Course Requirements
Area Studies
Asian Religions
Religions of North and South America
European and Middle Eastern Religions
Religions of Africa and the African Diaspora
REL 300
THEORIES OF CULTURE AND RELIGION
An investigation of the cultural study of religion. Considers classical, modern and postmodern approaches from a variety of traditions and academic disciplines. Uses a variety of materials such as oral and written texts and visual artifacts, as well as the works of major theorists.
REL 202
ETHICAL WORLDS: MORAL ISSUES ACROSS CULTURES
An exploration of religion and ethics from a comparative and international perspective. Ethical dimensions of diverse world religious traditions will be investigated within their own particular historical and cultural contexts, and students will be asked to consider and evaluate their own ethical orientations in the light of these studies.
REL 220
PSYCHOLOGY AND RELIGION
Psychological factors operative in acquisition, formation and development of religious expression and commitment.
REL 221
RELIGION IN SOCIETY
Sociological study of religious groups, institutions, behavior, and belief systems in human life and society.
REL 223
LITERATURE AND THE SACRED
Variable topics. How human beings across cultures express their intimations of ultimate meaning in a variety of genres ranging from aphorisms and autobiographies to mythic and fictional narratives.
REL 224
RELIGION AND POLITICS IN THE UNITED STATES
Variable topics. Explores the interplay of religion, politics and culture in the United States, focusing on citizenship and religious identity in the USA's multicultural, multiethnic, multireligious society. Various sections will focus on different particular religious communities and themes, such as the Religious Right and the Religious Left, the political activities of particular communities, and the challenges of interreligious dialogue.
REL 225
RELIGION AND THE ARTS
Variable topics. How human beings across cultures express their comprehension and experience of ultimate meaning in a variety of artistic forms.
REL 264
COLONIZATION, RELIGION AND RESISTANCE
This course will explore the religious traditions and cultural identities of some of the peoples native to the Americas, Africa, Asia and Oceania; problems they have with the "civilized" world and their potential solutions to them.
REL 324
ISLAMIC LAW (SHARIAH) AND AMERICAN CULTURE
An intensive study of the many dimensions of religious liberties in a pluralist society. Explores the language of constitutional and political discourse generally, and the ways in which language affects an understanding of the First Amendment. Includes case studies on particular religious communities and their encounters with American law.
REL 142
HINDU EXPERIENCE
A survey of the varieties of Hindu practice and thought. Hinduism in India and throughout the world will be examined.
REL 143
BUDDHIST EXPERIENCE
A survey of the varieties of Buddhist practice and thought. Different forms of Buddhism throughout the world will be examined.
REL 241
RELIGION IN CHINESE HISTORY, SOCIETY AND CULTURE
An exploration of the Chinese religious landscape, focusing on social and practical dimensions of Chinese religion, such as state rituals and private cults, liturgies and individual practices of Taoist priests and adepts, politico-religious ideas that inspired popular messianic movements throughout Chinese history, and interrelations of Buddhist and Taoist clergies and institutions in the state.
REL 242
HINDU THOUGHT AND CULTURE
Hinduism is one of the world's oldest religions, but it is also the world's most diverse religion. Despite its variety, certain themes have remained throughout the ages--karma and ethical responsibility, liberation from the bonds of worldly existence through yoga and devotion, communication with the divine through ritual, and the many forms, male and female, that God can take. This course traces the development of Hinduism from 5000 years ago to the present, with emphasis on change and continuity in those themes.
REL 243
BUDDHIST THOUGHT IN CULTURAL CONTEXT
A study of Buddhism from its beginnings as a "non-orthodox" renunciant and monastic movement in ancient India, through its development into a myriad of religious expressions and practices, philosophical tendencies, and social forms over its twenty-five hundred year history.
