Religion (REL)

REL 1000. Dean's Seminar. 3 Credits.

The Dean’s Seminars provide Columbian College first-year students focused scholarship on specific intellectual challenges. Topics vary by semester; see department for more details.

REL 1003. Introduction to World Religions. 3 Credits.

Introduction to the major religions of the world: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism. Examination of the central aspects of these religions including the doctrinal, ethical, ritual, experiential, and social dimensions. Exploration of similarities and differences between these religious traditions.

REL 1009. The Hebrew Scriptures. 3 Credits.

The literature, history, and religious thought represented by the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament). Continuities and contrasts between Israel and the ancient Near East are considered through study of the world view, oral and literary tradition, main religious ideas, and chief figures and movements of the biblical literature.

REL 1010. The New Testament. 3 Credits.

Literature and history of earliest Christianity in the setting of the religious movements of the Greco-Roman world and developments within Judaism. The meaning of the earliest Christian proclamation about the significance of the life, teaching, and death of Jesus of Nazareth becomes the basis for tracing the formation and expansion of the Christian movement.

REL 1010W. The New Testament. 3 Credits.

Literature and history of earliest Christianity in the setting of the religious movements of the Greco-Roman world and developments within Judaism. The meaning of the earliest Christian proclamation about the significance of the life, teaching, and death of Jesus of Nazareth becomes the basis for tracing the formation and expansion of the Christian movement. Includes a significant engagement in writing as a form of critical inquiry and scholarly expression to satisfy the WID requirement.

REL 1099. Variable Topics. 1-36 Credits.

REL 2165. The Gospels. 3 Credits.

Study of the four canonical gospels (traditionally those of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) in terms of each presenting a distinct literary portrait of Jesus of Nazareth and each being the product of a religious community that shared at least some beliefs and practices with surrounding “pagan” and Jewish communities.

REL 2169. Lost Gospels. 3 Credits.

Examination of some of the gospels not included in the Christian canon. These include, among others, Q, the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Mary, and the Gospel of Judas. These lost gospels provide a fresh perspective on the development and diversity of early Christianity.

REL 2201. Judaism. 3 Credits.

A survey of Jewish thought and practice from the biblical to the modern period; introduction to the Hebrew Bible, rabbinic Judaism, Jewish philosophy and mysticism, Judaism in the modern period; an examination of the central rituals in Judaism, including Sabbath, dietary laws, and major festivals.

REL 2211. Rabbinic Thought and Literature. 3 Credits.

The thought-world of rabbinic Judaism in its formative period, 100 to 500 CE, through a close reading of primary texts in translation selected from Mishnah, Talmud, and Midrash. Topics include Oral Torah, the mechanics of rabbinic law, conceptions of God, views on suffering. The influence of rabbinic Judaism on modern Jewish ethics and thought.

REL 2301. Christianity. 3 Credits.

Typical themes, patterns, and points of diversity within the Christian religion; commonly shared and contested features and complex relationship with broader culture.

REL 2314. Contemporary Philosophy of Religion. 3 Credits.

The arguments of major figures in contemporary schools of thought within the philosophy of religion, including analytic, continental, deconstructionist, and process philosophy.

REL 2401. Islam. 3 Credits.

Islam as both a religion and a civilization. The basic Islamic beliefs and practices: the Qur’an, Hadith, and Islamic intellectual legacy; and the history of Islam from 632 to the present with particular attention to its encounter with the West.

REL 2501. Hinduism. 3 Credits.

Study of continuity and change in Hinduism, with emphasis on historical development and the consolidating features of the religion. Attention to relations between classical and popular living forms.

REL 2506. Religion, Myth, and Magic. 3 Credits.

Theories of religion developed by anthropologists; survey of world religions with emphasis on non-Western societies; religious processes and change. (Same as ANTH 2506)

REL 2562. Mythologies of India. 3 Credits.

The lore of Indian gods (Vedic, Puranic), heroes (epics), and holy men (Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, Tantric); ties with Indian art, caste, cult, cosmology, and spiritual ideals.

REL 2601. Buddhism. 3 Credits.

Consideration of the Buddhist tradition both thematically and historically, focusing on topics such as Buddhist doctrine, meditation, and rituals. The lived tradition in the pre-modern and modern periods.

REL 2802. Introduction to Chinese Religions. 3 Credits.

