity, to the period of Roman rule (63 BCE-330 CE), which saw the final extinction of ancient Israel, represented by the kingdom of Judea, as a political entity. Knowledge of this history is based on archaeological, epigraphic, and literary sources, including the Hebrew Bible. N.B.: Students should be aware that the study of history, like all the human and natural sciences, is predicated on inquiry, not a priori judgments. Accordingly, the Bible is not privileged as an intrinsically true or authoritative record. No text is presumed inerrant, and all sources are subject to scrutiny, in the context of scholarly discourse. Biblical texts are treated just like all other texts, as the products of human beings embedded in a historical context, and as the subject of analysis and interpretation. Persons of all faiths and of no faith are equally welcome to participate in such scholarly discourse. However, students who feel that their own religious beliefs require an understanding of the Bible that is antithetical to the foregoing statements are cautioned that they may find themselves uncomfortable with this course.

The rise of Hellenistic kingdoms in the ancient Mediterranean and Near East created a variety of responses from local, subjugated peoples, and some of the most documented cases are those of Jewish populations in Koele-Syria/Palestine. The main objective of this course is to analyze Jewish responses to imperial rule and military conflict during the Hellenistic and early Roman periods (c. 300 B.C.E. - 150 C.E.), but we will also spend time examining the broader picture of how local, ancestral groups fared under foreign rule. Along with discussing pertinent archaeological evidence, we will discuss Jewish literature and documentary material from this period, including, the sectarian documents of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Book of Judith (a Jewish "novel"), the Books of Daniel and the Maccabees (all of which provide historical information about the Maccabean revolt and rise of the Hasmoneans), and the writings of Josephus (a Jewish writer who witnessed the Roman takeover of Palestine in the first century C.E.). This course will stay within the confines of the ancient evidence and not examine later interpretations when analyzing each historical period; it will begin with Ptolemaic control of the region and conclude with the Bar Kokhba revolt, its aftermath, and the resilience of Jewish populations in northern Palestine. Topics that will be examined in depth are messianism and apocalypticism, the Jerusalem Temple, Jewish ancestral traditions (which include "biblical" literature), and theoretical models used by scholars to analyze power relationships in antiquity.

The rise of Hellenistic kingdoms in the ancient Mediterranean and Near East created a variety of responses from local, subjugated peoples, and some of the most documented cases are those of Jewish populations in Koele-Syria/Palestine. The main objective of this course is to analyze Jewish responses to imperial rule and military conflict during the Hellenistic and early Roman periods (c. 300 B.C.E. ? 150 C.E.), but we will also spend time examining the broader picture of how local, ancestral groups fared under foreign rule. Along with discussing pertinent archaeological evidence, we will discuss Jewish literature and documentary material from this period, including, the sectarian documents of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Book of Judith (a Jewish "novel"), the Books of Daniel and the Maccabees (all of which provide historical information about the Maccabean revolt and rise of the Hasmoneans), and the writings of Josephus (a Jewish writer who witnessed the Roman takeover of Palestine in the first century C.E.). This course will stay within the confines of the ancient evidence and not examine later interpretations when analyzing each historical period; it will begin with Ptolemaic control of the region and conclude with the Bar Kokhba revolt, its aftermath, and the resilience of Jewish populations in northern Palestine. Topics that will be examined in depth are messianism and apocalypticism, the Jerusalem Temple, Jewish ancestral traditions (which include biblical literature), and theoretical models used by scholars to analyze power relationships in antiquity.

