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31 courses found.
RELIGIOUS STUDIES (L23)  (Dept. Info)Arts & Sciences  (Policies)FL2024

L23 Re St 1010Western Civilization I3.0 Units
Description:This course is a history of Western civilization from 3500 BC to AD 1600. Western Civilization may be characterized as one long debate on the holy. In no other civilization did this debate about the limits of the sacred and the profane, this constant effort at trying to grasp the divine through word and deed, last continuously for over five thousand years. To argue over the holy is to argue over the very nature of how to live a life, from the most mundane daily activity to the most sublime act of the imagination. It is to argue over how politics, economics, art, philosophy, literature, and religion are realized in a society. Apart from many types of polytheism, we study the three great world monotheistic religions - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. We study the ancient cultures of north Africa and the eastern Mediterranean, the empires of Alexander the Great and imperial Rome, the Christianization of the Roman empire and the rise of Islam, the early medieval world in the North Sea and the East (Byzantine) Empire in Constantinople, the formation of Latin Christendom and the papal monarchy, the crusades and the reaction of the Islamicate, concepts of individuality, the persecution of Jews and heretics, chivalry and peasant servitude, the Mongol Empire, the Black Death and the devastation of the fourteenth century, the renaissance in Italy and the Protestant reformation, the hunt for witches and the scientific revolution, the medieval origins of the African diaspora and the European conquest of the Americas. What defined being human, and so a man, a woman, or a child over five millennia? A fundamental question of this course is what is "Western Civilization" and when do the characteristics defined as "western" come together as coherent phenomenon? What, then, is historical truth? We will read, for example, Gilgamesh, the Iliad, Plato, Sophocles, Aristotle, Cicero, Virgil, the Bible, Augustine of Hippo, Boethius, the Qur'an, Beowulf, Peter Abelard, Wolfram von Eschenbach, Thomas Aquinas, Dante Alighieri, Giovanni Boccaccio, Geoffrey Chaucer, Christine de Pizan, Niccolò Machiavelli, Desiderius Erasmus, and Michel de Montaigne. This course (through lectures, reading primary sources, discussion sections, and essay writing) gives the student a learned background in almost five thousand years of history. DISCUSSION SECTION IS REQUIRED.
Attributes:A&S IQHUMArtHUMBUHUM, ISENH
Instruction Type:Classroom instruction Grade Options:CPA Fees:
Course Type:IdentSame As:L22 101CFrequency:Annually / History
SecDays       TimeBuilding / RoomInstructorFinal ExamSeatsEnrollWaits
01M-W----1:00P-1:50PTBA PeggPaper/Project/TakeHome3000
Actions:Books
A----F--1:00P-1:50PTBAPeggNo final1500
Actions:Books
B----F--12:00P-12:50PTBAPeggNo final1500
Actions:Books

L23 Re St 102Thinking About Religion3.0 Units
Description:Nearly everyone has had some experience with something they would call "religion," from at least a passing familiarity through the media to a lifetime of active participation in religious communities. But what do we actually mean when we use the word? What is a religion? What does it mean to call something a religion, or "religious"? And what does it mean to study religion, given the slipperiness of the concept itself? This course offers an introduction to the academic study of religion through a consideration of these questions: What is religion, and how can we study it? Do we need an answer to the first question to pursue the second? Why, and toward what ends, might we undertake such study? We will also consider what is at stake in our investigation and inquiry into religion-for the inquirers, for the subjects of inquiry, and for society more broadly-and what kind of lens the study of religion offers us on ourselves, our neighbors, and society, in turn. To these ends, we will discuss major theoretical approaches to the study of religion and significant work on religions and religious phenomena, toward a better understanding of what "religion" might be and how it might be studied today. No prior knowledge or experience of religion, religions, or anything religious is expected or required. This course is required for Religious Studies majors and minors. 5 seats in each section are reserved for first year students.
Attributes:A&S IQHUMArchHUMArtHUMBUETHENH
Instruction Type:Classroom instruction Grade Options:C Fees:
Course Type:HomeSame As:N/AFrequency:Annually / History
SecDays       TimeBuilding / RoomInstructorFinal ExamSeatsEnrollWaits
01M-W-F--10:00A-10:50ATBATBAPaper/Project/TakeHome2500
Actions:BooksSyllabus
Syllabi are provided to students to support their course planning; refer to the syllabus for constraints on use.
02M-W-F--12:00P-12:50PTBATBAPaper/Project/TakeHome2500
Actions:BooksSyllabus
Syllabi are provided to students to support their course planning; refer to the syllabus for constraints on use.

