Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
Religion
Courses of Instruction
Religion (REL)
The terms indicated are expected but are not guaranteed. For the courses offered during any given term, consult the Schedule of Classes.
REL 111g The World of the Hebrew Bible (4) The Hebrew Bible in the cultural setting of the Ancient Near East; the formation of theological and ethical concepts which have shaped Western culture.
REL 112g Religions of Egypt and the Ancient Near East (4) Religions, cultures, and values of ancient Egypt and Near East (Iran, Iraq, Israel, Syria, Lebanon, Arabia, Turkey) and their legacies in contemporary society.
REL 121g The World of the New Testament (4) Historical investigation of New Testament characters, events, ethics and theology in relation to its social, intellectual, and religious contexts in the Jewish and Greco-Roman world.
REL 125g Introduction to Christianity (4) Survey of the changing beliefs and practices of the Christian religion from obscure origins to globalized present, with special attention to the varieties of Christian literature.
REL 131g Religions of Asia (4) Traces the development of religious thought in India, China and Japan, from earliest times to the present, paying attention to certain recurrent themes or motifs.
REL 132g Religions of the West (4) Examination of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam in their origins and their development in relation to Western civilization.
REL 133g Religions of Latin America (4) Examines the diverse and complex religious traditions of Latin America.
REL 134gx Introduction to Buddhist Literature (4) Focus primarily on works of Buddhist literature written in a variety of genres. Introduction of basic teachings that link Buddhist traditions across time and space.
REL 135gx Religions of China (4) Historical and thematic survey of Chinese religious history from earliest times to the present.
REL 136gx Sense and Sensuality in Indian Religious Literature (4) Exploration of the senses and the technologies of pleasure in India, relating this material to some fascinating examples of Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist literature. Not for major credit for Religion or Religion (Judaic Studies) majors.
REL 137g Introduction to Islam (4) Introduction to Islam, emphasizing its historical and cultural development since the seventh century C.E., and the basic teachings of Islam.
REL 140g Religion and Ethical Issues (4) How major Western religious orientations affect deliberation concerning issues such as reproductive technologies and abortion, physician-assisted death, civil disobedience, homosexuality, economic justice, and just war.
REL 146g American Spirituality: Radicals, Rebels and Freethinkers (4) Examination of the historical continuities and disjunctions between “spiritual but not religious” Americans; the relationship between spirituality, politics, social change, and the role of media.
REL 150g Religion and Immigration (4) Study of social and cultural consequences of immigration through the lens of religion.
REL 301 Introduction to the Study of Religion (4, Fa) Analysis of alternative paths to spirituality, survey of major critics and interpreters of religious commitment. Majors should take at beginning of major course work.
REL 302 Religions of Ancient Egypt and the Near East (4) Religious experience and values of ancient Egypt and Near East through material culture, literature, art, and cultic practices; and their legacies in contemporary society.
REL 311 The Bible in Western Literature (4) Comparative analysis of biblical works and how they were employed by various writers in major works of Western literature.
REL 312 Biblical Wisdom Literature (4) Survey of and inquiry into the biblical wisdom literature; emphasis on the Book of Job.
REL 314 Introduction to Shiism (4) Examination of the major branches of Shiism, the second largest articulation of Islam, both historically and in the world today.
REL 315 Thought and Life of Islam (4) History, thought, institutions, and religious practices of Islam.
REL 316 Women and the Islamic Tradition (4, Fa) Overview of social and legal status of women in Islamic society, past and present. Examination of social roles established both for and by Muslim women.
REL 317 Ancient Near Eastern Myth and Literature (4) A close consideration of ancient Near Eastern myths — especially those from Mesopotamia and Canaan — with special attention to their influence on the Bible.
REL 319 Religious and Ethical Issues in Death and Dying (4) Analysis of religious and ethical approaches to death and dying, including refusal of treatment for competent and incompetent patients, voluntary and involuntary euthanasia, and resuscitation.
REL 323 Aegean Archaeology (4) (Enroll in CLAS 323)
REL 325 Religious Experience in the Greco-Roman World (4) Varieties of religious experience as reflected in the literature, art, and cultic practices of the Hellenistic world.
