Department of Religious Studies

www.unc.edu/depts/rel_stud

THOMAS A. TWEED, Chair

Professors

Yaakov S. Ariel, Jonathan Boyarin, Bart D. Ehrman, Carl W. Ernst, Peter Iver Kaufman, Jodi Magness, Thomas A. Tweed, Ruel W. Tyson Jr.

Associate Professors

Laurie F. Maffly-Kipp, Zlatko Plese, Omid Safi, Randall Styers.

Assistant Professors

Barbara Ambros, Lauren Leve.

Adjunct Professors

Philip F. Gura, Jonathan M. Hess, Bruce B. Lawrence, Paul W. Meyer, Albert Rabil Jr., Tony K. Stewart (NCSU).

Adjunct Associate Professors

Charles Kurzman, Barry Saunders, Margaret J. Wiener.

Professors Emeriti

David J. Halperin, William J. Peck, James H. Sanford, Jack Sasson, John H. Schutz, John Van Seters.

Introduction

The Department of Religious Studies is dedicated to the study of the world’s religions as historical and cultural phenomena. It examines the history, texts, artifacts, beliefs, values, and rituals of a variety of religious traditions, including Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. Inherently interdisciplinary in its approach, religious studies explores these traditions in light of related fields in the humanities and social sciences such as anthropology, classics, archeology, sociology, philosophy, and history. The department offers a wide variety of courses ranging from large lecture classes to advanced seminars, as well as independent studies, an honors thesis program, and a capstone course for all majors (RELI 697). Introductory courses, which are numbered below 200, orient students to the field of religious studies or to major approaches, topics, or issues within that broader field. Intermediate courses are numbered between 200 and 400, and they provide a somewhat more in-depth analysis. Advanced courses, which are numbered above 400, often build on knowledge or skills derived from lower level courses, and they provide opportunities for research-intensive study in particular areas of concentration in the study of religion.

Programs of Study

The degree offered is bachelor of arts in religious studies. Minors are offered in religious studies, Christianity and culture, and Jewish studies.

Majoring in Religious Studies: Bachelor of Arts

Minimum requirements for the major in religious studies: nine courses, of which six are completed with a grade of C or better, at least three of which must be numbered above 400, including RELI 697, the capstone course on themes and methodologies in religious studies. Majors must take at least one course in each of three of the department’s subfields: religion in the Americas, religion and culture, Asian religions-Islamic studies, ancient Mediterranean religions, and medieval and early modern studies.

Minoring in Religious Studies

Minimum requirements for the minor in religious studies: five courses, four of which must be completed with a C or better, and two of which must be numbered above 400. Minors must take at least one course in two of the department’s subfields: religion in the Americas, religion and culture, Asian religions-Islamic studies, ancient Mediterranean religions, and medieval and early modern studies. Students minoring in both religious studies and Jewish studies must use at least three RELI courses that are not cross-listed with JWST to complete the requirements for the minor in religious studies.

Minoring in Jewish Studies

The minor consists of five courses, which must be taken in at least two different departments and at least one of which must be at an advanced level (noted below with *). Two core courses are required: JWST/RELI 106 and JWST/RELI 107. The remaining three courses should come from the following list. Additions to this list must be approved by a faculty member who serves on the Planning Board of the Carolina Center for Jewish Studies. Only courses in modern Hebrew at the fifth-semester level or higher can count as courses toward the minor. Students minoring in both Jewish studies and religious studies must use at least three JWST courses that are not cross-listed with RELI to complete the requirements for the minor in Jewish studies.

• AMST/JWST/WMST 253

• AMST/JWST 486

• CLAR/JWST/RELI 110

• CLAR/JWST/RELI 512*

• ENGL/JWST 289

• GERM 056 (May be taken either for minor credit or for General Education credit, but not for both. First-year students only.)

• GERM 270/JWST 239/RELI 239

• HIST/JWST/PWAD 262

• JWST/PLSH 412*

• JWST/PWAD/SLAV 465*

• JWST/RELI 103

• JWST/RELI 143

• JWST/RELI 205

• JWST/RELI 206

• JWST/RELI 243

• JWST/RELI 343

• JWST/RELI 503*

• JWST/RELI 602*

• JWST/SLAV 464*

• JWST/SLAV 469*

Minoring in Christianity and Culture

The UNC undergraduate minor in the study of Christianity and culture is an interdisciplinary curriculum in the humanities, arts, and social sciences that aims to refine students’ understanding of the cultural, social, and political influence of Christianity.

The minor requires the completion of five courses, including at least one course from each of the following categories:

• Core: RELI 161 or 209

• Ancient, medieval, or early modern Christianity

• Christianity in the modern world

For a list of all approved courses in each of these three categories, see the Christianity and culture Web site: www.christianityculture.unc.edu/minor_000.htm.

