Courses
Please view the 91¿´Æ¬ Course Catalog for the latest course offerings.
Fall 2025 Term Course Offerings
- REL 114 A: Jesus and the Gospels (M3)
Tue, Thu 10:30 AM - 11:40 AM, Radine - REL 123 A: Religions of India: Hinduism and Buddhism (M5)
Mon, Wed 1:30 PM - 2:40 PM, Loftus - REL 124: Religious Thought of China and Japan (M3)
Tue, Thu 10:30 AM - 11:40 AM, Cheung - REL 125 A: Introduction to Islam (M3)
Mon, Wed 12:00 PM - 1:10 PM, Naraghi - REL 126 A: Introduction to Judaism (M3)
Tue, Thu 1:30 PM - 2:40 PM, Radine - REL 161: Thinking about God: Aquinas' Guide to Philosophy of Religion
Tue, Thu 3:00 PM - 4:10 PM Online Synchronous, Naraghi (M3) - REL 227 A: Ancient Near Eastern Religion
Tue, Thu 3:00 PM - 4:10 PM, Radine (M3) - REL 231: Atheism
Mon, Wed 12:00 PM - 1:10 PM, Loftus (U2) - REL 250: Environmental Ethics
Mon, Wed 1:30 PM - 2:40 PM, Naraghi (U2) - IDIS 192 A: ST: HFS: Death, Dying, and Rebirth
Tue, Thu 1:30 PM - 2:40 PM, Cheung (M3)
100-Level Courses
REL 114 A: Jesus and the Gospels
Exploration of what we can know historically about the life and activities of Jesus. Comparison of the four gospels of the Christian New Testament, so that their separate messages and emphases can be discerned. Gospels that prevent different views of Jesus and his teachings but were not included in the Christian Bible will also be studied. (M3) Radine
REL 123 A: Religions of India: Hinduism and Buddhism
An introduction to the basic beliefs and practices of Hinduism and Indian Buddhism through the study of primary sources. Secondary sources will be used to examine popular Hinduism and contemporary South Asian Buddhism. (M5) Loftus
REL 124: Religious Thought of China and Japan
A study of Confucian, Daoist/Taoist, and Buddhist traditions and their contribution to the intellectual, ethical, and spiritual life of East Asian cultures. Local traditions will also be discussed. (M3) Cheung
REL 125 A: Introduction to Islam
The course is a survey of the ideals and practices of Islam across its history. It includes ritual, theological, philosophical, mystical, ethical and political dimensions of Islam. Special attention is given to Islam's primary message and its implementation in the life of Muslims. (M3) Naraghi
REL 126 A: Introduction to Judaism
This course will provide an introduction to Jewish religion, culture, and history. The course will explore major Jewish textual resources (the Jewish Bible, rabbinic commentaries, philosophy, and mysticism) as well as Jewish religious life ways such as worship and holidays. The diversity of Jewish cultures and languages, Jewish political nationalism (Zionism), as well as the complex and ever-changing question of Jewish identity will also be studied. (M3) Radine
REL 161: Thinking about God: Aquinas' Guide to Philosophy of Religion
This introductory course invites students to explore the concept of God and related philosophical and theological issues across various religious traditions. Through the lens of one or more great religious thinkers - such as Aquinas in Christianity, Ibn Sina (Avicenna) in Islam, Shankara in Hinduism, or Maimonides in Judaism - students will examine how different traditions have conceptualized the divine, addressing questions such as: What is the nature of God? How can humans understand or relate to the divine? What are the implications of belief in God for ethics, human purpose, and the meaning of life? This course may be repeated as long as the topics differ. (M3) Naraghi
200-Level Courses
REL 227 A: Ancient Near Eastern Religion
A study of the religions of the ancient Near East, this course will explore the myths and rituals of the peoples of Mesopotamia, Anatolia, Syria-Palestine, and Egypt before the Roman era. Foundational to western civilization in general, these religions also form the cultural context and background for the sacred scriptures of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (M3) Radine
REL 231: Atheism
Atheism is the belief that there is no God or Gods. This course is a systematic and sympathetic examination and critical evaluation of atheism. it is primarily focused upon understanding contemporary arguments against theism, such as arguments from evil and divine hiddenness, and sociological and psychological theories about the origin of religion (e.g. Freud and Durkheim), and the implications of atheism with respect to the questions of moral values, the meaning of life, and the possibility of immortality. (U2) Loftus
REL 250: Environmental Ethics
An overview of the ethical, metaphysical, cultural, and political issues involved in understanding humankind's complex relationship with the natural world and the other-than-human animals. Examines positions and philosophies of radical environmentalist, environmental ethicists, animal-rights advocates, and political ecologists. Fall, alternate years. (U2) Naraghi
IDIS 192: ST: HFS: Death, Dying, and Rebirth
The Humanities Fellowship Introductory Seminar serves as the welcoming gateway experience for each year's cohort of Humanities Fellows, supporting and developing the talents and interests of incoming Fellows, who have committed to making study and experience in the engaged humanities central to their 91¿´Æ¬ experience and to their vocational pursuits. The Seminar combines learning in both a content area from interdisciplinary humanities (as designed by the instructor) and in development of application/skills for humanities-focused vocations that are engaged in social justice efforts. (M3) Cheung