Course Catalog

RELG 103

Biblical Hebrew Language and Culture: Part 1

This is the first course in a sequence which introduces both the language and culture of the Hebrew Bible, through the reading and discussion of classical Hebrew texts (c. 800-500 BCE). The language component introduces the writing system, vocabulary, and grammar, while the religion/culture component develops translation skills through an understanding of the religious context. By the end of the sequence students will be able to read basic prose texts like Genesis, decipher simple inscriptions, and consider how the language and culture of ancient Israel interrelated. This is the first part of a 2.00 credit sequence which includes RELG 104. No more than 1.00 credit may count toward fulfilling either the primary or secondary tradition requirement of the major.

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 104

Biblical Hebrew Language and Culture: Part 2

This is the second course in a sequence which introduces both the language and culture of the Hebrew Bible, through the reading and discussion of classical Hebrew texts (c. 800-500 BCE). This is the second part of a 2.00 credit sequence which includes RELG 10. No more than 1.00 credit may count toward fulfilling either the primary or secondary tradition requirement of the major.
Prerequisite: A grade of C- or better in Religion 103.

1.00 units, Lecture

JWST 109

Jewish Tradition

A thematic introduction to the major concepts, ritual cycles, holidays, and beliefs of Judaism. Readings and course material will be taken from classic Jewish texts as well as modern secondary sources. (May be counted toward Jewish Studies and Middle Eastern Studies.)

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 109

Jewish Tradition

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 121

Biblical Tradition

The Biblical world up to the beginnings of Christianity. The emergence of Israel and its life as a nation, the prophetic critique, Israel’s Exile and Reconstruction, the emergence of its scripture and its foundation for Judaism and Christianity in the West.

1.00 units, Seminar

RELG 150

Sanskrit Tutorial

An introduction to the grammar, vocabulary, and translation of classical Sanskrit. Subsequent semesters can be taken as independent studies. First-year studies focus on epic materials, second-year on the Bhagavad Gita. (May be counted toward Asian Studies.)

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 151

Religions of Asia

An introduction to the major religions of Asia: Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism, with special emphasis on how each of these modes of thought gives rise to a special vision of man in the universe, a complex of myth and practice, and a pattern of ethical behavior. (May be counted toward international studies/Asian studies.)

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 181

The Religion of Islam

This survey course explores the diversity of Muslim experiential and intellectual approaches to the key sacred sources of the religion, the Qur'an, and the figure of the Prophet. The course addresses pre-Islamic Arabia and the rise of Islam; Muhammad and the Qur'an; prophetic traditions and jurisprudence; theology and mysticism; art and poetry; basic beliefs and practices of the Muslim community; responses to colonialism and modernity; and Islam in the United States.

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 184

Myth, Rite, and Sacrament

A phenomenological approach to the study of religion through an examination of the nature of religious consciousness and its outward modes of expression. Special emphasis is placed on the varieties of religious experience and their relations to myths, rites, and sacraments. Enrollment limited. (May be counted toward international studies/African studies and international studies/comparative development studies.)

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 192

Roman Catholicism

An introduction to the main outlines of the Roman Catholic tradition through an examination of the highlights of historical and doctrinal development, devotional and liturgical expression, and the emergence of the Catholic church as a global entity within a diversity of world cultures.

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 194

Eastern Orthodox Tradition

Freed from the restraints that bound them for much of the 20th century, the Orthodox churches of Eastern Europe are flowering. Although unfamiliar to many in the West, Orthodoxy is the lasting legacy of the Byzantine Empire and remains the dominant form of Christianity in much of Eastern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean. The course offers an introductory survey of the Orthodox Christian tradition, which stretches unbroken from first century Palestine to 20th-century Russia, Greece, and Armenia. It treats the history of the church, and its distinctive approach to theology and worship (including iconography, church architecture, and sacred music).

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 201

Religion and Social Change in the Modern Middle East

The class deals with the influence of religion in the Middle East on the political, social, economic, and cultural aspects of life and assesses the impact of modernization, Westernization, secularization, and traditionalism/reform on Judaism, Christianity, and Islam in the area. We will highlight the place of Islam in the development of the modern Middle East and its impact on modern and contemporary Arab culture and thought.

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 202

Introduction to Religion and the City

Religion is a powerful force in shaping cities. From the earliest known cities to new cities currently under construction, religious ideology has had a profound influence on the architecture, planning and morphology of cities around the world. This course takes an international comparative approach to examine how the design of cities has been informed by particular ideas about divine order. Students will gain an understanding of how the city works as a site of religion and religiosity through examining cities in a variety of regions and from different periods in history.

1.00 units, Lecture

AHIS 203

Indian & Islamic Paintng

A survey of the history of miniature painting from the Persian, Mughal and Rajput schools, with emphasis on their religious and cultural backgrounds.

