Religion Department
The study of religion is among the oldest pursuits in human intellectual history. Each of the world's living religions has a long and rich history of scholarship on its sacred texts and interpretive traditions. The curriculum in the Department of Religion involves a dynamic combination of traditional textual study, ethnographic engagement, historical reflection, and theory-practice learning. Courses are designed to introduce students to the origins and historical developments of ancient religious systems as well as the living religions of the world. Equally important, courses in the department and related programs provide a context for stepping back from the "inside" of a particular religion in order to study aspects of religion comparatively and thematically across traditions (e.g., religion in public life, religion and gender, religion and culture, religion and conflict). Religion majors and minors include students seeking careers in medicine, law, and the sciences, as well as those whose interests lie more in the humanities and liberal arts. Faculty in the Department of Religion are deeply committed to interdisciplinary work and thinking, and expect the same of their students. Many of our faculty members co-teach their courses with faculty in other disciplines in order to enliven their thinking about a particular topic. Faculty are also engaged in the Emory community, working on educational and scholarly projects with student groups. Faculty have designed student internships with the religious communities of Atlanta, and field trips and site visits are a regular component of many Emory religion classes. We are also an intentionally pluralist community--with no single "majority" of scholars studying one particular religious tradition or using one particular method of study. Faculty numbers are equally strong in Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and American studies. There is growing strength in African American religions, as well as ethnography of religions and the study of comparative sacred texts. Thanks to the high engagement of faculty in interdisciplinary work, the department now is participating in several University initiatives in contemplative studies; religion and conflict; religion and health; religion and sexuality; and religion and the arts. Students are highly encouraged to take part in these initiatives. More than half the faculty members have been recognized for excellence in teaching. The department also hosts fifteen associated faculty from other departments, including History, Classics, Political Science, Art History, Philosophy, Women¿s Studies, and Middle Eastern and South Asian Studies. The Graduate Division of Religion, the Institute of the Liberal Arts, Candler School of Theology, the Marial Center (Myth and Ritual in American Life), The Carter Center, The Center for Law and Religion, and the American Academy of Religion at Emory University enrich the academic environment and provide additional faculty resources for undergraduate students of religion. The department also has important connections with centers of learning from within the religious traditions, such as the Aquinas Center for Catholic Studies, the Drepung Loseling Institute for Buddhist Studies, and the Jewish Community Center of Atlanta
Faculty
- Chair/Director
- Gary LadermanP0842042Professor
Education
- BA, California State University, 1986
- MA, University of California, Santa Barbara, 1988
- PhD, University of California, Santa Barbara, 1994
Departments
- Religion, Core Faculty
- Institute of the Liberal Arts, Core Faculty
- American Studies, Core Faculty
Academic Interest
- religion in the United States
- Director of Undergraduate Studies
- Michael BergerP3778149Associate Professor
Education
- BA, Princeton University, 1985
- MA, Princeton University, 1988
- PhD, Columbia University, 1992
Departments
- Religion, Core Faculty
- Jewish Studies, Core Faculty
Academic Interest
- religious authority and ethics in Judaism
- Core Faculty
- Michael BergerP3778149Associate Professor
Education
- BA, Princeton University, 1985
- MA, Princeton University, 1988
- PhD, Columbia University, 1992
Departments
- Religion, Core Faculty
- Jewish Studies, Core Faculty
Academic Interest
- religious authority and ethics in Judaism
David BlumenthalP8724289Jay & Leslie Cohen Professor of Judiac StudiesEducation
- BA, University of Pennsylvania, 1960
- MHL, Jewish Theological Seminary of America, 1964
- PhD, Columbia University, 1972
Departments
- Religion, Core Faculty
- Jewish Studies, Core Faculty
Academic Interests
- medieval and modern Jewish thought
- Jewish mysticism
Paul CourtrightP8116010ProfessorEducation
- BA, Grinnell College, 1964
- MDiv, Yale University, 1968
- MA, Princeton University, 1970
- PhD, Princeton University, 1974
Department
- Religion, Core Faculty
Academic Interests
- Hindu religious traditions
- history of religions
Dianne DiakitéP8008805Associate ProfessorEducation
- AB, Colgate University, 1990
- MDiv, Harvard Divinity School, 1993
- MPhil, Union Theological Seminary, 1996
- PhD, Union Theological Seminary, 1997
Departments
- Religion, Core Faculty
- African American Studies, Core Faculty
Academic Interest
- African American and African Caribbean religions
Tara DoyleP5896325Senior LecturerEducation
- BA, Antioch College, 1979
- MTS, Harvard Divinity School, 1986
- MA, Harvard University, 1988
- PhD, Harvard University, 1997
Department
- Religion, Core Faculty
Academic Interest
- Buddhism and Hinduism
John DunneP0178236Associate ProfessorEducation
- AB, Amherst College, 1984
- MA, Harvard University, 1988
- PhD, Harvard University, 1999
Department
- Religion, Core Faculty
Academic Interests
- Indian and Tibetan Buddhism
- philosophy
- contemplative studies
Wendy FarleyP4812921ProfessorEducation
- BA, University of New Hampshire, 1981
- MA, Vanderbilt University, 1987
- PhD, Vanderbilt University, 1988
Department
- Religion, Core Faculty
Academic Interest
- theology and ethics
Joyce FlueckigerP5856068ProfessorEducation
- BA, Goshen College, 1974
- MA, University of Wisconsin, 1978
- PhD, University of Wisconsin, 1984
Department
- Religion, Core Faculty
Academic Interests
- performance studies in religion
- religions of South Asia
William GildersP4438320Associate ProfessorEducation
- BA, University of Toronto, 1990
- MA, McMaster University, 1994
- PhD, Brown University, 2000
Departments
- Religion, Core Faculty
- Jewish Studies, Core Faculty
Academic Interest
- Hebrew Bible
Pamela HallP9580209Associate ProfessorEducation
- BA, University of Dallas, 1982
- MA, Vanderbilt University, 1985
- PhD, Vanderbilt University, 1987
Departments
- Religion, Core Faculty
- Medieval Studies, Core Faculty
Academic Interests
- religion and women's studies
- ethics and feminist thought
- philosophy and women's studies
James HoestereyP5012643Assistant ProfessorEducation
- Ph.D, University of Wisconsin-Madison,
- MA, University of South Carolina,
- BA, Marquette University,
Department
- Religion, Core Faculty
Gary LadermanP0842042ProfessorEducation
- BA, California State University, 1986
- MA, University of California, Santa Barbara, 1988
