Introduction to Religion Why is religion a significant element in human life and affairs? What roles does religion play in the lives of individuals and communities? And what is religion anyway? Drawing on Western and Asian traditions, we will take a comparative approach to these questions,  examining how religious traditions can differ and converge. Throughout the course, we will introduce the basic vocabulary and analytical tools of the academic study of religion. We will also consider how both scholars and practitioners make sense of religion and debate its role in societies past and present.

Buddhist Traditions in India An introduction to the development of Indian Buddhist thought, practice, and institutions. The course will begin with an examination of the life of the Buddha and the formation of the early tradition. It will then explore developments from early Nikaya Buddhism, through the rise of the Mahayana, and culminating in Tantric Buddhism. Attention will be given throughout to parallel evolutions of doctrine, practice, and the path to Nirvana.

The Buddhist Tradition Buddhists “take refuge in the three jewels”: the Buddha, his teachings, and the community he founded. After a grounding in the context and content of early Buddhism, we will use texts and images to explore these three categories and what they have meant to Buddhists in different times and places. We will pay special attention to changing views of the Buddha, later developments in Buddhist thought and practice, and the spread of the Buddhist tradition throughout Asia and beyond, which has involved adaptation to a startling array of cultures and societies – as well as modernity.

The Buddhist Tradition in East Asia An introduction to the development of Buddhism within the East Asian cultural sphere of China, Korea, and Japan. We will consider continuities of thought, institution, and practice with the Indian Buddhist tradition as well as East Asian innovations, particularly the rise of the Chan/Zen and Pure Land schools.

The Global Christian Tradition In this course we will study the historical development and current presence of Christianity in various regions of the world. Beginning with its origins in the Middle East, we will trace the growth and evolution of this complex tradition in the Mediterranean, Africa, western Europe, the Americas, and East Asia. Along the way, we will encounter important Christian thinkers, discover different schools of belief and practice, and focus on foundational theological themes, like the divinity of Christ, the function and authority of the church, Christian-Jewish relations, and religious perspectives on gender, race, politics, and modernity.

The Ten Commandments After a grounding in the narratives of Genesis and Exodus (and an examination of those books’ understanding of the Law) we will move on to study the two versions of the Commandments—one in Exodus and one in Deuteronomy. We will then proceed to the history of interpretation of the Commandments, both as a unit unto themselves and as part of the general system of biblical law. Special attention will be paid to the differences between Rabbinic Judaism's understanding of the Decalogue (as the commandments are also known) and the various Christian understandings of the Ten Commandments. We will also look at expressions of the Decalogue in Islamic scripture and tradition.

Hindu Traditions of India In this course we will identify and examine key themes and issues in the study of Hindu religious traditions in India, beginning with the defining of the terms Hinduism, religions, and religious.  We will primarily focus on the ways Hindu religious traditions—texts, narratives, and practices—are performed, received, and experienced in India.  Essential aspects of Hindu religious traditions will be examined, including: key concepts (darsan, dharma, karma and caste), key texts (the Bhagavad Gita and the Ramayana), and major religious deities (Shiva, Devi and Vishnu).  The course will also cover contemporary Hindu-Muslim encounters, and the emerging shape of Hinduism in the American diaspora.

The Islamic Traditions What is Islam? Is it a religion, a way of life, a civilization, or a political ideology? Was Muhammad a political leader, a warrior, or an ascetic? What is the Qur’an? How did it develop as a sacred text and how does it compare to the Bible? This course is designed to provide a platform for us to explore such questions by focusing on historical, social, and intellectual developments in the wide swath of land known as the Muslim world. Special attention will be given to early developments of the Islamic community as well as the later response of different Muslim communities to modernity.

Jewish Traditions “Traditions” are not static, but a constant interplay between continuity and creativity.  What do classical Jewish texts (Bible, Rabbinic literature) tell us about Judaism’s origins?  How have the core concepts and practices of Judaism morphed into a cluster of traditions that has endured over two millennia? With these questions in mind, we will study central ideas in Jewish thought, rituals, and their transformations, culminating in individual projects involving the investigation a contemporary movement, congregation or trend in contemporary Jewish life, e.g. Reform, Reconstructionism, mystical (neo-Kabbalistic) revivals, or “secular” Judaism.

American Religion In this course we will explore religion in the Americas with a focus on the United States. Relying on a metaphor from linguistics, we will trace how an American religious “grammar” emerged from colonial contact zones and then assess how capitalism, denominationalism, and secularism shaped that grammar during the ensuing centuries. Extending the metaphor, we will seek to understand how different actors “spoke” American religion to shape society, make sense of the world, and harness natural and supernatural power. We will cover American variations on the traditions of Buddhism, indigenous religion, Christianity, African diasporic religion, folk spirituality, and Islam. 3 hrs lect, 1 hr. disc.

An Introduction to Biblical Literature This course is a general introduction to biblical history, literature, and interpretation.  It is designed for students who seek a basic understanding of the Bible on its own or as a foundation for further study in religion, art, literature, film, and other disciplines.  It aims to acquaint students with the major characters, narratives, poetry, and compositional features of biblical literature and how these writings became Jewish and Christian scriptures.  The course will also explore various approaches to reading the Bible, both religious and secular.

Religion and Violence “Religion and violence” exists at the knotty intersection between politics, identity, and culture. A critical understanding of how and why religion has been employed to explain or justify violence is essential to becoming a responsible citizen of the world. In this course we will explore the complex relationship between religion, political economy, and violence from a global perspective. Our goal will be to deconstruct popular preconceptions of religion and violence, locate the variety of social structures that induce violence, and to develop a critical apparatus for understanding what is at stake when religion and violence intersect.

