Classics Comparative Studies English Hebrew History History of Art Jewish Studies
Medieval and Renaissance Studies Near Eastern Languages and Cultures Philosophy
Spring 2016-only Major/Minor Courses General Interest Courses
Notes in brackets indicate major/minor program requirements met by each course. Please refer to the Religious Studies major and minor pages for detailed program information.
Religious Studies
Religious Studies 2102.02
Comparative Sacred Texts
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural iv. Thematic, interdisciplinary i.texts); Religions and Cultures]
TuTh 3:00PM - 3:55PM I Isaac Amitai Weiner I 3 credit units I Lecture 27148
Mo 12:40PM - 1:35PM I Staff I 3 credit units I Lecture 27632
Mo 12:40PM - 1:35PM I Staff I 3 credit units I Lecture 27642
Mo 3:00PM - 3:55PM I Staff I 3 credit units I Lecture 27643
Mo 3:00PM - 3:55PM I Staff I 3 credit units I Lecture 27644
This course will cover the sacred texts of a variety of religious traditions and the basic theories and methods for reading religious literature. We will examine texts not only from “mainstream” traditions such as Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism, but also materials from Native American traditions and from new religious movements such as Scientology and Wicca. Students will also be introduced to basic theoretical tools for reading and interpreting sacred texts from multiple perspectives. In addition to lectures, films, and in-class discussions, the class will include field trips to a variety of religious sites in central Ohio.
Prereq: English 1110 (110), or equiv. Not open to students with credit CompStd 2102.02 (202.02). GE lit and diversity global studies course.
Religious Studies 2370
Introduction to Comparative Religion
[Study of Religions (foundation); Religions and Cultures (foundation); Minor]
WeFr 11:10AM - 12:30PM I Sarah Johnston I 3 credit units I Lecture 32273
Introduction to the academic study of religion through comparison among major traditions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc.) and smaller communities.
Prereq: English 1110 (110) or equiv. Not open to students with credit for 2370H or CompStd 2370H (270H) or 2370 (270). GE cultures and ideas and diversity global studies course.
Religious Studies [Comparative Studies] 2670
Science and Religion
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural iv. Thematic, interdisciplinary iv.social/inst); Religions and Cultures]
TuTh 11:10AM - 12:30PM I Nancy Jesser I 3 credit units I Lecture 27174
A study of religious concepts and problems; the idea and nature of God, of humans, their relation to the world and human destiny.
Prereq: 6 cr hrs in Philos at or above 3000-level; or Grad standing; or permission of instructor. Not open to students with credit for 670.
Religious Studies 3671
Religions of India
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural iii.South Asia, interdisciplinary i.history, ii.texts, iv.social/inst); Religions and Cultures; Minor]
TuTh 11:10AM - 12:30PM I Hugh Urban I 3 credit units I Lecture 31783
History and structure of South Asian religions with attention to myth, ritual, art, philosophy, and social stratification. 2370 (270) recommended.
Prereq: English 1110 (110) or equiv. Not open to students with credit for CompStd 3671 (321) or RelStds 321.
Religious Studies 4878
Rites, Ritual, and Ceremony: Making Meaningful Architecture
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural iv.Thematic, interdisciplinary i.history, iv.social/inst); Religions and Cultures; Minor]
TuTh 12:45PM - 2:05PM I Lindsay Jones I 3 credit units I Lecture 31776
This special version of this course presents students two quite different possibilities:
The first option is linked to a unique initiative entitled “Cultural Landmarking: The Physical Expression of Diversity,” which will enable students to participate in the design and construction of several small-scaled, semi-permanent structures on the Ohio State campus.* Each of these structures, which will be in the range of 6’x6’x10’, is intended as a place to sit, reflect, converse, meet or simply orient oneself while navigating across this large university. These strategically placed installations, some of which should be built during the spring and summer of 2016, will represent the “One University” idea while also acknowledging and celebrating the wide cultural and religious diversity of Ohio State students. This is indeed a very rare and special opportunity for students to make a lasting impact on the physical, and thus cultural, landscape of the campus!
The second option will allow students interested in architecture, ritual and religious studies to develop a project in which they compare the sacred architectures of two (or perhaps three) different cultural contexts. That project could be, for instance a comparison between an Amazonian tribe’s longhouse and a Gothic cathedral, between two pilgrimage centers such as Banaras and Jerusalem, between two sorts of urban layouts such as the Chinese city and the Aztec city, between two sorts of celestially aligned architectures such as Stonehenge and a Maya temple, etc. This is an opportunity for students to pursue an extended study of a couple of religio-cultural contexts in which they are especially interested.
In other words, students have two quite different ways of meeting the requirements for this course:
(1) by participating in the Cultural Landmarking project, and thus designing a structure that may actually be built on the Ohio State campus; or
(2) by undertaking a thoroughgoing comparison of two examples of sacred architecture, which will result in a more conventional written paper.
In either case, the course will provide a series of readings and discussions that explore—via ample examples of sacred architectures in numerous cross-cultural contexts—the many different ways in which built forms express and support various religious and cultural perspectives. Examples will be drawn not only Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism, but also from a number of indigenous orientations including those in North and South American Indian, Mesoamerican, African, Australian and Asian contexts.
The course is open to undergraduate and graduate students. No prerequisites required. Also note that to be part of the Cultural Landmarking Project, you do not have to take this course; and to take this course this course, you do not have to be part of the Cultural Landscaping Project.
*Students interested in learning more about this course or the Cultural Landmarking Project should contact Professor Lindsay Jones in the Department of Comparative Studies (jones.70@osu.edu); Professor Jeffery Haase in the Department of Design (haase.3@osu.edu); or Professor Todd Slaughter in the Sculpture Program of the Department of Art (slaughter.1@osu.edu).
Prereq: 4877 (541), or permission of instructor. Not open to students with credit for CompStd 4878.