Honors in Religious Studies

Students majoring in religious studies (including double majors) with a grade point average of 3.3 or above in department courses and 3.2 GPA overall may choose to do an honors thesis. Candidates for graduation with honors in religious studies are to be enrolled in RELI 691H in the fall and 692H in the spring semester of their senior year. Consult the department’s director of undergraduate studies for details.

Special Opportunities in Religious Studies

Departmental Involvement

The Carolina Association for Religious Studies (CARS) is a club for religious studies majors.

Study Abroad

Professor Jodi Magness directs archaeological excavations in Israel during the summer. Students are welcome to participate.

Undergraduate Awards

The department presents two awards at the end of each academic year: the Bernard Boyd Fellowship and the Bernard Boyd Memorial Prize.

Graduate School and Career Opportunities

Those wishing to proceed to graduate study in religion should consult with the director of undergraduate studies about studying two or more languages in which the sacred literatures of the world have been written, as well as the modern languages of scholarship. In addition to the language courses offered by this department, UNC–Chapel Hill offers courses in Greek, modern Hebrew, Chinese, Japanese, Hindi-Urdu, Latin, Arabic, Sanskrit, Persian, Bengali, and Tamil.

Students majoring in religious studies often choose to pursue an M.A. or Ph.D. in religious studies or other related fields in the humanities and social sciences. Some of the graduates of the program go on to professional schools in law, medicine, divinity, or journalism. Each year the department awards a fellowship to a graduating religious studies major who is planning to do graduate study in religion at another institution.

Contact Information

Undergraduate Studies Program Assistant, Department of Religious Studies, CB# 3225, 125 Saunders Hall, (919) 962-5666. Web site: www.unc.edu/depts/rel_stud.

RELI

060 [006E] First-Year Seminar: Religion and Racism (3). How does religion become a source of ethnic or racial prejudice among certain religious practitioners? When does prejudice against religious persons themselves constitute a form of racism or ethnocentrism? This class explores answers to these questions by examining the connections between religion and racism in modern societies like the United States and South Africa.

061 [006F] First-Year Seminar: Religion, Magic, and Science (3). This course explores the ways in which religion, magic, and science are defined in the modern world and the different forms in which supernaturalism circulates within contemporary culture.

063 First-Year Seminar: The Archaeology of Qumran and the Dead Sea Scrolls (3). In this seminar students learn about the Dead Sea Scrolls, ancient manuscripts dating to the time of Jesus from caves around the site of Qumran by the Dead Sea. They include early copies of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) and sectarian works belonging to the Jewish community that lived in Qumran.

064 [006J] First-Year Seminar: Reintroducing Islam (3). An introduction to the Islamic religious tradition, focusing on major themes of Islamic religious thought, bringing out both traditional spirituality and the critical issues confronting Muslims today.

065 First-Year Seminar: Myth, Philosophy, and Science in the Ancient World (3). This course examines the conflicting ways in which ancient myth, science, and philosophy explained creation of the universe, origins of mankind, nature of dreams, and foundations of culture.

066 First-Year Seminar: Buddhism in America: From the Buddha to the Beastie Boys (3). Introduces students to Buddhism and traces its history in the United States, highlighting the period since 1965. It focuses on immigrants, converts, and the cultural influence of Buddhism in America.

067 First-Year Seminar: Nature, Culture, and Self-Identity: Religion in the Construction of Social Life (3). This course explores how different religious traditions conceive of human nature and cultural personhood, and the ways that these understandings are reflected in diverse forms of personal identity and public life.

068 First-Year Seminar: Charisma in Religion, Science, and Poetry Studies in the Entrepreneurial Imagination (3). A comparative examination of prophet, scientist, and poet as critics and creators of the entrepreneurial outlook and sensibility in individuals and organizations with special attention to innovator’s dilemmas.

069 First-Year Seminar: Gender and Sexuality in Contemporary Judaism (3). Taking a global perspective, the course compares the manners in which Jewish communities in America, Israel, Europe, Asia, and Africa have accommodated themselves to the changing norms in gender and sexuality in the last generation.

070 [006E.2] First-Year Seminar: Jesus in Scholarship and Film (3). This seminar explores the ways the historical Jesus has been portrayed in the writings of modern scholars and films of the 20th and 21st centuries.

071 [006E.3] First-Year Seminar: Ethics and the Spirit of the New Capitalism (3). What does it mean to be ethically literate in the age of information technology? Philosophical and historical inquiries into organizational practices and styles of life.