Buddhism in the Modern World In this course we will survey and analyze Buddhist traditions around the world, from the mid-19th century to the present. We will begin by examining traditional Buddhist cultures in Asia—their teachings, practices, and social and political organizations—and then analyze how they have variously responded to the challenges of colonialism, nationalism, science, individualism, and democracy. We will examine how these led to the assumptions underlying ‘Buddhist Modernism’ both in Asia and the West. Materials will include texts and films on traditional Buddhism, historical, social, and intellectual analyses of its transformations, as well as narratives of individuals’ lives.

Religion and Science: Mindfulness and Modern Psychology Mindfulness meditation is now widely embraced as a way to enhance personal wellbeing. To better understand this ancient practice, we will explore its traditional Buddhist background alongside its application and study in modern psychology and neuroscience. We will first study mindfulness in its historical context and examine how a traditionally religious practice was adapted for modern individualistic and therapeutic purposes. We will learn basic neural and psychological foundations of emotion, cognition, social behavior, and psychological disorders and raise theoretical and methodological issues in the scientific study of mindfulness. As an experiential component, students will also receive meditation training throughout the semester.

Mindfulness: Buddhism and Science In this course we will be examining the practice of mindfulness. Students will learn about traditional Buddhist meditation, how to analyze original sources in translation, and to assess ways that religious traditions are transformed in the modern era. We will look at the origins and aims of mindfulness in traditional Asian Buddhism, see how it came to the West, and examine the processes of secularization and psychologization that led to its popularization. We will read Buddhist primary sources in translation, trace its history from colonial Myanmar through India to the contemporary West, examine its development in the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program, and its proliferation in various institutions within the United States. We will read scientific studies examining its psychological benefits and watch some films about it.

Love, Anger, and Betrayal in the Indian Epics: The Mahabharata, The Ramayana, and The Shilappadikaram This course has two goals: to acquaint students with the immense narrative tradition which makes up much of India's religious heritage; and to examine how ideas about love, anger, and betrayal are expressed through the epic medium. The course will focus on the Sanskrit epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, and the Tamil South Indian epic, the Shilappadikaram.  We will also discuss the contemporary "re-tellings" of these epics by Indian and Western authors in essays, poetry, film, and theater.  We will end by examining the epics’ strategic uses in Indian politics, including nineteenth century freedom movements, Tamil separatism, recent Hindu/Muslim disputes, or early twenty-first century feminist and LGBTQIA+ activism.

Early Daoist Texts The two great early Daoist (Taoist) texts, the Daodejing (Tao te ching) and the Zhuangzi (Chuang–tzu)/, date from the Warring States period (475 -221 BCE) of China and remain widely read and studied. We will read them closely and slowly, considering questions of authorship, audience, philosophical and religious content, and translation. We will wrestle at length with these wonderful and difficult texts, with attention primarily to their original context and secondarily to their reception and interpretation in later religion, philosophy, and literature in East Asia and beyond.

Chinese Religions An introduction to the rich religious history of China, with an emphasis on primary sources. Topics will include: the ideas and practices of ancient China, the teachings of Confucius and early Taoist (Daoist) thinkers, the introduction of Buddhism to China and its adaptation to Chinese culture, the complex interaction of Buddhism with the Confucian and Taoist traditions, the role of the state in religion, the "popular" Chinese religion of local gods and festivals, and the religious scene in modern Taiwan and mainland China.

Food in East Asian Religions One might think that food and eating have nothing to do with the lofty concerns of religious traditions. In fact, many religions bring their fundamental principles to bear on the questions of what, how, and with whom to eat; many also revolve around “feeding” gods and other spiritual beings. In this course, we will examine East Asian religions through the lens of eating practices. We will study Confucian feasting and fasting, various Chinese, Korean, and Japanese rituals offering food to ancestors and gods, Buddhist vegetarianism and its critics, unusual Taoist eating regimens, and the ancient cosmological ideas underlying traditional Chinese medical ideas of healthy eating.

Japanese Religions We will begin our study of Japanese religions with the ancient mythology that forms the basis of Shinto (the way of the kami, or gods). We will then consider the introduction of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism to Japan and examine how these traditions were accepted, absorbed, and adapted. We will also investigate Japanese reactions to Christianity in the 16th century and the appearance of "new" Japanese religions starting in the 19th century. Throughout, we will ask how and why Japanese have both adhered to tradition and been open to new religions.

Persecution and Revival of Religion in Modern China In this study of the dramatic recent religious history of China, we will begin with "modern" critics and reformers at the end of the imperial era and then consider the communist suppression of religion and the "cult of Mao." Our focus, however, will be the remarkable revival of religion since Mao's death in 1976. We will investigate the activity itself-ranging from traditional practices to new religious movements to various forms of Christianity—and the complex cultural and political dynamics involved in this "return" to religion.

Christian Ethics In this course we will encounter a range of moral perspectives that adherents to the Christian tradition may hold on issues such as human rights, social justice, politics, violence, sex, the environment, and the beginning and end of life.  Through readings by contemporary Christian thinkers, we will explore the diversity within this religious tradition, as well as consider the impact that theological moral reasoning has on public discourse in the United States.  In the process of studying Christian ethics, students also will develop skills in moral reasoning from the perspective of their own worldviews. 3 hrs lect.

The Way of the Ascetics: The Making of the Self in Christian Monasticism The practice of asceticism appeared in ancient Christianity as a movement striving for a deeper spiritual life and connection with the Divine. Men and women withdrew into the wilderness to become fully attuned to God, while engaging more empathetically with their human communities and the natural environment, and serving the poor and socially marginalized. We shall examine how their new model of living challenged the traditional formations of identity and power through cultivating a watchful mind and deepening awareness.  We shall also consider its possible relevance for our postmodern world. Readings will include Desert Wisdom anthologies such as “The Philokalia,” and works of American mystic Thomas Merton and novelist Annie Dillard.

