Religious Studies

This course studies and examines Chinese Buddhist art from historical and cultural perspectives to explore its origin, evolution and influence. The course also studies the transmission of Buddhism as well as its transformations through the investigation of the various art treasures found along the Silk Road. A study of these archaeological artifacts, religious monuments, and art and sculpture from the area reveals the fascinating story of the development of Buddhism from India to Central Asia and eventually to China, Korea and Japan. Assessment: short essay with 2,500-3,000 words (50%), 2 short quizzes (10%), presentation (25%), attendance and participation (15%)

This course examines the place of religious and biblical culture in literature and literary studies, as well as general historical, philosophical, and artistic culture, to better understand literary and artistic works, philosophical thoughts, and historical facts through the most contemporary topicality. It consists of an introduction to the Bible, a historical journey through Biblical Antiquity, and a book-by-book presentation of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, while considering the issues of interpretation of these texts.

This course offers a study of marriage and sexuality in the classical sources of rabbinic Judaism. It focuses on the development of these concepts in the Judaism of antiquity and compare them to similar ideas of sexuality in the surrounding Greco-Roman and Christian cultures.

This course demonstrates how religious culture is related to contemporary Korean society, focusing on their doctrines, social attitudes, growth, and decline. In addition, the course addresses different sociological perspectives on Korean religious culture and applies them to Korean religious market theoretically and empirically.

The course examines key aspects of popular religious culture during the early modern period in Europe which witnessed the transformation of religious life associated with the Protestant and Catholic Reformations. It deals specifically with religious ideas and devotional practices at a popular level and the changes introduced by both Protestant and Catholic reformers. As part of the spectrum of belief it examines ideas concerning magic and witchcraft and it includes a study of the witch hunting which swept through Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries. Attention is given to the role of women in churches and society, and how they were affected by the religious upheavals of the period.