Associate Professor Joseph Walser, Chair; Asian religions
Associate Professor Mohamed Mahmoud, Islamic studies
Emeritus Professor Howard E. Hunter, Religion and culture
Lecturer David O'Leary, Catholicism
Adjunct Associate Professor Gary Leupp, Japanese history and Japanese Buddhist
studies
Adjunct Assistant Professor Peggy Hutaff, Christian studies
Adjunct Assistant Professor Elizabeth Lemons, Religion and culture
The Department of Comparative Religion concerns the various expressions of religion encountered in human experience. The student may investigate the field of religion in both its functional and theoretical aspects. Courses are designed to give a broad cultural appreciation of the subject in accordance with the principles of a liberal arts education.
A graduate degree in comparative religion is not offered. Comparative Religion 106,
191, 192, and 194, however, are often taken in conjunction with other programs.
Undergraduate Concentration Requirements
Major in Comparative Religion
Ten courses are required for the major in comparative religion. These courses
are to be distributed as follows:
a. Students must take Comparative Religion 99 (Theory and Method in Study of
Religion).
b. Diversity requirement (four courses): Students should have exposure to at
least four different religions traditions. This may be accomplished through
classes in which four different traditions are taught, or through four
courses, each focused on a different religious tradition, or through some
combination thereof. Students are to take four classes within the department to
achieve the diversity requirement. The adviser and the chair of the Department
of Comparative Religion must approve the courses taken to fulfill this
requirement.
c. Depth requirement (three courses): Students must choose a subfield in
religious studies. This may be one religious tradition, the traditions of a
geographical region, or a religious textual tradition. Students must demonstrate
that they have taken at least three classes in that specialty. One of the three
courses must be in the doctrinal (theological and philosophical) aspects of
religion. In their chosen areas of specialization, students must take two
above-100 level courses. These may include an independent study, or a senior
thesis. The departmental adviser and the chair must approve the student's area
of specialization. No course may count for both the diversity and depth
requirements.
d. In addition to the above eight courses, two additional courses listed or
cross-listed in comparative religion, regardless of subject area, are required.
Undergraduate Minor Program
Minor in Comparative Religion
Five courses,
distributed as follows, are required.
a. Students must take Comparative Religion 99 (Theory and Method in Study of
Religion).
b. Students should have exposure to at least three different religions
traditions. This may be accomplished through classes in which three different
traditions are taught, or through three courses, each focused on a
different religious tradition, or through some combination thereof. The
adviser and the chair of the Department of Comparative Religion must approve the
courses taken to fulfill this requirement.
c. One other course numbered above 100. This course may not be counted as one of
the three courses of the above requirement.
Undergraduate Courses
1 Introduction to Religion. An introduction to the field of religion to give the student an understanding of the basic elements of the subject: the major characteristics, the forms and expressions, and the contributions to man's personal and social orientation.
10 Topics in Religion.
99 Theory and Method in the Study of Religion. Seminar on selsected
theories and methods in religious studies; may include anthropological,
sociological, psychological, text-critical, economic, feminist, and Marxist
perspectives. Prerequisites: at least two other comparative religion courses.
Required for comparative religion majors and minors. Walser
Philosophy and Theology
6 Philosophy of Religion. (Cross-listed as Philosophy 16.) Introduction to the philosophical analysis of major religious concepts, such as God, human nature, freedom of will, immortality, and the problem of evil, through a study of representative types of religious philosophies.
35 Intellectual History of Christianity. Survey of the intellectual development of Christianity, with attention to major Christian thinkers and their positions with regard to the philosophical problems of Christian theology.
55 Topics in Major Religious Doctrines. Analysis of selected major religious doctrines, such as those relating to death and dying, revelation, and God, followed by reinterpretation in the light of contemporary thinking.
106 Contemporary Religious Thought. Intensive reading and discussion of selected
issues in contemporary religious thought.
Literature and Culture
21 Introduction to Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. A study of the Hebrew Bible, with special attention given to the historical development of the religious institutions and literature of ancient Israel and to such religious concepts as God, human nature, prophecy, and theodicy.
22 Introduction to the New Testament. A historical/critical examination of the literature that became scripture for the Christian Church, with special attention being paid to the interplay between the emerging church and Judaism on the one hand, and between the church and Greco-Roman cultures on the other.
58 Ethics through Literature. Novels, short stories, and plays will provide the basis for reflection on issues of personal character and integrity. The ethical and existential aspects of life will be examined through literature drawn from American, European, and Asian cultural experience. Themes will include the nature of conscience, types of life goals, vices and virtues, individual vs. community, and urban vs. rural life. Authors include Bellow, Camus, Ishiguro, A. Miller, Naylor, O'Connor, Marquez, Mukhergee, and Tolstoy.
72 Contemporary Arts and Religion. Critical examination of selected examples of contemporary arts in the light of their significance for religion.