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 203

Readings in Biblical Hebrew

An intensive study of selected portions of the Hebrew Bible in order to develop the methods and skills of biblical interpretation.
Prerequisite: Religion 103 or Religion 104, or permission of instructor.

1.00 units, Lecture

AHIS 204

Buddhist Art

A survey of the art of Buddhism in Asia with special attention given to the development of the Buddha image, the stupa, and a wide array of deities and saints. Using painting, sculpture, architecture and contemporary expressions of ritual, dance, and theater the course will cover many of the traditions in South, East and Central Asia. Enrollment limited. (May be counted toward Asian Studies, Art History and Comparative Development Studies.)

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 206

Judaism in Middle Ages

A social and religious history of medieval Judaism in Europe and Afro-Asia from the 7th to the 18th century. The course will focus on the social status of Jews, Talmudic scholarship, philosophy, Kabbalah, messianism, and devotional life. The impact of Christianity and Islam will also be considered. (May be counted toward Jewish Studies.

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 207

Jewish Philosophy

Study of principal figures and issues in Jewish philosophy from the Enlightenment to the present. Topics to be considered include the nature (and possibility) of Jewish philosophy, the concepts of God and revelation, the relationship between God and the world, the status of religious law and practice, the concept of election in relation to the people and land of Israel. Thinkers discussed include Mendelssohn, Maimon, S.R. Hirsch, Hermann Cohen, Rosenzweig, Ahad Haíam, Buber, and Levinas. (May be counted toward Jewish Studies.)

1.00 units, Lecture

JWST 208

Jewish Mysticism

An examination of the secret speculative theologies of Judaism from late antiquity to the present. The course will touch upon the full range of Jewish mystical experience: visionaries, ascetics, ecstatics, theosophists, rationalists, messianists, populists, and pietists. Readings will include classical texts (such as the Zohar) and modern secondary studies.

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 208

Jewish Mysticism

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 209

Religions in the Contemporary Middle East

The impact of religion in contemporary Middle Eastern culture will be examined through the study of Middle Eastern monotheisms: Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. The course will focus on specific national settings where religion has played a decisive role: Lebanon, Iran, Egypt, and Israel. Internal divisions and tensions will be explored, as well as interreligious conflicts. (May be counted toward and International Studies and Middle Eastern Studies.)

1.00 units, Lecture

JWST 211

Intro Hebrew Bible

No Course Description Available.

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 211

Introduction to the Hebrew Bible

A literary and historical examination of the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible) to demonstrate its evolution and complexity as religious scripture. Emphasis will be given to developing skills in textual analysis and to discerning possibilities for interpretation. Attention will be given to those personalities such as Abraham, Moses, David, and the prophets and to major events such as the Exodus and the Exile, which shaped a tradition. (May be counted toward Jewish Studies and International Studies/Middle Eastern Studies.)

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 212

New Testament

A literary and historical examination of the New Testament in the context of the first century C.E. to appreciate the formation and themes of this principal document of Christianity. By focusing primarily upon the Gospels and Paul’s letters, the course will stress the analysis of texts and the discussion of their possible interpretations. Consideration will be given to the Jewish and Greek backgrounds, to the political, social, and religious pressures of the period, and to the development of an independent Christian community and a fixed scripture.

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 213

Lost Christianities

Early Christianity not only formed the New Testament but was, in turn, formed by it. What happened to the early Christian texts (and the communities that read them) that were left out of the New Testament? This course investigates selected documents that represent several Christianities that would be lost to us had their texts not survived. While many apocryphal texts seem innocuous enough, some present forms of Christianity at odds with evolving Orthodoxy and indicate how diverse early Christianity really was.

1.00 units, Lecture

AMST 214

Jews in America

A social and religious history of American Judaism from pre-revolutionary to contemporary times. After examining the era of immigration and "Americanization," the course will focus on the ethnic, religious, and social structures of American Judaism: The Community Center, the Synagogue, and the Federation.

1.00 units, Lecture

JWST 214

Jews in America

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 214

Jews in America

A social and religious history of American Judaism from pre-revolutionary to contemporary times. After examining the era of immigration and “Americanization,” the course will focus on the ethic, religious, and social structures of American Judaism: the community center, the synagogue, and the federation. (May be counted toward American studies and Jewish studies.)

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 215

Myth and the Bible

Is myth found in the Bible? Is the Bible itself myth? What is myth? What role does it play in society? How does it function in religion? This course will examine the questions in context of the ancient world and comparative mythology, and will consider implications for life in the modern technological world.