Religious Studies 4972
Theory and Method in the Study of Religion
[Study of Religions (foundation); Religions and Cultures (foundation); Minor]
TuTh 9:35AM - 10:55AM I Melissa Curley I 3 credit units I Lecture 17117
Survey of contemporary theories and methods used in the academic study of religion.
Prereq: 2370 (270) or 2370H (270H) or equiv. Not open to students with credit for CompStd 4972 (520).
Classics
Classics 2220
Classical Mythology
[Religions and Cultures; Minor]
MoWeFr 11:30AM - 12:25PM I Richard Fletcher I 3 credit units I Lecture16809
Personalities and attributes of the Greek and Roman gods and goddesses, their mythology and its influence on Western culture.
Prereq: Not open to students with credit for Classics 222. GE lit and diversity global studies course.
Classics 3404
Magic in the Ancient World
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural iv. Indigenous, interdisciplinary iv. soc/inst); Religions and Cultures; Minor]
TuTh 2:20 PM – 3:40 PM | Michael Swartz | 3 credit units | Lecture 32613
An introduction to the theory and practice of magic in the ancient Mediterranean, how people viewed it, and how it survived in later epochs.
Prereq: Not open to students with credit for 324. GE cultures and ideas and diversity global studies course.
Classics 3405
Christians in the Greco-Roman World
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Christianity, interdisciplinary i.history, iv.social/inst); Religions and Cultures; Minor]
TuTh 3:55PM - 5:15PM I Staff I 3 units I Lecture 27844
The origins and development of Christianity in its historical, social, and cultural context.
Prereq: Not open to students with credit for Classics 325.
Classics 3408
Ancient Roman Religion
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural iii.indigenous, interdisciplinary iv. social/inst)]
TuTh 9:35AM - 10:55AM I Fritz Graf I 3 credit units I Lecture 31345
Study of religious life and institutions in the Roman Republic and Empire, with due attention to the primary sources, in translation, and their difficulties.
GE cultures and ideas and historical study course.
Classics 5401
Methodologies for the Study of Ancient Religions
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural iii.indigenous, interdisciplinary ii.texts, iv.social/inst) Religions and Cultures; Minor]
Mo 2:15PM - 5:00PM I Michael Swartz I 3 credit units I Lecture 33356
Introduction to the methodologies and the scholars who have significantly influenced the study of ancient religion.
Prereq: Not open to students with credit for NELC 5401. Cross-listed in NELC.
Comparative Studies
Comparative Studies 4655
Studies in Ethnography
[Religions and Cultures]
TuTh 9:35AM - 10:55AM I Nada Moumtaz I 3 credit units I Lecture 27169
Explores the history, theory, and methods of ethnographic study in different contexts (e.g., religious, ethnic, occupational groups).
Prereq: English 1110 (110) or equiv. Repeatable to a maximum of 6 cr hrs.
English
English 2280
The English Bible
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Christianity, interdisciplinary ii.texts); Religions and Cultures; Minor]
TuTh 11:10AM - 12:30PM I James Fredal I 3 units I Lecture 18800
WeFr 11:10AM - 12:30PM I Staff I 3 units I Lecture 27942
The Bible in English translation, with special attention to its literary qualities, conceptual content, and development within history.
Prereq: 1110.01 (110.01) or equiv. Not open to students with credit for 2280H (280H) or 280. GE lit course.
Hebrew
Hebrew 2210
The Jewish Mystical Tradition
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Judaism, interdisciplinary ii.texts, iv.social/inst); Religions and Cultures; Minor]
TuTh 2:20PM - 3:40PM I Michael Dov Swartz I 3 credit units I Lecture 31164
The history of Jewish mysticism from antiquity to the present, with emphasis on its implications for the comparative study of religious experience.
Prereq: English 1110 (110). Not open to students with credit for 2210H (376H), 376, CompStd 2210 (376), 2210H (376H), JewshSt 2210, or 2210H. GE cultures and ideas and diversity global studies course. Cross-listed in CompStd and JewshSt.
Hebrew 2241
Culture of Contemporary Israel
[Religions and Cultures; Minor]
MoWe 12:45PM - 2:05PM I Adena Tanenbaum I 3 credit units I Lecture 32753
An introduction to the Culture of modern Israel: historical roots, socio-political institutions and developments, and literary and artistic creations reflecting the realities of contemporary Israeli society.
Prereq: Not open to students with credit for Hebrew 2241H (241H), 241, JewshSt 2242, or 2242H. GE cultures and ideas and diversity global studies course. Cross-listed in JewshSt 2242.
Hebrew 2700
Biblical and Post-Biblical Hebrew Literature in Translation
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Judaism, interdisciplinary ii.texts); Religions and Cultures; Minor]
TuTh 12:45PM - 2:05PM I Jonathan Leidheiser-Stoddard I 3 credit units I Lecture 19225
Reading and analysis of selected chapters from the Hebrew scriptures and post-biblical Hebrew writings representative of major historical, cultural, and literary trends.
Prereq: English 1110 (110). Not open to students with credit for 370, 370H, 2700H, JewshSt 2700, or JewshSt 2700H. GE lit and diversity global studies course. Cross-listed in JewshSt.
Hebrew 2700H
Biblical and Post-Biblical Hebrew Literature in Translation
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Judaism, interdisciplinary ii.texts); Religions and Cultures; Minor]
TuTh 12:45PM - 2:05PM I Daniel Frank I 3 credit units I Lecture 26941
Reading and analysis of selected chapters from the Hebrew scriptures and post-biblical Hebrew writings representative of major historical, cultural, and literary trends.
Prereq: Honors standing, and English 1110 (110); or permission of instructor. Not open to students with credit for 2700 (370), 370H, JewshSt 2700, or JewshSt 2700H. GE lit and diversity global studies course. Cross-listed in JewshSt.