- PhD, University of California, Santa Barbara, 1994
Departments
- Religion, Core Faculty
- Institute of the Liberal Arts, Core Faculty
- American Studies, Core Faculty
Academic Interest
- religion in the United States
Deborah LipstadtP5186269Dorot Professor of Modern Jewish History and Holocaust StudiesEducation
- Ph.D, Brandeis University, 1976
- MA, Brandeis University, 1972
- BA, City College of New York, 1969
Departments
- Jewish Studies, Core Faculty
- Religion, Core Faculty
Academic Interests
- Holocaust studies
- modern Jewish history and culture
Sara L. McClintockP8973648Associate ProfessorEducation
- BA, Bryn Mawr College, 1983
- MTS, Harvard University, 1989
- PhD, Harvard University, 2002
Departments
- Religion, Core Faculty
- East Asian Studies, Core Faculty
Academic Interests
- Indian and Tibetan Buddhism
- Buddhist literature
- rhetoric and religion
Satya Dev NegiP5790631Senior LecturerEducation
- MA, Institute for Buddhist Dialectics, 1985
- PhD, Emory University, 1999
Department
- Religion, Core Faculty
Academic Interest
- Tibetan Buddhist studies and practices
Barbara "Bobbi" PattersonP1820585Professor of PedagogyEducation
- BA, Smith College, 1974
- MDiv, Harvard University, 1977
- PhD, Emory University, 1994
Department
- Religion, Core Faculty
Academic Interests
- feminist theology
- religious practices
Eric ReindersP6359564Associate ProfessorEducation
- BA, University of Hull, 1981
- MPhil, University of Hull, 1987
- PhD, University of California, Santa Barbara, 1997
Departments
- Religion, Core Faculty
- East Asian Studies, Core Faculty
Academic Interests
- Chinese religion
- Buddhism
Jill RobbinsP5049346ProfessorEducation
- BA, Cornell University, 1979
- MPhil, Yale University, 1982
- PhD, Yale University, 1985
Departments
- Comparative Literature, Core Faculty
- Religion, Core Faculty
Academic Interest
- comparative literature and religion
Vernon RobbinsP8034670ProfessorEducation
- BA, Westmar College, 1960
- MDiv, United Theological Seminary, 1963
- MA, University of Chicago, 1966
- PhD, University of Chicago, 1969
Departments
- Religion, Core Faculty
- Ancient Mediterranean Studies, Core Faculty
Academic Interests
- New Testament
- comparative sacred texts
Don SeemanP7158876Associate ProfessorEducation
- AB, Harvard University, 1990
- AM, Harvard University, 1993
- PhD, Harvard University, 1997
Departments
- Religion, Core Faculty
- Jewish Studies, Core Faculty
Academic Interest
- ethnography of Judaism and ethnography of religions
Theophus "Thee" SmithP7243779Associate ProfessorEducation
- BA, St. John's College, 1975
- MTS, Virginia Theological Seminary, 1977
- PhD, Graduate Theological Union, 1987
Department
- Religion, Core Faculty
Academic Interests
- Christian studies
- African American religious traditions
- religion and conflict
Courses
- Religion 100-Level Courses
- REL 100R: Introduction To ReligionGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- HAP
Course DescriptionAn exploration of diverse ways of being religious (for example, in thought, action, community, and experience) as they are displayed in several traditions and cultures.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 170: Special Topics in ReligionGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- None
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionContact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 170W: Special Topics in ReligionGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 4
- GERs
- WRT
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionContact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- Writing Requirement
- Yes
- REL 190: Fresh Sem: ReligionGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- FSEM
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionDynamics of inquiry on a focused research topic. Will include discussion, debate, oral and written presentations. Topic varies.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Seminar
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- Religion 200-Level Courses
- REL 200R: Relig & Contemp ExperienceGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- HAP
Course DescriptionReligion and contemporary issues of human existence, the role of religion in politics and international conflicts, or the nature of contemporary religious movements such as fundamentalism.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 205: Biblical LiteratureGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HAP
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionThe Hebrew scriptures ("Old Testament"), in translation, examined in their historical setting, and in their roles as sacred texts in Judaism and Christianity.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 209: Hist Of Religions In AmericaGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionAn examination of American religious history and culture from the colonial period to the present.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 210R: Classic Religious TextsGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HAP
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionThis course will explore classic religious texts in depth, developing skills to interpret sacred, philosophical and ethical works. Social, cultural, and/or philosophical contexts at work will provide interpretive frameworks.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 210RW: Classic Religious TextsGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 4
- GERs
- HAPW
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionThis course will explore classic religious texts in depth, developing skills to interpret sacred, philosophical and ethical works. Social, cultural, and/or philosophical contexts at work will provide interpretive frameworks.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- Writing Requirement
- Yes
- REL 211: Western Religious TraditionsGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- HAP
Course DescriptionThis course examines western religions over a significant span of history, special emphasis on interactions between culture and religion and between religions; topic varies.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 212: Asian Religious TraditionsGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- HAP
Course DescriptionThematic study of at least two Asian religious traditions. Thematic emphasis may include relationships of text and context, pilgrimage, gender, epic performance, religious institutions, visual arts, or colonial and post-colonial identities.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 215: Greek and Roman ReligionGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionIntroduction to the religions of the ancient Greek and Roman worlds: ritual types, forms of evidence, and methods of investigation, from the Bronze Age to the early Christian era.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- Additional Course Plus Component
- Not Applicable