The rise of Hellenistic kingdoms in the ancient Mediterranean and Near East created a variety of responses from local, subjugated peoples, and some of the most documented cases are those of Jewish populations in Koele-Syria/Palestine. The main objective of this course is to analyze Jewish responses to imperial rule and military conflict during the Hellenistic and early Roman periods (c. 300 B.C.E. - 150 C.E.), but we will also spend time examining the broader picture of how local, ancestral groups fared under foreign rule. Along with discussing pertinent archaeological evidence, we will discuss Jewish literature and documentary material from this period, including, the sectarian documents of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Book of Judith (a Jewish "novel"), the Books of Daniel and the Maccabees (all of which provide historical information about the Maccabean revolt and rise of the Hasmoneans), and the writings of Josephus (a Jewish writer who witnessed the Roman takeover of Palestine in the first century C.E.). This course will stay within the confines of the ancient evidence and not examine later interpretations when analyzing each historical period; it will begin with Ptolemaic control of the region and conclude with the Bar Kokhba revolt, its aftermath, and the resilience of Jewish populations in northern Palestine. Topics that will be examined in depth are messianism and apocalypticism, the Jerusalem Temple, Jewish ancestral traditions (which include biblical literature), and theoretical models used by scholars to analyze power relationships in antiquity.

Study of 1933-1945 extermination of six million Jews and others by Nazi Germany on basis of race. European anti-Semitism. Implications of social Darwinism and race theory. Perpetrators, victims, onlookers, resistance. Theological responses of Jews and Christians.

Study of 1933-1945 extermination of six million Jews and others by Nazi Germany on basis of race. European anti-Semitism. Implications of social Darwinism and race theory. Perpetrators, victims, onlookers, resistance. Theological responses of Jews and Christians.

Study of 1933-1945 extermination of six million Jews and others by Nazi Germany on basis of race. European anti-Semitism. Implications of social Darwinism and race theory. Perpetrators, victims, onlookers, resistance. Theological responses of Jews and Christians.

Beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors related to death and afterlife found in cultures of ancient Mediterranean and Near East. Literature, funerary art/epitaphs. Archaeological evidence for burial practices and care of dead.

Beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors related to death and the afterlife found in the cultures of the ancient Mediterranean and Near East. Literature, funerary art/epitaphs. Archaeological evidence for burial practices and care of dead.

Between classical and medieval, pagan and Christian, Roman and barbarian, the late antique world was a dynamic age. This course focuses on the Mediterranean region from the 2nd to the mid-7th century exploring such topics as the conversion of Constantine, the fall of Rome, barbarian invasions, the spread of Christianity, and the rise of Islam.

Between classical and medieval, pagan and Christian, Roman and barbarian, the late antique world was a dynamic age. This course will focus on the Mediterranean region from the 2nd to the mid-7th century exploring such topics as the conversion of Constantine, the fall of Rome, barbarian invasions, the spread of Christianity, and the rise of Islam.

Between classical and medieval, pagan and Christian, Roman and barbarian, the late antique world was a dynamic age. Course focuses on the Mediterranean region from the 2nd to the mid-7th century exploring such topics as the conversion of Constantine, the fall of Rome, barbarian invasions, the spread of Christianity, and the rise of Islam.

This course surveys the history of Christianity from its status as a persecuted minority religion of the Roman Empire to its dominant role in medieval Europe and Byzantium. We study Christian traditions in Asia and Africa as well as Europe with special attention to the relationship between Christianity and culture in the ancient and medieval world.

This course surveys the history of Christianity from its status as a persecuted minority religion of the Roman Empire to its dominant role in medieval Europe and Byzantium. We study Christian traditions in Asia and Africa as well as Europe with special attention to the relationship between Christianity and culture in the ancient and medieval world.

This course, which requires no prerequisite, examines developments in the history of Christianity from the beginning of the fourteenth century to the end of the eighteenth. We will start our investigation by considering the Latin church with its headquarters in Rome at the height of its power and influence. We will then trace its development through the crises of the fourteenth century and its subsequent transformation during the Reformation and the Confessional era. We will close by considering new challenges facing the church in an age of Enlightenment and Revolution. Though our geographic center of gravity will be in Europe, we will follow the expansion of Christianity into the Asian, African and American worlds and how developments here changed the nature of the church back in Europe. We will study religion as a phenomenon that affects human activity in a broad spectrum of area and activities. Though we will investigate formal matters of belief, significant attention will be given to Christianity as a lived experience, and how faith affected the everyday life of men and women in the premodern world.