Literature and the Mystical Experience In this course we will explore how narrative art articulates spiritual perception by examining selected works of 20th century writers such as Miguel De Unamuno, Nikos Kazantzakis, J. D. Salinger, Charles Williams, Flannery O'Connor, Thomas Merton, Alice Munroe, Marilynne Robinson, and Annie Dillard.  Drawing on theology and philosophy as an interpretative mode, we will consider the following questions: How does literature illuminate selfhood and interiority? How do contemplation and ascetic practice guide the self to divine knowledge and cosmic unification? How do language, imagery and symbols shape the unitive experience as a tool for empathy and understanding of the other?

The Arabian Nights—Storytelling, Orientalism, and Islamic Culture In this course we will study the great medieval classic The Arabian Nights or The Thousand and One Nights Entertainment. Compiled in Egypt and Syria in the 14th century and translated into French and other European languages in the 17th and 18th centuries, this “ocean story” has had a profound effect on the development of the literatures of both the Middle East and the West. The incorporation of ‘Arabian Nights’ motifs in European art and orientalist discourse will be central in our enquiry. (Formerly RELI 1038)

Hindu Ethics AT, ET What constitutes the good life? How is morality established? Who are the arbiters of virtuous conduct? Such questions will guide us as we probe the complexities of ethics in Hindu religious life. We will identify how such notions as dharma, caste, karma, mokṣa, purity, and nonviolence have shaped the development of Hindu moral consciousness.  We will do so through readings of orthodox Hindu ethical texts (dharma śastra), ethnographic explorations of moral identity, considerations of holistic medicine (Ayurveda), theological visions of protecting the environment, and modern reform movements headed by Gandhi and Ambedkar. With increased sensitivity we will more deeply understand Hindu moral identities while considering our own ethical determinations.

Greek Religion In this course we will examine the religious experience of the Greeks in all its complexity and variety.  Drawing on literary sources (e.g. Homer, Hesiod, tragedy, and comedy, among others) and archaeological evidence, we will study the Greek views of the gods as these emerge from both mythical narratives and cult practice. We will explore the Greek ideas of personal salvation, but also the importance of religious festivals for the community of the polis. Finally, while looking at ancient philosophical critiques of the traditional gods, we will trace the transition to Christianity and we will compare the sacred in Greek culture with the place of religion in our own society.

Islam in America In this course we will briefly consider the historical origins of Islam, its development, and essential teachings. Then we will shift our focus to the trans-Atlantic slave trade and the earliest Muslims who set foot on American soil as slaves. We will then examine the fascinating role the African American community played in the spread of Islam during the twentieth century. Finally, we will examine issues of immigration, identity, gender, ethnicity, generational divide, discussing the constantly changing nature of how Islam is imagined in America both by the general public and Muslim Americans.

Islam and Hinduism in South Asia Islam has played a significant role in shaping the culture and politics of South Asia, from the seventh century to the present.  In this course we will consider the historical, socio-cultural, religious, and political impact of Islam in South Asia.  We will begin with the introduction of Islam into the South Asian landscape, covering a range of historical moments, including the Delhi Sultanate, the rise of Mughal rule, colonial interactions, and the development of new nation states.  We will then examine Islam as it is lived, practiced, and experienced in contemporary South Asia, focusing on themes such as mysticism and sainthood; issues of gender; and Hindu-Muslim encounters.

Reading Islamic Sacred Texts In this course we will read selections from texts considered “sacred” by a variety of Muslim communities. Emphasis will be on in depth and slow reading of the texts and understanding how and why they have come to be held at such high esteem by relevant Muslim communities. Through our discussions about these texts, we will try to re-examine the dominant notions of what constitutes a “religion,” particularly what constitutes “Islam.” Readings will include selections from the Qur’an and the biography of Prophet Muhammad, sayings/biography of Muslim saints and mystical poetry, theological and philosophical treatises, and more.

Jewish Thought and Culture: The Modern Era Contemporary Jewish life poses many questions: why do many Jews say they are “Jewish, but not religious”? What is distinct about Reform, Conservative, Orthodox, and Ultra-Orthodox Judaism? What do the terms “Zionist” and “anti-Zionist Jew” mean? What is the place of the State of Israel in Jewish life? To answer these questions we will study the history of Jewish culture in the modern era: the Enlightenment critique of religion, Jewish-Christian relations, changes in Jewish practice, the revival of Hebrew, concepts of nationalism, assimilation and the problem of “Jewish politics.” Sources will include classical and modern texts, literature and art.

Sex, Money, and Violence – an Introduction to the Talmud The Talmud is the defining book of Jewish culture. Incredibly rich and varied, it has something to say about almost everything, usually something surprising. It is a book not simply to read, but to engage within dialogue. Due to its idiosyncratic language and unique form, it is not always easily accessible for the beginner. In this course we will learn about the fundamentals of the Talmudic text and then delve into selected passages, discovering together what the Talmud has to say about sex, money, violence, and an array of other topics relevant to modern life.

Jews and Christians: Conflict and Identity “Urging a Jew to convert to Christianity is like advising a person to move upstairs while demolishing the ground floor.” This quip by Moses Mendelssohn (1729-1786) epitomizes Christianity’s conflicted attitude to its Jewish origin, affirming it while rejecting it. Yet the relationship is not symmetrical, for the very reason that Judaism precedes Christianity. In this course we examine the fraught relationship between Christians and Jews from antiquity to the present. Readings include Church Fathers, rabbinic texts, polemics, theologians, as well as the Catholic declarations of Vatican II and modern interfaith dialogue.

Death in Latin America The refrain of colonialism in the Americas was death. In its wake, encounters with dying and the dead shaped national cultures and popular religiosities across the hemisphere. In this course we will explore the diversity of rituals, stories, and devotions surrounding death in Latin America. Through a careful reading of Eduardo Galeano’s The Open Veins of Latin America, we will critically examine the geopolitical entity of Latin America in its historical context while learning how to write powerfully about its social and economic realities. We will cover death across secular and religious formations in Mexico, Haiti, Brazil, Guatemala, and the U.S.-Mexico borderlands.

