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An introduction to the academic study of religion through attention to both major religions¿such as Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism¿and regionally defined fields such as American and Chinese religions. The course will provide critical perspectives on religious histories, literatures, belief systems, ritual practices, and institutional developments.

Preference to freshmen. The biblical story of human creation and its Greek equivalent, the myth of the creation of Pandora as told by Hesiod and in later Roman literature; contemporary commentaries. How the master stories of Eve and Pandora have been used, interpreted, retold, and readapted in later settings. Historical and intellectual context, and the ideas about gender and women's roles that they reflect and attempt to influence. Readings include New Testament selections, Jewish and Christian commentaries, the Qur'ân, Kabbalah, art and film, and contemporary interpretations by Jewish, Christian, and Muslim feminists.

This is a one term intensive class in Biblical Greek. After quickly learning the basics of the language, we will then dive right into readings from the New Testament and the Septuagint, which is the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible. By the end of the term everyone will be able to read the Greek Bible with ease. No previous knowledge of Greek required. Those wishing to continue study of Biblical Greek may enroll in Biblical Greek II ( CLASSGRK 5B) when offered.

This is a continuation of the Winter Quarter Biblical Greek Course. We will be reading selections primarily from the New Testament (both Gospels and Epistles) as well as focusing on knowledge of key vocabulary and grammar needed to read the Greek Bible with ease. Readings will be supplemented with sections from the Septuagint and Early Christian texts (Apostolic Fathers and Early Creeds). Pre-requisite: ClassGrk 5 or a similar introductory course in Ancient Greek.

This course explores the relationship between religion and politics as it is understood in the United States and Europe. In recent years, this relationship has turned somewhat tense, in part because of the rise of Islam as a public religion in Europe, and in part due to the rising influence of religious groups in public culture. We will study the different understandings and definitions of the separation of "church and state" in Western democratic cultures, and the differing notions of the "public sphere." Through case studies, we will investigate the nature of public conflicts, what particular issues lead to conflict, and why. For instance, why has the head covering of Muslim girls and women become politicized in Europe, and how? What are the arguments surrounding the Cordoba House, known as the Ground Zero Mosque, and how does this conflict compare to the controversies surrounding recent constructions of mosques in European cities? The course is interdisciplinary and comparative in nature. It considers historical, political, sociological, and religious studies approaches, introducing students to the particular perspectives of these disciplines. For resources we will draw on various forms of media, documentaries, and scholarly literature.

Preference to freshmen. Who was the historical Buddha Gautama and what is known about him, and his time and society? The oldest texts attributed to him and what they reveal about him, and his ideas and spirituality. Sources include Indian literary works in translation, Buddhist art, and contemporary films about the Buddha's life.

Preference to freshmen. What is the good and how does it orient human choice and activity? Is it natural to human beings, or in some way transcendent? How do people come to know it? Why do people often fail to do the good they know? What human capacities and dispositions enable its enactment or attainment? What resources does religion offer for its reparation? Classical and modern readings in moral theory emphasizing the difference that religious aspiration makes for moral reflection.

Preference to freshmen. The making of a new model of saint at a time of cultural change in the Middle Ages. What Francis as a paradigm of the model self reveals about the ethical and religious imagination, past and present. Texts include Francis' writings and primary documents that chronicle the founding of the Franciscan order.