Hebrew 2703
Prophecy in the Bible and Post-Biblical Literature
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Judaism, interdisciplinary ii.texts); Religions and Cultures; Minor]
WeFr 12:45PM - 2:05PM I Michael Biggerstaff I 3 credit units I Lecture 30904
The dynamics of Israelite prophecy and apocalyptic in the context of ancient Near Eastern culture.
Prereq: English 1110 (110). Not open to students with credit for 373 or JewshSt 2703. GE lit and diversity global studies course. Cross-listed in JewshSt.
Hebrew 5601
Introduction to Hebrew Literary and Cultural Texts
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Judaism, interdisciplinary ii.texts); Religions and Cultures; Minor]
MoWe 9:35AM - 10:55AM I Adena Tanenbaum I 3 credit units I Lecture 25152 (G) 25153 (UG)
Literary and cultural Hebrew texts from the biblical to the modern period; students will develop the ability to read critically and to build analytical vocabulary. In Hebrew.
Prereq: 2105, or permission of instructor. Not open to students with credit for 620 or JewshSt 5601. Cross-listed in JewshSt.
Hebrew 5602
The Bible as Literature: Selected Readings
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Judaism, interdisciplinary ii.texts); Religions and Cultures; Minor]
WeFr 2:20PM - 3:40PM I Sam Meier I 3 credit units I Lecture 19227 (G) 19230 (UG)
Critical study of basic issues in the language and analysis of biblical texts. In Hebrew.
Prereq: 2105, or permission of instructor. Repeatable to a maximum of 12 cr hrs. Cross-listed in JewshSt.
Hebrew 5603
Readings in Rabbinic Literature
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Judaism, interdisciplinary ii.texts); Religions and Cultures; Minor]
MoWe 11:10AM - 12:30PM I Lynn Kaye I 3 credit units I Lecture 30906 (UG) Lecture 30905 (G)
Study of selected texts and issues in Rabbinic literature, and discussions of the methods by which they are studied. In Hebrew.
Prereq: Permission of instructor. Repeatable to a maximum of 12 cr hrs. Cross-listed in JewshSt.
History
History 2045
History of American Religion to the Civil War
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Christianity, interdisciplinary i.history, iv.social/inst); Religions and Cultures]
TBA I TBA I 3 credit units I Lecture 31413
History of religion in America from the colonial era through the Civil War.
Prereq or concur: English 1110.xx. Not open to students with credit for 578. GE historical study course.
History 2201
Ancient Greece and Rome
[Religions and Cultures]
MoWeFr 5:20PM - 6:15PM I Peter Vanderpuy I 3 credit units I Lecture 31419
Comparative historical analysis of ancient Mediterranean civilizations of the Near East, Greece, and Rome from the Bronze Age to Fall of Rome.
Prereq or concur: English 1110.xx, or permission of instructor. Not open to students with credit for 1211 or 301. GE historical study course.
History 2211
The Ancient Near East
[Religions and Cultures]
TBA I Stephen Tadlock I 3 credit units I Lecture 31424
The ancient history of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Anatolia, Persia, Israel, and the Levant to the establishment of the Persian Empire.
Prereq or concur: English 1110.xx. Not open to students with credit for 500. GE historical study course.
History 2220
Introduction to the History of Christianity
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Christianity, interdisciplinary i.history, iv.social/inst); Religions and Cultures; Minor]
TBA I Shannon Turner I 3 credit units I Lecture 31425
Introduces students to the historical study of Christianity as a religious tradition. Sometimes this course is taught in a distance only format.
Prereq or concur: English 1110.xx, or permission of instructor. GE historical study and diversity global studies course.
History 2221 (cross-listed with Classics 2221)
Introduction to the New Testament: History and Literature
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i. Christianity, interdisciplinary i.history, ii. texts); Religions and Cultures]
WeFr 11:10AM - 12:30PM | James Harrill | 3 credit units | Lecture 33180
Introductory survey of the New Testament writings in translation, including non-canonical sources of the early Christian movement.
Prereq or concur: English 1110.xx, or permission of instructor. Not open to students with credit for Clas 2221, 2221E, 2401, or 2401E. GE for lit and historical study course.
History 2351
Early Islamic Society, 610-1258
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Islam, interdisciplinary i.history, iv.social/inst); Religions and Cultures; Minor]
TuTh 3:55PM - 5:15PM I Staff I 3 credit units I Lecture 31399
Origins and early development of selected fundamental Islamic institutions in their historical and cultural context.
Prereq or concur: English 1110.xx. Not open to students with credit for 540.01. GE historical study course.
History 2392
Colonial India
[Religions and Cultures; Minor]
TBA I Archana Venkatesh I 3 credit units I Lecture 31429
South Asia during the colonial period, from the arrival of Vasco da Gama in 1498 until independence and partition of India and Pakistan in 1947.
Prereq or concur: English 1110.xx. Not open to students with credit for 543.03. GE historical study course.
History 2451
Medieval and Early Modern Jewish History, 700-1700 CE
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Judaism, interdisciplinary i.history, iv.social/inst); Religions and Cultures; Minor]
TuTh 9:35AM – 10:55AM I Staff I 3 credit units I Lecture 31210
This course surveys nearly a thousand years of Jewish history, religion, and culture in Europe from the Islamic conquest of Spain (711 C.E.) to the rise of the Sabbtian movement in the mid-seventeenth century. Focusing on key figures and representative subjects, the lectures will seek to offer a balanced picture of the Jewish experience in the medieval and early modern periods. Special emphasis will be placed upon the evaluation and interpretation of primary sources (in translation). These texts will introduce students to the political, social, intellectual, and spiritual worlds of ancient and medieval Jewry.
Prereq or concur: English 1110.xx, or permission of instructor. Not open to students with credit for 330.01, 330.02, or JewshSt 2451. GE historical study course. Cross-listed in JewshSt.