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 216

Literature and Legacy of Genesis

An examination of a Biblical text that is foundational to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Along with mastery of the basic narrative details of Genesis, the course will focus on themes such as the troubled dynamics of sibling relations, ambivalence surrounding being the “chosen people,” depiction of the trials of coming of age, and the origins of sexual politics.

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 218

Judaism in the 20th Century

This course focuses on two momentous events of Jewish history: the extermination of European Jewry and the establishment of a Jewish state. After examining the historical contexts and implications of these two events, the course will turn to the ongoing repercussions of the Holocaust and the state of Israel in contemporary Jewish theology and literature. (May be counted toward Jewish Studies.)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Religion 109.

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 219

Mythic Foundations of Western Political Thought

This course introduces students to the 'divine' element of politics: why do we obey rulers we've never met? Are kings like God, and does government have a mythic dimension? If God has masculine gender, does that make politics male? We will study some very durable myths of foundation and order, beginning with the world's first states in Mesopotamia and their legacy in the Bible. In these myths God gains sovereignty by successfully performing his masculinity, a virile warrior who slays Leviathan, the cosmic dragon. We will analyze a few fundamental alternatives that Western political thought has created: are they more reasonable and better? Do they abolish Leviathan or replace it with their own myths?

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 223

Major Religious Thinkers of the West I: Heresy and Orthodoxy in Conflict

An historical and theological study of the development of Western religious thought from the point of view of both heretics and orthodoxy within Christianity and Judaism. Among the topics to be covered: Gnosticism, Augustine, Aquinas, Eckhart, millenarianism, the Free Spirit, Luther, Calvin, and the Anabaptists. Religion majors and students in the Guided Studies Program may enroll without permission of the instructor. Other students may enroll with permission of the instructor. Guided Studies students take this course in the second semester of their first year.
Prerequisite: Course is only open to Religion majors or Guided Studies students.

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 224

The Survival of God

How God has been kept alive in modern Western thought in the face of scientific rationalism, existentialism, the secularization of society, natural and man-made evil, social and moral crises, radical skepticism, and proclamations of God's death.

1.00 units, Lecture

WMST 225

Image & Role of Women

No Course Description Available.

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 226

Christian Mysticism

An inquiry into the phenomenon of mystical experience exemplified in the Christian tradition as direct encounter with God. The course offers psychological and theological analyses of mysticism and its specifically Christian manifestations. Students will read works from Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, Quaker, and sectarian mystics such as Pseudo-Dionysius, Gregory of Nyssa, Bernard, Julian of Norwich, Teresa of Avila, Jackob Boehme, George Herbert, Simone Weil, and contemporary mystics.

1.00 units, Lecture

HIST 228

History Roman Cath Christianty

No Course Description Available.

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 228

Conflict and Belief

This historical survey of Roman Catholic Christianity will deal with the chief movements and figures which have shaped the Roman Catholic church from the Council of Trent to the present time. Attention will be given to the interaction of the various Christian churches and the political, social, and intellectual developments of the age.

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 229

Short Story in the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament)

A close reading of several “short stories” in the Hebrew Bible with attention given to literary artistry and theological insight. Along with gaining understanding for the rich texture and subtlety of the texts, students will be expected to master the data of the stories (who, what, where, when etc.). Questions of political, cultural, and compositional history will also be treated. Among the stories we shall consider are the Joseph “Novella,” David’s Fall, Esther, Ruth, Jonah, Judith.

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 231

The Apocrypha

An introduction to the literature that comprises the Old Testament Apocrypha, including books such as Judith, Tobit, and Susanna. Considered scripture by Roman Catholics, these texts did not make it into the Protestant and Jewish Bibles. Focus will be on the value of these texts for understanding the culture (late Second Temple Judaism) that gave birth to Rabbinic Judaism and Christianity. Along with considering the historical period that produced most of this literature, we will investigate how biblical language, images, and motifs evolved during this period and, in turn, influenced the literature of early Christianity and Rabbinic Judaism.

1.00 units, Lecture

PBPL 234

Religion in the City

This course will look at religious institutions and the issues facing them in North American cities today, using Hartford as a laboratory. Attention will be given to Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, and Muslim places of worship, as well as to Buddhist and Hindu temples and establishments devoted to Santeria and other Caribbean religious practices. There will be a particular focus on how these institutions relate to the larger urban community, for example, through provision of social services and organizing for social change. Enrollment limited. (May be counted toward Public Policy.)

