190
COURSES OF STUDY
RE 350 The Ethical Vision of the Christian Scriptures (1)
An exploration of and critical reflection upon various approaches to
using the Christian Scriptures as a source for ethical reflection. The
course addresses two primary questions. First, what are the ethical
perspectives of the Christian Scriptures regarding specific themes, such
as community and justice, violence and liberation, wealth and poverty,
sexuality, and the care of the Earth? Second, how might we structure
the conversation between the ancient text and the modern world?
Prerequisite: at least one unit in RE.
RE 353 Nonviolence (1)
A study of the concept of nonviolence in spiritual, ethical, and
political perspective. This course examines the virtue of nonviolence
within religious traditions, particularly within the pacifist religion
of Jainism, and seeks to understand how personal commitment to
nonviolence operates within greater spiritual and ethical dispositions.
It also examines the evolution of nonviolence as a political strategy
for the resolution of conflict from the interpersonal to the national.
Emphasis is placed on the 1963 civil rights campaign in Birmingham
and the study of the strategy and tactics of nonviolent direct action (a
Leadership Studies designated course).
RE 360 Understanding Religion: History, Theory, and Method (1)
An investigation of the concept of religion as well as the theory and
methods that define the academic study of religion. This course is a
critical inquiry into the origins and evolution of the concept of religion
and its use as category in the study of the human experience. This
inquiry is carried out by examining the work of the major theorists
of religion from Marx and Freud to Eliade and Geertz. Examination
of these theorists highlights the various methodological approaches
to the study of religion. Emphasis will be placed on the evolution
of new approaches to the study of religion under the conditions of
postmodernity.
RE 375 Gender and the Hebrew Bible (1)
An exploration of the Hebrew Bible through the lens of gender theory.
On a theoretical level, students develop the skills to read and critique
primary and secondary readings according to their presuppositions
and ideological commitments concerning gender. Additionally, the
course equips students with a more developed understanding of
the complexity of this sacred text that frequently informs modern
conceptions of gender roles (a Leadership Studies designated course).
Prerequisite: at least one unit in RE.