General introduction to Chinese religions focusing on religious doctrines and institutions; religious practices, including ancestor worship, family and communal rituals, spirit possession, fengshui theories, pilgrimage, popular worship of ghosts and gods. (Same as EALL 2802)

REL 2811. Confucian Literature in East Asia. 3 Credits.

Introduction to Confucian literature in China and other parts of East Asia, from its beginnings to the present day. The various historical, philosophical, and religious dimensions of Confucian texts and practices; the role of Confucianism in the formation and development of Chinese and East Asian political systems, family systems, and gender relationships; recent intellectual debates on Confucianism in East Asia. (Same as EALL 3811, EALL 6811)

REL 2814. Religion and Philosophy in East Asia. 3 Credits.

Historical introduction to the major religious and philosophical traditions in China, Japan, and Korea, with focuses on ancestor worship, shamanistic cults, Confucianism, Buddhism, Daoism, and Shinto. The interactions of common East Asian religious and philosophical traditions how these traditions evolved over time, and the way each cultures assimilates foreign elements. How the very ideas of religion and philosophy are formulated and practiced differently in East Asia from those in the Western tradition. (Same as EALL 3814, REL 3814)

REL 2831. Introduction to Daoism. 3 Credits.

A general introduction to the Daoist tradition from the antiquity to contemporary times, through reading major Daoist classics, scriptures, poems, novels, and examining Daoist material cultures and bodily cultivation techniques. Those who take it for graduate credit will have extra assignments. (Same as EALL 3831, EALL 6831)

REL 2921. The Religions Wage Peace. 3 Credits.

Resources in various world religions that contribute to peacemaking in interpersonal relations and in domestic and international politics. Consideration of ways in which religions contribute to intolerance and violence. Case-based approach to religions as related to peace and conflict resolution.

REL 2922. Ethics and World Religions. 3 Credits.

Modern concepts of ethics and their relation to major world religions, religion as stimulus and barrier to moral change, and modern moral issues ranging from bioethics to war.

REL 2945. Psychological Study of Spirituality. 3 Credits.

The complex interrelationship between psychology and spirituality: health and wellness; development of a spiritual life; psychological factors involved in spirituality; therapy and multicultural issues. Formerly REL 3945. Recommended background: Prior completion of a religion (REL) course. Same As: PSYC 2945.

REL 2981. Women in Western Religion. 3 Credits.

Historical, theological, and ethical investigation of the image and role of women in Judaism and Christianity; special consideration of the Biblical experience, the sexual qualifications for religious office, use of male and female images and languages, and contemporary issues. Same as WSTU 3981.

REL 2990. Selected Topics. 3 Credits.

Topics vary by semester. May be repeated for credit provided the topic differs. Consult the Schedule of Classes for more details.

REL 3099. Variable Topics. 1-12 Credits.

REL 3141. Second Temple/Hellenistic Judaism. 3 Credits.

History of Judaism from the time of Ezra through the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE—canonization of the Pentateuch, Hellenism, Maccabean revolt, growth of sectarian movements, Herod, ferment against Rome in context of Eastern and Western political currents. Use of primary sources, especially the Bible, Josephus, and noncanonical writings.

REL 3151. The Historical Jesus. 3 Credits.

Comprehensive study of the life and teachings of Jesus with critical attention to sources. Quest for the historical Jesus. Same As: REL 3151W.

REL 3151W. The Historical Jesus. 3 Credits.

Comprehensive study of the life and teachings of Jesus with critical attention to sources. Quest for the historical Jesus. Includes a significant engagement in writing as a form of critical inquiry and scholarly expression to satisfy the WID requirement. Same As: REL 3151.

REL 3161. The Life and Thought of Paul. 3 Credits.

Backgrounds of early Christianity, first-century religious and social conditions affecting the spread of Christianity, the life and journeys of Paul, Paul’s presentation of the Christian faith.

REL 3161W. The Life and Thought of Paul. 3 Credits.

Backgrounds of early Christianity, first-century religious and social conditions affecting the spread of Christianity, the life and journeys of Paul, Paul’s presentation of the Christian faith. Includes a significant engagement in writing as a form of critical inquiry and scholarly expression to satisfy the WID requirement.

REL 3221. Issues in Jewish Ethics. 3 Credits.

Exploration of current debates about major ethical issues among Jewish thinkers in the Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform denominations; issues in bioethics, feminism, attitudes towards non-Jews, social action, the ethics of war.