Religion and Capitalism Joseph Schumpeter described capitalism as animated by a perennial gale of creative destruction. While he was referring to its capacity to create and destroy industries, capitalism has had the same effect on social worlds. From those tumultuous worlds, a diverse array of religious practices, beliefs, and sentiments have likewise flourished and decayed. This course explores the relationship between global capitalism and religion in the modern period. Anchored in a comparison between Brazil and the United States, we will explore how religious traditions have encountered the world transformed by capitalism as well as the religious dimensions of capitalism itself. 3 hours lect./disc.

Religion and Politics in Iran The Islamic revolution of 1979, led by Ayatollah Khomeini, propelled Iran to the position of the arch-nemesis of the United States in the region. As a result of hostile media coverage, there are many misconceptions that pervade our understanding of post-revolutionary Iranian society. In this course we will try to offer a more nuanced understanding by looking deeper into the history of Iran beginning from the era of the early Islamic conquests. A focus of the course will be examining the intersection of religion, culture, and politics in the early modern, modern, and finally, contemporary Iranian society.

The New Testament in Narrative and Art: Considering the Aesthetics of the Christian Story For two millennia, the figure of Jesus has captivated the imagination of spiritual seekers around the world. In this course we will explore literary and theological dimensions of the New Testament with special attention to the Gospel as stories, while considering works of art inspired by its themes and characters across time. Paintings, cinematography, and literary narratives from The Protevangelium of James and Maximus the Confessor, to Dostoevsky, Kazantzakis, Sholem Asch, Saramago, Flannery O'Connor, and Marilynne Robinson, will invite the question: how have word and image shaped the understanding of the sacred stories and Christian imagination? Through close readings of the New Testament and exegetical discussion combining systematic with narrative theology, we will analyze style and composition, situate the texts in their historical context, and explore various readers’ perspectives, ancient and modern.

Gender and Sexuality in the Bible What does the Bible say about sex, marriage, and homosexuality? While many people claim “the” biblical perspective on this question, the Bible offers various–often complicated–stories and teachings about gender and sexuality. In this course, we will closely read key biblical passages concerning God’s gender, marriage and divorce, family life, sexual violence, women’s social status, asceticism, and sexual orientation. Special attention will be paid to the ancient Mediterranean sociocultural milieu within which ancient Israelites and early Christians constructed their ideas and practices about sex and gender. We will ultimately ask: how might our nuanced understanding of gender and sexuality in the Bible inform contemporary debates on sexual difference, gender inequality, and sexuality and social leadership?

Historical Jesus and the Gospels Who was Jesus of Nazareth? How does the historical Jesus differ from Jesus Christ in the Gospels? In this course we will explore how early Christians remembered Jesus and developed traditions about him. We will read both canonical (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) and non-canonical (e.g., Thomas, Mary, Peter) Gospels within their historical and literary contexts, focusing on Judaism, the Roman Empire, and Greco–Roman cultures. We will then examine the critical approaches modern scholars take to reconstruct the historical Jesus’ life. By comparing diverse portraits of Jesus both in ancient literature and in modern scholarship, we will evaluate such diversity’s implications for our intellectual and cultural life today. How does the historical Jesus matter and for whom? 3hrs. lect.

Women and the Sacred in Late Antiquity and Byzantium This course will explore the female religious experience in Greco-Roman antiquity and Early Christianity.  We shall trace the transition from the mystery religions of Demeter and Isis in the Eastern Mediterranean to the cult of Mary the Mother of God (Theotokos) and the worship of female saints.  Drawing on a wide range of sources (hymns, saints' Lives, Apocryphal Gospels, Patristic texts, and icons), we shall study the varieties of female devotion and examine the roles available to women in the early Church: deaconesses and desert mothers, monastics and martyrs, poets and rulers.  Different theoretical approaches will enable us to ask a series of questions: were women in the early Church considered capable of holiness? To what extent did the female 'gifts of the spirit' challenge church authority?  What is distinct about the feminine experience of the divine?  Finally, we shall consider the vision and poetics of female spirituality in select modern poets.

Ethics in Health Care This course is an introduction to the principles, virtues, and other moral norms that guide decision-making in health care.  We will focus on moral values accepted by Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, and humanistic traditions, and embedded in a liberal, pluralistic society.  Popular films and numerous case studies will provide students an opportunity to develop skills in moral reasoning, in conversation with these intellectual traditions.  The health care issues we will consider include expectations for patient-physician relationships, research on human subjects, euthanasia and assisted suicide, abortion, assisted reproduction, genetic information, and access to health care resources.

Privilege and Poverty: The Ethics of Economic Inequality In this course we will study the ethical implications of domestic and global economic inequality.  Drawing from history, economics, sociology, philosophy, theology, and other disciplines, we will examine the causes and consequences of inequality, critically evaluate our usage of the terms “privilege” and “poverty,” and consider the range of moral responses individuals and society might have to inequality.  We will ask whether it is unfair, unfortunate, or necessary that some citizens live with significantly less material wealth than others, and whether those who experience “privilege” have any moral responsibility to those who exist in “poverty.”

Seminar in Buddhist Philosophy: Yogacara Depth Psychology and Philosophy of Mind In this seminar we will survey the basic ideas of Yogacara Buddhism (4-6th c. CE), one of two major schools of Indian Buddhism, in relation to cognitive science and philosophy of mind. We will examine these ideas historically, philosophically and comparatively. We focus on the Yogacara analyses of the largely unconscious ‘construction of reality’ and its systematic deconstruction through forms of analytic meditation. We will read primary and secondary texts on Indian Buddhism and texts espousing similar ideas in modern philosophy and the social and cognitive sciences.