072 First-Year Seminar: Apocalypse Now? Messianic Movements in America (3). This course explores the messianic idea in America as well as the messianic movements that have been active in the nation’s history and their interaction with American society and culture.

073 First-Year Seminar: From Dragons and Foxes to Godzilla and Pokemon: Animals in Japanese Myth, Folklore, and Religion (3). This course examines the cultural construction of animals in Japanese myth, folklore, and religion.

074 First-Year Seminar: Person, Time, and Religious Conduct (3). Within the vast field of activity called “religion,” this course examines how people and societies give meaning to the relation between human organisms and the universe in time and space.

101 [010] Introduction to Religious Studies (3). An introduction to the academic study of religion that considers approaches to the interpretation of religion and includes study of several religious traditions.

103 [021] Introduction to the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Literature (JWST 103) (3). By providing guidance in the historical, geographical, and faith contexts, as well as the literary art involved in the production and crafting of this great literature, the course helps students understand the Hebrew scriptures which have been a source of enjoyment, inspiration, and spiritual direction for centuries.

104 [022] Introduction to New Testament Literature (3). This course introduces students to the literature of the New Testament and to the faith of the early Christian communities. The study focuses on Jewish and Greco-Roman background, the proclamation of the early church, the development of the gospel traditions, the life and ministry of Jesus, the ministry and theology of Paul, developments during the post-Pauline era, and the literature of the Johannine circle.

105 [023] Religions of the Greco-Roman World (3). An introduction to the religious life of the ancient world (1,000 BCE–300 CE) in various cultural settings: Greek cities, cosmopolitan Hellenistic kingdoms in Egypt and Syria, and the Roman Empire.

106 [024] Introduction to Early Judaism (JWST 106) (3). This course surveys Jewish history and religion during the Second Temple and Rabbinic periods, from the destruction of the First Jewish Temple (Solomon’s Temple) in 586 BCE to the Muslim conquest of Palestine (640 CE).

107 [034] Introduction to Modern Judaism (JWST 107) (3). The course offers a comprehensive understanding of the development of Judaism from the late Middle Ages to contemporary times.

109 [056] History and Culture of Ancient Israel (3). An examination extending from Hebrew origins to the Babylonian exile and including political history as well as social and religious institutions.

110 [028] The Archaeology of Palestine in the New Testament Period (CLAR 110, JWST 110) (3). This course surveys the archaeology of Palestine (modern Israel and Jordan) from the Persian period (ca. 586 BCE) to the Muslim conquest (640 CE).

117 [020] Culture of the Ancient Near East. (3). A consideration of the cultural and religious milieu of the second millennium BCE as it sheds light on biblical origins.

121 [031] Introduction to Religion and Culture (3). An introductory course that explores relations between religion and culture through the examination of social theory and the analysis of case studies. The case studies focus on such issues as visual culture, ritual, media, gender, and politics.

122 [035] Introduction to Philosophical Approaches to Religion (3). An introduction to philosophical approaches to the study of religion, exploring such topics as religious language and experience, the problem of evil, the relation between religious belief and practice, and issues of religious diversity.

125 Heaven and Hell (3). This course will explore cultural development and significance of religious notions of an afterlife. Are they coherent? What alternative notions of life after death can we imagine?

126 [032] Philosophy of Religion (PHIL 134) (3). A philosophical inquiry into the problems of religious experience and belief, as expressed in philosophic, religious, and literary documents from traditional and contemporary sources.

127 [033] The Claims of Science and Religion (3). The proposition that God exists is treated as a scientific hypothesis. Evidence for and against the hypothesis. The status of other minds and free will in science and religion. Conflicting views about creation, revelation, miracles, and prayers.

134 [037] Introduction to Religious Ethics (3). A study of the nature, methods, and aims of ethics as seen in exemplary persons and actions with emphasis on religious and social context and contemporary problems.

135 [088] Technology, the Self, and Ethical Problems (3). Problems in the study of ethics in the new worlds of information technology.

140 [029] Religion in America (3). An introduction to the history, themes, and issues in American religion from the precolonial period to the present.

141 [045] African American Religions (3). Survey of the historical development of various African American religious traditions, with emphasis on folk spirituality, gender issues, black nationalism, and the role of the church in the black community.

142 [046] Catholicism in America (3). An introduction to Roman Catholicism in the United States.

143 [078] Judaism in Our Time (JWST 143) (3). An examination of Judaism in its two major centers, demonstrating how different social and cultural environments shape very different interpretations and practices of the Jewish tradition.

161 [027] Introduction to the History of Christian Traditions (3). Analysis of continuities and innovations in the history of Western Christian traditions.

163 [030] Critical Issues in Western Religious Thought (3). A consideration of major questions within and about religious thought.