History 3229
History of Early Christianity
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Christianity, interdisciplinary i.history, iv.social/inst); Religions and Cultures; Minor]
WeFr 12:45PM - 2:05PM I David Brakke I 3 credit units I Lecture 27027
This course surveys the history and literature of ancient Christianity from its origins as a Jewish sect in Palestine to its establishment as the official religion of the Roman Empire in the fifth century. Topics include persecution and martyrdom, scripture, Gnosticism, theological controversies over the Trinity and the nature of Christ, Constantine and the establishment of catholic orthodoxy, the rise of monasticism, and important figures such as Origen and Augustine. The course will emphasize the variety of early Christian groups and will provide a good foundation for the study of Christianity in any later period. This course is something of a sequel to History 2221 (“Introduction to the New Testament”), but no previous study of ancient history or of Christianity is assumed. The format is primarily lecture.
Assigned Readings:
Henry Chadwick, The Early Church
Bart Ehrman, ed., After the New Testament: A Reader in Early Christianity
Bart Ehrman and Andrew Jacobs, eds., Christianity in Late Antiquity, 300 – 450 C.E.: A Reader
Assignments: Two hourly tests, three short papers, and final examination.
Prereq: No prerequisites.
History 3247
Magic and Witchcraft in Early Modern Europe (1450-1750)
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Christianity, interdisciplinary i.history, iv.social/inst); Religions and Cultures]
TuTh 12:45PM - 2:05PM I Matthew Goldish I 3 credit units I Lecture 32411
Investigation of the history of European witchcraft, focusing on intellectual, religious, and social developments and on the great witchcraft trials of the early modern period. Sometimes this course is offered in a distance-only format.
Prereq: English 1110.xx and any History 2000-level course, or permission of instructor. GE historical study and diversity global studies course.
History 3304
History of Islam in Africa
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Islam, interdisciplinary i.history, iv.social/inst; Minor]
TBA I Ousman Kobo I 3 credit units I Lecture 31225
Africa from the emergence of Islam in the 600s to the Present. African contributions to Islam and the impact of Islam on African societies. Sometimes this course is offered in a distance-only format.
Prereq: English 1110.xx and any History 2000-level course, or permission of instructor. Not open to students with credit for 541.02 or AfAmASt 3304 (541). GE historical study course. Cross-listed in AfAmASt.
History 3353
Jewish Communities under Islamic Rule
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Judaism, Islam, interdisciplinary i.history, iv. social/inst); Religions and Cultures]
TuTh 9:35AM – 10:55AM I Jane Hathaway I 3 credit units I Lecture 31226
This is a lecture and discussion course focusing on the history of Jewish communities under Islamic rule from the establishment of the first Muslim state at Medina in 622 C.E. through roughly 1800. We will read a variety of primary and secondary sources related to the changing experiences of Jewish communities during these centuries, including the tensions created by the migration into Islamic lands of new Jewish populations. We will also consider the historiographical challenges of addressing the topic, notably the competing “interfaith utopia” and “neo-lachrymose” paradigms, and recent efforts to transcend the entire “tolerance vs. persecution” dichotomy. The course will culminate in the preparation of a research paper employing both primary and secondary sources.
Prereq: English 1110.xx and any History 2000-level course, or permission of instructor. GE historical study and diversity global studies course.
History 3450
History of Ancient Israel (to 300 BCE)
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Judaism, interdisciplinary i.history, iv.social/inst); Religions and Cultures; Minor]
WeFr 11:10AM - 12:30PM I Sam Meier I 3 credit units I Lecture 31228
Survey of the history and historiography of Israel from its origins to the advent of Hellenism.
Prereq: English 1110.xx, and any History 2000-level course; or permission of instructor. Not open to students with credit for 530.01 or JewshSt 3450. GE historical study course. Cross-listed in JewshSt.
History 3465
American Jewish History
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Judaism, interdisciplinary i.history, iv.social/inst); Religions and Cultures]
MoWe 9:35AM - 10:55AM I Robin Judd I 3 credit units I Lecture 31229
In 1654 twenty-three Jewish refugees fled Brazil and landed, by mistake, in New Amsterdam. More than 300 years later, an American Jew received the Democratic Party’s nomination to serve as Vice President of the United States.
This course explores topics in American Jewish history from the colonial era to the present paying special attention to the importance certain mythologies had on the construction of modern American Jewish identities. We will explore the interaction between America’s ever-growing Jewish population and the political, social, and cultural environment in which Jews found themselves. Throughout the course we will question the following: How did the relatively open American setting affect Jewish religious observance, occupational pursuits, political allegiances and family and gender roles? And how did Jews influence their new setting? One of the objectives of this course, then, will be to understand the historical contexts that shaped the construction of American Jewish identities. Because we will rely on historical texts, primary sources, films, and works of fiction to shape our conclusions, another objective of the course is to determine the place of cultural artifacts in the study of history and to improve students’ reading skills.
Prereq: English 1110.xx, and any History 2000-level course; or permission of instructor. Not open to students with credit for 530.04 or JewshSt 3465. GE historical study course. Cross-listed in JewishSt.
History of Art
History of Art 2001
Western Art I: Ancient and Medieval Worlds
[Religions and Cultures]
MoWe 9:10AM - 10:05AM I Barbara Haeger I 3 credit units I Lecture 19232
Th 9:10AM - 10:05AM I Staff I 3 credit units I Lecture 19233
Th 9:10AM - 10:05AM I Staff I 3 credit units I Lecture 19234
Th 9:10AM - 10:05AM I Staff I 3 credit units I Lecture 19235
Th 9:10AM - 10:05AM I Staff I 3 credit units I Lecture 19236
F 9:10AM - 10:05AM I Staff I 3 credit units I Lecture 19237
F 9:10AM - 10:05AM I Staff I 3 credit units I Lecture 19238
F 9:10AM - 10:05AM I Staff I 3 credit units I Lecture 19239
F 9:10AM - 10:05AM I Staff I 3 credit units I Lecture 19240
TuTh 5:30PM - 6:50PM I Staff I 3 credit units I Lecture 19241
TBA I Mark Fullerton I 3 credit units I Lecture 33151
Examination of the history of Western Art from the third millennium BCE to the fifteenth century CE.