REL 245
RELIGION IN JAPANESE HISTORY, SOCIETY, AND CULTURE
Explores the specific interplay between religion and culture in Japan. Taking historical and cultural factors into account, it considers prehistoric Japanese religion, ancient imperial myths, the assimilation of Buddhism, Confucianism, and continental (Chinese/Korean) culture, the religious and aesthetic worlds of the court nobility and the warrior class, popular mountain cults, the revival and systematization of Shinto, the impact of western culture, Japanese ultranationalism, and the religious situation in the post-war period.
REL 246
TRADITIONS OF CHINESE POPULAR CULTURE
Promotes an understanding of Chinese worldview and life in the perspective of the common Chinese people from ancient to modern times. Based on historical and modern texts in translation, some historical and ethnographic studies, as well as visual and aural materials, the course explores gender and generational relations and conflicts, ancestor veneration, the worlds of ghosts and gods, festivals, art, and entertainment, but also aspects of misery and social unrest. Although the course will draw largely on popular and entertaining sources, it will also pay attention to historical developments, the relationship between popular and elite traditions, as well as sociological and anthropological issues arising from these contexts.
REL 247
LITERATURE AND RELIGION IN JAPAN
Focuses on the pervasive influence of religious thought and sentiment on Japanese literature from ancient to modern times and explores the intricate relationship between religion, aesthetics, and the arts in Japanese culture. Considers original works including ancient Japanese mythology and poetry, the memoirs of court ladies and Buddhist hermits, romance, epics, folktales and social satire, with attention to their historical, social, religious and social dimensions, as well as to the individual experience expressed in them.
REL 248
LITERATURE AND RELIGION IN CHINA
Focuses on the interpretation of literature and religion in China. Considers original works of literature and explores the religious origins of Chinese script and writing itself, poetry and mystical philosophy, cosmology and revealed scripture, popular tales, ballads, plays and novels, and the reworking of contemporary Chinese American authors of their literary and religious heritage, with attention to their historical, social, religious and social dimensions, as well as to the individual experience expressed in them.
REL 341
TAOISM: CHINA'S INDIGENOUS HIGH RELIGION
A study of Taoist thought, imagination and expression, through sacred literature, the organization of clergy, and the nature and function of its institutions in interaction with the authority of the Chinese state, with Buddhism, and with the broader scheme of popular Chinese culture and religion.
REL 342
ZEN MIND
A study of the thought and practice of Zen Buddhism, focusing on the role of Zen in shaping ideas, ethics and the arts in Japan and America.
REL 343
MORAL PHILOSOPHY AND ETHICS IN CHINA
An exploration of Chinese ethics the philosophical, religious and socio-political traditions which shaped them and were formed by them. Considers the major philosophical schools of China's classical age--Confucianism, Monism, Taoism, and Legalism--with Han dynasty cosmology, the ethical orientations of the Taoist and Buddhist religions, neo-Confucianism, and also the traumatic encounter with western power and thought. Addresses comparative issues concerning traditional Chinese values in relation to western views, particularly in terms of modern relations between China (and East Asia) and the west.
REL 344
YOGA AND TANTRA
An examination of the history, philosophy and cultural meaning of body-oriented liberative techniques as they developed on the Indian subcontinent and Himalayan region in Hinduism and Buddhism. Students registering for this course are expected to have studied one or both of these traditions in courses such as REL 142, 143, 242, or 243, or in other courses. Background in theory is also useful.
REL 305
TOPICS IN RELIGION AND CULTURE
Examines particular issues in the relationship between religion and culture. Specific topics for current offering are noted in the current class schedule.
REL 320
TOPICS IN RELIGIOUS ETHICS
Examines methods and content of religious ethics. Specific topics for current offering are noted in the current schedule.
REL 340
INQUIRIES IN WORLD RELIGIONS
Various topics within the comparative study of religions. Specific topics for current offering are noted in the current schedule.
REL 392
FOREIGN STUDY IN RELIGION
Under this number, students taking courses in religion or theology as part of a DePaul-sponsored program of study abroad may receive Religious Studies credit when approved in advance by the director of the Foreign Studies Program and the chair of the Religious Studies Department.