165 [040] Mysticism (3). Comparative study of mysticism in several religious traditions, Eastern and Western.

166 [043] Ideals, Cultures, and Rituals of the University (3). Permission of the instructor. A religious studies approach to the rituals, cultures, and disciplines of the university, assessing the ways in which explanatory ideals are embedded, changed, and promoted.

180 Introduction to Islamic Civilization (ASIA 180) (3). A broad, comprehensive, and interdisciplinary introduction to the traditional civilization of the Muslim world.

181 Later Islamic Civilization and Modern Muslim Cultures (ASIA 181) (3). A broad interdisciplinary survey of the later Islamic empires since the 15th century and their successor societies in the modern Muslim world.

183 [039] Asian Religions (ASIA 183) (3). An introduction to major religions of south Asia and east Asia, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, and Shintoism.

187 [038] Arab Histories (ASIA 187, HIST 187) (3). Introduction to the sociocultural, political, economic, and religious history of the Arab Middle East. May include discussion of the meaning of Arab history to contemporary residents of the Middle East.

192 [048] Contemporary Middle East (ASIA 192, INTS 192) (3). Interdisciplinary introduction to the religions, politics, economics, societies, and cultures of the contemporary Middle East. Topics may vary.

196 [199] Independent Study (3). Prerequisites, advanced undergraduate or graduate standing and permission of the instructor. Subject matter should be arranged with a specific instructor.

199 [099] Topics in the Study of Religion (3). Permission of the instructor. Subject matter will vary with instructor but will always be focused on a particular problem or issue.

205 Legends of Genesis (JWST 205) (3). A study of the patriarchal narratives preserved in the book of Genesis as it is illuminated by recent discoveries in the cultures of the ancient Near East.

206 [057] Prophecy and Divination in Ancient Israel and Judah (JWST 206) (3). An examination of prophecy and divination in the Israelite-Jewish traditions and in their environments, including an analysis of the major biblical prophets.

207 [058] Jesus in Myth, Tradition, and History 30–200 CE (3). An analysis of the variety of traditions used in the first two centuries to portray Jesus, focusing on the reasons for this variety and the historical and literary problems it presents.

208 [059] The Birth of Christianity (3). An analysis of the origin of the Christian church and the earliest stages of its expansion with particular emphasis on the problems evident in the shift from a Jewish to a Gentile framework. Paul’s role and contribution in defining and resolving the issues will be considered in detail and evaluated in the light of subsequent events.

209 [061] Varieties of Early Christianity (3). A study of various forms of Christianity in the second and third centuries (e.g., Gnosticism, Marcionism, Montanism), focusing on their polemical relationship to orthodox Christianity.

217 [052] Gnosticism (3). A comprehensive survey of ancient Christian Gnosticism, one of the earliest and most long-lived branches of early Christianity, with principal readings drawn from the famous “Nag Hammadi Library.”

218 Christianity and Islam in the Middle Ages (GERM 218) (3). See GERM 218 for description.

222 [138] Modern Western Religious Thought (3). Prerequisite, one of the following: PHIL 134; or RELI 122, 126, 140, 161, or 163. Representative themes and approaches in the work of modern Western religious thinkers.

232 Shrines and Pilgrimages (3). An introduction to the study of shrines and pilgrimage in multiple cultural contexts.

234 [047] Historical Sociology of Christianity (SOCI 140) (3). Prerequisite, SOCI 101.Takes an historical sociology approach to the study of Christianity, to better understand the sociological perspective on human history and social life. Begins examining the social conditions that helped give rise to the early Christian movement, follows Christianity as it influences and is influenced by social forces at key points in its historical development, and ends with a consideration of important contemporary developments around the globe.

235 [053] Place, Space, and Religion (3). A consideration of the attitudes toward place and space as they are expressed in religious ritual and artifact.

236 [087] Religious Things (3). An introduction to religion and visual culture in the United States. The course focuses on painting, ritual objects, and architecture.

239 [085] German Culture and the Jewish Question (GERM 270, JWST 239) (3). See GERM 270 for description.

240 [068] Religion, Literature, and the Arts in America (3). A study of religious ideas and cultural forms in America through an examination of a variety of genres including novels, poetry, essays, and sermons.

241 [073] Messianic Movements in American History (3). The course examines messianic movements in American history raising the questions, What has been the impact of such movements on the nation? What makes America particularly conducive to such movements?

242 [074] New Religious Movements in America (3). An introduction to new religious movements in the United States, with emphasis on the nature of conversion and the role of founders.

243 [044] Introduction to American Judaism (JWST 243) (3). Course provides a comprehensive introduction to American Judaism, its various movements, institutions, theological, and liturgical characteristics, as well as its standing within the larger framework of religious life in America.

