Course Schedule

RELI 220A – Reading the Bible: The Old Testament

Who hasn't heard of the story of Adam and Eve, the Ten Commandments, the tale of David and Goliath, the wisdom of King Solomon, or the "Lord's Prayer" taken from the Book of Psalms? The "Old Testament" or Hebrew Bible is arguably the single most influential anthology of books in the history of the western world. In this course, we will consider who actually wrote these books, why and for whom. We will adopt the disciplinary perspectives of a Religious Studies Scholar, a Literary Critic, and a Historian to do a deep dive into ancient Israelite culture and society, including its struggles over ancient forms of inequality. We will look at the different literary genres that appear in the Bible, explore the religious views of their authors, and consider their origins and contexts in the history of ancient Israel."

RELI 220 – Nature, Gods, and Zen: Religion in Japanese Society

This course analyzes the history of religions in Japan and the ways in which "Japanese religion" is portrayed in the contemporary world. In particular, the course examines how issues of race, ethnicity, and equity manifest in Western representations of Japanese religion, which is often essentialized, exoticized, and interpreted through a series of cultural stereotypes as the perpetual "Other" in relation to the West. In order to approach this central theme, the course adopts the disciplinary perspectives of Religious Studies, History, and Asian Studies, all of which will be synthesized through a number of writing exercises to allow for a robust analysis of Japanese religious history and practices in the original context of Japan as well as their portrayals in the West, as evident in such outlets as newspaper articles, travel guides, blogs, and YouTube clips, among others. By taking this course, students will be able to integrate multiple disciplinary perspectives to write analytically on the historical significance of Japanese religion as well as questions of race, ethnicity, and equity in representations of Japanese religion in various contexts.

RELI 220B – Reading the Bible: The New Testament

The "New Testament" includes some of the most famous stories we have: the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, the birth of the ancient Christian communities, and the end of the world in a massive apocalypse. We will explore who wrote these texts, what their new religious ideas were, and what features of the ancient world gave rise to them. We will adopt the disciplinary perspectives of a Religious Studies Scholar, a Literary Critic, and a Historian to do a deep dive into Jewish and Christian culture and society in the age of the Roman Empire, including how it dealt with ancient inequalities of class, gender, and religion. We will look at the different literary genres that appear in the New Testament, explore the religious views of their authors, and consider their origins and contexts in the history of early Christianity in the eastern Mediterranean.

RELI 220 – Nature, Gods, and Zen: Religion in Japanese Society

This course analyzes the history of religions in Japan and the ways in which "Japanese religion" is portrayed in the contemporary world. In particular, the course examines how issues of race, ethnicity, and equity manifest in Western representations of Japanese religion, which is often essentialized, exoticized, and interpreted through a series of cultural stereotypes as the perpetual "Other" in relation to the West. In order to approach this central theme, the course adopts the disciplinary perspectives of Religious Studies, History, and Asian Studies, all of which will be synthesized through a number of writing exercises to allow for a robust analysis of Japanese religious history and practices in the original context of Japan as well as their portrayals in the West, as evident in such outlets as newspaper articles, travel guides, blogs, and YouTube clips, among others. By taking this course, students will be able to integrate multiple disciplinary perspectives to write analytically on the historical significance of Japanese religion as well as questions of race, ethnicity, and equity in representations of Japanese religion in various contexts.