Fall 2008 Undergraduate Courses

RELS 2000. Introduction to Native American Religions: Myth, Ritual, Cosmos and Community in Transition. This class introduces the indigenous religions of North America. Concerns include the study of community-oriented lifeways in such diverse expressions as origin myths, sacred sites, symbol systems, and ceremonies. Special attention is given to Native American transformations in response to historical challenges. (WF 12:30-1:45 Tina Katsanos)

RELS 2102. Introduction to Asian Religions. An introduction to Hinduism, Buddhism, and other selected religions such as Confucianism, Daoism, and Islam. Emphasis on the myths, stories, symbols, rituals, ideas, and ethical practices of these religions in their classical formulations and in their contemporary practices. (TR 9:30-10:45 David Mozina; TR 11-12:15 David Mozina) [Required of all majors]

RELS 2104. Hebrew Scriptures/Old Testament. The Hebrew religious tradition from the perspective of its development in the culture of the ancient Near East. (TR 11-12:15 Barbara Thiede)

RELS 2105. New Testament and Christian Origins. A historical introduction to the texts of the New Testament and the world of early Christianity. Students will examine early Christian writings within the contexts of ancient Judaism and the Greco-Roman world. Students will also become familiar with the tools and methods used in the fields of New Testament and Early Christian studies. (001: MW 9:30-10:45 Loy Witherspoon 002: MW 12:30-1:45 James Tabor)

RELS 2108. Religion in American Culture. The role of religion in the shaping of American culture. (MW 2-3:15 pm Sean McCloud)

RELS 2131. Islam. The development of the traditions in Islam with emphasis on Islamic culture, literature, and mysticism.(MW 11-12:15 Juliane Hammer)

RELS 2137. Contemporary African American Religions. This course is designed to introduce students to the evolution of black religious thought and culture in America during the 20th century. It emphasizes the rise of the Black Church and its expanding role within black urban communities in America. Another component of the course addresses the emergence of other religious belief systems in contemporary Black culture such as Voodoo, Santeria, Candomble, the Nation of Islam and even Black Judaism. Issues of race, class, gender, identity, and violence will be points of discussion in light of black religious life. (Crosslisted with AFRS 3050). (TR 2-3:15 Julia Robinson-Harmon)

RELS 2154. Hinduism. The ancient Vedic traditions and the development of Hinduism. Emphasis is on the role of Hinduism in Indian civilization. (TR 12:30-1:45 pm Dan White) (Alternate years)

RELS 2216.The Modern Middle East. An introduction to the history of this important and dynamic region. The course focuses on the issues that have defined the Middle East in the recent past and provides students with the historical context needed to understand the region, its peoples, and its conflicts in greater depth. (Crosslisted with HIST 2216). (TR 11:00-12:15 Cemil Aydin) [Western Tradition]

RELS 2600. Approaches to the Study of Religion (W). Required of all majors as early in their program as possible. Examines basic concepts, theories, and approaches that are involved in the critical, academic study of religion. Attention given to basic research materials and to standard writing practices in the discipline. Majors only. (Wednesday 3:30-6:15 Judith Fagan and Kent Brintnall)

RELS 3000.001. Creeds and Conflicts. Constantine remains a fascinating, if enigmatic, subject for historians of late antiquity and early Christianity. In this course, students will examine the social, political, cultural, and religious history of the “Age of Constantine” (c. 292-337 C.E.). How did Constantine reshape the Roman Empire? What differences did his Christianity make, if any? (TR 12:30-1:45 Jeremy Schott)

RELS 3000.002. Women in the Hebrew Bible. From Sarah to Tamar, from the Levite's concubine to the mysterious 'wise woman' of Abel, the women of the Hebrew Bible present a far more complicated picture than we expect. This course examines the women of the Hebrew Bible in their context and examines how their stories have been interpreted, reinterpreted and even distorted by western culture. (T 3:30-6:15 Barbara Thiede) (Crosslisted with WMST 3050).

RELS 3000.003. Islam and the Media. An examination of how Islam is portrayed in the international media and the role new communication technologies (television and the Internet) in the Musim world. (MW 2-3:15 Kathryn Johnson)

RELS 3000.004. Jesus on the Silver Screen. This course will consider both canonical written and contemporary cinematic depictions of the life of Jesus. These texts will be examined with an eye toward the specific choices they make in telling this story. The guiding assumption of the course is that every story about Jesus is an argument about the character of Jesus, the appropriate response of the believer and the legitimate form of the Christian community. In other words, Jesus stories function as a set of ethical, political and cultural rhetorics. By examining a range of such stories, we will hopefully be better able to understand the cultural operation of Christian discourses. (MW 11-12:15 Kent Brintnall)

RELS 3000.005. Metaphysics. Inquiry into the most fundamental and comprehensive structures and categories of reality, especially in relation to persons as knowers and agents. Discussion of such topics as: being, existence and truth; substance, essence and accident; universals and individuals; mind, soul, matter and God. (R 12:30-3:15 Jayne Tristan) (cross listed with PHIL 3275)

RELS 3050.002. Social Theory and Black Religious Thought. This course is designed to introduce students to the academic study of Black religious traditions. In doing so, the course presents a number of methodological lenses by which to view African American religious phenomena. The writings of Cornel West, Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, Frantz Fanon, Rene Girard and other scholars will be addressed. The seminar will also emphasize key historical epochs within African American History such as the antebellum period, the Black Nadir, and finally the Modern Civil Rights Movement. (Crosslisted with AFRS 3050 and PHIL 3050). (TR 3:30-4:45 Julia Robinson Harmon) [Religion and modern culture]

RELS 3050.004. Religions of Africa and Africa Diaspora. The course examines the religions of Africa and African Diaspora. It focuses on first, the origin, characteristics, philosophy and religious beliefs of the indigenous religion of Africa. Second, on the world view of religions of Africa in the Diaspora in their links and interactions with African Religion and Culture, particularly within the context of assimilation, inculturization and syncretic tendencies.(Afro-Brazilian,Afro-Caribbean, Afro-American).Finally, on the historical contact, development and significance of the Christian and Islamic traditions on religious practice and culture in Africa and African Diaspora.(3:30-6:15 Ibigbolade S. Aderibigbe) (Cross listed with AFRS 3050) [Religion and modern culture]

RELS 4000.001. Advanced Biblical Hebrew. A critical reading and translation of biblical, non-biblical, and postbiblical Hebrew prose and poetic texts. (R 3:30-6:45 John C. Reeves)

RELS 4010.001. Major Figure in Religious Studies-Constantine. The Roman emperor Constantine remains a fascinating, if enigmatic, subject for historians of late antiquity and early Christianity. In this course, students will examine the social, political, cultural, and religious history of the “Age of Constantine” (c. 292-337 C.E.). How did Constantine reshape the Roman Empire? What differences did his Christianity make, if any? TR 3:30-4:45 (Jeremy Schott)

RELS 4600. Senior Seminar. (WO) Required of majors in final year of studies. Majors only. (Wednesday 3:30-6:15 Sean McCloud)

Liberal Studies Courses

Religious Studies faculty teach the following courses for the General Education Program:

Western History and Culture. LBST 2101 sections 131 through 142 are taught by Lee McCorkle, Joanne Robinson, Francis Penkava, Celia Sinclair, and Barbara Thiede.

Global and Intercultural Connections. LBST 2102 sections 131 through 141 are taught by Marcy Goldstein, Tina Katsanos, Francis Penkava, and Celia Sinclair and Dan White. Times and individual section descriptions for Liberal Studies are available from www.gened.uncc.edu.