244 [081] Gender and Sexuality in Western Christianity (WMST 244) (3). An examination of the development of teachings on issues of gender and sexuality through the history of Western Christianity, with particular focus on contemporary controversies.

283 [066] The Buddhist Tradition: India, Nepal, and Tibet (3). Historical inquiry into the development of Buddhism.

284 [067] The Buddhist Tradition: East Asia (ASIA 284) (3). An examination of the development of Buddhism after its importation to east Asia.

285 The Buddhist Tradition: Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka (ASIA 285) (3). This course explores the Theravada school of Buddhism and themes in the social, cultural, and political lives of the Theravada Buddhist countries of Southeast Asia and Sri Lanka.

286 Premodern Japanese Religions (3). Historical survey of the major premodern religious traditions in Japan: Shinto, Buddhism, Shugendo, and Christianity.

287 Japanese Religions after 1868 (3). Survey of the major religious traditions in modern and contemporary Japan: Shinto, Buddhism, and the New Religions.

288 Chinese Religions (3). Historical introduction to Chinese religions: Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism, and folk religion.

295 [196] Undergraduate Research in Religious Studies (3).

321 [180] Topics in Religion and Culture (3). Permission of the instructor. Advanced undergraduate seminar in religion and culture. Topics vary.

323 [080] Social Theory and Cultural Diversity (3). Introduction to basic thinking about cultural difference (race, gender, nationality, religion, etc.). The course encourages students to examine the ways paradigms shape how we act, think, and imagine as members of diverse cultures in the United States.

325 [146] Religion, Magic, and Science (3). Critical exploration of the ways in which religion, magic, and science have been constructed as distinct domains of knowledge in the West since the late 19th century.

328 [160] Topics in Comparative Religion (3). Cross-cultural investigation of specific issues in the history of religions (e.g., pilgrimage, religious biography, new religions).

338 [188] Religion in American Law (3). An exploration of the position of religion in American legal and social theory, with particular focus on jurisprudence under the First Amendment.

340 [071] Liberal Tradition in American Religion (3). An examination of the growth of liberal theological expressions, such as rationalism, romanticism, and modernism, from the early 18th century to the present.

341 [072] Evangelical Tradition in America (3). An attempt to define the historical, sociological, and constitutional dimensions of Protestant evangelicalism in Britain and America.

342 [090] African American Religious Experience (AFAM 342, ANTH 342, FOLK 342) (3). Prerequisite, at least one course in AFAM, ANTH, or RELI. An introduction to the diversity of African American beliefs, experiences, and expressions from the colonial era to the present. Exploration will be both historical and thematic.

343 [079] Religion in Modern Israel (JWST 343) (3). Examines the major religious groups that operate in the state of Israel and influence its social and cultural development; analyzes the relationship among religion, state, and society in Israel.

365 [136] Studies in Christian Theologies and Theologians (3). Permission of the instructor. An investigation of one writer or school in the history of Christian theology as an example of typical methods, positions, and problems within the tradition.

366 [169] Medieval Religious Texts (3). Prerequisites, a reading knowledge of Latin and permission of the instructor. Readings in one or two major texts in Latin that permit close study of several issues in the development of Christian life and thought during the Middle Ages.

367 [137] The Art of Devotion in Medieval and Early Modern Europe (3). Prerequisites, RELI 161 and 163, or permission of the instructor. This course examines creative expression at the service of religious belief from 1000 to 1700. Poetry, drama, art, architecture, and music will be the texts to understand the religious culture of this rich period.

371 [194] Women Mystics (WMST 371) (3). An investigation of the forms, characteristics, and variety of the mystical experiences of women.

375 [317] The Archaeology of Cult: The Material Culture of Greek Religion (CLAR 375) (3). This course examines the archaeological context of Greek religion, cults, and associated rituals from the Bronze Age until the Hellenistic period with emphasis on urban, rural, and panhellenic sanctuaries, and methods of approaching ancient religion and analyzing cult practices.

401 [113] Biblical Hebrew (3). Introduction to the grammar and exegesis of biblical Hebrew.

402 [114] Biblical Hebrew (3). Prerequisite, RELI 401 or permission of the instructor. Continuation of RELI 401.

403 [115] Intermediate Classical Hebrew (3). Readings in biblical, Mishnaic, and medieval poetry and prose.

404 [116] Intermediate Classical Hebrew (3). Continuation of RELI 403.

409 [119] Greek New Testament (GREK 409) (3). Prerequisite, GREK 222 or equivalent.

410 [224] Aramaic/Rabbinic Hebrew (3). Prerequisites, RELI 403 and 404, or permission of the instructor. Reading texts in rabbinic Hebrew or in Biblical and/or Talmudic Aramaic, with appropriate grammatical instruction.

