RELU 110 Religion and Values
A thematic study of religious values as they come to expression particularly within the Judeo-Christian-Islamic heritage: basic beliefs and practices, and their relevance to human problems today. 3 credits.
RELU 115 Living Religions of the World
A survey of religious traditions of the world including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam: basic beliefs and practices, and their relevance to problems today. 3 credits.
RELU 120 Global Ethics and Religion
(Same as PHLU 120) An introduction to ethical issues from the perspective of world religions: What is the relationship between religion and ethics? Why do people suffer? How do the religions differ on ethics? Are there universal religious ethical values? 3 credits.
RELU 125 Philosophy of Religion
(Same as PHLU 125) An introduction to philosophical issues in the world religions. Comparisons and contrasts between Western and Asian philosophy of religion are emphasized: What is the meaning of life? How do resurrection and reincarnation differ? Does God exist? How could a good God allow evil? Could only one religion be right? 3 credits.
RELU 200 Introduction to the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament)
Tradition, history, and literature in Israel: the development of the Hebrew scriptures in their various genres within the context of evolving ideas, values, and social concerns from Hebrew beginnings through the prophets to post-exilic times. 3 credits.
RELU 201 Introduction to the New Testament
Students examine the Jesus of the gospels, gospel tradition, rise of the Christian community, life and letters of Paul, later books of the New Testament. 3 credits.
RELU 304 The Ancient World
(Same as HISU 304) Students survey the history of the ancient Mediterranean world by examining the Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and Byzantine civilizations. The historical and artistic accomplishments of these ancient peoples are highlighted, with particular attention given to the development of religious thought and philosophical inquiry, archeological research, and museum studies. 3 credits.
RELU 306 The Middle Ages
(Same as HISU 306) Lords and ladies, peasants and popes, soldiers and saints—this course examines the history of the Middle Ages, 500–1500, through the themes and events that shaped the period. Students discuss feudalism, the development of scholastic theology, the launching of the Crusades, and the creations of Romanesque and Gothic architecture. 3 credits.
RELU 307 Germany and the Holocaust: From Anti-Semitism to Final Solution
(Same as HISU 307) An examination of the Holocaust within its context in the history of Germany and World War II. The origins of the Holocaust, the implementation of the Final Solution, resistance to the Nazis, and the legacy of the Holocaust will be studied with the experiences of survivors, members of the Resistance, and "righteous Gentiles." 3 credits.
RELU 308 God, the Good Life, and Sex
(Same as PHLU 308) An interdisciplinary course focusing on the relation between Ultimate Reality and the Good. Questions in cross-cultural metaphysics, aesthetics, and ethics (especially sexual ethics) are addressed. 3 credits.
RELU 310 From Socrates to Aquinas
(Same as PHLU 310) An interdisciplinary study of philosophical and religious thinkers from the earliest Greek philosophers through the Middle Ages. The ideas of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, and Aquinas are examined to see how they change over time, and how they are relevant to our contemporary search for moral and religious values. 3 credits.
RELU 311 Descartes to Kierkegaard
(Same as PHLU 311) An interdisciplinary study of the great philosophical and religious thinkers from the Reformation to the 20th century whose ideas form the basis for modern thought. Prominent works of Martin Luther, John Calvin, René Descartes, David Hume, Immanuel Kant, Friedrich Schleiermacher, and Søren Kierkegaard are critically examined. 3 credits.
RELU 318 The Reformation
(Same as HISU 318) Students examine the events and ideas of the sixteenth-century Reformation. This course analyzes the transition from a medieval to a modern world view and the impact of the Reformation on education, politics, science, art, and the roles of men and women in society. 3 credits.
RELU 329 Experimental Topics in Religious Studies
An examination of selected topics in religious studies relevant to evolving areas of importance to the field. Syllabi must be approved by the Dean and announced to the Curriculum and Academic Committee prior to being offered. May be repeated for credit provided the course content is different. 3 credits.
RELU 330 Women and Religion
Students examine women's place in religious traditions, ways of being religious, and religious leadership, as well as the recovery of women's voices from the past and the transformation of these traditions today. 3 credits.
RELU 335 Hinduism and the Religions of India
A study of the historical development of Hinduism; the texts, practices, and world views that characterize its various paths to liberation; and the religious traditions that emerge as reactions to it and/or with which it interacts (Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, and Islam). 3 credits.
RELU 336 Buddhism
A study of the Buddha and the historical and philosophical development of Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana Buddhism, exploring their understanding of the human predicament and the solutions they offer as well as ritual and meditative practices, and the interaction between Buddhism and existing traditions in the cultures in which it thrives. 3 credits.
RELU 340 The Bible as Literature
(Same as ENGU 340) An exploration of the wonders of the Old and New Testaments. From the song of creation to the apocalypse of Revelation, the course will examine the stories and poetry of the Bible, which shaped our culture and nurtured our values, as literary expressions of ancient Israel and the early Christians. 3 credits.
RELU 365 Topics in the Holocaust
(Same as HISU 365) Students examine selected topics within the study of the history of the Holocaust, such as the role of doctors; persecution of non-Jewish groups, including homosexuals and gypsies; theologians and religion under Hitler; and the experiences and choices of perpetrators, victims, and bystanders. 3 credits.
RELU 375 Violence and Nonviolence in Society and Religion
An examination of the religious, philosophic, economic, and biological roots of aggression, violence, and nonviolence among individuals and social groups. The approach will be inter-disciplinary, and the methods employed will range from the study of religious texts through the exploration of cultural tradition. 3 credits.
RELU 499 Independent Study
Prerequisites: Instructor's approval and approval of petition. Directed reading and/or research designed to meet specific needs of superior upper division students. 1-3 credits.