Seminar in Buddhist Studies: Buddhists and Others in China The Buddha encouraged students to spread his teachings, thus giving rise to the world’s first major missionary religion. As the Buddhist tradition took root across Asia, Buddhists interacted with many other religions and cultures. We will explore a series of these encounters in China, ranging from rivalry and opposition to cooperation to synthesis, along with comparative case studies from elsewhere in the Buddhist world. We will also take up the question of religious labels and affiliation, especially in late imperial China, when many did not confine themselves to one tradition, and explicit commitment to the combined “three teachings” of Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism became a distinct form of religious practice. In the end, who is Buddhist, and who is other? 3 hr. sem.

Dear Paul: Life and Letters of the Apostle Who was Paul the apostle? Why do people still care about his letters today? This course delves into the life and letters of this Jewish man who later became a foundational figure for Christianity. We will analyze his letters within the ancient Mediterranean social milieu, focusing on their literary styles, rhetoric, and historical contexts. This approach will provide us with fresh insights into various theological and sociocultural issues discussed in his letters, such as salvation, eschatology, marriage, racial/ethnic relations, slavery, economic inequality, and church-state relations. Additionally, using a variety of interpretive approaches, we will reconstruct responses to Paul’s letters from ancient audiences and critically engage with the ways these texts are read and used in our contemporary public sphere.

Saints, Heathens and Heretics: Belief and Unbelief in Imperial Russia Though Orthodox Christianity is often viewed as synonymous with Russian culture, the Russian Empire was home to a dizzying array of religious faiths, including Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and varying forms of Christianity. Through primary and secondary source analysis (including textual, visual and aural sources), we will explore the challenges and opportunities this multi-confessional reality posed to Russia’s rulers and the official Orthodox Church. We will also probe the question of what religious faith (in its multiple iterations) meant for subjects from across the social strata and geographic expanse of the empire. How did one lead a spiritually fulfilled life? How did members of different religious faiths interact? What was the relationship between religious and ethnic identities? 3 hrs sem.

Mary the Mother of God: History, Theology, and Art In this course we will explore the emergence and development of the Marian cult from the early Christian centuries in Byzantium and the Middle East, throughout Christian history East and West. Why has Mary’s prominence been overlooked despite her centrality in Christian devotion? Through historical, archaeological, and textual research we will attempt to retrace the fragments of Mary’s life as it was remembered in the ritual experience of the faithful and reimagined in visual art. Drawing on often neglected sources, including early liturgical texts, hymnography, iconography and sacred sites, we will examine the importance of Mary’s role in the formation of early Christian belief and later Christian spiritual leadership, including female ministry and agency within the church. Finally, we will consider the paradox of the “Global Mary” apparitions: how do those sensory experiences of miracles and visions point to a contemplative theological mode that shapes the “inner” life of prayer and provides a model of holiness? (RELI 0130 or RELI 0180 or RELI 0236 or RELI 0282 or RELI 0285 or RELI 0290 or permission by the instructor).

Christian Theology in the Liberal Arts Christian theology is the religion’s sustained discourse about God and the human experience of God. After exploring Christianity’s role in the historical development of western liberal arts, we will ask what place, if any, theological study has in modern secular liberal arts education. Reading primarily modern theologians, we will ask what intellectual value theological study holds for people who do not identify with Christianity. We will consider the impact of critical thinking, cultivated by the liberal arts, on adherents’ examination of their theological tradition. And we will examine the relationship between theological studies and other intellectual disciplines, including other approaches to the academic study of religion.

Christians in the Modern Middle East In the Middle East, Christians have faced fast-paced political, economic, and religious transformations.  Focusing on indigenous communities such as Copts, Greek Orthodox, Armenians, Assyrians, and Maronites, we will explore Christianity’s place in the region, from the nineteenth century up to the present.  Against the backdrop of a waning Ottoman Empire, mounting European colonialism, and the rise of nationalism and Islamism, we will investigate Christians’ status as minorities, who have at times been privileged and at other times been marginalized, exiled, and shunned.  We will also pay attention to the ways in which Western governments and Christian missionaries have transformed the lives of Middle Eastern Christians in their quest for evangelism, apocalypticism, and regional domination.  Class sources will include memoirs, novels, and films.

Sufism: The Mystical Tradition of Islam In this seminar, we will start our adventure in the Sufi world by focusing on the historical and religious contexts in which the mystical tradition of Islam developed during the early Islamic centuries. We will then turn to the so-called classical period focusing on the institutionalization of Sufism, major themes of the classical Sufi literature; fundamental teachings and practices of Sufis; and important figures like Rumi, Ibn Arabi, and Hafez. Finally, we will move to the modern period to discuss the ways in which the Sufi tradition has been re-interpreted, contested, or transformed  throughout the Muslim world in response to the challenges of modernity. In all this, our main concern will be to develop an understanding of the mystical perspective that has influenced the outlook of much of the world's diverse Muslim population. Requires familiarity with the Islamic tradition.

The Good, Bad, and Ugly: Gods, Goddesses, and Demons in Indian Art Indian mythology and epic literature abounds with stories of conflicts between the forces of good and evil. There are multiple forms of Hindu gods and goddesses who battle an array of evil and colorful demonic foes, and each cosmic battle embodies a profound philosophical lesson about relative values and complex moral choices.  We will explore the meanings and myriad creative expressions of this rich terrain through a lively variety of artistic depictions—in mythological literature, painting, sculpture, drama, dance, television, film, graphic novels, and contemporary arts.

Islam and Judaism In this course we will compare and contrast the histories, practices, and beliefs of Islam and Judaism. Our source materials will include scriptural and post-scriptural texts, as well as representative selections from religious polemics of both the pre-modern and modern periods. We will also watch a number of documentary films  on the topic.

