printer friendly pageRELIGST 168: Philosophy of Religion: An Historical Introduction
Most attitudes toward religion found on college campuses today trace their origins back to the European Enlightenment of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Calls for social justice, a political order free of ecclesiastical domination, and the recognition of legitimate religious pluralism; the rejection of the authoritarianism, obscurantism, and fanaticism associated with the monotheistic faiths; skepticism about the rationality of belief in God, miracles, and otherworldly salvation-these and other familiar themes were fiercely debated by philosophers in early modern Europe, often at great personal risk. What's more, central branches of philosophy such as epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, and political theory were transformed in the modern period amidst debates over the credibility of religious belief - primarily Christian theism - in a world come of age. After a brief look at some "natural theology" in the Middle Ages, we will study and discuss what Descartes and Pascal; Spinoza and Rousseau; Hume and Kant; and Schleiermacher and Kierkegaard had to say about matters religious.
Terms: Aut
| Units: 4
| UG Reqs: GER:DB-Hum, WAY-A-II
Instructors:
Sockness, B. (PI)
RELIGST 174: Religious Existentialism
Existentialism is often thought to be a secular or anti-religious philosophy of life, a replacement for Christian belief and ethics in a post-theistic "world come of age." And yet, this twentieth-century philosophical movement owes many of its concerns and much of its vocabulary to the hyper-Protestant Danish thinker Soren Kierkegaard. Conversely, most of the best Christian and Jewish thought in the 20th century embraced existentialism as the "right philosophy" for (re)articulating the deepest insights of these ancient traditions. After a careful study of some of Kierkegaard's most important ideas, we will explore a series of modern religious classics associated with the existentialist movement. Works by Soren Kierkegaard, Friedrich Nietzsche, Martin Buber, Karl Barth, Simone Weil, Jean-Paul Sartre, Gabriel Marcel, and Paul Tillich.
Terms: Spr
| Units: 4
| UG Reqs: WAY-A-II, GER:DB-Hum
Instructors:
Sockness, B. (PI)
RELIGST 199: Individual Work
Prerequisite: consent of instructor and department. May be repeated for credit.
Terms: Aut, Win, Spr, Sum
| Units: 1-15
| Repeatable
for credit
(up to 99 units total)
Instructors:
Abbasi, R. (PI)
;
Bigelow, A. (PI)
;
Fisher, E. (PI)
...
more instructors for RELIGST 199 »
Instructors:
Abbasi, R. (PI)
;
Bigelow, A. (PI)
;
Fisher, E. (PI)
;
Fonrobert, C. (PI)
;
Gentry, J. (PI)
;
Harrison, P. (PI)
;
Huntington, E. (PI)
;
Kieschnick, J. (PI)
;
Lum, K. (PI)
;
Martin, L. (PI)
;
Mayse, E. (PI)
;
Mross, M. (PI)
;
Penn, M. (PI)
;
Pitkin, B. (PI)
;
Sockness, B. (PI)
;
Wells-Oghoghomeh, A. (PI)
;
Willburn, S. (PI)
;
Yearley, L. (PI)
RELIGST 204: The Buddhist Body: Exorcism, Self-Immolation, and Tattoo Art (RELIGST 340)
In Buddhist practices, devotees have long used their bodies to express religious devotion. This can be seen through asceticism, exorcism, hallucination, mummification, immolation, and even tattoo art. This course examines such themes through textual readings, material culture, and visual imagery. In regards to asceticism, ascetic practices can be used to alter one's physical form, through starvation, fire, practices in the mountains, or other such means. Examples of this include the mountain practitioners who mummified in Japan, immolation practices in China and Tibet, and the "marathon monks" of Mount Hiei. Subthemes of this course include gender and the body, and the body and violence. Undergraduates register for 200-level for 5 units. Graduate students register for 300-level for 3-5 units.
Terms: Aut
| Units: 5
| UG Reqs: WAY-A-II
Instructors:
Cross, J. (PI)
RELIGST 208: Women of the Movement (AFRICAAM 208, AMSTUD 208, FEMGEN 208, FEMGEN 308, HISTORY 268, HISTORY 368, RELIGST 308)
This seminar will examine women and their gendered experience of activism, organizing, living, and leading in the Modern Civil Rights Movement. Undergraduates register for 200-level for 5 units. Graduate students register for 300-level for 3-5 units.