- REL 251: Daily Life In Ancient IsraelGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionEveryday life in ancient Israel (1200-586 BCE), including the economy, religion and culture, city planning, the Israelite kitchen, burials, status of women, and more.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 251W: Daily Life In Ancient IsraelGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 4
- GERs
- HSCW
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionEveryday life in ancient Israel (1200-586 BCE), including the economy, religion and culture, city planning, the Israelite kitchen, burials, status of women, and more.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- Writing Requirement
- Yes
- REL 260: Archaeology And The BibleGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 4
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionAn introductory course to the field of Biblical archaeology, with a careful examination of theory, methodology, famous discoveries, important sites, and historical questions.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture and Related Component
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- Scheduled Related Component
- Film Screening with discussion
- Weekly Contact Minutes in Related Component
- 50 - 90
- REL 261R: Fldwork In Biblical ArchaeolGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 4
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionSummer. Excavations in the Middle East, especially with the Summer Abroad Program affiliated with the Lahav Research Project at Tell Halif.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Experiential
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 200
- REL 270: Special Topics in ReligionGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- None
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionVariety of subjects pertaining to religion. Content will vary in successive offerings. May be repeated for credit when topic varies.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 270W: Special Topics in ReligionGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 4
- GERs
- WRT
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionVariety of subjects pertaining to religion. Content will vary in successive offerings. May be repeated for credit when topic varies.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- Writing Requirement
- Yes
- REL 288: Internship In ReligionGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 1 - 12
- GERs
- None
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionContact Hour Information- Course Type
- Experiential
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- variable
- REL 290: Topics AbroadGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- None
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionContact Hour Information- Course Type
- Study abroad course
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 290W: Topics AbroadGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 4
- GERs
- WRT
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionContact Hour Information- Course Type
- Study abroad course
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- Writing Requirement
- Yes
- Religion 300-Level Courses
- REL 300: Interpreting ReligionGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 4
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionCritical exploration of philosophical, theological, ethical, and social science theories of religions and methods for the interpretation of religious phenomena.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 200
- REL 301: Early And Medieval HinduismGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionHindu religious traditions from prehistorical times to the eighteenth century, including classical texts, rituals, ethical and social structures, institutions, and theologies.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Seminar
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 301W: Early And Medieval HinduismGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 4
- GERs
- HSCW
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionHindu religious traditions from prehistorical times to the eighteenth century, including classical texts, rituals, ethical and social structures, institutions, and theologies.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Seminar
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- Writing Requirement
- Yes
- REL 302: Religions in Colonial IndiaGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionHistorical survey of religion in India, 1756 to the present, focusing on the impact of British colonial and post-colonial settings on diverse religions in India and among Indians living abroad.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 303: Modern HinduismGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionHinduism in the modern period, from the early nineteenth century to the present, focusing on religious communities, rituals, modes of leadership, and the contemporary internationalization of Hinduism.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 304: South Asian EpicsGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HAP
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionTwo major epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, have had a long and sustained history in the development of civilizational values in South Asia. This course critically examines the role these epics have played in shaping South Asian civilizations, with a primary focus on literature and religion
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 305: Introduction to BuddhismGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionIntroduction to the practices, doctrines, literature and institutions of Buddhism, with particular focus on contemplative practices, ethics and methods of philosophical investigation, narrative traditions, and the transformation of Buddhism across cultures.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 306: Tibetan Buddh:Psyc Of EnlightnGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionIntroduction to philosophical, psychological, and contemplative dimensions of Tibetan Buddhism.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 307: East Asian BuddhismGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionThe development of Buddhism in China and Japan, including examination of monasticism, ritual, ideas of Buddhahood, Zen, Pure Land, and Buddhist relations to the state and to other religions.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 308: JudaismGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionExplores the rituals and practices of Judaism, placing them in their historical context and examining the theological concepts that underpin them.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 309: Jews & Judaism in Modern TimesGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionModern Jewish history, society, and thought, with emphasis on religious and secular reformulations of Jewish self-identity.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 310: Modern BuddhismGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionThis seminar focuses on modern Buddhist history, society, and thought. Issues addressed may include colonization, women's ordination, meditation movements, conversion, eco-Buddhism, immigration, and globalization.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 311: Early & Medieval ChristianityGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionChristianity from the apostolic period through the Middle Ages, with emphasis on the contribution of major theologians.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 311W: Early & Medieval ChristianityGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 4