REL 328 Archaeology of Religion in the Greco-Roman World (4) (Enroll in CLAS 328)
REL 329 Themes in the Religions of China (4) A study of selected themes in the history of Chinese religions and culture. Compares cases and materials from several historical periods and religious traditions.
REL 330 Introduction to the Religions of India (4, FaSpSm) History, teaching, and practice of Hinduism, Buddhism, and other religious traditions of India.
REL 331 Religions of East Asia (4) History, teaching, and practice of the religions of China, Tibet, and Japan.
REL 332 Religions of Japan (4) The development of religious thought and practice in the Japanese islands, with Buddhism and Shinto being the most prominent.
REL 333 Religion in the Borderlands (4) Survey of religious history of U.S./Mexico borderlands. Emphasis is given to definitions of place and transformations in culture and forms of belief.
REL 334 Religion and Colonial Encounter (4) Survey of religious responses to colonial encounter in the Americas. Emphasis given to study of religious innovations of Amerindians, Africans, and Europeans.
REL 335 Gender, Religion, and Sexuality (4) The construction of gender and sexuality in Western religious traditions; its continued impact on contemporary intellectual, cultural, and social life.
REL 336 Re-viewing Religion in Asian America (4) Interdisciplinary analysis of the religions traditions, institutions, and experiences of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the U.S.
REL 337 Islam in Black America: From Slavery to Hip Hop (4) (Enroll in AMST 337)
REL 338 Mysticism and Religious Desire (4) How human appetites for sex, food, community or immortality are articulated as mystical desires in different religions, either within institutional structures or working against them.
REL 339 Studies in the History of Christianity (4) In-depth exploration of one of the pivotal moments in the history of Christianity and Western society.
REL 340 Introduction to Indian Philosophy (4) An introduction to Indian philosophy, including major schools of thought in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain philosophies. No previous knowledge of Indian religions or philosophy required.
REL 341 Technology, Culture, and Ethics (4) Examination of value questions arising from the impact of technology on individuals, social institutions, and culture.
REL 344 Islamic Law and American Society (4) (Enroll in AMST 344)
REL 360 Ethical Issues in the New Medical Revolution (4) Multimedia-oriented analysis of issues; definition of life and death; research on human subjects, health care delivery, euthanasia, abortion, genetic counseling, behavior control.
REL 364 Religion and Ethics (4) Traces the development of how religious ideas have informed ethics, or accounts of the good life, including notions of justice, righteousness, virtue, duty, charity and happiness.
REL 366 Religion and Social Change (4) Empirical and theoretical analysis of social change and its effect on religious institutions as well as the impact of religious movements on society.
REL 370 Religion and Visuality (4) Examination of the deep connections between visuality and religions, including visions, controversies over religious images, and other connections between religion and visual art.
REL 375 Conflict and Change and the Ethics of Business (4) Impact of recent events and developments on the ethics of business, such as civil rights, affirmative action, professionalism, consumerism, ecology, changing life styles, and government regulation.
REL 390 Special Problems (1–4) Supervised, individual studies. No more than one registration permitted. Enrollment by petition only.
REL 394 Archaeology of Egypt and the Near East (4) Study of archaeology and excavated artifacts from Egypt and the Near East.
REL 401 Seminar in Religious Studies (4, Sp) Survey of methods and selected issues in the field of religious studies; required of all majors during their junior or senior year. (Duplicates credit in former REL 399.) Recommended preparation: REL 301.
REL 402 Cultural Heritage, Religion, and Politics in the Middle East (4, Fa) In-depth exploration of archaeology and heritage issues in the Middle East and their implications for politics and practice in modern Islam, Judaism and Christianity.
REL 414 History of Islamic Law (4, Sp) Examines legal methods and religious sources used in Islamic law. Emphasis is placed on the way cultural developments affect legal thought and the administration of justice.
REL 415 Seminar in Buddhism (4) Seminar on selected aspects of the Buddhist tradition.
REL 417 Seminar in South Asian Religions (4) Exploration of particular themes and/or traditions in South Asian religions.
REL 425 Communicating Religion (4) (Enroll in COMM 425)
REL 426 Religion, Media and Hollywood: Faith in TV (4) (Enroll in COMM 426)
REL 431 The Taoist Tradition (4) (Enroll in EALC 431)
REL 435 Religious Thought After the Enlightenment (4) Changes in religious thought between the late 18th and early 20th centuries in the wake of the emergence of modernity in the West.