REL 3291. Modern Jewish Thought. 3 Credits.

Jewish thought from 1800 to the present through an exploration of six preeminent Jewish theologians: Moses Mendelssohn, Hermann Cohen, Martin Buber, A.J. Heschel, J.B. Soloveitchik, and Mordecai Kaplan. The relationship between these thinkers and the major Jewish denominations: Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, and Reconstructionist.

REL 3310. Apocalypse and Social Change. 3 Credits.

Investigation of typical ideas, patterns, and areas of social engagement associated with the genre of religious literature known as apocalypse. Why and how diverse groups within Jewish, Christian, and Muslim traditions crafted apocalypses that have shaped cultures across the globe from past to present.

REL 3321. Christian Ethics and Modern Society. 3 Credits.

Nature and principles of Christian life as developed by the Christian community; problems of personal conduct; application to various social institutions.

REL 3341. Christianity in the Ancient World. 3 Credits.

Rise and development of Christianity in relation to the culture, philosophy, mystery religions, and general religious life of the Greco-Roman world to A.D. 500.

REL 3342. Medieval Faith and Symbolism. 3 Credits.

Christian life and thought in the Middle Ages; mystics, saints, popes, and philosophers.

REL 3343. Religion in the Renaissance and Reformation. 3 Credits.

Transformation of the Western understanding of human identity and destiny from the end of the Middle Ages to the Age of Reason.

REL 3344. Christianity in the Modern World. 3 Credits.

Changes in Christian life and thought since 1700, as seen in theology, literature, political life, and religious institutions.

REL 3405. Shi'ite Islam. 3 Credits.

This course examines the emergence and development of Shi'ism as a branch of Islamic orthodoxy with particular emphasis on its doctrine, practices, theology, the law, politics, and the geographical and political context within which a distince Shi'i identity developed.

REL 3414. Islamic Philosophy and Theology. 3 Credits.

Major schools of Islamic philosophy and theology considered in morphological and historical contexts. Relation between revelation and reason, determination and free will, and divine and human knowledge, and among science, philosophy, and religion. Recommended background: REL 2401 or basic knowledge of Islam. Same As: REL 6414.

REL 3419. Islamic Civilization and the West. 3 Credits.

Interaction between Islamic and Western civilization during the past fourteen centuries. Christian contact with and development of views about Islam; formation of Islamic civilization and the influence of Islamic ideas upon the West; encroachment upon and subsequent colonization of the Islamic world by the West; the spread of Western ideas among Muslims; and Islamic responses to the advent of modernism coming from the West. Present day relations.

REL 3425. Islamic Political Thought. 3 Credits.

Islamic political thought from inception during the lifetime of the Prophet to its elaboration and expansion by philosophers, theologians and political theorists and its encounter with political thought from the Western world in the modern period. Same As: REL 6425.

REL 3431. Sufism/Islamic Mysticism. 3 Credits.

The foundation of Sufism in the Quranic revelation, its subsequent development, and its significance within Islamic civilization. Same As: REL 6431.

REL 3432. Persian Sufi Literature East and West. 3 Credits.

The teachings of Sufism as reflected in the history of Persian Sufi literature. The influence of that literature on literary figures outside of the Islamic world, especially in the West, but also in India and China, from the 18th to the 20th centuries.

REL 3475. Islamic Religion and Art. 3 Credits.

Investigation of major forms of Islamic art, such as calligraphy, architecture, and urban design. Quranic chanting, poetry, and music in relation to the principles of Islamic revelation. Same As: REL 6475.

REL 3481. Women in Islam. 3 Credits.

The ways in which Islam has articulated gender identity and male–female relationships, and conversely, how women have constructed, interpreted, and articulated Islam and their places within it. (Same as WGSS 3481)

REL 3482. Gender and Piety in Islam. 3 Credits.

Issues related to gender, sainthood, and piety in Islam. Reading of classical primary texts and historical, ethnographic, and philosophical works. Focus on mysticism and metaphysics in Sufi and Shi’i traditions. Final projects are creative or research oriented.

REL 3566. Dharma in Hinduism and Buddhism. 3 Credits.

Development of working definitions of dharma as it is used in law, religion, ethics, and narrative in Buddhist and Brahmanical/Hindu texts of India’s classical period.

REL 3612. Buddhist Ethics. 3 Credits.