L23 Re St 2030Religions of St. Louis: Communities of Faith and Practical Action Across the Region3.0 Units
SecDays       TimeBuilding / RoomInstructorFinal ExamSeatsEnrollWaits
01--W----2:30P-5:20PTBAGriffithPaper/Project/TakeHome1500
Actions:Books

L23 Re St 2062Sophomore Seminar in History: Approaching Chinese Waters: Stories of Merchants, Pirates, Fisherman3.0 Units
SecDays       TimeBuilding / RoomInstructorFinal ExamSeatsEnrollWaits
01M-W----3:00P-4:50PTBAChenPaper/Project/TakeHome1500
Desc:Course time 3pm-4:20pm on Mondays/Wednesdays
Actions:Books

L23 Re St 290Islamophobia & U.S. Politics3.0 Units
SecDays       TimeBuilding / RoomInstructorFinal ExamSeatsEnrollWaits
01-T-R---10:00A-11:20ATBAAliPaper/Project/TakeHome2500
Actions:Books

L23 Re St 3071Solidarity and Silence: Religious Strategies in the Political Sphere3.0 Units
Description:Although political action is often considered a problem of making oneself heard, religious practices of silence, self-effacement, and withdrawal from certain worldly struggles have guided many significant political and social movements, particularly forms of non-violent resistance. This course considers the role of religious thought and practice in such movements in the twentieth century. The history of these movements presents an apparent paradox: how can political action emerge from the supposedly "private" realm of religion in the modern era, particularly its most individualistic formations in contemplative and mystical practices? Does the historical role of these practices in the political sphere complicate their portrayal in some scholarship as private, individual, and depoliticizing? With these questions animating our investigations, we will consider the work of authors and activists including Leo Tolstoy, Mahatma Gandhi, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Martin Luther King, Jr., Simone Weil, and William Barber, as well as the history of movements associated with their work. Toward the end of the semester, we will turn to contemporary movements against economic inequality, intimate violence, racially motivated violence, and discrimination toward transgender persons to discuss the use of religious strategies or religiously-derived strategies in current political and social activism.
Attributes:A&S IQHUMArchHUMArtHUMBUBA, ETHENH
Instruction Type:Classroom instruction Grade Options:CPA Fees:
Course Type:IdentSame As:L57 307Frequency:None / History
SecDays       TimeBuilding / RoomInstructorFinal ExamSeatsEnrollWaits
01---R---3:00P-5:50PTBABialekPaper/Project/TakeHome1200
Actions:Books

L23 Re St 3110Sacred Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent3.0 Units
Description:The built structure remains a principal visible record of the evolution of a civilization and its culture. Through this interdisciplinary course on culture, design, religion and society, students will be introduced to and gain a deeper insight into the rich diversity of South Asia through the study of the architecture of its significant sacred places. We will take a journey through the Hindu, Jain and Buddhist Temples; the Islamic Mosque; the Sikh Gurudwara; the Zoroastrian Fire Temple; the Jewish Synagogue; and the Christian Church, tracing the evolution of these places of worship from the Indus Valley Civilization to Pre-Colonial times. Through visuals, readings, and discussions, students will learn about the different architectural styles and motifs used in sacred buildings and how they came about. We will explore the inter-relationships between the design elements through the lens of political, social, religious, regional and technological influences and understand the ways in which evolving design principles reflect these influences overtime. This course will be of interest to students of languages and cultures, architecture, archeology, art history, history, preservation, religion, and South Asian culture, among others. Please note: At the end of the semester, students will go on a field trip to experience the diverse sacred architecture in the St. Louis region. No prior knowledge of architecture or the history of this region is required.
Attributes:A&S IQHUM, LCDBUISENH
Instruction Type:Classroom instruction Grade Options:CP Fees:
Course Type:IdentSame As:L73 311  L75 3110Frequency:Annually / History

