Religion [REL]
[101] INTRODUCTION TO THE OLD TESTAMENT 3 hours [syllabus/Bowman]
A survey of the literature, history, and religion of ancient Israel using selected portions of the historical and prophetic books of the Old Testament as primary sources. Introduction to the methods and results of modern biblical scholarship. Fall. GE-F [CORE: 4-RL].
[102] INTRODUCTION TO THE NEW TESTAMENT 3 hours [syllabus/Bowman]
A survey of the literature, history, and religious faith of first century Christianity using the New Testament as a primary source. Introduction to the methods and results of modern biblical scholarship. Spring. GE-F [CORE: 4-RL].
[111] CHRISTIAN TRADITIONS 3 hours [syllabus/Rogers] [syllabus/Eisenbise]
Introductory explorations of how Christians throughout their history and across different cultures have understood and practiced their faith in response to the life and teachings of Jesus and the challenges of human existence. GE-F [CORE: 4-RL/w].
[Prior to Fall 09, this course was listed as “REL 111 (THE CHRISTIAN FAITH): An introductory study of the central affirmations of the Christian faith, including both traditional and modern points of view. GE-F.”]
[120] INTRODUCTION TO RELIGIOUS STUDIES 3 hours [syllabus/Eisenbise]
An introduction to the academic study of religion, exploring the ways Christianity and other religious traditions confront some of the largest questions and dilemmas of human existence. [CORE: 4-RL/w].
[Approved for the Catalog and the Core program beginning Fall 2010.]
[131] THE JEWISH FAITH, CULTURE, AND PEOPLE 3 hours [syllabus/Planer]
A broad introduction to Jewish religious beliefs, festivals, calendar, art, music, and literature. GE-M1 [CORE: 3-GC/w].
[Prior to Fall 09, this course was listed as HUM 131.]
[205] RELIGIONS AND WAR 3 hours [syllabus/Eisenbise]
Examination of the religious traditions of East and West and of modern ideological pseudo-religions, such as Communism and nationalism. Centers upon the contribution of religion to the understanding of the causes and limitation of war. GE-M1.
[210] JUDAISM, CHRISTIANITY, AND ISLAM 3 hours [syllabus/Bowman]
Study of the origins, development, and interaction of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, including contemporary relationships among these faiths. GE-F [CORE: 4-RL/w].
[222] THE CONFUCIAN AND BUDDHIST WORLDS 3 hours [syllabus/Eisenbise]
Key historical developments in the civilizations of East and Southeast Asia, stressing broad cultural and religious themes, along with political and philosophical perspectives including the variations in forms of Buddhist life, the pluralistic and non-disjunctive thought patterns of Taoist naturalism, and the new divergent social and religious movements of nationalism. GE-M2.
[223] RELIGIONS OF INDIA 3 hours [syllabus/Crain] [syllabus/Eisenbise]
A study of the ancient roots and contemporary forms of the religions and philosophies native to India such as Vedanta, Hinduism, early Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, including their interactions with religions of foreign origin such as Islam and Christianity. GE-M2.
[225] FEMINIST AND WOMANIST THEOLOGIES 3 hours [syllabus/Eisenbise]
An exploration of the critique and vision brought to contemporary theology by women's perspectives represented in texts by feminist and womanist theologians and in women's fiction and essays. Prerequisite: one course in religion or permission of instructor. GE-M1.
[228] THE BRETHREN HERITAGE 3 hour [syllabus/Rogers]
A critical study of the history, practice, and teaching of the Brethren in relationship to major social and intellectual currents and to other religious movements, including both those Christian groups that profess a creed and those which identify themselves primarily in a non-creedal fashion. GE-F.
[241] JESUS AND THE GOSPELS 3 hours [syllabus/Bowman] [syllabus/Miller]
A study of the ministry and significance of Jesus as portrayed in the New Testament gospels. Some or all of the gospels will be examined and compared. GE-F [CORE: 4-RL].
[245] THE HEBREW PROPHETS 3 hours
An introduction to the content and message of the prophetic literature of the Old Testament. Historical, social, literary, and theological features of the texts are explored. Attention is given to the role of the prophets as agents of change in their societies. Prerequisite: REL 101. [CORE: 4-RL/w]
[266] RELIGIOUS CLASSICS 3 hours [syllabus/Bowman]
A study of outstanding classics of faith from many areas. Seeks critical appreciation of the ideas, faith stances, and aesthetic qualities of the works studied. [CORE: 4-LT/w].
[311] ANCIENT AND MEDIEVAL CHRISTIANITY 3 hours [syllabus/Bowman]
The encounter of Christianity with the classical, Islamic, and barbarian worlds from the first to the 14th centuries, dealing with sectarianism, heresy, creedal orthodoxy, and Catholicism. GE-F.
[312] CHRISTIANITY: REFORMATION TO EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY 3 hours [syllabus/Rogers] [syllabus/Crain]
The relationship of Christianity to major cultural and intellectual movements from the Renaissance and Reformation through the early 20th Century. GE-F [CORE: 4-RL/w].
[Prior to December 2009, this course was called “REFORMATION AND EARLY MODERN CHRISTIANITY,” with a Catalog description corresponding to the narrower historical focus.]
[415] CHRISTIANITY IN THE 19th AND 20th CENTURIES 3 hours [syllabus/Rogers]
An examination of movements, major schools, and the makers of modern theology, from 1820 to 1970.
[435] CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN THOUGHT 3 hours [syllabus/Rogers] [syllabus/Eisenbise]
A study of the present religious situation, including important developments to Christian theology and the relationship to other world religions and world views and to major social and political events.
[485] SENIOR SEMINAR (W) 3 hours [syllabus (F10)]
Advanced study of topics in religion and philosophy, focusing on the research and evaluation of the current literature. Prerequisite: Senior standing or permission of instructor.