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 234

Religion in the City

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 238

Journeys to Heaven and Hell: An Introduction to Comparative Religion

From prehistory to today, people have taken journeys out of this world. These have served as the basis for the most important possible claims: about the afterlife, the end of the world, and the existence of God, in narratives ranging from those of Isaiah's induction in the Hebrew Bible and Muhammad's Mi;raj in the Qur'an and Hdith to Dante's inferno and the decidedly less reputable genre of UFO abduction memoir. Beginning with the empirical fact tht people have written about these experiences for at least 4,000 years, this class will lay the foundation fo rthe empirical investigation of otherwordly journeys. We will examine Mesopotamian, Biblical, Jewish and Iranian text and ethnographic accounts from places with practicing shamans. Are otherworldly journeys everywhere and always the same? What do the different accounts have in common, and how do politics and culture redefine them?

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 240

Religious Language

This course is an introduction to the poetics and ethnography of sacred words and, through them, the social dimension of language. It is a fundamental role of religion ot break normal rules of language: prayers talk to gods, who do not seem to be present, possessed people ventrioquize spirits, and rituals thrive on repetitive or incomprehensible speech. Sacred words rais questions fundamental to the study of language: how do we evaluate words: according to their source? Their form? Their speeaker? God has traditionally spoken through people, but how have people known it was actually God speaking, and what has this meant to them? We will focus on the language of religious experience in Biblical and Jewish traditions, with detours through reggae music, horror movies, and The Passion of Christ

1.00 units, Lecture

WMST 248

Women and Religion

A wide-ranging historical and contemporary exploration of the role of women in various world religions, and an analysis of gender in shaping the mythological and political structures of specific religious traditions. The course will include Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Native and African American religions. The class will draw on the actual experience of women living these traditions as well as on primary and secondary sources. (May be counted toward Women's Studies.)

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 252

The Asian Mystic

An examination of the mystic in Asian religious traditions. Special attention will be given to mysticism and heresy, the psychological and theological sources of mystical experience, and the distinctive characteristics of mystical language. Readings from Indian, Tibetan, and Chinese sources. Enrollment limited. (May be counted toward International Studies/Asian Studies.)

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 253

Indian and Islamic Painting

A survey of the history of miniature painting from the Persian, Mughal, and Rajput schools, with emphasis on their religious and cultural backgrounds. (May be counted toward art history, international studies/Asian studies, international studies/comparative development studies, and international studies/Middle Eastern studies.)

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 254

Buddhist Art

A survey of the art of Buddhism in Asia with special attention given to the development of the Buddha image, the stupa, and a wide array of deities and saints. Using painting, sculpture, architecture, and contemporary expressions of ritual, dance, and theater, the course will cover many of the traditions in South, East, and Central Asia. (May be counted toward international studies/Asian studies, art history, and international studies/comparative development studies.)

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 255

Hinduism

An introduction to the thought and practice of traditional Hinduism, with special emphasis on perceptions of the “self.” Topics covered will be the duties of ritual and caste morality, the meditations of the forest yogis, and the religious fervor of devotees to Shiva and Krishna. Readings include early myths, philosophical texts, devotional hymns, and modern novels. (May be counted toward International Studies/Asian Studies.)

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 256

Buddhist Thought

An examination of fundamental concepts in Buddhist philosophy as they reflect an ongoing conflict between faith and reason: the non-self, dependent origination, karma, and nirvana. Special emphasis will be placed on the meaning of these concepts for the Buddhist way of life. Readings from classical Theravada and Mahayana texts. (May be counted toward international studies/Asian studies.)

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 259

Early Chinese Religion and Philosophy

An exploration of the roots of Chinese philosophical and religious thought from the Shang dynasty (c. 1600 BCE) through the beginnings of the Han empire (206 BCE). Special emphasis will be placed on the so-called "hundred schools" of the Warring States period, which include Confucianism and Daoism. Through English translations of primary texts, the course will examine the evolving Chinese worldview and cosmology, as well as ideas about self-cultivation, ethics, divination, politics, religion, and social relations. Texts will include the I Ching, Tao Te Ching, Confucius' Analects, Chuang Tzu, Mencius, Hsun Tzu, and more. No previous knowledge of Chinese philosophy or religion is necessary.

1.00 units, Lecture

AMST 261

American Catholics

This historically oriented course will explore the struggle of Catholics in the United States to integrate being "Roman" with being "American." It will survey the experience of an immigrant, authoritarian church in a country founded on belief in the excellence of Protestantism and dedicated to liberal and democratic ideals. Having arrived in the mainstream with the election of John F. Kennedy, that church now faces a new set of challenges, which will be the final consideration of the course.

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 261

American Catholics

This historically oriented course will explore the struggle of Catholics in the United States to integrate being “Roman” with being “American.” It will survey the experience of an immigrant, authoritarian church in a country founded on belief in the excellence of Protestantism and dedicated to liberal and democratic ideals. Having arrived in the mainstream with the election of John F. Kennedy, that church now faces a new set of challenges, which will be the final consideration of the course. (May be counted toward American Studies.)