411 [220] Advanced Akkadian (3). Prerequisites, RELI 403 and 404. Readings in literary, epistolary, and juridical texts.

412 [222] Ugaritic (3). Prerequisites, RELI 403 and 404. Readings in the alphabetic texts of Ras Shamra and a study of the elements of Ugaritic grammar.

413 [112] Biblical Coptic and Early Egyptian Monasticism (3). Permission of the instructor. Coptic, the last stage of Egyptian, a living language in the Roman and Byzantine period. Thorough grounding in grammar of the Sahidic dialect as a basis for reading biblical monastic and Gnostic texts.

421 Religion and Science (3). This course explores the complex relation between religion and science in the modern world. Public disputes over teaching evolution in American schools serve as a central case study of this.

422 [107] Topics in Philosophical Problems in Religion (3). Prerequisite, senior or graduate standing or permission of the instructor. Topic varies.

423 [156] Ethnicity, Race, and Religion in America (3). Prerequisite, RELI 140 or permission of the instructor. A theoretical inquiry into ethnicity, race, and religion as constituents of personal and communal identity. Emphasis on global migrations, colonial and postcolonial relations, diasporic communities, and issues of religious pluralism.

424 [182] Genders and Theories in the Study of Religion (WMST 424) (3). An examination of contemporary gender theory, with particular focus on its application to the study of religion.

425 [036] Psychology of Religion (3). A critical exploration of the concept of religious experience as defined by such authors as William James and Sigmund Freud.

428 [142] Religion and Anthropology (ANTH 428, FOLK 428) (3). Religion studied anthropologically as a cultural, social, psychological phenomenon in the works of classical and contemporary social thought.

429 [190] Religion and Society (SOCI 429) (3). Sociological analysis of group beliefs and practices, both traditionally religious and secular, through which fundamental life experiences are given coherence and meaning.

438 [130] Religion, Nature, and Environment (ANTH 438) (3). A seminar on concepts of nature within religions and a variety of world-wide spiritual traditions. Emphasis on sacred space, place, and pilgrimage as a vital intersection of religion and nature.

440 [140] Studies in American Religion (3). Permission of the instructor. A consideration of varying topics from intellectual, literary, social, and cultural dimensions of American religion.

441 [148] History of Religion in America to 1865 (3). An examination of primary sources in the history of American religion from the precolonial era to the Civil War.

442 [149] History of Religion in America since 1865 (3). An examination of primary sources in the history of American religion since the Civil War.

443 [153] Evangelicalism in Contemporary America (3). Prerequisite, junior or senior standing. Examination of evangelicalism and its role in American society, politics, and culture. Exploration of its various subdivisions and its relation to such movements as fundamentalism, pentecostalism, revivalism, and premillennialism.

444 [154] Gender and Sexuality in Contemporary Judaism (JWST 444) (3). The seminar examines the developments in gender roles and in sexuality in contemporary Judaism.

445 [155] Asian Religions in America (ASIA 445) (3). A study of intercultural interaction and interreligious encounter focusing on Asian religions in America, 1784 to the present.

454 The Reformation (HIST 454) (3). Examines a movement of religious reform that shattered Latin Christendom and contributed many of the conditions of early Modern Europe. Emphases: religious, political, social.

463 [465] Medieval Slavic Culture (SLAV 463) (3). Survey of medieval Slavic culture, beginning with Christianization in the ninth and 10th centuries. Themes include Byzantine missions, the replacement of paganism with Christianity, the oral traditions, and Slavic literary relations. Readings in English for non-Slavic concentrators.

480 [086] Modern Muslim Literatures (3). Stresses the diversity of modern Islamic experience by examining the works of various Muslim authors. Genres may include travelogues, memoirs, novels, sermons, and treatises, among others.

481 Religion, Fundamentalism, and Nationalism (PWAD 481) (3). An exploration of explosive combinations of religion and politics in the Iranian revolution, the Palestinian movement, Hindu nationalism in India, and Christian fundamentalism in America.

487 Mountains, Pilgrimage, and Sacred Places in Japan (ASIA 487) (3). This course explores the role that mountains and pilgrimage have played in Japanese cosmology and how they relate to methodology of studying place and space.

488 Shinto in Japanese History (ASIA 488) (3). This course discusses the development of Shinto in Japanese history and covers themes such as myths, syncretism, sacred sites, iconography, nativism, religion and the state, and historiography.

490 [161] Selected Topics in the Study of Asian Religions (3). Permission of the instructor. A close examination of a selected topic in Asian religions.