Terms: Spr
| Units: 3-5
| UG Reqs: WAY-EDP
Instructors:
Martin, L. (PI)
;
Gurley, C. (TA)
RELIGST 210: Translating Religion (RELIGST 310)
What happens to Buddhism when the Buddha speaks Chinese? Is the Qur'an still the Qur'an in English? What did Martin Luther do for the German language? We try to answer these and other such questions in this course, which explores the translation of sacred scripture and other religious texts from the earliest times to the present day. Taking a global perspective, and looking at Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism, the course is designed to introduce students to the theory and practice of translation and get them thinking about its broader cultural, aesthetic and political significance. Undergraduates register for 200-level for 5 units. Graduate students register for 300-level for 3-5 units.
Terms: Win
| Units: 3-5
| UG Reqs: GER:DB-Hum, WAY-A-II
Instructors:
Gentry, J. (PI)
;
Harrison, P. (PI)
RELIGST 212: Zhuangzi
The 'Zhuangzi' (Chuang Tzu) in its original setting and as understood by its spiritual progeny. Limited enrollment; consent of instructor required. Please complete the questionnaire at:
https://forms.gle/ZzYe45S6rV2wY8gB6
Terms: Spr
| Units: 5
| UG Reqs: GER:DB-Hum
Instructors:
Yearley, L. (PI)
RELIGST 217: The Lotus Sutra in Japanese Buddhism (JAPAN 217A, JAPAN 317A, RELIGST 317)
This seminar explores the influence of the Lotus Sutra, one of the most important Mahayana scriptures, in Japan. We will study how different Japanese Buddhist schools have interpreted this sutra and analyze a wide range of religious practices, art works, and literature associated with this text. All readings will be in English. Prerequisites: Solid foundation in either Buddhist studies or East Asian Studies. You must have taken at least one other course in Buddhist Studies. NOTE: Undergraduates must enroll for 5 units; graduate students can enroll for 3-5 units.
Terms: Spr
| Units: 3-5
| UG Reqs: WAY-A-II
Instructors:
Mross, M. (PI)
RELIGST 224: Ritual and the Senses in Asian Religions (RELIGST 324)
This seminar studies how practitioners throughout Asian religious traditions have utilized and theorized the senses in rituals. We will study primary sources, secondary literature, visual culture, and multimedia expressive forms. Undergraduates must enroll for 5 units; graduate students can enroll for 3-5 units. WIN '24: This course will be meeting in room 212 in the East Asia Library.
Terms: Win
| Units: 3-5
Instructors:
Gentry, J. (PI)
;
Mross, M. (PI)
RELIGST 226: The Bible in Medieval and Early Modern Europe (HISTORY 216B, HISTORY 316B, RELIGST 326)
This seminar investigates the central role of the Christian Bible in European religion, culture, and society from ca. 1000-1700 CE. In the medieval and early modern periods, the Bible not only shaped religious attitudes, practices, and institutions, but also exercised profound influence over learning and education, politics, law, social relations, art, literature, and music. Students will obtain an overview of the role of the scripture as both a religious text and a cultural artifact, exploring the history of biblical interpretation in commentaries and sermons; textual criticism, study of biblical languages, and the translation of scripture; manufacturing of Bibles in manuscript and in print; the commercial dimensions of Bible production; illustrated Bibles, biblical maps, and biblically-inspired artwork; religious uses of scripture in monastic houses, public worship, and domestic settings; biblical foundations for political and legal traditions. Students will also have the opportunity
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This seminar investigates the central role of the Christian Bible in European religion, culture, and society from ca. 1000-1700 CE. In the medieval and early modern periods, the Bible not only shaped religious attitudes, practices, and institutions, but also exercised profound influence over learning and education, politics, law, social relations, art, literature, and music. Students will obtain an overview of the role of the scripture as both a religious text and a cultural artifact, exploring the history of biblical interpretation in commentaries and sermons; textual criticism, study of biblical languages, and the translation of scripture; manufacturing of Bibles in manuscript and in print; the commercial dimensions of Bible production; illustrated Bibles, biblical maps, and biblically-inspired artwork; religious uses of scripture in monastic houses, public worship, and domestic settings; biblical foundations for political and legal traditions. Students will also have the opportunity to suggest topics consonant with their own fields of interest and use the seminar to workshop on-going projects related to the Bible in this period. All of the readings will be in English, though students with the ability to read German, French, Spanish, Italian, Latin, Greek, or Hebrew will be encouraged to pursue projects that utilize their linguistic skills. Students will have the opportunity to utilize materials in Special Collections. Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor. Send an email to pitkin@stanford.edu explaining your interests and background. Undergraduates register for 200-level for 5 units. Graduate students register for 300-level for 3-5 units.
Terms: Spr
| Units: 3-5
Instructors:
Pitkin, B. (PI)
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