- GERs
- HSCW
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionChristianity from the apostolic period through the Middle Ages, with emphasis on the contribution of major theologians.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- Writing Requirement
- Yes
- REL 312: Protestant ChristianityGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionRepresentative types of modern Christianity, beginning with the Reformation in Germany and concluding with contemporary issues.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 313: Modern CatholicismGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionExamination of major social, ethical, and theological issues confronting post-Vatican II Catholicism, including the intellectual and historical roots of contemporary debates.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 313W: Modern CatholicismGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 4
- GERs
- HSCW
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionExamination of major social, ethical, and theological issues confronting post-Vatican II Catholicism, including the intellectual and historical roots of contemporary debates.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- Writing Requirement
- Yes
- REL 315: The Qur'anGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionThe Qur'an in translation, from historical and literary perspectives, looking at its use in Islam, its language, stylistics, modes of narrative, and its relationship to Jewish, Christian, and Arabian traditions.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 315W: The Qur'anGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 4
- GERs
- HSCW
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionThe Qur'an in translation, from historical and literary perspectives, looking at its use in Islam, its language, stylistics, modes of narrative, and its relationship to Jewish, Christian, and Arabian traditions.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- Writing Requirement
- Yes
- REL 316: Premodern IslamGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionThis course is a survey of the major issues in the history, religion, culture, and civilization of the Islamic world in the pre-modern period.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 316W: Premodern IslamGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 4
- GERs
- HSCW
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionThis course is a survey of the major issues in the history, religion, culture, and civilization of the Islamic world in the pre-modern period.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- Writing Requirement
- Yes
- REL 317: Modern IslamGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionThis seminar analyzes the problem of Islam in modern history and focuses on religious responses to major events. Issues may include secularism and Post-Enlightenment modernism, reform movements, and Islamic liberalism.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 318: Islamic LawGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionThis introduction to Islamic law draws on primary texts in translation from both the medieval and modern periods. Examines controversial issues including jihad, blasphemy, drugs (coffee, tobacco, hashish, opium), the status of women, and the status of religious minorities, both Muslim and non-Muslim.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 318W: Islamic LawGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 4
- GERs
- HSCW
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionThis introduction to Islamic law draws on primary texts in translation from both the medieval and modern periods. Examines controversial issues including jihad, blasphemy, drugs (coffee, tobacco, hashish, opium), the status of women, and the status of religious minorities, both Muslim and non-Muslim.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- Writing Requirement
- Yes
- REL 319: Native American ReligionGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionStudy of several Native American religious traditions in their historical contexts, with a focus on ritual, cosmology, and social life.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 320R: African - American ReligionGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionDevelopment of religion among African Americans; trends and tendencies.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 320RW: African - American ReligionGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 4
- GERs
- HSCW
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionDevelopment of religion among African Americans; trends and tendencies.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- Writing Requirement
- Yes
- REL 321: Psychology Of ReligionGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionExamination of religious existence and its relation to various aspects of human life by approaches developed in major traditions of psychological study.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 322: Religion & SexualityGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionThe relation of sexuality and the sacred in symbolism, attitudes and practice; authentic human communion; and specific problems of sexual ethics.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 322W: Religion & SexualityGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 4
- GERs
- HSCW
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionThe relation of sexuality and the sacred in symbolism, attitudes and practice; authentic human communion; and specific problems of sexual ethics.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- Writing Requirement
- Yes
- REL 323: Death & DyingGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionUnderstanding death through a study of religious attitudes and practices, modern therapies for the dying, ethical issues, and Western and Asian theological perspectives.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 324: The HolocaustGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionAn analysis of the sociopolitical background and the horror of the Holocaust, followed by the popular as well as the theological responses of the Jewish and Christian communities.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 326: Black Christian ThoughtGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HAP