502 [121] Myths and Epics of the Ancient Near East (FOLK 502) (3). Permission of the instructor. An examination of Babylonian, Canaanite, Egyptian, Hittite, and Sumerian texts from the prebiblical era, focusing on representative myths, epics, sagas, songs, proverbs, prophecies, and hymns.

503 [122] Exploring the Dead Sea Scrolls (JWST 503) (3). A comprehensive introduction to the Dead Sea Scrolls and the different Jewish groups connected with them.

512 [111] Ancient Synagogues (CLAR 512, JWST 512) (3). Prerequisite, RELI 110 or permission of the instructor. This is a course on ancient synagogues in Palestine and the Diaspora from the Second Temple period to the seventh century A.D.

522 [186] 19th-Century Critiques of Religion (3). Permission of the instructor. An exploration of influential 19th-century critiques of religion, including texts by such thinkers as Feuerbach, Marx, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Stanton, Douglass, and Freud.

524 Ethnographic Approaches to Contemporary Religion (3). Considers key ethical, epistemological, and methodological problems in the ethnographic study of contemporary religion(s). Explores innovations in project design, research, and textual strategies through the lens of exemplary new works.

525 [311] Seminar in Religion and Literature (3). Seminar topic varies.

528 [187] Rituals and Rhetorics of Religion (3). An examination of ritual, allegory, and symbol as modes of religious expression in cultic and literary contexts.

534 [191] Religious Ethics and Issues in Contemporary Medicine (3). Prerequisite, senior or graduate standing. Examination of religious-ethical dimensions of such issues as the dying patient, organ transplants, abortion, prolongation of life, and experimentation on human beings, drawing on theory from the traditional Western religions and the social sciences.

540 [152] Mormonism and the American Experience (3). Prerequisite, RELI 140 or permission of the instructor. Exploration of the history, beliefs, and practices of Mormons. Will include visits to Latter-Day Saints services, guest speakers, and discussion of race and gender in the contemporary church.

574 [591] Chinese World Views (ANTH 574, ASIA 574) (3). Explores the indigenous Chinese sciences and the cosmological ideas that informed them. Topics include astronomy, divination, medicine, feng shui, and political and literary theory. Chinese sources in translation are emphasized.

580 [091] African American Islam (AFAM 580) (3). An historical examination of African American Islam in the United States. Explores the intellectual, cultural, social, and political roots of black Islam in addition to its diverse doctrinal, ritual, and institutional manifestations.

581 [171] Sufism (ASIA 581) (3). Permission of the instructor. A survey of Islamic mysticism, its sources in the Qur’an and the Prophet Muhammad, and its literary, cultural, and social deployment in Arab, Persian, Indic, and Turkish regions.

582 [172] Islam and Islamic Art in South Asia (ASIA 582) (3). A survey of the formation of Islamic traditions in the subcontinent from the eighth century to the present, with emphasis on religion and politics, the role of Sufism, types of popular religion, and questions of Islamic identity.

583 [173] Religion and Culture in Iran, 1500–Present (ASIA 583) (3). Iran from the rise of the Safavid empire to the Islamic Republic. Topics include Shi’ism, politics, intellectual and sectarian movements, encounters with colonialism, art and architecture, music, literature.

584 The Qur’an as Literature (ASIA 584) (3). A nontheological approach to the Qur’an as a literary text, emphasizing its history, form, style, and interpretation.

592 [176] Religious Conflict and Narrative in India (HNUR 592) (3). See HNUR 592 for description.

602 What Are the Holy Scriptures? The Formation of the Hebrew Canon (JWST 602) (3). The courses traces the canonical process that led to the Hebrew Bible and the Greek Old Testament.

605 [110] Joseph—King of Dreams: Joseph in Bible and Tradition (3). A study of the Joseph story as preserved in Genesis 37–50 and its interpretative history in early Judaism.

607 Problems in Early Christian Literature and History (3). Prerequisite, one of the following: RELI 104, 207, or 208, or permission of the instructor.

608 [123] The Messiah and the Apocalypse (3). Ideas concerning the Messiah and the end of the world held by Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Emphasis on the beginning of the Christian era.

617 [129] Death and Afterlife in the Ancient World (3). Examinations of practices and discourses pertaining to death and the afterlife in the ancient civilizations of Near East, Greece, and Rome.

681 [179] Readings in Islamicate Literatures (ARAB 681, ASIA 681) (3). Permission of the instructor. Study of selected religious, literary, and historical texts in Arabic, Persian, or Urdu.

688 [288] Observation and Interpretation of Religious Action (ANTH 688, FOLK 688) (3). Permission of the instructor. Exercises (including field work) in learning to read the primary modes of public action in religious traditions, e.g., sermons, testimonies, rituals, and prayers.