Possessions: Theories of Power in American Religion Upon reading Faust, Karl Marx concluded that Goethe’s wisdom was simple: “the extent of the power of money is the extent of my power.” Or, in other words: money represents the power to possess a thing and, in possessing it, to wield that thing’s power. Despite this connection made at the roots of Western theories of power, we do not typically regard our possession of private property as akin to the Devil’s possession of human bodies. In this seminar we will explore the rich and troubling overlaps between private property, demonic possessions, mediumship, and power in the Americas.

Church and State In this course we will consider the meaning and implications of the religion clauses of the First Amendment. We will begin with historical foundations in the thought of Roger Williams, William Penn, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison. We then will trace the history of interpretation through Supreme Court jurisprudence on issues like school vouchers, the Pledge of Allegiance, displays of the Ten Commandments, and pandemic restrictions on religious gatherings. Finally, we will consider broader questions regarding the appropriateness of religious expression in democratic participation, primarily through the work of philosophers like John Rawls and Michael Sandel.

Women, Religion, and Ethnography In this course we will focus on ethnographic scholarship regarding women in various religious traditions. We will begin with questions of feminist ethnography as proposed by Lila Abu-Lughod and then read a range of ethnographies focusing on women in different contexts, including a female Muslim healer in South India, Kalasha women in Pakistan, Bedouin Muslim women in Egypt, and Catholic nuns in Mexico. We will focus on how gendered and religious identities are constructed and intertwined, and what ethnography contributes to the study of both religion and gender. A prior course in Religion, Anthropology, or Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies is recommended.

The Bible and the Lives of Others The Bible contains stories about marginalized people who carry in themselves rich theological ideas about suffering, love, and social justice. Yet, the question of how we as global citizens should read the Bible gives rise to the challenge of considering contested views on minorities in history. In this course we will investigate ways in which the Bible portrays women, children, slaves, foreigners, and people with disabilities, using feminist and minoritized hermeneutics. Asking how these portrayals have been interpreted in modern religio–political contexts, we will reflect upon the impact of biblical interpretation on the lives of others. What does it mean to listen to the voices from the margins in our culturally diverse and politically divided world?

Reading the Book of Job Why evil? Why do the innocent suffer? Why would God allow it? The Book of Job asked these questions millennia ago, giving not an answer, but at least a response. Framed by a prose tale on the patient Job, the book is mainly a debate between an impatient Job and his “friends” that has continued to our day, in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic thought. We will study the debate on the meaning of the book of Job in philosophy and religion, reading ancient, medieval and modern commentary (e.g. Maimonides, Kant, Voltaire) and literary responses to Job (e.g. Kafka, Robert Frost), Some familiarity with Biblical studies or philosophy of religion is helpful, but not required.

Crossroads: Religion and Race in the Americas White rock musicians have traced the origins of their musical style to the Delta blues, fixating on a myth that a young, Black musician sold his soul at a southern crossroads to learn to play the guitar. This myth portrays the success of rock as having supernatural origins, while obscuring how the recording industry appropriated and commodified the art of Black Americans. In this seminar we explore the polysemous image of the “crossroads” as an entrée into the intersecting fields of  comparative religion, humanistic economics, and critical race. We will rely on works by authors such as Gloria Anzaldúa and Toni Morrison to interrogate these fields while comparing the histories of the U.S. and Brazil. 3 hrs. sem

Religion, Ecology and Justice In this class we will consider the relationship between religion and ecology in some of the world’s great wisdom traditions, particularly Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and Judaism.  Our approach will be comparative and attentive to “big ideas” about human-nature relationships. How do religious traditions perpetuate ideas of the natural world that are sometimes positive and protective and sometimes apathetic or destructive? Exploring such topics as stewardship, sacred landscapes, and the interdependence of living beings, we will consider both past and present, including examining how religious identity has fueled and shaped religiously-based environmental justice activism today.

Christianity and Social Justice in the U.S. Religious communities and organizations have contributed significantly to moral and social reform movements throughout U.S. history.   In this course we will study Christianity’s involvement in these social justice movements, critically examining the theologies that inspired both reform and resistance to social change.   From the colonial period to the present, Christianity has helped shape the discourse around issues like economic justice, racial equality, women’s rights, immigration, environmentalism, and LGBTQ rights. Throughout the course, we will consider the impact Christianity may have had—positive and negative—on struggles for social justice in the United States.

Methods in the Study of Religion How do we think about religion? Is there a common way to talk about religion across cultural divides or should we simply concur that religion is like art, where “We can’t define it, but we know it when we see it? This course will take us through the basic twentieth and twenty-first century theories in the study of religion as “ways of perceiving” this most elusive of phenomena: anthropology, psychology, history, text, politics, philosophy, theology, experience. All of these ways of perceiving religion play a crucial role in the history of the field. We will end by thinking through recent issues in the study of religion–religion and politics, gender and sexuality, comparative and interfaith studies, and the authority of religious identity. Students will be asked to outline a single, compelling case study in religion, and each week they will apply the theorists we read to the details of their case.  In applying theories about religion to real-life situations, students will become skillful practitioners of the art of interpreting religion. They will also develop their own approaches to the study of religion and be able to articulate that approach to a wider audience.

Anthropology of Religions How do you study religions when they are not in a document or a creed but lived by people you know?  Anthropologists over the course of the last century have had a wide range of responses and approaches to that question, including how to define the term “religion” itself.   The class will provide a history of approaches to anthropology and religions, including their origins in colonial legacies and world views.  We will then turn to recent writings in the field, particularly as thinkers began to re-evaluate their own premises and methods: what is the relationship between self and other in ethnographic field work in religious communities? How do we think ethically about field work and the representation of religious cultures and individuals? How do we approach religions as ontologies, or lived experiences, rather than a set of rules and regulations that cultures create?  How do we think about new scientific claims about the evolution of religions by cognitive anthropologists? How do we assess communities’ perspectives on interactions with deities and spirits within postcolonial cultures which are negotiating competing world views?  (At least two courses in ANTH or RELI, one of which must be at the 200 or 300 level.) This course may not substitute for the “Method and Theory” requirement in the Religion Major.

