College Catalog
Course Descriptions
Religious Studies (RELS)

RELS 106 Introduction to the Bible
The course provides an introduction to the literature of the Judaeo-Christian tradition. It will include a study of modern critical methods including source criticism, form criticism, and redaction criticism as they relate to this literature. There will be a special emphasis on the theological themes. Each semester. Fulfils General Education Area 1 Lower - Religious Studies Requirement. See General Education Expanded Course Description.

RELS 114 Introduction to Theology
The course examines the nature of religion in human experience, the personal and communal dimensions of faith, and critically analyzes basic questions in Christian theology. Each semester. Fulfils General Education Area 1 Lower - Religious Studies Requirement. See General Education Expanded Course Description.

RELS 200 Augustine and the Classical World
Augustine of Hippo (AD 354-430) lived in the waning years of the Western Roman Empire, and is one of the greatest thinkers of the Western world. After he became a Christian, he was made bishop of Hippo in Roman Africa where he was very influential in civil and church affairs. With more than 100 books, 200 letters and 500 sermons he has left a lasting impact on Western philosophy, religion and culture. Some of his well-known books, such as Confessions and The City of God, are still widely read today. It is not an exaggeration to say that without Augustine's massive intellect and spiritual perception, the theology of Western Christianity would never have taken the shape in which it is familiar to us. This course will survey the life and times of Augustine. Our goal will be to understand the deep indebtedness of Augustine to the classical heritage of Greece and Rome, and how Augustine and other Christian thinkers adapted that heritage in the late Roman world. By reading some of Augustine's writings (in English translation) and those of modern scholars, we will attempt to understand how the synthesis produced by Augustine is both a final flowering of classical civilization itself, as well as a cornerstone of the coming Christian civilization of the Middle Ages. Cross listed with CLAS 200.

RELS 221 Religion in America
Examines the historical development of religious movements in America, both mainstream and peripheral groups, and analyzes the religious perceptions by which Americans have viewed themselves as a nation and culture, including a contemporary assessment. Fall semester. Fulfils General Education Area 6 - United States Heritage Requirement. See General Education Expanded Course Description. Cross listed with AMER 221

RELS 242 Liturgy and the Sacraments
This course examines the nature of the liturgy and the sacraments as the forum in which the church expresses and forms its identity and mission in the world. The course examines the historical evolution of the seven traditional sacraments as well as the other major rites of the church. Finally, the course explores the implications of the reformed liturgy for Christian life and ministry in the contemporary world. Fall semester, alternate years.

RELS 255 Philosophy of Religion
A course that examines the rational assessment of religious beliefs and concepts and arguments used in their support. The course considers contemporary challenges to belief in God and the responses to these challenges. Spring semester, alternate years. Cross listed with PHIL 250.

RELS 268 Sexuality, Intimacy, and God
What is the meaning and significance of sexuality and sex for human fulfillment? How are sexuality, sex, friendship, and intimacy related? This course examines Christian scripture and tradition for major theological responses to these questions. Special emphasis is placed on contemporary discussions of the theological significance of embodiment and on the development of a spirituality that takes seriously the pivotal role sexuality plays in human experience and development. The course is interdisciplinary in nature as it draws upon and attempts to integrate the recent findings of psychology, sociology, anthropology, and philosophy with current theological discussions. Specific issues addressed in the course include celibacy, marriage, homosexuality, carnal love, birth control, abortion, gender issues, and sex and authority.

RELS 275 Medical Ethics (see PHIL 275)

RELS 280 Introduction to Christian Traditions
This course examines the history of Christianity in its theological, social and institutional dimensions, from the New Testament era to the present. This development is studied in a variety of historical and cultural contexts, presenting through representative figures and issues both continuity and diversity in Christian thought and life in the midst of society. Course prepares RELS majors/minors for more advanced courses in the RELS curriculum. RELS majors/minors make not take RELS 320. Spring semester.

RELS 290 Doing Theology Today
This course explores a variety of approaches to theological inquiry from classical methods to the diversity represented in modern revisions of the theological task. The course utilizes differing models of theological method comparing selected theologians and themes. This examination includes traditional as well as contemporary interpretation, the treatment of various sources for theological discourse, and the research skills necessary for doing theology today. Alternate years.

RELS 310 Marriage and Family as Vocation
This course explores the moral and religious dimensions of marriage and family, with particular attention to resources within the Catholic-Christian tradition. It will attend to such questions as: What does it mean to place the marriage commitment and the wider commitment to the family in the context of a relationship to God? What does it mean to consider marriage a vocation and sacrament? How does the vocation of marriage develop over time - how do careers, children, aging parents and other obligations affect the marriage relationship? What does it take to sustain a lifelong martial commitment in our culture? And, what are the distinct characteristics and responsibilities of Christian family life? Fulfils General Education Area 1 Upper - Religious Studies Requirement. See General Education Expanded Course Description.