This course, which requires no prerequisite, examines developments in the history of Christianity from the beginning of the fourteenth century to the end of the eighteenth. We will start our investigation by considering the Latin church with its headquarters in Rome at the height of its power and influence. We will then trace its development through the crises of the fourteenth century and its subsequent transformation during the Reformation and the Confessional era. We will close by considering new challenges facing the church in an age of Enlightenment and Revolution. Though our geographic center of gravity will be in Europe, we will follow the expansion of Christianity into the Asian, African and American worlds and how developments here changed the nature of the church back in Europe. We will study religion as a phenomenon that affects human activity in a broad spectrum of area and activities. Though we will investigate formal matters of belief, significant attention will be given to Christianity as a ?lived experience,? how faith affected the everyday life of men and women in the premodern world.

Development of orthodox church in Byzantium, Islamic Near East, Slavic world, and diaspora. Impact of orthodoxy on political/cultural institutions. Interaction with other Christian/non-Christian communities. Orthodox spirituality/aesthetics.

Development of the orthodox church in Byzantium, the Islamic Near East, the Slavic world and in the diaspora; impact of orthodoxy on political and cultural institutions, interaction with other Christian and non-Christian communities; orthodox spirituality and aesthetics.

This course explores the center of Baroque culture, Rome, as a city of spectacle and pageantry. The urban development of the city, as well as major works in painting, sculpture, and architecture, are considered within their political and religious context, with special emphasis on the ecclesiastical and private patrons who transformed the Eternal City into one of the world's great capitals.

This course explores the center of Baroque culture, Rome, as a city of spectacle and pageantry. The urban development of the city, as well as major works in painting, sculpture, and architecture, are considered within their political and religious context, with special emphasis on the ecclesiastical and private patrons who transformed the Eternal City into one of the world's great capitals.

This course explores the center of Baroque culture?Rome?as a city of spectacle and pageantry. The urban development of the city, as well as major works in painting, sculpture, and architecture, are considered within their political and religious context, with special emphasis on the ecclesiastical and private patrons who transformed the Eternal City into one of the world?s great capitals.

This course explores the center of Baroque culture --Rome-- as a city of spectacle and pageantry. The urban development of the city, as well as major works in painting, sculpture, and architecture, are considered within their political and religious context, with special emphasis on the ecclesiastical and private patrons who transformed the Eternal City into one of the world's great capitals.

This course will examine the great religious convulsion that gripped Europe in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Chronologically, however, we will begin in the late medieval period as we consider important changes that were occurring in European culture and society culminating with Europe's first Reformation, not in Germany but in Bohemia. Geographically, we begin with Europe but our scope eventually widens out to consider developments also in Asia and the Americas. We conclude by considering the relaxation of religious tensions in the late seventeenth century and concurrent growth of toleration and skepticism. Throughout the course we will consider religion as a dynamic that has had a broad impact on society affecting not only personal belief but also the politics, social patterns, and intellectual and cultural production of the early modern world.

What does it mean to be an atheist in the United States today? Atheists comprise a small percentage of the American population, but one with an increasingly visible presence in popular culture, political discourse, & everyday life. How do atheists organize into groups oriented toward identity-formation, social connection, and political action? prereq: 1001 recommended

What does it mean to be an atheist in the United States today? Atheists comprise a small percentage of the American population, but one with an increasingly visible presence in popular culture, political discourse, & everyday life. How do atheists organize into groups oriented toward identity-formation, social connection, and political action? prereq: 1001 recommended

Course examines how the line between magic and medicine has changed over time. From accusations of witchcraft to proclamations of scientific breakthrough, we will examine the relationship between the supernatural and the natural from the early modern period to today. Specific topics include the practice of exorcism, the concept of the "four humors,"� the persecution of witches, the development of "voodoo,"� the effectiveness of placebos, and the professionalization of medicine. Throughout, we will ask how gender, class, and race have affected the construction of "magic" and "medicine."