73 The Bible in Russian Literature. (Cross-listed as Russian 73.)
Appropriation of biblical motifs, characters, and themes for moral, political,
and artistic purposes. Emphasis on the varying images of Jesus (teacher, sage,
revolutionary) and the devil (tempter, teacher, Promethean); Genesis, Job, and
the writer as spiritual visionary and prophet. Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Solzhentisyn,
Gogol, Zamiatin, Bulgakov, and others. Supplemented by selected readings from
the Bible. No prerequisites. Carleton
Western Religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam)
34 The Church through the Centuries. The origins and historical development of Christian churches to modern times. Emphasis given to the various ideological systems that have been of primary influence. Members of the department
40 History of Religion in America. Historical survey of religion in America, from Columbus's voyage in 1492 to the present. Native American and African-American traditions, the first plantings of European traditions (Catholicism, Anglicanism, Puritanism, Lutheranism, and Judaism), the birth of uniquely American denominations (Mormonism, Adventism, Christian Science, and Pentecostalism). Colonialism, slavery, the Enlightenment, biblicism, church-state relations, and the religious history of the Boston area.
41 Contemporary Religion in America. A survey of the major teachings and practices of the various expressions of religion in contemporary America. Attention is given to Judaism, Catholicism, the various denominations of Protestantism, and the so-called new religions, with a view to the appreciation of the religious character of the average community.
48 Introduction to Islam. Islam in its many facets. Pre-Islamic Arabia, the Prophet, the Qur'an, the prophetic traditions, tradition and customs, law, theology, major denominations, philosophy, and mysticism.
51 Fundamentalism in Comparative Perspective. Seminar on the worldwide surge of fundamentalism as a response to religious modernism and liberalism. Comparative theories on fundamentalism, with Christianity as the primary case study but with examinations of Jewish, Muslim, and other religious contexts. The origins of the term "fundamentalist" in American Protestant discourse; the relation of fundamentalism to global religious violence; and the influence of printing, television, and other mass media.
52 Judaism through the Centuries. Survey of the background, emergence, development, and progress of the traditions of the Jewish people and Judaism and their relationships with heathen, Christian, Islamic, and secular societies over three millennia of time.
56 Catholicism: Peoples, Cultures, Traditions, and Beliefs. An introduction to the development of the Catholic Church, exploring the key historical epochs and events that shaped and created the contemporary church. The dynamics of crisis and change as these are manifested in history and as they function today. Doctrines, traditions, and institutional forms will be examined in their specific historical and cultural contexts.
111 Catholic Moral and Social Teaching. Catholic moral and social teaching from the official magisterium and the full spectrum of Catholic theologians. The history of Roman Catholic moral theology and the origins of Catholic social, sexual, and medical ethics. Tensions between the official teachers in the Church, the bishops, and the scholars/theologians.
Eastern Religions
43 Asian Religions. A survey of the living religions of Asia from a historical point of view. Special attention is given to historical development, the major tenets of faith, and the distinctive ceremonies. Religions studied include Shintoism, Confucianism, Taoism, Hinduism, and Buddhism.
44 Introduction to Hinduism. Aspects of Hinduism, ancient and modern. Readings include the more important texts of the tradition. Emphasis on issues of God, gods, the soul, ritual, and caste duties. Modern Hindu practices in India and the impact of the Ramayana on religion and politics.
45 Introduction to Buddhism. The history, doctrines, and practices of Buddhism in India, Sri Lanka, China, Korea, and Japan. Philosophical theories of the Buddha, meditation, and nirvana. Aspects of Buddhist social and institutional history.
53 Introduction to the Religions of China. (Cross-listed as Chinese 71.) Historical introduction to texts and contexts of major Chinese religions from Shang Dynasty shamanic practices to debates about religion in contemporary China. Historical and literary approaches to the study of religions in China. Interactions between folk and elite traditions, and alternating syncretism and competition between religions.
54 Japanese Religion. A study of Shinto and Japanese Buddhism and their roles in
Japanese society and culture, with attention to recent developments, including
nationalistic Shinto and the new religions of Japan.
141 Indian Philosophies. (Cross-listed as Philosophy 122.) Seminar on the doctrines
and arguments of the major Indian schools of philosophy (Samkhya, Buddhist, Vedanta,
Nyaya-Vaisesika, and Navya-Nyaya). How these schools attempt to ground their religious
systems in logical argumentation about the human soul, God, and the path to nirvana.
Prerequisite (one of the following): Comparative Religion 43, 44, or 45; or Philosophy 33;
or consent.
144 Tantra. Advanced seminar examining the origins and practices of
Asian tantra and its connections to indigenous medical and alchemical theories.
Focus on theory and social context of two systems: Saivism and Buddhist
Vajrayana. Prerequisite: consent.
Additional Courses
120 Race and Religion in American History. Seminar on American religious history as viewed through the lens of race. Puritan encounters with Native Americans; African-American religious experiences under slavery and its aftermath; the religious origins of modern white racist ideologies; the history of American anti-Semitism; the role of religion in the civil rights movement; and the problem of race in contemporary American denominations. Theories of race as they relate to religion.
