Religious Studies

This course examines developments in intellectual life throughout the modern Muslim world in order to come to an understanding of Muslim thought from the later half of the 20th century onward, through a combination of lectures, readings, and classroom discussions. It includes discussion of Muslim streams of thought from reactionary to progressive Muslim thought and globalization in the Muslim world.

Religious belief represents a significant facet in the complexity of today's world. Communications and media experts in particular need to understand the philosophical, historical, sociological, communicative, and doctrinal aspects of major religious traditions in order to provide balanced and unbiased reports. This course analyzes religions in the context of their historical development and their symbiotic relationship with local cultures, examining cross-tradition similarities and the uniqueness of each of the religions. Special emphasis is placed on the attitudes of the various religious traditions toward politics and violence, and the role of communications in this process. Students discuss the particularities of religious and non-religious worldviews in Central Europe and in a larger European context.

As an introduction to the academic study of religion, this course examines topics, theories, and methods that are essential to gain an understanding of religion as an important aspect of human culture and history. The course proceeds along two lines. First, students are introduced to influential approaches to defining and investigating religion (e.g. Max Weber, Emile Durkheim, Clifford Geertz, Wilfred Cantwell Smith, Ninian Smart). Next, theoretic approaches study parts of specific religious traditions, especially Christianity and Islam, but also Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, and native (African) religions. Topics discussed include perspectives on transcendence and immanence, war and peace, reconciliation and retaliation, social difference, holy texts, and the challenge of modernity. Since the academic study of religion comprises various disciplinary approaches (e.g. historical, cultural anthropological, philosophical, and literary approaches), the course is also an exercise in interdisciplinarity, both theoretical (studying the respective academic literature) and practical (investigating religious phenomena, using methods from various academic disciplines). After completing this course students are able to understand the complexity of identifying and analyzing religious phenomena; understand the context of defining “religion”; compare religious traditions from a historical perspective; reflect on current issues related to the impact of religion on social affairs; and work comparatively with different perspectives on, and interpretations of, religion and religious phenomena.

This course explores Christian approaches to the question of God in terms of Christianity's key theological affirmations. In the 21st century, humans are still asking questions of and about God, and probing the meaning of human existence. This course explores the big questions and looks at the way Christians through the ages have been challenged by and responded to them. Students study the intellectual and religious ideas that have influenced Christian practice.

This course explores the history of secularization in France and its influence on the French Constitution and politics. The following events in French History are discussed in the course: the impact of the religious wars in the sixteenth century; the role of the Catholic church in the Ancien Regime; the development of the idea of secularism in the Enlightenment; the installation of a model of modern secularism under the Republic (nineteenth and twentieth centuries); the existence of a culture of anti-clericalism; the scholarly debate; the new situation imposed by the progression of Islam since the 1970s and the idea of a crisis of secularism today.

This course explores a number of areas of Islamic thought in the contemporary world. The course covers the development of theories, philosophies, and debates shaping and influencing reformist movements, cultural transformations, and the Muslim way of life. The course places an emphasis on primary texts where major thinkers grapple with the existential matters of change and continuity, such as liberalization, politics and democratization, human rights, and women rights. The course explores some "fiqh" responses to challenges posed by modern applications of science and technology in the fields of ecology and biomedical ethics.

This course examines a range of Irish religious writings from the early medieval period. Students use original sources, read in translation, in order to gain insight into the many-sided world of Christian faith in early Ireland. Themes include prayer, the saints, God's relationship with the cosmos, the continuing role of pagan tradition, and ideas concerning the afterlife and the end of the world.

This course considers the religious, political, and cultural significance of Buddhism in modern Asia, with a particular focus on Japan. Students survey Japan's religious history and traditions and also recent issues facing Buddhist communities and modern society. Specific topics include religion and nationalism, gender issues in modern temple practices, the diffusion of consumer oriented prayer services and material culture, and religious violence. Students gain a solid understanding of East Asia's religious heritage, and develop critical perspectives on the impact of religion on modern Asian societies. Assessment: Class attendance (15%), class participation (20%), short writing assignments (20%), oral report (10%), final project (35%).