L23 Re St 3232Religion & Nationalism in the Middle East & South Asia3.0 Units

L23 Re St 3340Topics in East Asian Religions: The Lotus Sutra in East Asia: Buddhism, Art, Literature3.0 Units
Description:This course is an introduction to the Lotus Sutra, the most popular and influential scripture in the history of East Asian Buddhism. After a close reading of the entire text and a discussion of its major ideas, it's contextualized within the history of Buddhism and, more broadly, of East Asia, by examining its contributions to thought, ritual, literature and art in China, Korea and Japan, from its first translations into literary Chinese - the canonical language of East Asian Buddhism - to modern times. Topics covered include: the ontological status of the Lotus and, more broadly, of Mahayana scriptures; commentarial traditions on the meaning of the Lotus and its place within Mahayana Buddhism; practices associated to the worship of the Lotus - e.g., copying, reciting, burying; the worship of buddhas and bodhisattvas appearing in the sutra; Lotus-inspired poetry, and visual and material culture; Lotus-centered Buddhist traditions. Readings (all in English) are drawn from Buddhist scriptures and commentaries, tale literature, hagiographic narratives, poetry, archeological materials, and other literary genres. Given the importance that the Lotus has played in East Asia, this course functions broadly as an introduction to East Asian Buddhism. Previous coursework on Buddhism or East Asia is recommended but not required, and no prior knowledge of any East Asian languages is required. Fulfills premodern elective for EALC major.
Attributes:A&S IQHUM, LCDArchHUMArtHUMENH
Instruction Type:Classroom instruction Grade Options:CP Fees:
Course Type:IdentSame As:L81 3340  L04 3340  L05 3340  L51 3340Frequency:Every 1 or 2 Years / History
SecDays       TimeBuilding / RoomInstructorFinal ExamSeatsEnrollWaits
01M-W----2:30P-3:50PTBAPolettoPaper/Project/TakeHome1900
Actions:Books

L23 Re St 335CBecoming "Modern": Emancipation, Antisemitism and Nationalism in Modern Jewish History3.0 Units
SecDays       TimeBuilding / RoomInstructorFinal ExamSeatsEnrollWaits
01M-W----4:00P-5:20PTBAJayPaper/Project/TakeHome2000
Actions:Books

L23 Re St 377History of Slavery in the Middle East3.0 Units
Description:This course examines slavery and its abolition in the Middle East and North Africa from 600 C.E. to the 20th Century. It addresses slavery as a discourse and a question of political economy. We begin with an overview of slavery in late antiquity to contextualize the evolution of this practice after the rise of Islam in the region. We then examine how it was practiced, imagined, and studied under major empires, such as the Umayyads, the Abbasids, the Fatimids, the Mamluks, the Ottomans, and the Safavids. In addition to examining the Qur'anic discourse and early Islamic practices of slavery, to monitor change over time we address various forms of household, field, and military slavery as well as the remarkable phenomenon of "slave dynasties" following a chronological order. We discuss, through primary sources, theoretical, religious, and moral debates and positions on slavery, including religious scriptures, prophetic traditions, religious law, and a plethora of narratives from a range of genres. We highlight a distinct theme each week to focus on until we conclude our discussion with the abolition of slavery in the 19th and 20th centuries. Topics of discussion include various forms of male and female slavery, Qur'anic and prophetic discourse on slavery, legal and moral views on slavery, slavery as represented in religious literature, political, military, and economic structures of slavery, issues of race and gender as well as slave writings to reflect on the experiences of slavery from within. The goal is to enable students to understand the histories of slavery in the Middle East and eventually compare it to that of other regions and cultures, such as European and Atlantic slavery. No second language required.
Attributes:A&S IQHUM, LCD, SCArchHUMArtHUMBUBA, ISENH
Instruction Type:Classroom instruction Grade Options:CPA Fees:
Course Type:IdentSame As:L75 377  L22 3770  L75 577  L97 3770Frequency:Every 2 Years / History
SecDays       TimeBuilding / RoomInstructorFinal ExamSeatsEnrollWaits
01M-W----2:30P-3:50PTBAYucesoyPaper/Project/TakeHome1500
Actions:Books