Prereq: Not open to students with credit for 201 or 210. This course is available for EM credit. GE VPA and historical study and diversity global studies course.
History of Art 2003
The Art and Visual Culture of East Asia
[Religions and Cultures; Minor]
MoWe 11:30AM - 12:25PM I Christina Mathison I 3 credit units I Lecture 19252
Th 11:30AM - 12:25PM I Staff I 3 credit units I Lecture 19253
Fr 11:30AM - 12:25PM I Staff I 3 credit units I Lecture 19254
Fr 11:30AM - 12:25PM I Staff I 3 credit units I Lecture 32380
Th 11:30AM - 12:25PM I Staff I 3 credit units I Lecture 33136
Art of East Asian cultures from ancient through contemporary times.
Prereq: Not open to students with credit for 213 or 2003H. GE VPA and historical study and diversity global studies course.
History of Art 3521
Renaissance Art in Italy
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Christianity, interdisciplinary iii.arts); Religions and Cultures; Minor]
WeFr 12:45PM - 2:05PM I Staff I 3 credit units I Lecture 32388
Art and society in Renaissance Italy.
Prereq: Soph standing. Not open to students with credit for 315, 515, 4521 (529), or 4630 (530). GE VPA and diversity global studies course.
History of Art 4421
Medieval Art
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Christianity, interdisciplinary iii.arts); Religions and Cultures; Minor]
TuTh 12:45PM - 2:05PM I Staff I 3 credit units I Lecture 32390
Art and architecture of Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean from the 5th to the 15th centuries; focuses on visual culture of monasteries, cathedrals, and castles.
Prereq: Soph standing. Not open to students with credit for 603, 625, 651, 525. GE VPA and diversity global studies course.
History of Art 4541
17th-Century Art of Italy and Spain: Images of Faith, Power, and Artistic Virtuosity
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Christianity, interdisciplinary iii.arts)]
TuTh 11:10AM - 12:30PM I Barbara Haeger I 3 credit units I Lecture 32391
This course focuses on the major artists, monuments, and functions of visual images and architecture in Italy and Spain between 1590 and 1700. The material has been organized to explore the role of art in communicating the authority of powerful institutions and individuals, propagating religious beliefs, and stimulating piety and devotion. We will also examine issues of artistic theory and practice and the particular contributions of individual artists (e.g. Caravaggio, Bernini, Velázquez) and their followers.
This course fulfills major requirements for both History of Art and Religious Studies (Religions and Cultures).
Prereq: 2001 (201), or 2002 (202), or permission of instructor. Not open to students with credit for 523 or 631.
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Jewish Studies
Jewish Studies 2242
Culture of Contemporary Israel
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Judaism, interdisciplinary iv.social/inst); Religions and Cultures]
MoWe 12:45PM - 2:05PM I Adena Tanenbaum I 3 credit units I Lecture 32995
An introduction to the Culture of modern Israel: historical roots, socio-political institutions and developments, and literary and artistic creations reflecting the realities of contemporary Israeli society.
Prereq: Not open to students with credit for 2242H, Hebrew 2241 (241), or 2241H (241H). GE cultures and ideas and diversity global studies course. Cross-listed in Hebrew 2241.
Jewish Studies 2367
Jewish-American Voices in U.S. Literature
TuTh 11:10AM - 12:30PM I Geoffrey Algar I 3 credit units I Lecture 25708
Introduction to Jewish-American literature; development of expository writing and argumentation skills through systematic and critical reflection upon their own country from the perspective of an ethnic community.
Prereq: English 1110 (110) or equiv. Not open to students with credit for Yiddish 2367 (367). GE writing and comm course: level 2 and cultures and ideas course. Cross-listed in Yiddish.
Jewish Studies 2450
Ancient and Medieval Jewish History, 300 BCE-1100 CE
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Judaism, interdisciplinary i.history,iv.social/inst); Religions and Cultures]
TuTh 12:45PM - 2:05PM I Daniel FrankI 3 credit units I Lecture 28265
Introduction to the history of Jewish communities, religion, and culture in the Near East from the Greco-Roman period to the First Crusade.
Prereq or concur: English 1110.xx, or permission of instructor. Not open to students with credit for History 2450 (330.01). GE cultures and ideas and historical study and diversity global studies course. Cross-listed in History.
Jewish Studies 2453
History of Zionism and Modern Israel
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Judaism, interdisciplinary i.history,iv.social/inst); Religions and Cultures]
TuTh 9:35AM - 10:55AM I Alexander Kaye I 3 credit units I Lecture 28266
The history of Zionist movement and the modern state of Israel from beginnings to present.
Prereq or concur: English 1110.xx, or permission of instructor. Not open to students with credit for History 2453 (334). GE historical study course. Cross-listed in History.
Jewish Studies 2700
Biblical and Post-Biblical Hebrew Literature in Translation
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Judaism, interdisciplinary ii.texts); Religions and Cultures]
TuTh 12:45PM - 2:05PM I Jonathan Leidheiser-Stoddard I 3 credit units I Lecture 25703
Reading and analysis of selected chapters from the Hebrew scriptures and post-biblical Hebrew writings representative of major historical, cultural, and literary trends.
Prereq: English 1110 (110). Not open to students with credit for 2700H, Hebrew 2700 (270), or 2700H (370H). GE lit and diversity global studies course. Cross-listed in Hebrew.