Course examines how the line between magic and medicine has changed over time. From accusations of witchcraft to proclamations of scientific breakthrough, we will examine the relationship between the supernatural and the natural from the early modern period to today. Specific topics include the practice of exorcism, the concept of the "four humors,"� the persecution of witches, the development of "voodoo,"� the effectiveness of placebos, and the professionalization of medicine. Throughout, we will ask how gender, class, and race have affected the construction of "magic" and "medicine."

For at least two and a half millennia, prophets, politicians, and poets have crafted terrifying accounts about the end of the world. This comparatist seminar examines the way different cultures have imagined a final apocalypse with particular attention to the political and social consequences of their visions. Students will read texts that focus on pandemic, extraterrestrial attack, nuclear holocaust, prophecy, cybernetic revolt, divine judgment, resource depletion, meteoric impact, or one of the many other ways in which humans write of their demise. They will use literary analysis to explore the many historical and contemporary wastelands they will encounter. They will write short papers and give in-class presentations on different kinds of apocalypse.

For at least two and a half millennia, prophets, politicians, and poets have crafted terrifying accounts about the end of the world. This comparatist seminar examines the way different cultures have imagined a final apocalypse with particular attention to the political and social consequences of their visions. Students will read texts that focus on pandemic, extraterrestrial attack, nuclear holocaust, prophecy, cybernetic revolt, divine judgment, resource depletion, meteoric impact, or one of the many other ways in which humans write of their demise. They will use literary analysis to explore the many historical and contemporary wastelands they will encounter. They will write short papers and give in-class presentations on different kinds of apocalypse.

Development of Hinduism focusing on sectarian trends, modern religious practices, myths/rituals, pilgrimage patterns/ religious festivals. Interrelationship between Indian social structure/Hinduism.

Development of Hinduism focusing on sectarian trends, modern religious practices, myths/rituals, pilgrimage patterns/ religious festivals. Interrelationship between Indian social structure/Hinduism.

Architecture, painting, and other arts from Islam's origins to the 20th century. Cultural and political settings as well as themes that unify the diverse artistic styles of Islamic art will be considered.

Architecture, painting, and other arts from Islam's origins to the 20th century. Cultural and political settings as well as themes that unify the diverse artistic styles of Islamic art will be considered.

Anthropological methods of analyzing/interpreting Middle Eastern cultures/societies.

Anthropological field methods of analyzing/interpreting Middle Eastern cultures/societies.

Past/present state of cultures that flourished in Central Asia (present-day CA republics, Iran, Afghanistan) after Alexander the Great. Decline with opening of sea routes.

Past/present state of cultures that flourished in Central Asia (present-day CA republics, Iran, Afghanistan) after Alexander the Great. Decline with opening of sea routes.

Past/present state of the cultures that flourished in Central Asia (present-day CA republics, Iran, Afghanistan) after Alexander the Great and declined with opening of sea routes.

The Islamic World is an overarching course on the Muslim world that addresses the following intellectual concerns: 1. Islam and its contribution to the emergence of the modern world 2. Medieval Muslim civilization and their contribution to human culture 3. The relationship between Islam and gender roles in different Muslim cultures 4. The Muslim community?s struggle against colonialism and post-colonialism 5. Islam?s role in the struggle for Democracy and Development in the Muslim World 6. The relationships between Islam and the environment 7. The relationships between Islam and human rights 8. The relations between the West?s war on terror and the terror of War in the Muslim World

The Islamic World is an overarching course on the Muslim world that addresses the following intellectual concerns: 1. Islam and its contribution to the emergence of the modern world 2. Medieval Muslim civilization and their contribution to human culture 3. The relationship between Islam and gender roles in different Muslim cultures 4. The Muslim community?s struggle against colonialism and post-colonialism 5. Islam?s role in the struggle for Democracy and Development in the Muslim World 6. The relationships between Islam and the environment 7. The relationships between Islam and human rights 8. The relations between the West?s war on terror and the terror of War in the Muslim World

This course is a brief survey of the religion and civilization of Islam. It introduces students to 1) Islamic history from its inception in the seventh century CE to the present, with emphasis on the life of the Prophet Muhammad and the early Caliphate; 2) The authoritative texts of Islam, i.e. the Quran and Prophetic traditions (Hadith); 3) The institutions and discourses characteristic of Islamic civilization; and 4) The transformation of Muslim life and thought in the modern period. By taking this course, students become familiar with the chief ideas, characters, narratives, rites, localities, and movements associated with Islam. prereq: Soph or jr or sr