Introduction to basic concepts in Buddhist ethics. Exploration of the unique landscape of Buddhist moral psychology. Analysis of the moral thought of leading contemporary Buddhists Thich Nhat Hanh and the Dalai Lama. Prerequisites: .

REL 3614. Buddhist Philosophy. 3 Credits.

Development of working definitions of dharma as it is used in law, religion, ethics, and narrative in Buddhist and Brahmanical/Hindu texts of India’s classical period.

REL 3615. Buddhist Contemplative Traditions in Theory and Practice. 3 Credits.

Exploration of Buddhist meditation. The meditation movement in the West and the emerging science of meditation. Includes discussion of and practicing different styles of Buddhist meditation.

REL 3666. The Book of Revelation and Other Apocalypses. 3 Credits.

Examination of the Book of Revelation in its original historical context. This includes investigation of the origins of apocalyptic thought within Judaism and comparison of the Book of Revelation with other apocalypses such as Daniel, 1 Enoch, and 4 Ezra.

REL 3701. Religion in the United States. 3 Credits.

Growth of religious groups and institutions in relation to American culture, development of religious thought, and analysis of the contemporary religious scene.

REL 3711. Religion in Contemporary America. 3 Credits.

Trends and currents in American religion in the past fifty years. The nature and meaning of religious pluralism in the United States.

REL 3711W. Religion in Contemporary America. 3 Credits.

Trends and currents in American religion in the past fifty years. The nature and meaning of religious pluralism in the United States. Includes a significant engagement in writing as a form of critical inquiry and scholarly expression to satisfy the WID requirement.

REL 3756. Christianity and Islam in East Asia. 3 Credits.

Introduction to the historical and contemporary state of Christianity and Islam in East Asia. Explores these two religions with critical issues of secularism and modernity, ethnicity and nation-state, and global politics. Same as: IAFF 3756.

REL 3814W. Religion and Philosophy in East Asia. 3 Credits.

General introduction to the religions and philosophical tradition of China, Japan, and Korea. Includes a significant engagement in writing as a form of critical inquiry and scholarly expression to satisfy the WID requirement. (Same as EALL 3814)

REL 3831W. Daoism in East Asia. 3 Credits.

Study of the early history of the formation and development of Daoism, its growth into an institutionalized religious organization in China, and its role in the religious and philosophical history of Japan and Korea. Includes a significant engagement in writing as a form of critical inquiry and scholarly expression to satisfy the WID requirement. (Same as EALL 3831)

REL 3832. Myth, Ritual, and Popular Religion in China. 3 Credits.

Key aspects of popular religious myths, symbols, rituals, and practices in China, such as ancestor worship, spirit possession, fengshui theories, and pilgrimage. Same As: EALL 3832.

REL 3841. Religion and Politics in China. 3 Credits.

The changes, destructions, and reconstructions of Chinese religions from the late nineteenth century to the present. The relationship between the (re)making of Chinese religions and the making of a modern Chinese nation state. Same As: CHIN 3841.

REL 3881. Women, Gender, and Religion in China. 3 Credits.

Historical introduction to women and men as gendered subjects and the construction of gender and power in Chinese religions. May be taken for graduate credit with extra work assigned. Same as EALL 3881/WGSS 3811. (Same as EALL 3881, WGSS 3881)

REL 3901. Thinking About Religion: Classic and Contemporary Approaches. 3 Credits.

Analysis of different ways in which religious phenomena can be approached. Readings and discussion of some of the epoch-making books in the development of the study of religion.

REL 3910. Perennial Philosophy. 3 Credits.

The meaning of the concept of 'perennial philosophy' as understood by various scholars of thought throughout Eastern and Western history, including its contemporary significance. Perennial philosophy as it concerns the nature of the 'divine reality,' the human state, the cosmos, the arts, and relations between religions.

REL 3912. Religion and Science. 3 Credits.

The relationship between religion and science globally and over time. Egypt, Greece, the Far East, India, and the Islamic world; the West during the Renaissance, with a focus on alchemy and the hermetical tradition; and the Scientific Revolution in the 17th century and biological revolution in the 19th century. Issues and various currents of thought in the contemporary world.

REL 3915. Islam and Hinduism in South Asia. 3 Credits.

Investigation of the historical development and contemporary practice of Islam in South Asia (India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan). Particular attention to devotional traditions within Sufism and Bhakti Hinduism.