1.00 units, Lecture

AMST 262

Religion in American Society

The historical role of religion in shaping American life and thought, with special attention to the influence of religious ideologies on social values and social reform. (May be counted toward American Studies.)

1.00 units, Lecture

EDUC 262

Religion in American Society

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 262

Religion in American History

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 263

Immigration and Religion

The course will examine the evolving history of immigration, religion, and ethnicity in American society and culture. This is a nation where religion is both a force for social unity and a shelter for the preservation of the identity, values, and practices among a galaxy of immigrant groups. How can it be both? The course will track the evolution of American religious pluralism at three separate points: during the colonial/early national era, during the late 19th and early 20th century, and since 1965. Students will consider many different sorts of evidence and will do some fieldwork in visits to Hartford area religious institutions established and maintained by immigrants.

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 264

Religion in America Today: A Regional Analysis

This course explores the place of religion in contemporary American civic culture. It will begin with an examination of religion and public life in each of eight regions of the country, stressing the significant differences in the religious history, demography, and politics of each region. On the basis of this regional analysis, the course will take up issues of national politics and public policy, including religion and political partisanship, abortion, faith-based social service provision, public school vouchers, the death penalty, and same-sex marriage.

1.00 units, Lecture

PBPL 267

Religion & the Media

Western religion, and Christianity in particular, have always put a premium on employing the available techniques of mass communication to get its message out, but today many religious people see the omnipresent "secular" media as hostile to their faith. This course will look at the relationship between religion and the communications media, focusing primarily on how the American news media have dealt with religion since the creation of the penny press in the 1830s. Attention will also be given to the ways that American religious institutions have used mass media to present themselves from the circulation of Bibles and tracts in the 19th century through religious broadcasting beginning in the 20th century to the use of the Internet and worldwide web today.

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 267

Religion and the Media

Western religion, and Christianity in particular, has always put a premium on employing the available techniques of mass communication to get its message out. But today, many religious people see the omnipresent “secular” media as hostile to their faith. This course will look at the relationship between religion and the communications media, focusing primarily on how the American news media have dealt with religion since the creation of the penny press in the 1830s. Attention will also be given to the ways that American religious institutions have used mass media to present themselves, from the circulation of Bibles and tracts in the 19th century through religious broadcasting beginning in the 20th century to the use of the Internet today. (May be counted toward American studies and public policy studies.)

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 269

Religion & Public Life

This course will consider the role of religion in public life, focusing primarily on the European and American experience, but dealing comparatively with other cultures as well. Attention will be given not only to formal legal and constitutional arrangements (church and state) but also to the influence of religions on public discourse, popular culture, and social norms. The validity of the secularization thesis and its usefulness for understanding modern society will be a central concern. (May be counted toward Public Policy Studies.)

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 270

Religion in America Since World War II

This seminar will explore changes in American religion over the past 60 years by focusing on the role of religion in public life and society at large. Special attention will be given to popular culture and politics.

1.00 units, Seminar

AMST 274

Religion & the Media

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 278

Atheism and the Eclipse of Religion

An examination of objections to religious belief and practice, especially those associated with atheism. Our primary concern will be to define those arguments which lead to a denial of God's existence or which reduce religious belief and practice to the irrational, primitive, or cowardly. The counter-arguments for religious belief will also be considered. Readings from Nietzsche, Freud, Sartre, Marx, Feuerbach, "death of God" theologians, deconstructionists, and others.

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 280

Approaching the Qur'an

The Qur'an, believed by Muslims to be the perfect Word of God, has played a central role in the life of the Muslim community since its appearance in the seventh century. This course will explore the sacred text of Islam through its foundational concepts and terminologies, history of the text and thematic development, literary style, connection to Jewish and Christian sacred texts, history and methods of interpretation, and role in Muslim ritual life. We will also explore manifestations of the Qur'an in the literature, visual arts, and music of the Muslim world.

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 281

Anthropology of Religion

Introduction to the foundations of religion through an examination of religious phenomena prevalent in traditional cultures. Some of the topics covered in this course include a critical examination of the idea of primitivity, the concepts of space and time, myths, symbols, ideas related to God, man, death, and rituals such as rites of passage, magic, sorcery, witchcraft, and divination. (May be counted toward anthropology and international studies/comparative development.)

1.00 units, Lecture

ANTH 283

Native Amer Religions

An anthropological study of the religions of the Americas' indigenous peoples. Emphasis will be given to their ethnohistory, oral traditions, myths, symbols and ritual performances. The course will also consider culture change and the rise of modern nativistic movements among American Indians.

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 283

Native American Religions

An anthropological study of the religions of the Americas’ indigenous peoples. Emphasis will be given to their ethnohistory, oral traditions, myths, symbols, and ritual performances. The course will also consider culture change and the rise of modern nativistic movements among Amerindians.