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionSpiritual transformations involving worship, magic and healing, ritual, and aesthetic performance in Black speech and literature, music, and drama; and spiritual uses of Biblical themes to empower social political movements.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 327: Relig In Holy Land On LocatGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionThis course explores Judaism, Christianity, and Islam as well as other religious groups in the Holy Land on location. In Israel. In English. No knowledge of Hebrew required.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 328: Women, Religion & EthnographyGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionCross-cultural ethnographic study of women's religious lives, including ritual and leadership roles, forms and contexts of religious expression, and negotiations between dominant cultural representations and women's self-representations.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Seminar
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 328W: Women, Religion & EthnographyGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 4
- GERs
- HSCW
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionCross-cultural ethnographic study of women's religious lives, including ritual and leadership roles, forms and contexts of religious expression, and negotiations between dominant cultural representations and women's self-representations.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Seminar
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- Writing Requirement
- Yes
- REL 329: Religion & EcologyGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HAP
- Variable GER
- HSC
Course DescriptionHistorical, philosophical, and ethical relationships between religion and ecology; other dimensions include Eastern thought, ecofeminism, animal rights, and literary nature writers.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 331: Culture of Buddhist TibetGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionTibet's history, geography, and spiritual legacy produced a unique culture that only recently has come into contact with the West; these three facets will be explored for their impact on Tibetan culture.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 333: Religion and the BodyGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HAP
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionAn exploration of the body and bodily experience in selected religious traditions. Topics may include: ritual, asceticism, monasticism, healing, gender, sex, diet, birth, and death.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Seminar
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 334: Dance & Embodied KnowledgeGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HAP
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionContact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture and Related Component
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 100
- Scheduled Related Component
- Live performance piece
- Weekly Contact Minutes in Related Component
- 50 - 90
- REL 336: Religious Pluralism In AtlantaGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionAn exploration of local religious communities in the metropolitan area, with special emphasis on field research methodologies.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Seminar
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 340: Rabbinic Judaism: The LiturgyGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HAP
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionBackground and emergence of Rabbinic Judaism in 100-500 C.E., its institutions and beliefs: study, law, chosenness, messianic doctrine of god, revelation and prayer.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 341: Medieval Jewish ThoughtGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HAP
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionIntensive study of a major work on an important theme in medieval Jewish thought such as Maimonides' Guide for the Perplexed, Saadia's Beliefs and Opinions, and medieval Jewish exegesis of the Bible.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Seminar
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 343: Mod Jewish Thght:Herschel/KapGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HAP
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionIntensive study of a major work, author or movement; or of an important theme in modern Jewish thought, such as Heschel, Buber, reform, religious anthropology.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 346: Jewish Legal ThinkingGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HAP
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionThe role and methodology of law in Judaism, using difficult problems that arise due to recent advances in medical technology as a paradigm for how legal systems address hard issues.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 348: New Testament In Its ContextGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HAP
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionInterpretation of the New Testament in the context of the historical, social, religious, and literary environment of the eastern Mediterranean world during late antiquity.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 348W: New Testament In Its ContextGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 4
- GERs
- HAPW
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionInterpretation of the New Testament in the context of the historical, social, religious, and literary environment of the eastern Mediterranean world during late antiquity.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- Writing Requirement
- Yes
- REL 350: Jesus And The GospelsGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HAP
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionThe study of the New Testament gospels through approximately ten Christian gospels and fragments of gospels written during the first two centuries, including modern studies and debates about the historical Jesus.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 350W: Jesus And The GospelsGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 4
- GERs
- HAPW
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionThe study of the New Testament gospels through approximately ten Christian gospels and fragments of gospels written during the first two centuries, including modern studies and debates about the historical Jesus.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- Writing Requirement
- Yes
- REL 351: Paul And His LettersGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HAP
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionThe study of the historical role of Paul, his thinking, the major Pauline theme, as well as the problems faced by the first urban Christians.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Seminar
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 351W: Paul And His LettersGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 4
- GERs
- HAPW
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionThe study of the historical role of Paul, his thinking, the major Pauline theme, as well as the problems faced by the first urban Christians.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Seminar