Jewish Studies 2708
Biblical and Post-Biblical Wisdom Literature
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Judaism, interdisciplinary ii.texts); Religions and Cultures]
TuTh 11:10AM - 12:30PM I Jonathan Leidheiser-Stoddard, Sam Meier I 3 credit units I Lecture 27484
An examination of the various ideas, themes, attitudes, implications, and genres of biblical and post-biblical wisdom literature.
Prereq: English 1110 (110). Not open to students with credit for Hebrew 2708 (378). GE lit and diversity global studies. Cross-listed in Hebrew.
Jewish Studies 3371
Yiddish Literature in Translation
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Judaism, interdisciplinary ii.texts); Religions and Cultures]
WeFr 2:20PM - 3:40PM I David Miller I 3 credit units I Lecture 25709
Reading, analysis, and discussion of representative works and of the development of major movements and genres in Yiddish literature.
Prereq: Not open to students with credit for Yiddish 3371 (371). GE lit and diversity global studies. Cross-listed in Yiddish.
Jewish Studies 3455
Jewish Life from the Renaissance to the Early Enlightenment
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Judaism, interdisciplinary i.history, iv.social/inst); Religions and Cultures]
TuTh 2:20PM - 3:40PM I Matthew Goldish I 3 credit units I Lecture 28249
Life and thought of European and Mediterranean Jews in the early modern period.
Prereq: English 1110.xx, and any History 2000-level course; or permission of instructor. Not open to students with credit for History 3455 (531.02 or 531.03). GE historical study course. Cross-listed in History.
Jewish Studies 3470
Messiahs and Messianism in Jewish History
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Judaism, interdisciplinary i.history, iv.social/inst); Religions and Cultures]
TuTh 12:45PM - 2:05PM I Alexander Kaye I 3 credit units I Lecture 28250
The history of Jewish messianic ideas and of Jewish messianic leadership from ancient to modern times.
Prereq: English 1110.xx, and any History 2000-level course; or permission of instructor. Not open to students with credit for History 3470 (531.01). GE historical study course. Cross-listed in History
Jewish Studies 5602
The Bible as Literature: Selected Readings
[Religions and Cultures]
WeFr 2:20PM - 3:40PM I Sam Meier I 3 credit units I Lecture 25707 (UG) 25706 (G)
Critical study of basic issues in the language and analysis of biblical texts
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Medieval and Renaissance Studies
Medieval and Renaissance Studies 2215
Gothic Paris: 1100-1300
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Christianity, interdisciplinary iv.social/inst); Religions and Cultures; Minor]
WeFr 12:45PM - 2:05PM I Kristen M. Figg I 3 credit units I Lecture 31382
An introduction to the arts, architecture, poetry, history, music, theology, foods, fashions, and urban geography of Paris in the years 1100-1300, the age of the Gothic cathedrals and the rise of the university. Students will develop an understanding and appreciation of the main currents of medieval culture in Western Europe, learn to recognize the major characteristics of the “Gothic” style in art and architecture, study the formation of the first major Western university, examine the web of economic, commercial, political, and social forces that contribute to the growth of a major city, and read authentic primary texts that will help them gain knowledge of contemporary life and ideology. The course will require regular short quizzes, a take-home midterm, an experiential project, and a final exam.
Prereq: Not open to students with credit for Medieval 215. GE culture and ideas and diversity global studies course.
Medieval and Renaissance Studies 2618
Travel and Exploration
[Minor Only]
TuTh 11:10AM - 12:30PM I Jessica Rutherford I 3 credit units I Lecture 32409
Intercultural contact between Europe (Spain, Portugal, and other nations) and the 'New Worlds' is explored through early modern narratives of travel, conquest, shipwrecks, and captivity.
Prereq: Not open to students with credit for Medieval 218. GE culture and ideas and diversity global studies course.
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Near Eastern Languages and Cultures
Near Eastern Languages and Cultures 3502
Islamic Civilization Through the Ages
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Islam, interdisciplinary i.history, iv.social/inst); Religions and Cultures]
WeFr 9:35AM - 10:55AM I Sean Anthony I 3 credit units I Lecture 30912
Islamic civilization through the ages offers a panoramic view of the interrelated social, political, economic, religious and intellectual developments of regions of Africa and Asia where the religion of Islam has had significant historical impact.
Prereq: English 1110 (110). Not open to students with credit for 351. GE cultures and ideas and diversity global studies course.
Near Eastern Languages and Cultures 3700
Mythology of Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Indigenous, interdisciplinary ii.texts); Religions and Cultures; Minor]
TuTh 12:45PM - 2:05PM I Staff I 3 credit units I Lecture 26947
An introductory comparative survey of the mythology of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. This course is designed to provide students with a comparative overview of the mythologies of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. Its focus is the stories that were recounted as successful integrators of perceived reality in the context of these two major ancient cultures. As such, it will identify and explain basic theoretical issues involved in the analysis of myth; examine the central narratives that have been preserved from those cultures; and investigate the varied perspectives that characterize the world-views and life-concerns expressed in these texts. By reading representative selections of both primary and secondary sources, students will be exposed to both the ancient texts themselves as well as relevant contemporary scholarship.
Prereq: English 1110 (110). Not open to students with credit for 370. GE cultures and ideas and diversity global studies course.
Near Eastern Languages and Cultures 4597
Islamic Revival and Social Justice: Utopian Ideals and Lived Realities
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Islam, interdisciplinary iv.social/inst); Religions and Cultures]
TuTh 11:10AM - 12:30PM I Morgan Liu I 3 credit units I Lecture 26948
Examination of modern Islamic revival movements in selected contemporary Muslim-majority societies. Islamism is the belief that Islam should guide the political, economic, social, and cultural organization of an entire society. Especially in our world after 9/11, outsiders usually see Islamism as an extremist, or even terrorist, ideology inherently opposed to modernity and the West. But there is a wide variety of Islamists, and most of them have a constructive goal: bringing social justice to societies plagued with poverty, oppression, and corruption. Many of them value modern science, technology,economic development, and even democracy. These values often mean different things to Islamists than to those in the West, and one needs to understand what Muslims mean by these as they describe what agood society looks like in their eyes.