RELS 312 Mission and Identity of the Church
Why is Christianity essentially a social experience? What makes for strong fellowship and a faith community? Studied in the light of Vatican II and its search for the meaning and nature of the Church models, the course seeks to develop an understanding of the church as community. The course aims at trying to discover why faith in a community context fits better the definition of the word Christian than a contemporary emphasis on individual experience. Second semester, each year. Fulfils General Education Area 1 Upper - Religious Studies Requirement. See General Education Expanded Course Description.

RELS 314 God, the Gods, and the Bible
This course explores the human "search" for the divine-one of the distinguishing features of humanity. How and why do human beings come to view the world as the arena of supernatural forces at work through, and often against, human effort? What kinds of metaphors are developed to speak of these powers? What happens if and when these metaphors become unsatisfactory? How do elaborate religious systems built on offering and exchange withstand the critique of certain intellectuals for whom the divine cannot be understood by means of the old metaphors? The course will focus on the reflections about God found in the Bible, alongside central religious texts from Mesopotamia (e.g., Enuma Elish, hymns and prayers) and the primary sources for Greek and Roman religion (i.e., Hesiod's Theogony and Homer's Iliad). Next we will examine criticisms of certain aspects of these religious visions by ancient intellectuals such as Plato, Cicero and, most importantly, the anonymous biblical authors who argued forcefully that the God of Moses could not be represented by any kind of figure in the limited human sphere. The course will expose students to a number of influential and "classic" ancient texts and interpret their varying religious claims. Fulfils General Education Area 1 Upper - Religious Studies Requirement. See General Education Expanded Course Description.

RELS 316 Who is Jesus?
An attempt to answer the biblical question "And who do you say that I am?"-a central issue of theology. Looking at today's answers formulated in continuity with scripture and tradition but shaped in the light of contemporary culture and experience. Prerequisite: junior standing. Fall semester, alternate years.

RELS 318 Feminist Theology
This course introduces the student to Feminist Theology as a theology of liberation, examines its foundations in feminist theory and Christian revisionist sources, and explores its contributions the Christian, especially the Catholic, faith tradition. Fulfils General Education Area 1 Upper - Religious Studies Requirement. See General Education Expanded Course Description. Cross listed with PEAC 318 and WMGS 318.

RELS 320 The Christian Tradition
This course examines the history of Christianity in its theological, social and institutional dimensions, from the New Testament era to the present. This development is studied in a variety of historical and cultural contexts, presenting through representative figures and issues both continuity and diversity in Christian thought and life in the midst of society. For non-RELS majors/minors only. Spring semester. Fulfils General Education Area 1 Upper - Religious Studies Requirement. See General Education Expanded Course Description.

RELS 321 Topics in Scripture
Critically examines scriptural themes and genres; may also concentrate on one or more biblical authors or works. Prerequisite: RELS 106. Spring semester, alternate years.

RELS 322 Religious Heritage of the Hebrew Bible
This course examines the origin, nature, significance and religious heritage of the Hebrew Bible as the foundation document of both Judaism and Christianity. This course studies the Hebrew Bible both as a revealed and religious Scripture and as a profoundly human document. The primary focus will be on the text itself, supplemented by the use of reference, historical, and interpretive (both Jewish and non-Jewish) materials. Fulfils General Education Area 1 Upper - Religious Studies Requirement. See General Education Expanded Course Description.

RELS 323 Biblical Hebrew
This course introduces the student to the language of the Hebrew Bible and the historical and theological methods that arise from studying the Hebrew Bible in its original language. No prior knowledge of Biblical Hebrew is assumed, and the course begins by introducing the alphabet. By the end of the course, students should be able to read many prose passages in the Hebrew Bible (i.e. Genesis 15-50, Deuteronomy, 1-2 Kings) with relative ease and occasional recourse to the aid of a Hebrew-English lexicon. Alternate years. Prerequisite: RELS majors.

RELS 324 Women in the Bible
This course will have as its main focus the women of the Bible. We will read stories that will surprise, shock and educate us as to the role women played in biblical times. This course will read the Old and New Testament stories of women in light of the interpretative issues present in feminist theology and biblical interpretation. Throughout the course, we will continue to reflect on questions concerning the role of women in contemporary society. Fulfils General Education Area 1 Upper - Religious Studies Requirement. See General Education Expanded Course Description. Cross listed with WMGS 324.

RELS 325 Providence, Suffering, and Freedom
This course examines various possibilities for making sense of the traditional Christian belief in an omnipotent, all-loving, providential God in light of the contemporary awareness of the immensity and tragedy of human suffering and the growing recognition of the depth and radicalness of human freedom. Fulfils General Education Area 1 Upper - Religious Studies Requirement. See General Education Expanded Course Description.

RELS 326 Ancient Wisdom and the Modern Search for Meaning
What is the good life? What can a person truly know? Is there justice in the world? These are some of the fundamental, universal questions of the human condition. Answers to these questions from the biblical tradition are most readily found in those books of the Hebrew Bible collectively known as the Wisdom Literature. This course will raise these fundamental questions and look at how the biblical Wisdom Literature answers them along with similar writings from elsewhere in the ancient world as well as modern literature and film. As a result of this analysis, students will have the opportunity to construct a coherent and viable structure of meaning for their own life's journey. Fulfils General Education Area 1 Upper - Religious Studies Requirement. See General Education Expanded Course Description.