This course is a brief survey of the religion and civilization of Islam. It introduces students to 1) Islamic history from its inception in the seventh century CE to the present, with emphasis on the life of the Prophet Muhammad and the early Caliphate; 2) The authoritative texts of Islam, i.e. the Quran and Prophetic traditions (Hadith); 3) The institutions and discourses characteristic of Islamic civilization; and 4) The transformation of Muslim life and thought in the modern period. By taking this course, students become familiar with the chief ideas, characters, narratives, rites, localities, and movements associated with Islam. prereq: Soph or jr or sr

This course is a brief survey of the religion and civilization of Islam. It introduces students to 1) Islamic history from its inception in the seventh century CE to the present, with emphasis on the life of the Prophet Muhammad and the early Caliphate; 2) The authoritative texts of Islam, i.e. the Quran and Prophetic traditions (Hadith); 3) The institutions and discourses characteristic of Islamic civilization; and 4) The transformation of Muslim life and thought in the modern period. By taking this course, students become familiar with the chief ideas, characters, narratives, rites, localities, and movements associated with Islam. prereq: Soph or jr or sr

Cultural/intellectual trends that have defined differences between Islam and the West. Development of historical, philosophical, and intellectual mindset of both spheres. Factors in tension, anxiety, and hatred between Muslim world and Europe and the United States.

Cultural/intellectual trends that have defined fundamental differences between Islam and the West. Development of historical, philosophical, and intellectual mindset of both spheres. Factors in tension, anxiety, and hatred between Muslim world and Europe and the United States.

Crusading spirit in Europe. Results of classic medieval crusades ca 1095-1285. States established by crusaders in Near East. Internal European crusades. Chronological prolongation of crusading phenomenon.

Crusading spirit in Europe. Results of classic medieval crusades ca 1095-1285. States established by crusaders in Near East. Internal European crusades. Chronological prolongation of crusading phenomenon.

Crusading spirit in Europe. Results of classic medieval crusades ca 1095-1285. States established by crusaders in Near East. Internal European crusades. Chronological prolongation of crusading phenomenon.

This course explores the experiences of Muslim women and Muslim families from a historical and comparative perspective. Expanding the discussion on Muslim women's lives and experiences beyond the Middle East, by also centralizing on the experiences of Muslim women and families outside of this geographical area highlights the complex and diverse everyday experiences of Muslim women around the world. This wider lens exposes the limitations intrinsic in the stereotypical representation of Muslims in general and Muslim women in particular. We will explore the intricate web of gender and family power relations, and how these are contested and negotiated in these societies. Some of the themes the course explores include the debates on Muslim women and colonial representations, sexual politics, family, education and health, women and paid work, gender and human rights, and Islamic feminisms debates. prereq: At least soph; 1001 recommended

This course explores the experiences of Muslim women and Muslim families from a historical and comparative perspective. Expanding the discussion on Muslim women's lives and experiences beyond the Middle East, by also centralizing on the experiences of Muslim women and families outside of this geographical area highlights the complex and diverse everyday experiences of Muslim women around the world. This wider lens exposes the limitations intrinsic in the stereotypical representation of Muslims in general and Muslim women in particular. We will explore the intricate web of gender and family power relations, and how these are contested and negotiated in these societies. Some of the themes the course explores include the debates on Muslim women and colonial representations, sexual politics, family, education and health, women and paid work, gender and human rights, and Islamic feminisms debates. prereq: At least soph; 1001 recommended