REL 111
THE AMERICAN RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE
Major religious movements in America with emphasis upon the development of religious pluralism. Impact of religious beliefs and values upon American culture.
REL 113
THE LATINO RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE IN THE UNITED STATES
An examination of the diverse nature of Latino religion, from its indigenous roots to its institutional forms, within the social and political context of American culture.
REL 161
INDIGENOUS RELIGIONS OF NORTH AMERICA
An introductory exploration of the close ties particular religious traditions of Native North America have with their own distinctive historical realities, geographic-celestial topographies, and political and social structures. Considers variety of oral, written, ritual, visual and archaeological texts.
REL 162
POPULAR AND INDIGENOUS RELIGIONS OF MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICA
An exploration of old and new religious traditions of Mexico and Central America and its diaspora. Our studies will focus on myths and stories as ancient as pre-Conquest times and as recent as today's movies; and we will examine them in written, oral, visual, ritualized, theatrical, musical and even electronic forms.
REL 266
ISLAM IN THE UNITED STATES (CROSS-LISTED WITH IWS 266)
An examination of the story of Islam in the United States in three historical periods: antebellum America, the first half of the 20th century, and the latter half of the 20th century. Explores Muslim slave life; the possibilities of retentions of Islam in slave culture; the religious, social/economic, and political life of Muslims at the beginning of the 20th century; the emergence of Islamic thought in the U.S. through an overview of the works of Ismail as-Faruqi, Seyyed Hossein Nasr and Fazlur Rahman.
REL 268
MODERN JUDAISM
An examination of central features of the modern Jewish experience including the transition from traditional to modern religious life and practice, American Judaism, the Holocaust, and the establishment of the State of Israel.
REL 291
LOOKING FOR GOD IN LATIN AMERICA
An examination of religious traditions such as Catholicism, indigenous religions, and Protestantism in Latin America, with special focus on how these traditions have been transplanted and reshaped upon entry into varied Latino communities in the United States. Historical analyses of the Latin American roots of these traditions will provide contextualization for the ongoing examination of transnational religious cultures in the U.S.
REL 360
SACRIFICE AND TIME IN ANCIENT MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICA
An exploration of the history of Mesoamerica before Columbus and the conquistadores, from the perspectives of the indigenous peoples, their conquerors, and contemporary scholars, with special emphasis upon the religious and cultural dimensions of Mesoamerican civilization.
REL 382
RELIGION IN THE CONTEMPORARY UNITED STATES
An advanced examination of traditional communities and contemporary movements in the United States.
REL 384
THE CULTURE OF AMERICAN CATHOLICS
How has the unique experience of immigration shaped the American Catholic Church from the colonial period to the 21st century? How did the idea of "the Church" as an authoritative hierarchy come about in the mid-20th century, and how has that notion been challenged by immigrant communities, as well as artists and intellectuals? Drawing on the disciplines of history, sociology, anthopology, cultural theory, literature and the arts, this course looks at those who built the church and those who challenged and changed it. (Course is cross-listed as REL 384, CTH 384 and MLS 464.)
REL 351
LIBERATION THEOLOGY
Focuses upon the ideas and practices of a radical movement for the transformation of Christianity and for social justice that originated in the "Basic Christian Communities" of Latin America and spread from there to North America and the Third World. Entails either an Applied Research or Service Learning component.
REL 109
THE JEWISH EXPERIENCE
An introductory course offering a basic understanding of Judaism as the historic and evolving religious expression of the Jewish people, surveying the basic aspects of traditional Jewish life and thought as well as the people's many-sided experience of the modern world.
REL 110
THE CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE
An introductory course surveying the range of traditions that have emerged within the Christian movement, and offering an historical perspective on the life and thought of Christian communities, and their prospects for the future.
REL 116
THE ISLAMIC EXPERIENCE
An introduction to major recurrent religious themes and alternative models of religious interpretation and authority in Islam's manifold expressions, from the life of Muhammad and the Qur'an, to popular ritual and spirituality and the Islamic humanities.