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 284

Sufism: The Mystical Tradition of Islam

For over a thousand years, Sufism has been a dynamic expression of the inner quest for God-consciousness in Islam. Sufis have often expressed their devotion in literary form: from poetry and ecstatic utterances to metaphysical theoretical prose works. This class explores the emergence of Sufism from the Qur'an and the life and words or the Prophet Muhammad, and traces its historical development from the formative period to the age of trans-national Sufi orders. The course will study key constructs of this tradition: the relationship between God and humankind, the stages of the spiritual path, contemplative disciplines, the idea of sainthood, ethical perfection, the psychology of love, the idea of the feminine, and Sufi aesthetics. It also considers the modern expression (and transformation) of Sufism in the United States.

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 285

Religions of Africa

A study of the indigenous African religious traditions with consideration of their contemporary interaction with Western religious traditions. Topics include the African concepts of God, man, ancestor reverence, sacrifice, witchcraft, and magic. (Enrollment limited.) (May be counted toward international studies/African studies.)

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 286

Islam in America

This course explores Muslim social and spiritual expression in the United States. We'll look at the teachings of representative groups and their founders, asking how each group presents Islam and why, how they discourse on Muslims in America, how they discourse on America, and how they position themselves as Americans. Topics include religious movements among African-American and immigrant groups, educational, cultural and youth initiatives , Sufism and new-age movements, civil rights groups, Progressive Muslims, women's and feminist movements, and Islam in the media. The course requires that students participate in a community learning project to gain first-hand experience with the diverse Muslim community in Hartford. (Enrollment limited)—Ziad.

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 287

Modern Trends in Islam She'ism

A study of modern trends in the Muslim world beginning with the 19th century. This course will discuss such questions as Islam and the West, religious fundamentalism, Islam and the question of women, Islam and the nation-state, Islam and mass media, and Islam and nationalism. Special attention will also be given to the major historical events of the modern Muslim world, the nature of indigenous movements and trends, and the impact of the West on Islamic society. (May be counted toward Middle Eastern Studies.)

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 288

Magic, Possession, and Spiritual Healing

An anthropological approach to religion and magic. A cross-cultural analysis of the forms of spiritual healing in traditional cultures. Emphasis is given to the manifestations of spiritual power, the role of possession, magic, shamanistic utterances, and hallucinogens in the process of spiritual healing. (May be counted toward international studies/comparative development studies.)

1.00 units, Lecture

ANTH 289

Religion & Culture Chnge

An anthropological study of the rise and development of cults in traditional cultures engendered by the impact of colonization, the spread of Christianity and Western technology in so-called Third World cultures. Among others, the course emphasizes the revival, the millenarian, the Cargo, and messianic cults. Special attention is given to the origin, the nature, the social functions and dysfunctions of these cults, as well as the methodology used to study them. (May be counted toward African Studies, Anthropology and Comparative Development Studies.)

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 289

Religion and Culture Change

An anthropological study of the rise and development of cults in traditional cultures engendered by the impact of colonization, the spread of Christianity and Western technology in so-called Third World cultures. Among others, the course emphasizes the revival, the millenarian, the Cargo, and messianic cults. Special attention is given to the origin, the nature, the social functions and dysfunctions of these cults, as well as the methodology used to study them. (May be counted toward international studies/African studies, anthropology and international studies/comparative development studies.)

1.00 units, Lecture

AMST 290

Spirit Move Contemp Amer

No Course Description Available.

1.00 units, Lecture

ANTH 290

Spirit Move Contemp Amer

No Course Description Available.

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 290

Spiritual Movements in Contemporary America

An anthropological approach to culture change including the rise, development, and future prospects of spiritual movements in contemporary American culture. Emphasis is given to the teachings of these movements and their contributions to American religious thought. Topics include Garveyism, the Nation of Islam in the West, the Peace Mission Movement, Hare Krishna, and Pentecostalism among others. (May be counted toward American Studies and International Studies/Comparative Development Studies.)

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 295

Contemporary Issues in Roman Catholicism

This course will explore the diversity of perspectives in Roman Catholic theologies of mystery, nature, grace, an being human in relation to contemporary ethical issues. It will apply these perspectives to concerns such as the natural environment, poverty, gender and the political common good

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 307

Jewish Philosophy

This course provides an introduction to the major themes and thinkers of medieval and modern Jewish philosophy. We will study how Plato, Aristotle, and other non-Jewish philosophers found their Jewish voice in the likes of Philo, Saadia Gaon, Judah Halevi, Maimonides, and Mendelssohn. Issues to be considered are the relationship between reason and revelation, the concept of monotheism, the nature of prophecy and the Jewish tradition, and the problem of evil. Extensive use of original sources in translation will be complemented by interpretive studies. (May be counted toward Philosophy.)
Prerequisite: C- or better in Religion 109.