This course explores the experiences of Muslim women and Muslim families from a historical and comparative perspective. Expanding the discussion on Muslim women's lives and experiences beyond the Middle East, by also centralizing on the experiences of Muslim women and families outside of this geographical area highlights the complex and diverse everyday experiences of Muslim women around the world. This wider lens exposes the limitations intrinsic in the stereotypical representation of Muslims in general and Muslim women in particular. We will explore the intricate web of gender and family power relations, and how these are contested and negotiated in these societies. Some of the themes the course explores include the debates on Muslim women and colonial representations, sexual politics, family, education and health, women and paid work, gender and human rights, and Islamic feminisms debates. prereq: At least soph; 1001 recommended

This course explores the experiences of Muslim women and Muslim families from a historical and comparative perspective. Expanding the discussion on Muslim women's lives and experiences beyond the Middle East, by also centralizing on the experiences of Muslim women and families outside of this geographical area highlights the complex and diverse everyday experiences of Muslim women around the world. This wider lens exposes the limitations intrinsic in the stereotypical representation of Muslims in general and Muslim women in particular. We will explore the intricate web of gender and family power relations, and how these are contested and negotiated in these societies. Some of the themes the course explores include the debates on Muslim women and colonial representations, sexual politics, family, education and health, women and paid work, gender and human rights, and Islamic feminisms debates. prereq: At least soph; 1001 recommended

A Pew Research survey of the global religious landscape in 2010 found 2.2 billion Christians (31.5% of the world?s population), 1.6 billion Muslims (23.2%), and 14 million Jews (.2%). In this class, we explore how the histories of these religious communities became deeply entangled in an age of diplomacy, trade, jihad, and crusade.

A Pew Research survey of the global religious landscape in 2010 found 2.2 billion Christians (31.5% of the world?s population), 1.6 billion Muslims (23.2%), and 14 million Jews (.2%). In this class, we explore how the histories of these religious communities became deeply entangled in an age of diplomacy, trade, jihad, and crusade.

Course examines the history of the figure of Christ in Islamic thought, from the beginnings of Islam in the Qur'an and the Hadith to the recent 2013 book by Reza Aslan, Zealot. The course is based on close reading of primary sources from regions extending from Spain to Iran, and in various languages (in translation): Arabic, Greek, French, Farsi, and Italian. Course demonstrates how much the interpretation of the figure of Christ in Islamic thought belonged to specific historical contexts.

Course examines the history of the figure of Christ in Islamic thought, from the beginnings of Islam in the Qur'an and the Hadith to the recent 2013 book by Reza Aslan, Zealot. The course is based on close reading of primary sources from regions extending from Spain to Iran, and in various languages (in translation): Arabic, Greek, French, Farsi, and Italian. Course demonstrates how much the interpretation of the figure of Christ in Islamic thought belonged to specific historical contexts. prereq: None

History of Maghrib (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, disputed territories of Western Sahara) from time of Ottoman expansion/Sharifian dynasties (Sa'dian/'Alawid) in 16th/17th Centuries to end of 20th century. Focus on encounter of Islamic cultures/societies of Maghrib with Africa/Europe.

History of Maghrib (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, disputed territories of Western Sahara) from time of Ottoman expansion/Sharifian dynasties (Sa'dian/'Alawid) in 16th/17th Centuries to end of 20th century. Focus on encounter of Islamic cultures/societies of Maghrib with Africa/Europe.

History of the Maghrib (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and disputed territories of Western Sahara from time of Ottoman expansion/Sharifian dynasties [Sa'dian/'Alawid]) in 16th/17th Centuries to end of 20th century. Focus on encounter of Islamic cultures/societies of Maghrib and Africa/Europe

Survey of Islam's most successful empire, from its founding circa 1300 to its demise in 1923. Lands, institutions, peoples, historical legacy.

Survey of Islam's most successful empire, from its founding circa 1300 to its demise in 1923. Lands, institutions, peoples, historical legacy.