REL 3923. Violence and Peace in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. 3 Credits.

Historical analysis of the violent and peaceful dimensions of the three Abrahamic faiths, with focus on the relationship of the scriptures of each of the three traditions to the later interpretations that supported both violent and peaceful readings of those texts.

REL 3930. Mysticism East and West. 3 Credits.

Mysticism and its various meanings in Eastern and Western religious and spiritual traditions. Comparative study of major figures and works. What schools of mysticism teach about the nature of God and the world and the human state. The rapport between mysticism and various forms of sacred and traditional art.

REL 3931. Interfaith Dialogue in World Religions. 3 Credits.

Comparison of certain families of religions and the doctrinal debates in which they have engaged, including Hindu–Buddhist, inter-Hindu, inter-Buddhist, Buddhist–Confucian, Jewish–Christian, inter-Christian (Catholic–Protestant), Christian–Islamic, and inter-Islamic debates.

REL 3989. The Goddess in India and Beyond. 3 Credits.

The goddess traditions of Hinduism, with some attention to goddess traditions in the ancient Near East and the Mediterranean. Classical Sanskritic, Tantric, and popular expressions of Hindu goddess worship. Comparative studies and issues of gender.

REL 3990. Selected Topics in Religion. 3 Credits.

Critical examination of religious phenomena rendered timely by current events or special resources. Topic announced in the Schedule of Classes. May be repeated for credit provided the topic differs.

REL 3990W. Selected Topics in Religion. 3 Credits.

Critical examination of religious phenomena rendered timely by current events or special resources. Topic announced in the Schedule of Classes. May be repeated for credit provided the topic differs. Includes a significant engagement in writing as a form of critical inquiry and scholarly expression to satisfy the WID requirement.

REL 3999. Readings and Research. 2-3 Credits.

REL 4101W. Senior Capstone Seminar. 3 Credits.

Required of religion majors. Students refine and consolidate what they have learned over the course of their studies. Includes a significant engagement in writing as a form of critical inquiry and scholarly expression to satisfy the WID requirement.

REL 4191W. Senior Honors Thesis. 3 Credits.

Includes a significant engagement in writing as a form of critical inquiry and scholarly expression to satisfy the WID requirement.

REL 5099. Variable Topics. 1-99 Credits.

REL 5701. Selected Topics. 4 Credits.

REL 6201. Special Topics in Religion. 3 Credits.

May be repeated for credit provided the topic differs.

REL 6401. Islamic Historiographies. 3 Credits.

Muslim historiographic traditions from the 7th to 15th centuries, including what they looked like and how they developed; the development of scholarly methods used to evaluate the source materials for these traditions in the formative and classical periods ofIslam; key developments in postclassical, non-Arabic Muslim historiographic traditions in the Indian Subcontinent, Ottoman Turkey, and the Persian lands.

REL 6402. Qur'an and Hadith. 3 Credits.

The structure, major themes, and literary aspects of the twin sources of Islam. Commentaries written by Muslim scholars and their part in spreading the teachings of the sacred book of Islam. The general principle elements of Islamic theology, law, politics, ethics, philosophy, and art and architecture. The science of Hadith, its types, its relation to the Qur'an, and methods used for authentication of the sayings of the Prophet. The historical role of the Qur'an and Hadith both in classical as well as modem period with particular emphasis on its part in forming Muslim perception of society, history, and politics.

REL 6412. Shi'i Thought. 3 Credits.

Introduction to Shi'i Islam, with a particular focus on the integration of textual, rational, polemical, and philosophical sources in the development of the fundamental doctrines of Twelver, Isma’ili, and Zaydi (Imami) Shi'ism. Restricted to MA students in Islamic Studies.

REL 6413. Philosophy and Mysticism in the Shi'i World. 3 Credits.

Major figures and concepts in philosophy and mysticism in the Shi'i world, including Sufism and the ‘irfān tradition, with a focus on ethics. Parallel phenomena in Judaism and Christianity. Restricted to students in the MA in Islamic studies program.

REL 6414. Islamic Philosophy and Theology. 3 Credits.

Major schools of Islamic philosophy and theology considered in morphological and historical contexts. Relation between revelation and reason, determination and free will, and divine and human knowledge, and among science, philosophy, and religion. Recommended background: REL 2401 or basic knowledge of Islam. Same As: REL 3414.