L23 Re St 3831Magicians, Healers, and Holy Men3.0 Units
SecDays       TimeBuilding / RoomInstructorFinal ExamSeatsEnrollWaits
01M-W----3:00P-3:50PTBAJenottPaper/Project/TakeHome10000
Actions:Books
A----F--3:00P-3:50PTBA[TBA]See instructor2000
Actions:Books
B----F--3:00P-3:50PSeigle / 210 [TBA]See instructor2000
Actions:Books
C----F--3:00P-3:50PSeigle / 205 [TBA]See instructor2000
Actions:Books
D----F--3:00P-3:50PEads / 211 [TBA]See instructor2000
Actions:Books
E----F--3:00P-3:50PTBA[TBA]See instructor2000
Actions:Books

L23 Re St 4060Conflict or Convivencia? Muslims, Jews, and Christians in Medieval Spain3.0 Units
Description:This seminar will explore various facets of the coexistence (convivencia) of Muslims, Jews, and Christians in medieval Spain. Its horizon stretches from the Muslim conquest of Iberia (al-Andalus) up to the turn of the 16th century when Spanish Jews and Muslims were equally faced with the choice between exile and conversion to Christianity. Until about 1100, Muslims dominated most of the Iberian Peninsula; from then onward, Christians ruled much and eventually all of what would become modern Spain and Portugal. Through a process known as reconquista (reconquest), Catholic kingdoms acquired large Muslim enclaves. As borders moved, Jewish communities found themselves under varying Muslim or Christian dominion. Interactions between the three religious communities occurred throughout, some characterized by shared creativity and mutual respect, others by rivalry and strife. The course focuses on these cultural encounters, placing them in various historical contexts. It will explore the ambiguities of religious conversion, and the interplay of persecution and toleration. Last not least, the course will address the question of how the memory of medieval Spain's diversity reverberates-and is utilized-in modern popular and academic discourse. All sources will be read in English translation; however, students are encouraged to make use of their linguistic and cultural expertise acquired in previous classes. This course serves as the capstone seminar for Jewish, Islamic & Near Eastern Studies majors, Arabic majors, and Hebrew majors. Graduate students, minors, and other interested undergrads are likewise welcome.
Attributes:A&S IQHUM, LCDArchHUMArtHUMBUETH, ISENH
Instruction Type:Classroom instruction Grade Options:CPA Fees:
Course Type:IdentSame As:L75 4060  L22 4040  L49 4060  L74 4060Frequency:Every 3 Years / History
SecDays       TimeBuilding / RoomInstructorFinal ExamSeatsEnrollWaits
01-T-R---2:30P-3:50PTBAJacobsPaper/Project/TakeHome1500
Actions:Books

L23 Re St 4141Gender, Religion, Medicine and Science3.0 Units
SecDays       TimeBuilding / RoomInstructorFinal ExamSeatsEnrollWaits
01-T-R---1:00P-2:20PTBACisloPaper/Project/TakeHome000
Desc:19 seats available. Majors and minors in WGSS receive first priority. Other students will be admitted as course enrollment allows.

L23 Re St 444The Mystical Tradition in Judaism3.0 Units
SecDays       TimeBuilding / RoomInstructorFinal ExamSeatsEnrollWaits
01-T-R---11:30A-12:50PTBAJacobsPaper/Project/TakeHome2000
Actions:BooksSyllabus
Syllabi are provided to students to support their course planning; refer to the syllabus for constraints on use.
Label

Home/Ident

A course may be either a “Home” course or an “Ident” course.

A “Home” course is a course that is created, maintained and “owned” by one academic department (aka the “Home” department). The “Home” department is primarily responsible for the decision making and logistical support for the course and instructor.

An “Ident” course is the exact same course as the “Home” (i.e. same instructor, same class time, etc), but is simply being offered to students through another department for purposes of registering under a different department and course number.

Students should, whenever possible, register for their courses under the department number toward which they intend to count the course. For example, an AFAS major should register for the course "Africa: Peoples and Cultures" under its Ident number, L90 306B, whereas an Anthropology major should register for the same course under its Home number, L48 306B.

Grade Options
C=Credit (letter grade)
P=Pass/Fail
A=Audit
U=Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory
S=Special Audit
Q=ME Q (Medical School)

Please note: not all grade options assigned to a course are available to all students, based on prime school and/or division. Please contact the student support services area in your school or program with questions.