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- Writing Requirement
- Yes
- REL 352R: Gender and ReligionGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionConstruction of gender, definitions of the roles and status of women and men in a variety of traditions; women's and men's religious lives. May be repeated for credit when topic varies.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 353R: Mystical Thought and PracticeGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HAP
- Variable GER
- HSC
Course DescriptionContact Hour Information- Course Type
- Seminar
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 354R: EthicsGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- HAP
Course DescriptionAnalysis of methods and/or texts pertaining to ethical decision-making for individual and social problems such as race, sex/marriage, justice, war, biomedical technology, and environmental pollution. May be repeated for credit when topic varies.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Seminar
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 354RW: EthicsGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 4
- GERs
- HSCW
- Variable GER
- HAPW
Course DescriptionAnalysis of methods and/or texts pertaining to ethical decision-making for individual and social problems such as race, sex/marriage, justice, war, biomedical technology, and environmental pollution. May be repeated for credit when topic varies.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Seminar
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- Writing Requirement
- Yes
- REL 355R: Ritual and WorshipGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HAP
- Variable GER
- HSC
Course DescriptionHistory and present experience of worship or liturgy in various traditions, with a variety of methods, including the study of art, music, and/or architecture. May be repeated for credit when topic varies.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 356R: Theological ReflectionGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HAP
- Variable GER
- HSC
Course DescriptionIssues in contemporary theology. May be repeated for credit when topic varies.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 357R: Religion and ConflictGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HAP
- Variable GER
- HSC
Course DescriptionThis theory-practice course asks: How does conflict reveal the character and nature of a religion? How can our conflict resolution practices advance our study of religion? Includes case studies.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 358R: Religion and HealingGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HAP
- Variable GER
- HSC
Course DescriptionDesigned to explore the mind/body connection as a paradigm to understand religion and healing. Will examine the role of faith, ritual, prayer, and meditation in various models of healing.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 358RW: Religion and HealingGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 4
- GERs
- HAPW
- Variable GER
- HSCW
Course DescriptionDesigned to explore the mind/body connection as a paradigm to understand religion and healing. Will examine the role of faith, ritual, prayer, and meditation in various models of healing.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- Writing Requirement
- Yes
- REL 361: The Sufi WayGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HAP
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionThis course is an introduction to The Sufi Way, known as Islamic Mysticism or tasawwuf. The goal of the course is to give students an in-depth introduction to Sufism, the Muslim effort to experience God's presence and make society good. The course will focus on The Sufi Way in South Asia, encompassing Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, especially in the Chishti Order, the most popular and influential Sufi community in the region.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 365: Buddhist PhilosophyGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HAP
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionExplores the features that distinguish Buddhist thought from other traditions, as well as the unique tenets of major philosophical movements such as Shravakayana, Mahayana, and Vajrayana.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 366: Afghanistan and Central AsiaGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionSurvey of the history, cultures, and religions of Afghanistan and Central Asia including Tibet from antiquity to modern times. Topics will include the Silk Road, Buddhist, Christian, and Islamic cultures of the religion, and medieval, colonial, and modern history and politics
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 369: Religion And FilmGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionNarrative films concerned with religious issues and experience; commonalities between the film medium and the performative religious imagination.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 370: Spec Tops: Rel & CultureGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- None
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionAspects of religion in relation to culture, such as theories of ritual, religion and psychoanalysis, feminist critiques of religion and culture, postmodern interpretations of religion. May be repeated for credit when topic varies.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 372: Spec Top:Clas.Text/Rel ThoughtGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- None
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionStudy in depth of a problem in classical texts or religious thought. May be repeated for credit when topic varies.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 372W: Spec Top:Clas.Text/Rel ThoughtGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 4
- GERs
- WRT
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionStudy in depth of a problem in classical texts or religious thought. May be repeated for credit when topic varies.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- Writing Requirement
- Yes
- REL 373: Spec Tops: Religious StudiesGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- None
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionStudy in depth of a historical or theoretical problem or tradition. May be repeated for credit when topic varies.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 374: Confucian ClassicsGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HAP
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionFor more than two thousand years, a small set of texts associated with Confucius (551-479 BC) and his disciples formed the core of the Chinese educational curriculum. As a store of knowledge shared by all educated men and women, Confucian Classics shaped Chinese literati culture from late antiquity to the early 20th century. The goal of this course is to illustrate the diversity of the literary and cultural practices that evolved around this unique body of writings. The course is roughly divided into two parts. First, we will attempt to establish a framework for understanding the textual history and changing significance of the Classics throughout the premodern era. Drawing on a broad selection of primary sources (to be read in English translation), we will then examine how the canonized ideas were refracted in literary, philosophical, religious, and political discourse.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 374W: Confucian ClassicsGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 4