“The Religious Life”: Buddhist and Christian Monastic Traditions Compared Both Buddhism and Christianity include traditions of  monasticism, of men and women leaving home for “the religious life.” In this course, we will study and compare Buddhist and Christian monasticism from historical and religious perspectives. We will read primary sources, from the Life of St. Anthony and the Rule of St. Benedict to the verses  attributed to the first Buddhist nuns and a Zen monastic code. We will examine monastic vocation, the integration of monasteries into society, and the adaptation of monasticism to different cultures. Throughout, we will  highlight the role of gender. We will conclude with attention to contemporary manifestations of monastic culture. This course is equivalent to HIST 0472 and INTL 0472. 3 hr sem.

Early Taoist Texts In this course we will concentrate on the two great early Taoist (Daoist) texts, the Tao te ching (Daode jing) and the Chuang–tzu (Zhuangzi), both of which date from the Warring States period (475 -221 b.c.e.) of China and yet remain widely read and studied. We will read them closely, in multiple translations, and consider questions of authorship, audience, and philosophical and religious content. We will wrestle at length with these wonderful and difficult texts, with attention first to their original context and then to their reception and interpretation in later East Asian religion, philosophy, and literature. (This course is not open to students who have taken RELI 0227).

Prophets and Politics The prophets of ancient Israel cared less about predicting the future than about shaping it. Political pests, radicals, pacifists and protesters, they were diverse, agitating against the abuse of power, against poverty, economic inequality, and war crimes, long before these abuses were the rallying cries of modern political movements. We will read selections from the prophetic books (Amos, Isaiah, Jeremiah, I-II Samuel), as well as the writings of activists whom the prophets inspired: Martin Luther King, Abraham Joshua Heschel and Dorothy Day. Students will be challenged to write on the meaning of prophetic ethics for our own times.

Mindfulness and the Mind: Buddhist and Western Perspectives In this team-taught class we will examine the theory and practice of mindfulness from traditional Buddhist and contemporary philosophical perspectives, and consider its implications for our understanding of the mind. We will outline the origins of mindfulness in Asian Buddhism, and its development in the modern West. We then examine philosophical questions raised by studying meditation scientifically: does a 1st person perspective validate the content of our experience? Or must it also by verified by objective, 3rd person perspectives? What does meditation reveal about the nature of consciousness?  If consciousness is reflexive, aware of itself, does this self-awareness undermine the Buddhist doctrine of non-self?  Students will get first-hand experience practicing mindfulness two hours a week, led by a local meditation teacher.  Readings will be from Buddhist and Western philosophical texts and articles.

#blessed: American Prosperity Religion  tfw the vending machine gives you two snacks instead of one #cookies #blessed. Critics allege that thinking God cares about your personal prosperity exposes the rotting core of American late capitalism. But American nationalism is also rooted in God’s providence. How should we grapple with this American ambivalence toward prosperity and religion? In this class, we will use critical media theory to understand how capitalism cultivates a diversity of religious attitudes toward prosperity. While our focus will be contemporary media from the anglophone United States, we will explore comparable instances from Brazil and other Latin American countries in translation.

The Bible and Voices from the Margins What does it mean to listen to voices from the margins in the Bible today? In this course, we will carefully read stories about women, children, slaves, immigrants, the poor, and people with disabilities in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament using womanist and contextual hermeneutics. We will analyze the diverse cultural views and religious values associated with these marginalized groups in Mediterranean antiquity and discuss how their stories can contribute to our critical engagement with contemporary debates on gender inequality, immigration, racial injustice, poverty, and ableism. Seeking to foster an ethically responsible and culturally sensitive biblical interpretation, this course will help us articulate biblical ideas about suffering, love, and justice in our own social locations.

Children and Childhood in Antiquity How did ancient childhood differ from ours? Were children the invisible ‘Other’ or a source of power in Mediterranean antiquity? This course explores childhood in classical Greece, Roman Italy, and Jewish Palestine by analyzing historical, literary, and archaeological evidence that attests to both philosophical thoughts on children and sociocultural practices regarding birth, childrearing, and death. We will see diverse understandings of physical, intellectual, and social aspects of children and how such understandings helped shape political agendas and religious ideas in antiquity. By reflecting upon the temporal differences and cross-cultural similarities between ancient and modern childhoods, we will ultimately ask how fresh insights into ancient children may help us revisit our own understanding of children and human life today.

Martin Buber's World Martin Buber (1878-1965) wrote in periods of political upheaval: in Europe at the turn of the century and after the trauma of WW I, during the Nazi dictatorship, and later in Palestine. Buber—a Zionist leader—was a proponent of a Jewish-Arab bi-national state. Settled in Jerusalem, he never ceased to work toward Arab-Jewish rapprochement. In Europe, Buber had sketched a vision of a “new society,” with a romantic suspicion of “institutions.” In his celebrated book I and Thou (1923), he argues that all “real life” is “relation,” dialogue with the “other.” In his Zionist politics, he abandoned his earlier utopianism for a politics of the possible. He also undertook a new translation of the Bible, concerned to preserve its Hebrew feel and cadence.  Readings will include selections from his writings on philosophy, education, Bible translation, Hasidism, and politics.

Islam in Contemporary Morocco In this course, we will first learn about the early history of Islam and its expansion into North Africa and then will move on to discuss the challenge of modernity and the onslaught of colonialism as experienced in the region. This will be followed by a 10-day travel to Morocco. Our goal will be to understand the complexity of the lived experience of Islam in Morocco. To do so, we will focus on a few salient issues such as gender dynamics, varying interpretations of Islam, and ethnic diversity/conflict, and the impact of Islam on contemporary political structure. We will engage with eminent Muslim intellectuals, exchange views with local students, meet with activists from minoritized backgrounds, and visit heritage sites.