REL 440 Christian Thought in the 20th Century (4) Examination of dynamic new directions taken by Christian understandings of self, God, and salvation in response to the novel conditions of modern culture, politics and philosophy.
REL 441 Origins of Modern Theology (4) 19th century liberal, rationalist, and historical theology.
REL 442 Religion and Science (4) Explores whether religion and science offer competing or complementary models for understanding the world and the human place within it.
REL 448m Islam in France (4, FaSp) (Enroll in FREN 448m)
REL 455 Philosophy of Religion: Bases of Belief and Disbelief (4) Rational and empirical foundations for religious faith and for skepticism.
REL 460 Senior Seminar: Medical Ethics (4) Analysis of ethical problems related to new developments in medical science. Graded CR/NC.
REL 461 Business and Society (4) Theories of corporate social responsibility from contrasting points of view and the relation of social responsibility to theories of management ethics, utilizing case studies.
REL 462 Religion and Violence (4) Religious and moral perspectives on war, pacifism, violent and non-violent protest, and religion-based terrorism and militia.
REL 465 Archaeology and Society (4, FaSpSm) (Enroll in CLAS 465)
REL 468 Sociology of Religion (4) The role of religion in modern society from the standpoint of sociological theory and research.
REL 469 Black Religion in America (4) Historical, sociological, and theological analysis of the nature and role of black religion in the American setting.
REL 471 Jesus (4) A study of major interpretations of the figure of Jesus, with focus on the interaction between religious traditions and culture.
REL 473 Advanced Hebrew Bible Studies (4) Consideration of specific topics in Old Testament studies; particular topics determined each semester.
REL 474 Advanced New Testament Studies (4) Consideration of specific topics in New Testament studies. Particular topics determined each semester.
REL 475 Religion, Material Culture and the Senses (4) A comparative study of the role of material culture and the senses in religions based on a number of case studies and problem sets.
REL 479 Seminar in Christian Thought (4) Studies a theme, period, or problem from the history of Christian thought within its intellectual and social context.
REL 481 History of Religion in America (4) Intellectual, institutional, and social history of religion in America from colonial times to the present.
REL 482 Jesus in American History and Culture (4) (Enroll in HIST 482)
REL 483 Religion and Popular Culture in the United States (4, Sp) Critical analysis of the relationship between religion, mass media, and popular cultural forms in the U.S. Recommended preparation: REL 301.
REL 484 American Religion, Foreign Policy and the News Media (4, Sp) (Enroll in JOUR 484)
REL 490x Directed Research (1–8, max 12) Individual research and readings. Not available for graduate credit.
REL 491x Undergraduate Honors Research (4) Individual research for honors in the major leading to a substantial project. Open only to religion majors at the junior or senior level.
REL 493 Art and Archaeology of Religion (4, FaSp) The history of religion through its material expression: art, architecture and artifact. Exploration of different themes and time periods.
REL 494 Lab Methods and Theories in Archaeology (4) Archaeological research design, data recovery, artifact analysis, interpretation and analogy, publication and ethics.
REL 495 Field Methods and Theories in Archaeology (4, max 12, FaSpSm) Archaeological field study emphasizing current paradigms of data collection and evaluation; social scientific study of material culture and its relationship to religious expression.
REL 499 Special Topics in Religion (2–4, max 8) Selected topics in religious studies.
REL 500 History of Theological Ethics (4) The ethical thought of major theological thinkers in the patristic, medieval, Reformation, and modern periods.
REL 590 Directed Research (1–12) Research leading to the master’s degree. Maximum units which may be applied to the degree to be determined by the department. Graded CR/NC.
REL 593 Practicum in Teaching the Liberal Arts (2, FaSp) (Enroll in MDA 593)
REL 599 Special Topics (2–4, max 8)
REL 626 Seminar in Jewish Ethics (4) (Enroll in JS 626)
REL 790 Directed Research (1–12) Research leading to the doctorate. Maximum units which may be applied to the degree to be determined by the department. Graded CR/NC.
REL 794abcdz Doctoral Dissertation (2-2-2-2-0) Credit on acceptance of dissertation. Graded IP/CR/NC.