- GERs
- HAPW
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionFor more than two thousand years, a small set of texts associated with Confucius (551-479 BC) and his disciples formed the core of the Chinese educational curriculum. As a store of knowledge shared by all educated men and women, Confucian Classics shaped Chinese literati culture from late antiquity to the early 20th century. The goal of this course is to illustrate the diversity of the literary and cultural practices that evolved around this unique body of writings. The course is roughly divided into two parts. First, we will attempt to establish a framework for understanding the textual history and changing significance of the Classics throughout the premodern era. Drawing on a broad selection of primary sources (to be read in English translation), we will then examine how the canonized ideas were refracted in literary, philosophical, religious, and political discourse.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- Writing Requirement
- Yes
- REL 375: Reporting on ReligionGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 4
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionReligion, a centerpiece of American public life, is shaping cultural and political discourse as never before. Students will have the opportunity to report on faith-based issues and debates, explore Atlanta's diverse religious landscape, and write news, features and opinion for the general public.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture and Related Component
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- Scheduled Related Component
- Supplemental instruction or problem set session
- Weekly Contact Minutes in Related Component
- 50 - 90
- REL 375W: Reporting on ReligionGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 5
- GERs
- HSCW
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionReligion, a centerpiece of American public life, is shaping cultural and political discourse as never before. Students will have the opportunity to report on faith-based issues and debates, explore Atlanta's diverse religious landscape, and write news, features and opinion for the general public.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture and Related Component
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- Scheduled Related Component
- Supplemental instruction or problem set session
- Weekly Contact Minutes in Related Component
- 50 - 90
- Writing Requirement
- Yes
- REL 380R: Internship In ReligionGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 1 - 12
- GERs
- None
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionContact Hour Information- Course Type
- Experiential
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- variable
- REL 381: Islamic West 600-1600General Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- None
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionThis course is a historical and cultural survey of the medieval Islamic West (the Maghrib) as a single cultural unit, comprising Muslim Spain (al-Andalus), North Africa, and Sicily. The course covers cultural and religious interactions between indigenous peoples and Arab Muslims, critically examining the notion of Convivencia (co-existence) as theorized by modern Spanish and North African historians. The course also includes discussions of material culture, music, and poetry.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 387: Literature & ReligionGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HAP
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionPrerequisite: one course in religion and one course in literature, or consent of the instructors. Reading and interpretation of representative major literary works in the perspective of their religious meaning.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Seminar
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 387W: Literature & ReligionGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 4
- GERs
- HAPW
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionPrerequisite: one course in religion and one course in literature, or consent of the instructors. Reading and interpretation of representative major literary works in the perspective of their religious meaning.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Seminar
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- Writing Requirement
- Yes
- REL 388: The Cultural RevolutionGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HAP
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionThis course offers a general survey of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution (1966 - 1976), with foci on three main aspects: language, religion, and art. Students will study revolutionary media such as songs, films, and model plays, in addition to the visual and material culture of the period. Students will also stage a performance of Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 388W: The Cultural RevolutionGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 4
- GERs
- HAPW
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionThis course offers a general survey of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution (1966 - 1976), with foci on three main aspects: language, religion, and art. Students will study revolutionary media such as songs, films, and model plays, in addition to the visual and material culture of the period. Students will also stage a performance of Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- Writing Requirement
- Yes
- REL 390: Topics AbroadGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- None
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionContact Hour Information- Course Type
- Study abroad course
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 390W: Topics AbroadGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 4
- GERs
- WRT
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionContact Hour Information- Course Type
- Study abroad course
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- Writing Requirement
- Yes
- Religion 400-Level Courses
- REL 414: Shiite IslamGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HSC
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionThis course is an introduction to Shiite Islam, including a historical survey with particular attention to the Twelver and Ismaili traditions, showing how Shiism has shaped Islamic history in general.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 414W: Shiite IslamGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 4
- GERs
- HSCW