RELS 331 Judaism and Christianity: The Holocaust
The examination of the historical and contemporary relation of Jews and Christians, through a study of critical events, comparative literature, and correlated theologies, in an analysis which recognizes both interrelated unity and tragic antagonism. The course will ordinarily focus on a specific period, collection of related texts, or themes common to both traditions. Fall semester. Fulfils General Education Area 1 Upper - Religious Studies Requirement. See General Education Expanded Course Description.

RELS 333 Christian Ethics: Theology and Society
The course addresses the enduring problem of the relationship between Christian faith and moral questions. It does so in the light of the convictions of a Catholic Christian faith community tradition. It seeks to determine the faith responses to contemporary social ethical issues. The social issues studied will vary. Each semester. RELS majors/minors taking course for major/minor should sign up for RELS 433. Fulfils General Education Area 1 Upper - Religious Studies Requirement. See General Education Expanded Course Description. Cross listed with PEAC 333.

RELS 338 Religion and Literature See Infrequently Offered Course Section of the Catalog.

RELS 340 World Religions: A Comparative Examination
This course offers a critical and comparative introduction to the world's non-Christian and mostly non-Western religious traditions. Focusing on Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Judaism, Islam and several indigenous religions as well as new religious movements, the course investigates and compares these traditions with special attention given to their contemporary contexts. A key component in this involves examining the phenomenon of globalization and the issues of diversity and interaction between tradition. Fulfils General Education Area 11 - Global Society Requirement. See General Education Expanded Course Description.

RELS 342 Asian Philosophy and Religion
A study of the major philosophical and religious traditions of South and East Asia. The course emphasizes the Hindu, Buddhist, and Taoist traditions. The ethical, metaphysical, and epistemological aspects of each major tradition are covered. Spring semester. Cross listed with PHIL 342.

RELS 347 Theology and the Concern for Justice
A critical survey of recent theological movements emerging out of non-traditional contexts that stress the theme of justice and liberation for the poor and oppressed, challenging the way Christians both experience and understand their faith. The course explores a variety of theological issues related to the problem of socio-political inequity. Prerequisite: junior standing. Spring semester, alternate years. Cross listed with PEAC 347.

RELS 350 Christianity and Cultural Diversity
This course explores the dynamic relationship of Christianity with contemporary cultures and societies, especially non-European cultures. It focuses on themes such as multiculteralism, inculteration and the growing development of contextual theologies -- theologies which emerge from cultural settings different from those that have traditionally shaped Christian theology. Fulfils General Education Area 1 Upper - Religious Studies Requirement. See General Education Expanded Course Description.

RELS 355 Theology of Spirituality
This course is an introductory exploration of the theology of prayer and the spiritual life. It explores the realm of religious faith and the various means by which humans enter into an explicit relationship with God. Students will be exposed to the various schools of Christian spirituality as they have arisen in the history of the Christian community. In addition, class sessions will be devoted to the relationships of spirituality with the human condition. Spring semester. Fulfils General Education Area 1 Upper - Religious Studies Requirement. See General Education Expanded Course Description.

RELS 360 The Essentials of Catholic Thought
This course examines the key concepts of Catholicism as expressed since Vatican II. These include the credal, sacramental and moral life of the Christian as influenced by this great event. Central to all is the role of Christ in the life of the church. Fall semester. Fulfils General Education Area 1 Upper - Religious Studies Requirement. See General Education Expanded Course Description.

RELS 389 Special Topics
This course is an in-depth study of one or more major issues confronting contemporary religion. Students are challenged to make concrete applications of the role of theology and religious practice to issues of the late 20th century and to evaluate the impact of the heritage and tradition on their own thinking and on society in general. Topics will change from semester to semester but may include such issues as the Holocaust, nuclear weapons, abortion, racism and Church-State relations. Fall semester.

RELS 433 Christian Ethics: Theology and Society
The course addresses the enduring problem of the relationship between Christian faith and moral questions. It does so in the light of the convictions of a Catholic Christian faith community tradition. It seeks to determine the faith responses to contemporary social ethical issues. The topics will vary and include specific issues as human rights, sexuality, social justice and biomedical questions. Prerequisite: RELS major/minor. Each semester.

RELS 460 Advanced Seminar
Offers senior majors and minors the opportunity to engage in a research project on a special topic, theme or theologian. Spring semester.

RELS 490 Independent Study
A course allowing staff and students to explore together topics of special interest. Prerequisites: Consent of instructor and approval of the Associate Dean for Humanities and Fine Arts.

RELS 494 Internship
This course is an action/reflection experience for those seeking skills in the ministry. Students are provided with placement in the local community. In addition to regular weekly service, students are required to meet each week in a supervised class with an instructor from the Religious Studies faculty. In those meetings, students explore the bases of practical theology as that science reflects on the pastoral experience.

Religious Studies · College Catalog Home Page · Course Descriptions · Registrar