A study of the historical and contemporary roles and contributions of women within major religious traditions, especially Christianity and Judaism.

This course examines the role of gods in the social, political, and economic world of the first four centuries of the Roman Empire. Topics will include: the role of gods in civic life; the imperial cult; the use of the categories religion, superstition, and magic to mark social status; gods, family, and social values; religious innovation and the emergence of new gods; and the rise of Christianity and the worship of Jesus as a god. This course will pay special attention to the social interactions that create and sustain the plausibility of the existence of unseen deities governing the affairs of humans.

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.

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.

An investigation of theoretical issues regarding women's moral experiences and of feminist ethical arguments combatting various forms of oppression.

An exploration of women's experience as a primary resource and norm for theology, focusing on themes of inclusion, exclusion, representation and liberation in particular social, political and historical contexts.

A consideration of religion and feminism in differing cultural contexts using a comparative perspective. While the course will consider selected Western viewpoints, its emphasis will be on a sampling of different emerging feminisms of non-Western religious traditions.