REL 180
INTRODUCTION TO CATHOLICISM
An examination of the breadth of the Catholic experience from a 1st-century Jewish religious movement to a 21st-century global religion.
REL 213
CHRISTIAN THOUGHT IN CLASSICAL AND MEDIEVAL TIMES
A study of the development of Christian theologies in Western civilization from post-New Testament times to the Renaissance, with emphasis on St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas.
REL 214
TRANSFORMATION IN CHRISTIANITY: THE REFORMATION TO THE PRESENT
A study of the development of Christianity since 1500 C.E., exploring the Protestant and Catholic Reformations, the growth of Christianity in the United States, and its encounter with a variety of Enlightenment and post-Enlightenment themes and figures, especially concerning science, justice, relativity and religious pluralism.
REL 217
ISLAM IN GLOBAL CONTEXTS
A study of Islam's developments in various global contexts, including Arabian beginnings, the Middle East, Central, Eastern and Western Europe, China, the former Soviet States and South Africa, with a focus on the impacts that these cultures and Islam have had on each other.
REL 222
CONTEMPORARY MORAL ISSUES
A study of the relations between religious beliefs and moral action to be carried out through an examination of the ethical and moral response of various religious traditions to selected moral issues such as war and peace, sexual behavior, etc.
REL 232
ANCIENT ISRAEL: HISTORY, LITERATURE, AND RELIGION (CROSS-LISTED AS CTH 212)
The development of Judaism from Moses to the Rabbinic era with special attention to social and historical questions. Cross-listed as CTH 212.
REL 233
THE NEW TESTAMENT (CROSS-LISTED WITH CTH 213)
An introduction to the historical-critical investigation of the New Testament. Topics include the earliest Christian writings (letters of Paul), the production of "gospels" about Jesus, and the development of early churches in the context of ancient history and society.
REL 234
VARIETIES OF EARLY CHRISTIANITY
An examination of multicultural diversity in early Christianity through a study of materials excluded from the New Testament canon; Christian apologists defending the church against pagan intellectuals and Roman imperial magistrates; comparisons of early Christian fiction and ancient Greek novels; and an examination of Gnostic writings.
REL 235
PAUL AND HIS INFLUENCE IN EARLY CHRISTIANITY
A critical study of Paul's literary remains as primary sources for reconstructing the development of the Christian movement, focusing on Paul's communities, ethics and theology. Early interpretations and assessments of Paul will also be considered.
A&S 491
ADMINISTRATIVE THEORY AND BEHAVIOR
This course concerns theoretical concepts and empirical research relating to administrative behavior in organizations with special reference to educational organizations. Concepts are examined within the typical decisional framework of supervisors, chief school business officers, principles, and superintendents, and similar positions in the helping professions. Assignments are individualized.
Prerequisites:
Status as an Advanced Masters Education student is a prerequisite for this class.REL 236
VARIETIES OF JUDAISM IN THE GREEK AND ROMAN WORLD
An examination of Judaism from the Jews' return from Babylonian exile in 538 BCE to the promulgation of the Mishnah in 200 CE, with a focus on the Roman period. The Dead Sea Scrolls, as well as concepts of the Messiah, the resurrection of the dead, the final judgment and the idea of the "Bible" will be studied.
CTH 214
THE HISTORICAL JESUS (FORMERLY CTH 311, CROSS-LISTED AS REL 238)
An investigation of the early Christian Gospels and other sources for reconstructing the life of Jesus of Nazareth. The relation of historical reconstruction and religious interpretation, and the significance of conflicting interpretations of Jesus, will also be considered. Cross-listed as REL 238.
REL 238
THE HISTORICAL JESUS
An investigation of the early Christian Gospels and other sources for reconstructing the life of Jesus of Nazareth. The relation of historical reconstruction and religious interpretation, and the significance of conflicting interpretations of Jesus, will also be considered.