Religious beliefs and world views cross-culturally. Religious dimensions of human life through theories of origins, functions, and forms (e.g. myth, ritual, symbolism) of religion in society. prereq: 1003 or 1005 or instr consent

How diversity/vitality of American religion shape public life. How religious groups engage in political action, foster understandings of democracy/styles of civic participation. Volunteering/service activities. Race, poverty, the family, sexuality. prereq: Soc majors/minors must register A-F

How diversity/vitality of American religion shape public life. How religious groups engage in political action, foster understandings of democracy/styles of civic participation. Volunteering/service activities. Race, poverty, the family, sexuality. prereq: Soc majors/minors must register A-F

This class considers the development of Indian and Pakistani art and architecture from the introduction of Islam as a major political power at the end of the 12th century to the colonial empires of the 18th century. We will study how South Asia?s diverse ethnic and religious communities interacted, observing how visual and material cultures reflect differences, adaptations, and shared aesthetic practices within this diversity of traditions. Students in this class will have mastered a body of knowledge about Indian art and probed multiple modes of inquiry. We will explore how Muslim rulers brought new traditions yet maintained many older ones making, for example, the first mosque in India that combines Muslim and Indic visual idioms. We will study the developments leading to magnificent structures, such as the Taj Mahal, asking why such a structure could be built when Islam discourages monumental mausolea. In what ways the schools of painting that are the products of both Muslim and Hindu rulers different and similar? The course will also consider artistic production in the important Hindu kingdoms that ruled India concurrently with the great Muslim powers. In the 18th century, colonialist forces enter the subcontinent, resulting in significant innovative artistic trends. Among questions we will ask is how did these kingdoms influence one another? Throughout we will probe which forms and ideas seem to be inherently Indian, asking which ones transcend dynastic, geographic and religious differences and which forms and ideas are consistent throughout these periods of political and ideological change. To do all this we must constantly consider how South Asia's diverse ethnic and religious communities interact.

This class considers the development of Indian and Pakistani art and architecture from the introduction of Islam as a major political power at the end of the 12th century to the colonial empires of the 18th century. We will study how South Asia?s diverse ethnic and religious communities interacted, observing how visual and material cultures reflect differences, adaptations, and shared aesthetic practices within this diversity of traditions. Students in this class will have mastered a body of knowledge about Indian art and probed multiple modes of inquiry. We will explore how Muslim rulers brought new traditions yet maintained many older ones making, for example, the first mosque in India that combines Muslim and Indic visual idioms. We will study the developments leading to magnificent structures, such as the Taj Mahal, asking why such a structure could be built when Islam discourages monumental mausolea. In what ways the schools of painting that are the products of both Muslim and Hindu rulers different and similar? The course will also consider artistic production in the important Hindu kingdoms that ruled India concurrently with the great Muslim powers. In the 18th century, colonialist forces enter the subcontinent, resulting in significant innovative artistic trends. Among questions we will ask is how did these kingdoms influence one another? Throughout we will probe which forms and ideas seem to be inherently Indian, asking which ones transcend dynastic, geographic and religious differences and which forms and ideas are consistent throughout these periods of political and ideological change. To do all this we must constantly consider how South Asia?s diverse ethnic and religious communities interact.

Theoretical/methodological issues in academic study of religion. Theories of origin, character, and function of religion as a human phenomenon. Psychological, sociological, anthropological, and phenomenological perspectives.

This course examines the development and ramifications of gender ideologies within several religious groups in North America from the colonial period to the present and explores women's strategies that have contributed to and resisted these ideologies.

This course introduces students to the original meaning and significance of religious law and ethics within Judaism. Law is the single most important part of Jewish history and identity. At the same time, law is also the least understood part of Judaism and has often been the source of criticism and hatred. We shall therefore confront one of the most important parts of Jewish civilization and seek to understand it on its own terms. In demonstrating how law becomes a fundamental religious and ethical ideal, the course will focus on the biblical and Rabbinic periods but spans the entire history of Judaism. Consistent with the First Amendment, the approach taken is secular. There are no prerequisites: the course is open to all qualified students. The course begins with ideas of law in ancient Babylon and then studies the ongoing history of those ideas. The biblical idea that a covenant binds Israel to God, along with its implications for human worth - including the view of woman as person - will be examined. Comparative cultural issues include the reinterpretations of covenant within Christianity and Islam. The course investigates the rabbinic concept of oral law, the use of law to maintain the civil and religious stability of the Jewish people, and the kabbalistic transformation of law. The course concludes with contemporary Jewish thinkers who return to the Bible while seeking to establish a modern system of universal ethics. The premise of the course is the discipline of academic religious studies. The assumptions of the course are therefore academic and secular, as required by the First Amendment. All texts and all religious traditions will be examined analytically and critically. Students are expected to understand and master this approach, which includes questioning conventional cultural assumptions about the composition and authorship of the Bible. Willingness to ask such questions and openness to new ways of thinking are essential to success in the course. Old: Significance of religious law in Judaism. Babylonian background of biblical law. Biblical creation of the person as a legal category. Rabbinic transformations of biblical norms. Covenant in Christianity/Islam. Contemporary Jewish literature/philosophy.