1.00 units, Seminar

RELG 308

Jewish Mysticism

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 310

Religious Language

This course is an introduction to the poetics and ethnography of sacred words and, through them, the social dimension of language. It is a fundamental role of religion to break normal rules of language: prayers talk to gods who do not seem to be present, possessed people ventriloquize spirits, and rituals thrive on repetitive or incomprehensible speech. Sacred words raise questions fundamental to the study of language: how do we evaluate words: according to their source? their form? their speaker? God has traditionally spoken through people, but how have people known it is actually God speaking, and what has this meant to them? We will focus on the language of religious experience in Biblical and Jewish traditions, with detours through reggae music, horror movies, and The Passion of the Christ.

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 313

Millenarianism

This course will examine millenarian religious movements and thought in a variety of religious traditions throughout the world. The western roots of apocalyptic thought in the biblical tradition, beginning in the Hebrew Bible and culminating in Christian scripture, will provide the foundation for study. The survey will then include other manifestations: in the medieval world, among Native Americans, and in nineteenth and twentieth century America. Also included will be a look at various literary and artistic expressions of millennial expectation.

1.00 units, Seminar

RELG 315

Apocalyptic Literature: From Daniel to Revelation

A survey of a distinct literary genre in the religious and historical contexts of the second and first centuries B.C.E. and the first century C.E. The seminar will concentrate upon representative pieces of literature such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, Enoch, and II Esdras and will search out the roots of apocalyptic in Hebrew scripture (Daniel) and its culmination in Christian scripture (Revelation). Consideration will also be given to its later manifestations in religious thought and groups, including millennial movements in American history.
Prerequisite: C- or better in Religion 211 or 212 or permission of the instructor.

1.00 units, Seminar

RELG 316

Genesis

No Course Description Available.

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 317

Jewish Ethics

No Course Description Available.

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 318

Women in the Hebrew Bible

The Hebrew Bible commands laws and tells stories about women as war leaders, lovers, prophetesses and prostitutes, as well as ordinary daughters, mothers, and goddesses (possibly including God's wife!). Formed in an ancient Near Eastern society, these laws and stories are still drawn on today to make religious rules, social roles, and art. We will read these texts as works of art and factors in history: Who wrote them? What did these stories and laws say and do? What roles do their images carve out and what realities do they reflect and create? The texts will be read in English translation, drawing on cultural anthropology, feminist theory, linguistics, and archaeology to provide critical perspectives on ancient patriarchy and the state as well as modern secular-liberal notions of freedom and self.

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 319

History & Relgion of Ancient Israel

This seminar will closely examine ancient Israel from the traditions of the Patriarchs through the monarchy to the Babylonian exile in 587/6BCE, giving attention to the social, religious, and political institutions of the Hebrew people. The factors that created the Israelite monarchy and its influence on religious practice will be studied in depth. Biblical and ancient near eastern texts will be studied as will some archeological data. Prerequisite: Religion 211 and Religion 212, or permission of the instructor. (May be counted toward Middle Eastern Studies.)

1.00 units, Seminar

RELG 322

Early Christian Art and Text

This course studies the religious culture of early Christian communities by examining their art in conjunction with close reading of contemporaneous theological texts. It will emphasize analysis of catacomb art, Christian funerary sculpture, illustrated codices, architectural monuments, and the origins of Byzantine iconography as expressions of the Asian, African, and European forms of Christianity in which they originated.
Prerequisite: At least one course in Religion or Art History.

1.00 units, Seminar

RELG 330

New Age Religious Movements in America

Through a close reading of Catherine Albanese's tome, A Republic of Mind and Spirit, the first book that demands recognition of the metaphysical in American life, this course will cover the history of Hermetica, Freemasonry, Mormonism, spiritualism, freethought, and various contemporary New Age movements.

1.00 units, Seminar

RELG 331

The Apocrypha

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 333

Hindu Views War and Peace

An examination of the competing ethics of war and non-violence as reflected in traditional understandings of duty, truth, rebirth, and the spiritual quest. Using readings from the Vedas, Buddhist and Jain sutras, and the Upanisads, this course will give special focus to the Bhagavad Gita, and to Gandhi’s understanding of this particular aspect of his Hindu heritage. Enrollment limited. (May be counted toward international studies/Asian studies.)

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 338

Christian Social Ethics

An in-depth exploration of the historical teachings of, and contemporary controversies within, Christianity on selected moral issues in sexuality, economics, business, medicine, ecology, race, war and pacifism, and foreign policy. Special attention will be given to problems in contemporary American society.

