Spring 2017

The Hebrew Bible in the cultural setting of the ancient Near East; the formation of theological and ethical concepts which have shaped Western culture.

Historical investigation of New Testament characters, events, ethics and theology in relation to its social, intellectual, and religious contexts in the Jewish and Greco-Roman world.

Survey of the changing beliefs and practices of the Christian religion from obscure origins to globalized present, with special attention to the varieties of Christian literature.

Historical and thematic survey of Chinese religious history from earliest times to the present.

Congregational and individual expressions of religion in Los Angeles.

Active learning course enables students to acquire and experience survival skills devised in pre-modern times and to apply this knowledge in an experimental context.

Overview of social and legal status of women in Islamic society, past and present. Examination of social roles established both for and by Muslim women.

Varieties of religious experience as reflected in the literature, art, and cultic practices of the Hellenistic world.

History, teaching, and practice of Hinduism, Buddhism, and other religious traditions of India.

Examines various topics in the process of rapid modernization and globalization in Buddhism including environmentalism, gender, nationalism, social activism, and war and peace.

Survey of methods and selected issues in the field of religious studies; required of all majors during their junior or senior year. Recommended preparation: REL 301.

The interaction of archaeology and contemporary societies through political and moral claims; archaeologists' role as stewards and interpreters of ancient cultures and their remains. Capstone course for the Interdisciplinary Archaeology major. Recommended preparation: background in archaeology, classics, or related field

The role of religion in modern society from the standpoint of sociological theory and research.

Critical analysis of the relationship between religion, mass media, and popular cultural forms in the U.S. Recommended preparation: REL 301

Individual research and readings. Not available for graduate credit.

Individual research for honors in the major leading to a substantial project.

Research leading to the master's degree. Maximum units which may be applied to the degree to be determined by the department. Graded CR/NC.

Offers students a structured environment in which to consider issues in professional development and to discuss their dissertation proposals. Graded CR/NC.

Practical principles for the long-term development of effective teaching within liberal arts disciplines. Graded CR/NC.

Application of comparative and transhistorical methods for understanding the most prominent themes in Asian Pacific Religions.

Study of Islamic religious texts in multiple genres, primarily in Arabic, though other languages may be offered. Recommended preparation: Advanced Arabic language ability.

Survey of the different genres of texts in the history of Christian spirituality from ancient Christianity to the present.