[475] INTERNSHIP IN MINISTRY 4 hours
Supervised ministry with a mentor, ministry techniques, and an applied project. Discussion of ministry formation, maintaining ministry, case studies, the minister as evangelist, and the church in the 21st century. Prerequisite: consent of instructor
[380] or [480] SPECIAL PROBLEMS 1-4 hours
A student who has demonstrated ability to work independently may propose a course and pursue it with a qualified and willing professor. The department chair and the vice president and dean for academic affairs must also approve. A set of guidelines can be secured from the Office of the Registrar.
[385] or [485] SEMINAR 1-4 hours [syllabus/Bowman: Genesis]
An in-depth consideration of a significant scholarly problem or issue. Students pursue a supervised, independent inquiry on an aspect of the topic and exchange results through reports and discussions.
Philosophy [PHIL]
[201] INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY 3 hours [syllabus/Naragon] [syllabus/Naragon — Jan Term] [syllabus/Naragon — online] [syllabus/Collins]
An introduction to the philosophical tasks of (a) reflective thinking about life and the universe as a totality; (b) critical examination of presuppositions, words, and concepts; (c) examination of ways in which we gain knowledge; (d) the quest for criteria which determine our value judgments of the good and the beautiful. Fall. Spring. GE-I2 [CORE: 4-PH/w].
[215] ETHICAL DECISION MAKING 3 hours [syllabus/Gray Brown] [syllabus/Collins]
A study of ethical principles and their application to practical decision making in such areas as sex, criminal justice, economics, and euthanasia. Fall. Spring. GE-I2 [CORE: 4-PH/w].
[235] BIOETHICS 3 hours
A study of ethical principles and theories in the context of current controversies in healthcare (such as genetic engineering, abortion, euthanasia, reproductive technology, and access to health care). Fall. Spring. [CORE: 4-PH/w].
[Approved for the Catalog and the Core program beginning Fall 2010.]
[230] LOGIC 3 hours [syllabus/Logic]
A study of various deductive logics (categorical, propositional, and predicate), inductive logics and common informal fallacies. The aim of this is to improve abilities: 1) to identify arguments from other kinds of discourse and separate what is relevant to an argument from what is not, 2) to evaluate arguments in a reasoned and constructive way, and 3) to construct your own arguments, such that they are clearly stated and free of fallacies.
[316] ANCIENT AND MEDIEVAL WESTERN PHILOSOPHY 3 hours [syllabus/Naragon] [online syllabus]
A study of Western philosophy from the Presocratics to William of Ockham. Prerequisite: PHIL 201. Fall, odd years.
[318] 17th AND 18th CENTURY WESTERN PHILOSOPHY 3 hours [syllabus/Naragon]
A study of Western philosophy from Hobbes and Descartes to Kant. Prerequisite: PHIL 201. Spring, even years.
[320] 19th CENTURY WESTERN PHILOSOPHY 3 hours [syllabus/Naragon]
A study of Western philosophy from the German Idealists to Kierkegaard and Nietzsche. Prerequisite: PHIL 201. Fall, even years.
[330] PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION 3 hours [syllabus/Rogers] [syllabus/Crain] [syllabus/Naragon]
A philosophic approach to the problems of religion with emphasis on ways of knowing, religious language, the theistic hypotheses, basic conceptions of God, the nature and destiny of humanity, and the problems of freedom and evil. GE-I2 [CORE: 4-PH/w].
[423] 20th CENTURY WESTERN PHILOSOPHY 3 hours [syllabus/Naragon]
A study of Western philosophy from C.S. Peirce to Sartre and Quine. Prerequisite: PHIL 201. Spring, odd years.
[INTD 425] ENVIRONMENTAL PHILOSOPHY 3 hours [syllabus/Naragon]
A study of: 1) competing theories of distributive justice and their implications for various environmental issues (land use, famine relief, population control, pollution abatement, etc., 2) animal liberation and animal rights, 3) the possibility of a land ethic, and 4) the relation between one’s religious beliefs and one’s attitudes towards nature. Prerequisite: one course in philosophy or consent of instructor. Spring. GE-L [CORE: 5-C/w].
[427] PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE 3 hours [syllabus/Crain]
A critical analysis of the sciences and their methods that explores why — and to what extent — the sciences provide knowledge about reality. Topics include the demarcation of science from non-science, inductive inference, the nature and justification of scientific theories, realism versus anti-realism, scientific change and revolution, comparison between the natural and social sciences, and the relationship between science and other fields of human inquiry. GE-L.
[444] PHILOSOPHY OF CIVILIZATION (W) 3 hours [syllabus/Gray Brown]
The ideas of philosophers, historians, and political analysts as to how society may best be ordered, what causes the development and breakdown of civilization, and the highest ideals on which human life may be built. The nature of historical analysis and the role of the individual, both as thinker and actor in historical development. Prerequisite: ENG 110. GE-L.
[485] SENIOR SEMINAR (W) 3 hours [syllabus (F09)]
Advanced study of topics in religion and philosophy, focusing on the research and evaluation of the current literature. Prerequisite: Senior standing or permission of instructor.
[380] or [480] SPECIAL PROBLEMS 1-4 hours
A student who has demonstrated ability to work independently may propose a course and pursue it with a qualified and willing professor. The department chair and the vice president and dean for academic affairs must also approve. A set of guidelines can be secured from the Office of the Registrar.
[385] or [485] SEMINAR 1-4 hours [syllabus/Gray Brown: Native American Traditions]
An in-depth consideration of a significant scholarly problem or issue. Students pursue a supervised, independent inquiry on an aspect of the topic and exchange results through reports and discussions.
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