We will take a close look at modern Islamist movements in this Capstone course. We examine both utopian ideals (in the religious manifestos of influential Islamist leaders about society and justice), and lived realities (in ethnographies and films showing how Islamist communities actually live). We consider how and why these ideals translate to realities, or fail to do so. Do Islamists actually have a viable vision of good society for the world today founded on justice and virtue? Does their vision pose a credible alternative to the Western model founded on individual freedom, consumer capitalism, and democracy? These are some of the most urgent global questions underlying the contemporary world’s political and social dilemmas at the start of the 21st century.
Course materials include 3 ethnographic books giving an on-the-ground view of societies recently shaped by Islamism in Egypt, Turkey, and Iran (the most populous countries of the Middle East); excerpts from the writings of Islamist thinkers; analytical articles on Islamist figures and movements; newspaper articles with accounts from across the Muslim-majority world; documentary films, and fiction films.
Prereq: 4th year standing, or permission of instructor. Not open to students with credit for 597.01. GE cross-disciplinary seminar course.
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Philosophy
Philosophy 2120
Asian Philosophies
[Religions and Cultures; Minor]
MoWeFr 12:40PM - 1:35PM I Steven Brown I 3 credit units I Lecture 27599
This class will explore the main philosophical traditions that underly the cultures of India, China, Korea, Japan, and a number of other countries in south and east Asia. Specifically, we will work toward understanding some of the essential texts from Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism. However, we will not be approaching these texts merely for their historical value. We will be engaging them as potential sources of wisdom and insight into the nature of the world around us and our place within it.
Prereq: Not open to students with credit for 215. GE literature and diversity global studies course.
Philosophy 3111
Introduction to Jewish Philosophy
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural i.Judaism, interdisciplinary ii.texts); Religions and Cultures; Minor]
TuTh 3:55PM - 5:15PM I Stewart Shapiro I 3 credit units I Lecture 31543
This is a general introduction to major figures, thoughts, and movements in ancient, medieval, and contemporary Jewish philosophy. After a brief introduction to Judaism, we will take up Philo Judaeus, from the ancient world, Moses Maimonides, from the medieval period, and Joseph Soloveitchik, from the present. If time permits, we will cover some of the early literature on Zionism.
Evaluation will be based on a series of short essays, group discussions, class participation, a term paper, and a take home essay-type final examination.
GE for culture and ideas course
Prereq: Not open to students with credit for 321 or JewshSt 3111. Cross-listed in JewshSt.
Philosophy 5850
Philosophy of Religion
[Study of Religions (cross-cultural iv.Thematic, interdisciplinary iv.social/inst); Religions and Cultures; Minor]
WeFr 11:10AM - 12:30PM I Tamar Rudavsky I 3 credit units I Lecture (UG) 31592 (G) 31593
An in-depth analysis of the interrelated cluster of problems surrounding the problem of evil, as seen through the perspective of divine omniscience and human freedom. Readings will be chosen from both classical and contemporary sources, from both the analytic and continental traditions.
Requirements: midterm exam, final exam and term paper.
Prereq: 6 cr hrs in Philos at or above 3000-level; or Grad standing; or permission of instructor. Not open to students with credit for 670.
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Spring 2016 Major/Minor Courses
These Courses Count towards the Religious Studies Major for Spring 2016 Only
Anthropology 3434
Archaeology of the Holy Land
TuTh 9:35AM - 10:55AM I Joy McCorriston I 3 credit units I Lecture 32922
This course considers the relationship between archaeology and text, using (religious) texts that incorporate historical narratives. Qur’an appeared and was accepted in a historical and cultural context of which there are significant archaeological remains, and their inclusion in this course will underscore the multi-cultural and multi-ethnic complexity of the ancient Near East, as well as the influences of these cultural and ethnic groups upon one another.
The Hebrew Bible, also known as the Old Testament, is deeply based in the cultures of the Ancient Near East (4th millennium to about 332 BCE), although even this time range has been challenged; some parts and editing phases are surely later. This is the time of the Amorite and Canaanite civilizations, replaced by the national kingdoms of the Iron Age. From Israel and Judah, two of these kingdoms, the Hebrew Bible sources arose. But how, and to what extent, can we deduct the history of these societies from the Hebrew Bible? How can archaeology help us, and what was the role of the Bible in the history of research? What, if they existed at all, was the actual background of the Patriarchs? Did the Exodus from Egypt ever occur? Did Joshua conquer the Promised Land? How did Israel and Judah emerge, and what were their real histories, cultures and religions? And finally how did Judaism and Monotheism emerge from this background? All these are complex issues, providing intellectual challenge to the students of all levels, and an opportunity to exercise critical thinking based on archaeological finds, as well on primary and secondary written sources.
The New Testament and related sources (Apocrypha, The Dead Sea Sect Scriptures, and various classical sources) belong to the Roman period, raising other kinds of questions. What did the Holy Land look like in the time of Jesus Christ and early Christianity? What were the social background and ideological trends in the period? Now that we better know Jerusalem, the Temple, and the whole Holy Land in the time of the New Testament, archaeologists can better address these questions.
Finally, some of the greatest sites of archaeological tourism today belonged to societies associated with Qur’an (e.g., Petra, Islamic Jerusalem, Damascus, Arabian cities of the Caravan Kingdoms). By including a broad range of archaeological cultures with ideological stakes in the Holy Land, this course will challenge students to evaluate the cultural phenomena that are Bible and Qur’an in their historical and political context.