191 Religion in International Relations. Religion as both a transnational and a subnational force in international relations. Guest lecturers from religious and academic institutions in greater Boston.
192 Special Topics. Directed reading and study in selected areas of religious thought and practice. Prerequisites: consent of the department. Credit as arranged.
194 Jewish Issues Today. The Jewish moral dimension in many of the complex dilemmas and challenges of America since the 1990s.
195 Mystics. An exploration of the mystics and of mysticism as experience, as spiritual knowledge, and as a way of life. Reading, discussion, and reflection based on the mystics of Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism.
199A, 199B Honors Thesis.
Courses in Other Departments
4 Art, Ritual, and Culture. (Cross-listed as Art History 1.) See Art and Art History for course description.
5 Introduction to the Arts of Asia. (Cross-listed as Art History 5.) See Art and Art History for course description.
9 Looking Back at the Millennium: Apocalyptic Movements and the Creation of the Other. (Cross-listed as History 9.) See History for course description.
11 Buddhist Art. (Cross-listed as Art History 11.) See Art and Art History for course description.
14 Arts of Japan. (Cross-listed as Art History 14.) See Art and Art History for course description.
15/105 Japanese Architecture. (Cross-listed as Art History 15/105.) See Art and Art History for course description.
20 Image and Icon: Medieval Illuminated Manuscripts. (Cross-listed as Art History 20.) See Art and Art History for course description.
23/121 Early Islamic Art. (Cross-listed as Art History 21/121.) See Art and Art History for course description.
24/122 Iconoclasm and Iconophobia: Threat of the Image. (Cross-listed as Art History 22/122.) See Art and Art History for course description.
25 Art and Politics in the Middle Ages. (Cross-listed as Art History 23.) See Art and Art History for course description.
25B/125B Medieval Architecture. (Cross-listed as Art History 25B/125B.) See Art and Art History for course description.
27 The End of the World in Art and Thought, Fourth to Fourteenth Centuries. (Cross-listed as Art History 27.) See Art and Art History for course description.
29 Gender and Medieval Art and Literature. (Cross-listed as Art History 29/ 129 and German 29/ 129.) See German, Russian, and Asian Languages and Literatures for course description.
30 Fourteenth-Century Art. (Cross-listed as Art History 30/130.) See Art and Art History for course description.
68 Martin Luther: The Man and His Era. (Cross-listed as German 68.) See German, Russian, and Asian Languages and Literatures for course description.
78 Jewish Women. (Cross-listed as Judaic Studies 78.) See Judaic Studies for course description.
84 The Sources of Jewish Tradition. (Cross-listed as Judaic Studies 84.) See Judaic Studies for course description.
96 Introduction to the Talmud. (Cross-listed as Judaic Studies 96.) See Judaic Studies for course description.
98 Music and Prayer in the Jewish Tradition. (Cross-listed as Music 98.) See Music for course description.
113 The Religious and Spiritual Map of Europe, 300-1500. (Cross-listed as History 113.) See History for course description.
115 The English Bible. (Cross-listed as English 115.) See English for course description.
124 Early Medieval Art. (Cross-listed as Art History 124.) See Art and Art History for course description.
126 Roots of the Jewish Imagination. (Cross-listed as Judaic Studies 126.) See Judaic Studies for course description.
127 Cathedrals and the Arts, 1150-1300. (Cross-listed as Art History 127.) See Art and Art History for course description.
128 Monasteries and the Arts, 1000-2000. (Cross-listed as Art History 126.) See Art and Art History for course description.
129 Gender and Medieval Art and Literature. (Cross-listed as Art History 29/129 and German 29/129.) See German, Russian, and Asian Languages and Literatures for course description.
130 Fourteenth-Century Art. (Cross-listed as Art History 130.) See Art and Art History for course description.
132 Book of Genesis and Its Interpreters. (Cross-listed as Judaic Studies 132.) See Judaic Studies for course description.
134 Myth, Ritual, and Symbol. (Cross-listed as Anthropology 132.) See Anthropology for course description.
136 Religion in Japanese History. (Cross-listed as History 132.) See History for course description.
138 Islam in South Asia. (Cross-listed as History 138.) See History for course description.
140 Religion, Law, and Misplaced Secularity in South Asia. (Cross-listed as History 140.) See History for course description.
142 Jewish Experience on Film. (Cross-listed as Judaic Studies 142.) See Judaic Studies for course description.
143 Sociology of Religion. (Cross-listed as Sociology 149B.)
157 Theories of Spiritual Development. (Cross-listed as Child Development 157.) See Child Development for course description.
164 Politics of African Religious Experience. (Cross-listed as Anthropology 164.) See Anthropology for course description.
192A Seminar in Armenian or Byzantine Art. (Cross-listed as Art History 192A.)
192B Seminar in Western Medieval Art. (Cross-listed as Art History 192B.)
192D The World of Islam. (Cross-listed as History 68.) See History for course description.
For more information, please visit the Comparative
Religion Web site.