This course introduces students to the original meaning and significance of religious law and ethics within Judaism. Law is the single most important part of Jewish history and identity. At the same time, law is also the least understood part of Judaism and has often been the source of criticism and hatred. We shall therefore confront one of the most important parts of Jewish civilization and seek to understand it on its own terms. In demonstrating how law becomes a fundamental religious and ethical ideal, the course will focus on the biblical and Rabbinic periods but spans the entire history of Judaism. Consistent with the First Amendment, the approach taken is secular. There are no prerequisites: the course is open to all qualified students. The course begins with ideas of law in ancient Babylon and then studies the ongoing history of those ideas. The biblical idea that a covenant binds Israel to God, along with its implications for human worth - including the view of woman as person - will be examined. Comparative cultural issues include the reinterpretations of covenant within Christianity and Islam. The course investigates the rabbinic concept of oral law, the use of law to maintain the civil and religious stability of the Jewish people, and the kabbalistic transformation of law. The course concludes with contemporary Jewish thinkers who return to the Bible while seeking to establish a modern system of universal ethics. The premise of the course is the discipline of academic religious studies. The assumptions of the course are therefore academic and secular, as required by the First Amendment. All texts and all religious traditions will be examined analytically and critically. Students are expected to understand and master this approach, which includes questioning conventional cultural assumptions about the composition and authorship of the Bible. Willingness to ask such questions and openness to new ways of thinking are essential to success in the course.

This course introduces students to the original meaning and significance of religious law and ethics within Judaism. Law is the single most important part of Jewish history and identity. At the same time, law is also the least understood part of Judaism and has often been the source of criticism and hatred. We shall therefore confront one of the most important parts of Jewish civilization and seek to understand it on its own terms. In demonstrating how law becomes a fundamental religious and ethical ideal, the course will focus on the biblical and Rabbinic periods but spans the entire history of Judaism. Consistent with the First Amendment, the approach taken is secular. There are no prerequisites: the course is open to all qualified students. The course begins with ideas of law in ancient Babylon and then studies the ongoing history of those ideas. The biblical idea that a covenant binds Israel to God, along with its implications for human worth - including the view of woman as person - will be examined. Comparative cultural issues include the reinterpretations of covenant within Christianity and Islam. The course investigates the rabbinic concept of oral law, the use of law to maintain the civil and religious stability of the Jewish people, and the kabbalistic transformation of law. The course concludes with contemporary Jewish thinkers who return to the Bible while seeking to establish a modern system of universal ethics. The premise of the course is the discipline of academic religious studies. The assumptions of the course are therefore academic and secular, as required by the First Amendment. All texts and all religious traditions will be examined analytically and critically. Students are expected to understand and master this approach, which includes questioning conventional cultural assumptions about the composition and authorship of the Bible. Willingness to ask such questions and openness to new ways of thinking are essential to success in the course.

Architecture, painting, and other arts from Islam's origins to the 20th century. Cultural and political settings as well as themes that unify the diverse artistic styles of Islamic art will be considered.

Architecture, painting, and other arts from Islam's origins to the 20th century. Cultural and political settings as well as themes that unify the diverse artistic styles of Islamic art will be considered.

Anthropological methods of analyzing/interpreting Middle Eastern cultures/societies.

Anthropological field methods of analyzing/interpreting Middle Eastern cultures/societies.