The Spirit(s) of Trees What, or who, is a tree? In this course, we will probe central questions in the field of “religion and ecology” using human-tree relationships as our interpretive lens. Emerging scientific views of trees as communicators and climate-regulators evoke ancient, non-utilitarian views of trees. In some Hindu contexts, trees are protected as abodes of the gods, or as divinities themselves. In Thailand, climate activists ordain trees as Buddhist monks. Christian and Jewish authors are reinterpreting the biblical “Tree of Life” in terms of ecological awareness and as solace for climate grief. Drawing on the work of Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish and Christian scholars, our task will be to get to know trees— and thus, diverse eco-spiritual cultures— in a complex, multireligious way. This course counts as a humanities cognate for environmental studies majors.

Women in Islam This course will explore Muslim women's religious roles, participation, and practices throughout the history of Islam and across various cultural contexts. Attention will be paid to the diversity of interpretations concerning Islamic textual prescriptions for women as well as legal discussions of women’s participation in religious and social life, and Muslims women's own articulations of feminism. We will also be attentive to the ways that Muslim women negotiate their everyday and religious lives and how this is intimately related to social location, economic situations, and shifting political realities. Students will develop a final project of their own choosing that also addresses the ethical issues of studying and writing about unfamiliar traditions both within and beyond our religious or cultural contexts.

Women, Religion, and Conflict in South Asia This course examines religious conflict in contemporary South Asia with a focus on women. The course will begin with an introduction to the religious landscape of South Asia, including historical interactions between Hindus and Muslims, contemporary conflicts, and women’s roles in mediating conflict from Indian villages to urban Pakistani apartment complexes. Guiding questions will be: How are issues of women, gender, and religion framed in narratives of conflict? How, if at all, do women experience or interpret religious conflict differently than men? What are women’s roles in navigating, mediating, and/or transforming conflict in local contexts? In the latter half of the course, students will develop a research agenda on a specific topic of interest, to be presented in class.

Confronting the Jewish Past: A Tale of Two Cities In this course we explore Jewish life in Berlin and Warsaw, its flourishing between the World Wars, its destruction in the Holocaust, and its revival in our times, focusing first on the history of Berlin and Warsaw Jewry: were Polish-Jewish immigrants to Berlin welcomed warmly as brothers or warily as strangers? Among German Jews, was their purported symbiosis with other Germans real or merely wishful thinking? Under Nazi rule how did the fate of the Jews of Berlin and Warsaw differ? In a two-week study tour of Berlin and Warsaw, we will focus on history and memory. How do these two cities commemorate the annihilation of the Jews and reckon with their distinct share of responsibility? We will seek to understand the “memory-work” reflected in monuments and museums, and in the cityscape itself. Back in Vermont for the last week, we will reflect on contested memory and apply what we have learned to contemporary issues: how does the memory of the Jewish past in central Europe figure in the current politics of these two societies? How can it help us understand other societies struggling to cope with shameful histories of oppression, exploitation, and genocide? By instructor approval only. Students who applied during the admissions process in October and were accepted to take this course may register.

Spinoza's Critique of Religion What is the role of religion in a modern state?  When religious freedoms collide with state interests, which should prevail? Spinoza rejected the authority of religion and the divine origin of Scripture, laying the groundwork for modern Biblical criticism and championing the separation of religion and state. A contemporary denounced the Theological-Political Treatise as “a book forged in hell.”  We begin with a close reading of the Treatise, followed by selections from his Ethics and correspondence, and consider Spinoza’s long legacy: the rise of secularism, the origins of Biblical criticism, and the reasons why Spinoza has been called “the first modern Jew.”

Ritual and Identity in Buddhist Monasticism Over its long history, Buddhism has been practiced by monks and nuns who leave home to uphold the rigorous rules and vows of a religious community. In these groups, the combination of practices established by the Buddha and innovative rituals has led to highly diverse forms of monastic identity. In this course we will begin by examining the emergence of Buddhist monasticism as a counter-cultural movement in ancient India. Drawing from translated primary sources and secondary scholarship, we will then focus on monastic traditions across Asia. In studying this material, we will discuss the various ways ritual shapes identity, the politics of monasticism, and the eventual popularization of Buddhism for a lay audience in Asia and beyond.   John Pickens holds a Ph.D. degree in the South and Southeast Asian Studies department at the University of California, Berkeley, in 2022. His doctoral research centered on preliminary practices and the rise of the lama in twelfth-century Tibetan Buddhist traditions./

Robert Schine

Shalom Goldman

Mark Orten

Oz Aloni

Laurie Patton

Elizabeth Morrison

Justin Doran

Jennifer Ortegren

Ata Anzali

Rebecca Gould

John Spackman

Cynthia Packert

Kim Cronise

Maria Hatjigeorgiou

Febe Armanios

Pavlos Sfyroeras

Rebecca Mitchell

Louisa Burnham

Eunyung Lim

William Waldron

John Pickens

James Calvin Davis

Read 230 reviews for Religion courses at Middlebury College. Find the best Religion professors and courses.  Discover your new major today!

Prof. Davis is one of the best professors I have ever seen at facilitating class discussions. Classes were relaxed but still enjoyable and informative. Prof. Davis was very accommodating to those who needed it and very knowledgeable about the topics.

I thoroughly enjoyed this course. It was very fast paced (reading a sometimes dense book a week) but that lended its self to interesting conversations and hard questions. I thought the required reading was pertinent to my studies and I appreciated the challenge and depth this course gave to my ability to think and discuss. It was only a discussion based class, there was no lecture and I thought that was a huge aspect of why I enjoyed the class. 

Professor Ortegren was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the content which made lectures interesting and engaging! She did speak very very quickly which made it hard to get back on track with notes if I zoned out for a second. I thought the papers were graded fairly and I she covered a huge amount of information in a digestible way. highly recommend this course