Taught without presumption of religious or archaeological background, this course is equally appropriate for students considering archaeology, history, Near Eastern Studies, or anthropology as a potential major, newly declared majors, and students who may never take another class in anthropology, archaeology, history, or religious studies.
GE Cultures and Ideas course
English 5194
Group Studies: Job and the Problem of Innocent Suffering
TuTh 2:20PM-3:40PM I Hannibal Hamlin I 3 credit units I Lecture 32709
Why do the innocent suffer? Why do the wicked prosper? These questions are on all our minds after the recent tragic events in Paris and Beirut, school shootings across the U.S., and natural but no less terrifying disasters from fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, and simple hunger. Yet people have cried out in the same way for thousands of years. Some 2500 years ago the biblical Book of Job raised questions of innocent suffering and cosmic injustice that have troubled Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist and other writers and thinkers ever since. A new undergraduate course, open to everyone with English 1110 or the equivalent, will join this group. We’ll read and discuss Job and the writings of those who have tried to understand it, including scholars and theologians from a variety of faiths, from Moses Maimonides and John Calvin to Carl Jung, G.K. Chesterton, and René Girard. Creative artists who have rewritten and adapted Job or alluded to it in novels, plays, poems, artworks, and films include Shakespeare, Oliver Goldsmith, William Blake, Franz Kafka, Robert Frost, Elie Wiesel, Muriel Spark, and Terrence Malick.
History 4212
Readings in Late Antiquity: Early Christian Apocrypha
TuTh 2:20PM – 3:40PM I David Brakke I 3 credit units I Seminar 31233
This seminar will consider the gospels about Jesus and legends (“acts”) of apostles that Christians wrote in the first four centuries of their movement (up to 400 C.E.) and that did not make it into the New Testament. What can the historian learn from these works? What ideas about Jesus, sin and salvation, the Christian movement, and the Roman world do these writings express? We will read a variety of scholarly works to see how historians answer such questions. As a group we will consider some representative texts, most likely the Gospel According to Thomas, the Infancy Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Mary, and the Acts of Paul. Individual students will then choose another apocryphal gospel or apostolic acts, and write a paper that summarizes and evaluates the scholarship concerning it.
Assigned Readings
Bart Ehrman, Lost Scriptures: Books That Did Not Make Into the New Testament
Tony Burke, Secret Scriptures Revealed: A New Introduction to the Christian Apocrypha
Karen King, The Gospel of Mary of Magdala: Jesus and the First Woman Apostle
Christopher Skinner, What Are They Saying about the Gospel of Thomas?
Dennis Ronald MacDonald, The Legend and the Apostle: The Battle for Paul in Story and Canon
Additional short readings on Carmen
Assignments
3-5 précis of articles, a library exercise, a book review, and a 12-15 page final paper.
Prerequisites and Special Comments
This course fulfills the READINGS seminar requirement for History majors.
Spring 2016 General Interest Courses in Religious Studies
(Not for major or minor credit)
Comparative Studies 2367.07
Religious Diversity in America
MoWeFr 8:00 AM – 8:55 AM | Staff | 3 credit units | Lecture 17136
WeFr 11:10 AM – 12:35 PM | Staff | 3 credit units | Lecture 17137
MoWeFr 1:50 PM – 2:45 PM | Staff | 3 credit units | Lecture 25148
Exploration of the concept of religious freedom and the position of minority religious groups in American society.
Prereq: English 1110 (110) or equiv and Soph standing. Not open to students with credit for 367.03. GE writing and comm: level 2 and cultures and ideas and diversity soc div in the US course.
History 8210
Graduate Research Seminar in Ancient History – Hagiography and History
TBA | David Brakke | 1 - 6 credit units | Seminar 27199
This seminar will consider the problems and possibilities of using the lives of saints, martyrs, or other holy persons in historical research. We will read influential works in the study of hagiography as well as milestone texts in the development of the genre, such as the Martyrdom of Polycarp, the Martyrdom of Perpetua and Felicitas, the Life of Antony, and the Lives of Simeon the Stylite. Our primary focus will be on the origins of hagiography in the late ancient period of Christianity (and “paganism”), but we will give some attention to developments in hagiography in the medieval West and Byzantine East. Students will produce a major research paper based on study of the primary sources in their original language.
Contact Professor Brakke (.2) if you wish to enroll.
Assigned Readings (incomplete):
Patricia Cox, Biography in Late Antiquity
Hippolyte Delehaye, The Legends of the Saints: An Introduction to Hagiography
Norman Baynes, Byzantine Studies and Other Essays (selections)
Evelyn Patlagean, “Ancient Byzantine Hagiography and Social History”
Peter Brown, “The Rise and Function of the Holy Man in Late Antiquity”
Assignments:
Regular participation, one book review, and a research paper.
Prerequisites and Special Comments:
Graduate standing with experience in pre-modern history; intermediate ability in Greek or Latin.
Philosophy 1850
Introduction to Philosophy of Religion
MoWeFr 10:20 AM – 11:15 AM | Staff | 3 credit units | Lecture 22310
A philosophical analysis of the nature of religion and the foundations of religious belief.
Prereq: Not open to students with credit for 270. GE cultures and ideas course.
Religious Studies 3680
Religion and Law in Comparative Perspective
TuTh 9:35 AM – 10:55 AM | Alexander Kaye and Isaac Weiner | 3 credit units | Lecture 31784 (RELSTDS), 31230 (HISTORY)
Comparative, interdisciplinary approach to studying religion and law. Drawing on concrete cases, historical studies, and theoretical literature, the course explores how the relationship between religion and law has been configured differently in different liberal democracies, such as the U.S., France, and Israel, and what this might mean for contemporary debates. Team-taught w/ faculty in History.
Prereq: Not open to students with credit for History 3680. GE historical study and diversity global studies course. Cross-listed as History 3680.