REL 263
RELIGION AND POLITICS IN THE MIDDLE EAST
An exploration of Judaism, Christianity and Islam as they develop and interact in the Middle East, historically and in terms of contemporary religious and political issues. Includes a study of personal narratives of people from Jewish, Christian and Muslim communities.
REL 265
REFORM MOVEMENTS WITHIN ISLAM (CROSS-LISTED WITH IWS 265)
This course will deal with the idea of "reform" within Islamic political movements in the modern period. The course will analyze various Islamic reform movements such as the Wahahabis, the Muslim Brotherhood, the Modernists, the Traditionalists, seeking a pattern in these movements.
REL 269
JUDAISM IN ANTIQUITY
This course traces the history of Israelite and Jewish culture and religion from their origins in the world of the Ancient Near East in the second millennium BCE until the rise of Islam in the seventh century CE. We will critically examine the meaning and mutual relationship of such categories as ?ancient Israelite? religion, ?biblical? religion, and ?early Judaism.? We will also discuss the history of religious institutions, texts, and practices, as well as the dynamics of continuity and change in ancient Israelite and Jewish society. This course will pay special attention to the complex relationship that exists between history and collective memory as constructed through texts and rituals.
REL 270
WOMEN IN THE BIBLE
An examination of the historical role of women in the Bible and the contemporary concerns of feminist theology, women's spirituality and ethical issues arising from the contemporary application of these biblical texts to women's experiences.
REL 271
THE QUR'AN AND ITS INTERPRETERS (CROSS-LISTED WITH IWS 271)
A study of the origin, transmission, and interpretation of the Qur'an.
REL 272
MUSLIM WOMEN IN TEXTS (CROSS-LISTED AS IWS 272)
Explores major current approaches to the study of Muslim women, focusing on the Qur'anic conversation on women, on the commentaries provided by men, and on the emerging voices of Muslim women and non-Muslims.
REL 275
COMMUNITY AND AUTHORITY IN MEDIEVAL JUDAISM
An introduction to the history, religion and culture of the Jewish people under Christendom and Islam from the fourth through the end of the fifteenth centuries.
REL 278
WOMEN AND RELIGION
A study of the historical and contemporary roles and contributions of women within major religious traditions, especially Christianity and Judaism.
REL 280
ROMAN CATHOLIC THEOLOGICAL THINKING
A study of the Roman Catholic tradition of "faith seeking understanding'' examining the content and the process of emergence of Catholic beliefs about such matters as God, sin, Jesus Christ, revelation, the church and eschatology. Cross-listed with CTH 243.
REL 281
ROMAN CATHOLIC LITURGY (CROSS-LISTED WITH CTH 231)
A study of the emergence, meaning and dynamics of ritual in the Roman Catholic tradition.
REL 282
ROMAN CATHOLIC SPIRITUAL LITERATURE
A study of the foundational religious experiences that underlie the Roman Catholic tradition, of the narratives they generate, and of their representations in various media such as poetry, music, myths, sacred legends and apologetic stories.
REL 295
SECTARIAN MOVEMENTS WITHIN ISLAM (CROSS-LISTED WITH IWS 295)
This course will look at the various sects within Islam such as Shi'ism, Kharjism, etc. The course will also look at theological sects such as the Mu'taziliets. The course will be concerned with the history, the beliefs, and the present circumstances (if they still exist today) of these sects.
REL 363
CLASSICAL TEXTS IN JUDAISM
An advanced analysis of selected Jewish texts.
REL 365
TEXTS, HISTORY, AND ISLAM
An advanced analysis of selected Islamic texts.
REL 115
THE AFRICAN AMERICAN RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE
An examination of the religious experience of African Americans and its African precursors through historical and literary resources, reflecting this people's distinctive past and its interactions with other elements of American culture. Formerly REL 215.
REL 144
THE AFRICAN RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE
A survey of the varieties of African religious practice and thought.