1.00 units, Seminar

RELG 339

Modern American Theology

This course will study the major theological movements, topics, and thinkers of American mainline Protestantism from the early 20th century to the present day, and American Catholicism from the 1950s to the present day. Major theological movements and topics will include evangelical liberalism, the Social Gospel movement, the modernist-fundamentalist controversy, Boston School personalism, Chicago School naturalistic empiricism, neo-orthodoxy and Christian realism, the ecumenical movement, the Civil Rights movement, secularism, process metaphysics, Vatican II, the death-of-God controversy, liberation theology, feminist theology, environmentalism, and postmodernism. Major theologians and philosophers will include Walter Rauschenbusch, Shailer Mathews, Edgar S. Brightman, Reinhold Niebuhr, Paul Tillich, Martin Luther King Jr., Gregory Baum, Rosemary Radford Ruether, John B. Cobb Jr., J. Deotis Roberts, and Elizabeth Johnson.

1.00 units, Seminar

RELG 353

Buddhism in America

This seminar will focus on Buddhism in America, a phenomenon known as “the fourth turning of the wheel of the law.” We will look at the religions of Asian immigrants, the writings of the 19th-century Transcendentalists, and the influence of Zen, Vipassana, and Tibetan teachers on American culture. Special attention will be given to assessing categories such as elite, ethnic, and evangelical Buddhism, to the variety of Buddhist practices and communities available, and to the broad range of Buddhist arts and literatures of contemporary America. Enrollment limited. (May be counted toward international studies/Asian studies.)

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 355

The Way of the Elders Theravada Buddhism in South East Asia

This course will survey the philosophy and practice of Buddhism in the cultural contexts of Southeast Asia, including Burma, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. We will draw on a close reading of key primary texts, audio-visual tools and Internet sources to explore the application of key philosophical, mythical and cosmological concepts to contemporary realities. Theravada Buddhism - - “the way of the elders” - - represents the oldest unbroken Buddhist tradition in existence: its texts, art work, meditative practices and models of social order have roots in the middle of the first millennium BC, and continue to shape the religious, social and political lives of Buddhists throughout Southeast Asia. Readings and discussions will be grounded on an on-going exploration of the link between philosophy and Theravada Buddhism as it is practiced in Southeast Asia today. Special attention will be given to “socially engaged” Buddhist movements in SE Asia, including those of Burma’s Aung San Suu Kyi and Sulak Sivaraksa of Thailand.

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 362

Religion in American Society

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 362

Religion in American Society

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 368

Religion in America Since World War II

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 374

Philosophies of Communty

We will explore competing theories of human association both in different religious traditions and between religious communities, and various theories of political society, such as liberalism and communitarianism. The nature of persons, the relation between love and justice, altruism and self-interest, the role of God, and the moral implications of religious values for political and economic policies will be studied. Particular attention will be given to the philosophy of John Macmurray. (May be counted toward Public Policy.)

1.00 units, Seminar

PBPL 381

Religion & Public Life

No Course Description Available.

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 386

Islam in America

This course explores Muslim social and spiritual expression in the United States. We'll look at the teachings of representative groups and their founders, asking how each group presents Islam and why, how they discourse on Muslims in America, how they discourse on America, and how they position themselves as Americans. Topics include religious movements among African-American and immigrant groups, educational, cultural and youth initiatives, Sufism and new-age movements, civil rights groups, progressive Muslims, women's and feminist movements, and Islam in the media. The course requires that students participate in a community learning project to gain first-hand experience with the diverse Muslim community in Hartford.

1.00 units, Lecture

RELG 399

Open Semester

No Course Description Available.

4.00 units, Independent Study

RELG 466

Teaching Assistantship

A teaching assistant works with a faculty member in the preparation and teaching of a course and receives academic credit for his or her work. See the Student Handbook for the specific guidelines. Submission of the special registration form, available in the Registrar’s Office, and the approval of the instructor and chairperson are required for enrollment.

0.50 units min / 1.00 units max, Independent Study

RELG 497

Senior Thesis

Submission of the special registration form, available in the Registrar’s Office, and the approval of the instructor and chairperson are required for enrollment in this single-semester thesis.

1.00 units min / 2.00 units max, Independent Study

RELG 498

Senior Thesis Part 1

Submission of the special registration form, available in the Registrar’s Office, and the approval of the instructor and chairperson are required for each semester of this yearlong thesis. (two course credits are considered pending in the first semester; two course credits will be awarded for completion in the second semester.)

2.00 units, Independent Study

RELG 499

Senior Thesis Part 2

Submission of the special registration form, available in the Registrar’s Office, and the approval of the instructor and chairperson are required for each semester of this yearlong thesis. (two course credits are considered pending in the first semester;two course credits will be awarded for completion in the second semester.)

2.00 units, Independent Study