REL 6420. Shi'i Political Thought. 3 Credits.

Survey of contemporary Twelver Shi‘i political thought, focusing on scholars from Lebanon, Iraq, and Iran, during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Restricted to students in the MA in Islamic studies program.

REL 6425. Islamic Political Thought. 3 Credits.

Islamic political thought from inception during the lifetime of the Prophet to its elaboration and expansion by philosophers, theologians and political theorists and its encounter with political thought from the Western world in the modern period. Same As: REL 3425.

REL 6431. Sufism/Islamic Mysticism. 3 Credits.

The foundation of Sufism in the Quranic revelation, its subsequent development, and its significance within Islamic civilization. Same As: REL 3431.

REL 6441. Islamic Law. 3 Credits.

Islamic positive law in the contemporary context. The family law of Islam (marriage, dowry, custody, guardianship and various forms of divorce); the law of inheritance and public trust (waqf) as two selected topics of Islamic private law. Examination of theories of jihad and siyar in the contemporary context of nation-state systems of international relationships. Islamic rituals ('ibadat) whose spirituality prevails the totality of the Islamic set of laws and regulations.

REL 6442. Principles of Shi'i Jurisprudence. 3 Credits.

Islamic legal theory in the Shi‘i tradition. Topics include sources of Shi'i law; resolving contradictory reports from divinely-inspired sources; authentic vs. inauthentic evidence; distinguishing which actions are obligatory, forbidden, and permissible; and parallels with secular legal systems. Restricted to students in the MA in Islamic studies program.

REL 6460. Topics in the Study of Islam. 3 Credits.

Study of topics in Islam, as selected by the instructor, that may include philosophy, theology, mysticism, law, and/or literature. Prerequisites: A course on Islam or permission of the instructor.

REL 6461. Topics in Islamic Thought. 3 Credits.

Perennial major issues in Islamic theology, philosophy, and Sufism such as Divine Unity, prophetology, eschatology, religious knowledge, sacred law, and ethics. Prerequisites: A course on Islam or permission of the instructor.

REL 6475. Islamic Religion and Art. 3 Credits.

Investigation of major forms of Islamic art, such as calligraphy, architecture, and urban design. Quranic chanting, poetry, and music in relation to the principles of Islamic revelation. Same As: REL 3475.

REL 6481. Global Islamic Feminisms. 3 Credits.

History and current trajectory of Islamic feminism, beginning with various debates over understandings of its meanings and manifestations. Introduction to multidisciplinary methods of analysis for national and global contexts. Recommended background: Previous knowledge of or coursework in Islam.

REL 6511. Currents of Modern Hinduism. 3 Credits.

Hinduism since the early seventeenth century. Colonialism, the impact of missionaries, orientalism, reform, relations between Brahmanical and popular Hinduism, Sanskritic and vernacular traditions, regionalism, communalism, nationalism, fundamentalism, politicized “syndicated” Hinduism, and secularism.

REL 6557. India's Great Epics. 3 Credits.

The Mahabharata and the Ramayana are treated in alternate offerings of the course. These founding epic texts of devotional (bhakti) Hinduism are taught in English translation. Vernacular and performative versions of the epics and Western adaptations.

REL 6771. American Religion to 1830. 3 Credits.

Religious thought and life during the Colonial and early National periods.

REL 6773. American Religion Since 1830. 3 Credits.

Religious thought and life from the Civil War to the present.

REL 6831. Introduction to Daoism. 3 Credits.

A general introduction to the Daoist tradition from the antiquity to contemporary times, through reading major Daoist classics, scriptures, poems, novels, and examining Daoist material cultures and bodily cultivation techniques. Students taking the course for graduate credit must complete additional work. (Same as EALL 3831W, EALL 6831, REL 3831W)

REL 6901. Thinking about Religion: Classic and Contemporary Approaches. 3 Credits.

Analysis of different ways in which religious phenomena can be approached. Readings and discussion of some of the epoch-making books in the development of the study of religion.

REL 6911. Myth, Ritual, and Language. 3 Credits.

Method and theory in the interpretation of myth and narrative, ritual and sacrifice, and symbolism, with primary reference to the history of religions.

REL 6997. Readings and Research. 2-3 Credits.

Investigation of special problems.

REL 6999. Thesis Research. 3,6 Credits.

Development of a thesis project and accompanying research.