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionThis course is an introduction to Shiite Islam, including a historical survey with particular attention to the Twelver and Ismaili traditions, showing how Shiism has shaped Islamic history in general.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- Writing Requirement
- Yes
- REL 415: Great Books of Islamic WorldGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- HAP
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionThis course focuses on intellectual history between 800 and 1000, primarily in the city of Baghdad, then the intellectual capital of the Islamic world. Through close reading, comparison of texts, and expository writing, students explore translation, genre, patronage, and their relation to the organization, transmission, and advancement of knowledge.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- REL 415W: Great Books of Islamic WorldGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 4
- GERs
- HAPW
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionThis course focuses on intellectual history between 800 and 1000, primarily in the city of Baghdad, then the intellectual capital of the Islamic world. Through close reading, comparison of texts, and expository writing, students explore translation, genre, patronage, and their relation to the organization, transmission, and advancement of knowledge.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Lecture
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- Writing Requirement
- Yes
- REL 470: Joint Sem/Philosophy/ReligionGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 4
- GERs
- None
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionPrerequisite: either Philosophy 358 or one course in religion. The religious and philosophical consciousness in confrontation with each other; investigation of their differing natures and methods; and exploration of their possible contribution to the clarification and solution of problems of mutual concern.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Seminar
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 150
- Additional Course Plus Component
- Periodic Speaker series
- REL 472: Topics in ReligionGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 1 - 8
- GERs
- None
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionCredit, one to eight hours. Advanced study of an issue, problem or selection of writings. May be repeated for credit when topic varies.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Seminar
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- variable
- REL 472W: Topics in ReligionGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 1 - 8
- GERs
- WRT
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionCredit, one to eight hours. Advanced study of an issue, problem or selection of writings. May be repeated for credit when topic varies.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Seminar
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- variable
- Writing Requirement
- Yes
- REL 490: Snr Symposium:Critique Of RlgnGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 3
- GERs
- None
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionSelected topics in religious studies. Required for majors.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Seminar
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 175
- REL 490W: Snr Symposium:Critique Of RlgnGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 4
- GERs
- WRT
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionSelected topics in religious studies. Required for majors.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Seminar
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- 175
- Writing Requirement
- Yes
- REL 495R: Directed Reading (Honors)General Information
- Credit Hours
- 1 - 8
- GERs
- None
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionCredit, one to eight hours. Independent research for senior major and joint-major students selected to participate in the department's Honors Program.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Independent Honors research
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- variable
- REL 495RW: Directed Reading (Honors)General Information
- Credit Hours
- 1 - 8
- GERs
- WRT
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionCredit, one to eight hours. Independent research for senior major and joint-major students selected to participate in the department's Honors Program.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Independent Honors research
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- variable
- Writing Requirement
- Yes
- REL 497R: Directed ReadingGeneral Information
- Credit Hours
- 1 - 12
- GERs
- None
- Variable GER
- None
Course DescriptionCredit, one to twelve hours. Maximum credit, twenty hours. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. Specific readings for each student are decided upon in consultation with a member of the faculty.
Contact Hour Information- Course Type
- Directed study
- Weekly Contact Minutes
- variable
Honors Program
See “Honors Program” under the curriculum section of the catalog and consult the department for further details.
The Honors Program affords students the opportunity for long-term, in-depth research on a topic of their interest. Together with a faculty adviser, students plan a rigorous program of scholarly reading and writing. Topics have ranged from historical analysis and textual exegesis to theological treatises and ethnographic studies. Students with a cumulative average of 3.50 at the end of their first three years of study are eligible and may be invited by the Department of Religion to participate in the Honors Program. In consultation with a departmental faculty director, students will choose two additional faculty members to serve on their honors committee. The honors committee must include one member from outside the Department of Religion and, in the case of joint majors, the committee must include one faculty member from outside both departments. A minimum of two successive semesters of Honors Directed Reading (REL 495R) is required for the honors degree. The department strongly encourages the student to find and take a graduate seminar related to the honors topic. Successful honors candidates are awarded the degree with honors, high honors, or highest honors. The Department of Religion hosts a chapter of Theta Alpha Kappa, the national religious studies honor society. Local membership is determined by grade average and class standing as set forth by the national council.
For more information, see Honors Program | Academic Policies & Regulations.
Awards and Honors
The department’s prizes and awards include the William A. Beardslee Prize in Religious Literature for the best paper on religion submitted in a course offered by Emory College; the Vaddadi R. Rao Prize for overall excellence in the field of religion, limited to department majors; and the John Fenton Prizes in the Comparative Study of Religion for undergraduate and graduate student scholarship in the comparative study of religion.
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