691H [097] Honors in Religious Studies (3). Permission of the instructor and the director of undergraduate studies. Required of all students reading for honors in religious studies.

692H [098] Honors in Religious Studies (3). Permission of the instructor and the director of undergraduate studies. Required of all students reading for honors in religious studies.

697 [101] Capstone: Undergraduate Seminar (3). Concentrating on a different theme each year, this departmental seminar introduces the different areas and approaches in religious studies. This course will be offered every spring.

JWST

101 Elementary Modern Hebrew I (HEBR 101) (3). Introduces the essential elements of modern Hebrew structure and vocabulary and aspects of modern Israeli culture. Aural comprehension, reading, speaking, and writing are stressed in that order.

102 Elementary Modern Hebrew II (HEBR 102) (3). Prerequisite, HEBR 101 or permission of the instructor. Continued instruction in the essential elements of modern Hebrew structure and vocabulary and aspects of modern Israeli culture. Aural comprehension, reading, speaking, and writing are stressed.

103 [021] Introduction to the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Literature (RELI 103) (3). See RELI 103 for description.

106 [024] Introduction to Early Judaism (RELI 106) (3). See RELI 106 for description.

107 [034] Introduction to Modern Judaism (RELI 107) (3). See RELI 107 for description.

110 [028] The Archaeology of Palestine in the New Testament Period (CLAR 110, RELI 110) (3). See RELI 110 for description.

143 [078] Judaism in Our Time (RELI 143) (3). See RELI 143 for description.

203 [003] Intermediate Modern Hebrew I (HEBR 203) (3). Prerequisite, HEBR 102 or permission of the instructor. Second-year level instruction in the essential elements of modern Hebrew structure and vocabulary and aspects of modern Israeli culture. Aural comprehension, reading, speaking, and writing are stressed. An introduction to representative literary works is included.

204 [004] Intermediate Modern Hebrew II (HEBR 204) (3). Prerequisite, HEBR 203 or permission of the instructor. Continued instruction in the essential elements of modern Hebrew structure and vocabulary and aspects of modern Israeli culture. Aural comprehension, reading, speaking, and writing are stressed. An introduction to representative literary works is included.

205 Legends of Genesis (RELI 205) (3). See RELI 205 for description.

206 [057] Prophecy and Divination in Ancient Israel and Judah (RELI 206) (3). See RELI 206 for description.

239 [061] German Culture and the Jewish Question (GERM 270, RELI 239) (3). See GERM 239 for description.

243 [044] (RELI 243) Introduction to American Judaism (3). See RELI 243 for description.

253 [053] A Social History of Jewish Women in America (AMST 253, WMST 253) (3). Course examines the history and culture of Jewish women in America from their arrival in New Amsterdam in 1654 to the present and explores how gender shaped this journey.

262 [050] History of the Holocaust: The Destruction of the European Jews (HIST 262, PWAD 262) (3). See HIST 262 for description.

289 [049] Jewish American Literature and Culture of the 20th Century (ENGL 289) (3). See ENGL 289 for description.

305 Advanced Hebrew I (HEBR 305) (3). Prerequisite, HEBR 204 or permission of the instructor. Third year of instruction in spoken and written Hebrew with an emphasis on the reading and discussion of literary works by major Israeli authors.

306 Advanced Hebrew II (HEBR 306) (3). Prerequisite, HEBR 305 or permission of the instructor. Third year of instruction in spoken and written Hebrew with an emphasis on the reading and discussion of literary works by major Israeli authors.

343 [079] Religion in Modern Israel (RELI 343) (3). See RELI 343 for description.

412 [112] 20th-Century Polish Literature and Culture (PLSH 412) (3). See PLSH 412 for description.

444 [154] Gender and Sexuality in Contemporary Judaism (RELI 444) (3). See RELI 444 for description.

464 [164] Imagined Jews: Jewish Themes in Polish and Russian Literature (SLAV 464) (3). See SLAV 464 for description.

465 [165] Literature of Atrocity: The Gulag and the Holocaust in Russia and Eastern Europe (PWAD 465, SLAV 465) (3). See SLAV 465 for description.

469 [169] Coming to America: The Slavic Immigrant Experience in Literature (SLAV 469) (3). See SLAV 469 for description.

486 [086] Shalom Y’all: The Jewish Experience in the American South (AMST 486) (3). See AMST 486 for description.

503 [122] Exploring the Dead Sea Scrolls (RELI 503) (3). See RELI 503 for description.

512 [111] Ancient Synagogues (CLAR 512, RELI 512) (3). See RELI 512 for description.

602 What Are the Holy Scriptures? The Formation of the Hebrew Canon (RELI 602) (3). See RELI 602 for description.