Courses
Please view the ̽»¨ÉçÇø Course Catalog for the latest course offerings.
Spring 2025 Term Course Offerings
- REL 112 A: Hebrew Bible/Old Testament (M3)
Tue, Thu 1:30 PM - 2:40 PM, Radine - REL 127 A: Health, Healing, and Medicine in Asian Contexts (M5)
Tue, Thu 10:30 AM - 11:40 AM, Cheung - REL 128 A: Asian Traditions Through Film (M6)
Wed, 10:30 AM - 11:40 AM (Online Synchronous), Cheung - REL 252 A: Jewish Magic and Mysticism (M3)
Tue, Thu 3:00 PM - 4:10 PM, Radine - REL 261 A: Islamic Philosophy and Theology (M5)
Mon, Wed 3:00 PM - 4:10 PM, Naraghi - REL 270 A: Ethics in Asian Cultures (U2)
Tue, Thu 1:30 PM - 2:40 PM, Cheung REL 296 PM: ST: Health, Spirituality and Religion (M5)
Tue 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM, Goeckner
100-Level Courses
REL 112 A: Hebrew Bible / Old Testament
Examination of how the Hebrew Bible / Old Testament was written and what its original meanings were, using the tools of historical criticism, archaeology, and religious history. The diverse religious perspectives within the text will be explored. Knowledge of the Hebrew language is not expected. (M3) Radine
REL 127 A: Health, Healing and Medicine Asian Contexts
How does healing go beyond the physical to include the emotion and spiritual? What are the boundaries between medicine and religion? This course investigates these questions by turning to Indian and Chinese religious-philosophical traditions. We will example Chinese medical arts such as acupuncture and qigong, Indian Ayurveda medicine and its relationship to Yoga, and the contemporary discourse on Buddhist-based meditation practices - including Mindfulness - for health. (M5) Cheung
REL 128 A: Asian Traditions Through Film
This course exposes students to Hinduism, Yoga, Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, Shugendo, Chinese divination and geomancy, and contemporary expressions of Asian religions. Students learn not just from the content and narrative of film, but also about its meta-narrative, or narration in form and structure, including editing, lighting, musical arrangement, and implicit ideologies. Students will watch clips and short films in class, and feature-length films before class. (M6) Cheung
200-Level Courses
REL 252 A: Jewish Magic and Mysticism
This course is an introduction to a particular side of Jewish tradition and experience, that being the supernatural, superstitious, and the irrational, as well as profound mystical speculations on the secrets of God, the Bible, and our purpose in life. These mystical speculations are what is generally known as "Kabbalah," and this topic will be studied extensively in this course. This course thus offers students access to a unique and living religious tradition going back centuries, even millennia. No prior background in Judaism is needed; all you would need is included in this course. Prerequisites: None. (M3) Radine
REL 261 A: Islamic Philosophy and Theology
An exploration of key notions and figures in Islamic philosophy, theology, and mysticism. Some issues imbedded in the enormous body of scholarship in Muslim intellectual heritage are employed to examine current global issues such as the struggle for justice and peace and the fight against violence and absolutism. Special attention is given to the structure of Being, the notion of the truth, and the way to attain the truth in the three systems. (M5) Naraghi
REL 270 A: Ethics in Asian Cultures
Ethical discourse from Asia does not fit neatly into the major western categories of consequentialism (utilitarianism), rule-based deontology, or virtue ethics. There is lively debate on how to classify Confucian ethics and Buddhist ethics. This course explores this classification problem and then examines how Confucian and Buddhist insights can help illuminate contemporary issue. Possibilities include 1) lies, "alternative facts", and theories of truth; 2) the ethics of artificial intelligence; 3) medical ethics, etc. (U2) Cheung
REL 296 PM: ST: Health, Spirituality and Religion
This course will introduce students to the complex and dynamic relationship between religion and health from a cross-cultural perspective. Students will explore the impact of religious belief on multiple dimensions of health including physical and mental health as well as the implications of religious belief for patients and practitioners. Religious practitioners and their beliefs, as strong influencers on the social construction of reality, will be explored through conceptions of the body, bioethics, faith healing, and the relationship between Western medicine and colonialism. (M5) Goeckner