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Birmingham-Southern College Catalog 2017-2018
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ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
course equips students for culturally-cued reading of these texts by exploring the
historical setting from which they emerged, bringing significant themes of this early
Christian literature into conversation with issues of concern in modern Christian
theology. A Leadership Studies designated course.
RE 220 Religion and the Natural World (1)
An exploration of religious understandings of the natural environment, including such
world views as ancient myths, animism, Daoism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Native
American traditions, contemporary popular nature worship, and the Judeo-Christian faith.
Prerequisite: at least sophomore standing.
RE 222 Religions of Asia (1)
A survey of the major religious traditions of Asia including Hinduism, Buddhism,
Jainism, Sikhism, Confucianism, Daoism, and Shinto. This course explores the major
concepts, doctrines, and practices of each tradition in historical perspective. Emphasis
will be placed on the examination of cross-cultural religious categories within each, such
as salvation, ritual, gender, or ecology.
RE 225 Modern Religious Conflicts (1)
An investigation into the ways that religion can support both peace and violent conflict.
Focusing on modern war and conflicts, this course draws on work in religious studies,
sociology, anthropology, and psychology. Related issues include colonialism; post- and
de-colonialism; imperialism; and the impact of gender, ethnicity, nationalism, and
environment on religious conflicts and peacebuilding.
RE 227 Religion and International Relations (1)
An exploration of the connections between religion and international relations,
specifically the way that religion affects international politics, policies, and the
relationships between ethnic groups, states, and international entities. Issues covered
include secularism, peacebuilding and conflict, the relationship between nationalism and
religion, terrorism, gender, and international development.
RE 230 Christian Scriptures in Literature, Art, and Film (1)
An investigation of the
interpreted
Bible, or the Bible as it has been visualized, filmed,
painted, sculpted, and retold by early and modern readers. One reason for the Bible’s
enduring cultural significance is the way artists and authors have engaged biblical texts
and themes as conversation partners in the creation of their own texts. This course
explores the dynamics of biblical interpretation in diverse forms of media with the
intention of fostering more sophisticated reading strategies of film, visual, and literary
culture, and the biblical text itself.
RE 231 Popular and Folk Religion (1)
An examination of popular and folk religions, including beliefs and practices that exist
among the people, apart from and alongside the theological and liturgical forms of
mainline religion.