35 courses with the subject REL, each shown exactly as we captured it from the college's catalog, with every element we hold. Where the wording looks broken, that is our reading of the catalog, not the college's text.
REL 105Religions of the World4
An entry into Hindu, Buddhist, Confucian, Daoist, Jewish, Christian, and Islamic religious traditions, with emphasis on first-hand religious thought and experience. Readings are drawn from primary religious sources, including the Bhagavad Gita, Śāntideva’s guide to Buddhist awakening, the Analects of Confucius, the Daodejing, the Passover Haggadah, the Christian Gospels, the Quran, and diverse works of poetry, philosophy, and art. Lectures, background material, films, and collaborative student presentations help elucidate and bring the readings to life. Themes such as sacrifice, community, liberation, salvation, devotion, mysticism, and life after death are considered throughout the semester. {H}
Do humans really need bosses, rulers, gods, or other authority figures? Are coercion and hierarchy necessary for groups of people to flourish? Or, as anarchists argue, are noncoercive and nonhierarchical forms of community both morally desirable and practically feasible? This course examines anarchist thinkers and movements, their criticisms of the state and other institutions, and their practices and proposals regarding alternative forms of social organization. It engages with diverse philosophical, religious, and moral perspectives regarding anarchist critiques and programs, focusing on issues of liberty, equality, community, and education. Course materials include manifestos, archival documents, academic articles, and literary works. (E) {H}{L}{S}
The number of Americans who identify as spiritual, but who are not affiliated with any traditional religion, has doubled in the last twenty years. More than 20% of Americans now identify as "spiritual but not religious" (SBNR), and the number is growing. In this course, students try to make sense of this phenomenon by studying what these Americans practice, such as mindful meditation, ethical eating and forms of political activism. What is their lived experience? What counts as spirituality? Students engage with primary and secondary sources on American SBNRs and conduct original ethnographic research about spirituality at Smith. {S}
REL 110HLColloquium: Topics in Thematic Studies in Religion- Jerusalem and Invention of the Holy Land4
This course examines the religious and historical legacy of the city of Jerusalem and the idea of "the Holy Land" in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It explores the ways Jerusalem and the Holy Land have been sanctified in scripture, art, architecture, literature, poetry and film. It also explores how rulers have co-opted this sanctity to promote their own legitimacy and political agendas. The course considers Jerusalem and the Holy Land as a shared heritage the inspired co-existence and rivalry, as well as bloody conflicts, both in the past (e.g., the Crusades) and today (e.g., Israeli-Palestinian conflict.) Enrollment limited to 20. {H}
The Hebrew scriptures (Tanakh/Old Testament). A survey of the Hebrew Bible and its historical and cultural context. Critical reading and discussion of its narrative and legal components as well as an introduction to the prophetic corpus and selections from the wisdom literature. {H}{L}
The Islamic religious tradition from its beginnings in seventh century Arabia through the present day, with particular emphasis on the formative period (A.D. 600–1000) and on modern efforts at reinterpretation. Topics include Muhammad and the Qur’an, prophetic tradition, sacred Law, ritual, sectarianism, mysticism, dogmatic theology and popular practices. Emphasis on the ways Muslims in different times and places have constructed and reconstructed the tradition for themselves. The course concludes with examples of modern Islamic thought (modernism, feminism and militancy). {H}
This course explores classical and contemporary forms of Buddhist meditation theory and practice. It examines both classical formulations and contemporary expositions with an eye to seeing how the theory and practice of Buddhist meditation are being adapted to fit the needs of people today. Enrollment limited to 25. {H}
This course is an introduction to the ideas and practices of contemporary Hinduism in India, with an emphasis on how these traditions have shaped—and been shaped by—culture and politics. The class discusses various gods and goddesses, saints and shrines, rituals and ceremonies, radicals and reformers, as well as the ways Hinduism has engaged with inequality, caste and nationalism. Students consider philosophical writings, ritual texts, devotional poetry, comic books, legal treatises, feminist manifestos and personal memoirs, as well as ethnographic and popular films. This course has no prerequisites. {H}{L}
What is religion really? Is it an explanation of the world, a vehicle for reaching divinity, or a system for social connection? Is it a by-product of human evolution, a reflection of economic practices, or a category created by colonialism? Is it somehow all of the above? And how does “religion” and its intersections with race, class, gender and politics inform one's place in the world? This course explores these questions by reading classic and contemporary scholars, drawing from disciplines such as anthropology, philosophy, psychology, sociology, American studies and gender studies, and investigating what religion means and does for Smith students. Enrollment limited to 18. {H}{S}
REL 201Colloquium-Ritual: Performance and Paradoxes4
A central feature of religious traditions and lived religious experience, ritual is often thought of as repetitive, unchanging and prescriptive. Yet, enacted rituals are often open-ended and allow considerable room for creativity and innovation. Through embodied action and symbolic drama, rituals serve complex functions of making meaning, deepening spirituality, performing cultural identity and advocating for social change. Students study various theories of ritual and examine ritual practices (religious and secular) in diverse traditions and societies. Enrollment limited to 20. {H}{S}
Commonly associated with pre-modern societies, the term "blasphemy" has taken on new life in today’s technologically-connected world. This course examines the notion of blasphemy--its meanings, the invisible boundaries it presupposes both in some of the world’s major religious traditions and in secular contexts, and the different ways of seeing it often signifies. Based on case studies, it explores contemporary public uses of the term, the competing understandings of the "sacred" it often assumes, and the cultural and political challenges the term presents in a globalized society. The course considers the implications of the public charge of blasphemy in light of issues such as: the religious and the secular; humor and satire; commodification and consumerism; "insiders," "outsiders, and cultural appropriation; art, film and the sacred; museum conservation and display; and free speech and human rights. Enrollment limited to 20. {H}{L}
An introduction to the history of philosophy of religion and its major debates: Is there a God? Can religious belief be rationally justified? Can religious belief be sustained in the face of evil? Is religious experience a source of knowledge? Is there reason to hope for life after death? What is the significance of religious diversity? Readings are drawn from works in western and Indian philosophy, and include such thinkers as Plato, Shantideva, Avicenna, Anselm, al-Ghazali, Maimonides, Aquinas, Hume, Kant, Kierkegaard, William James, Wittgenstein and Linda Zagzebski. {H}
REL 206Heaven, Hell and Other Worlds: The Afterlife in World Religions4
How do the world’s religions picture the journey beyond death? This course examines conceptions of heaven, hell and purgatory; immortality, rebirth and resurrection; the judgement of the dead and the life of the world to come. Readings include classic and sacred texts such as The Epic of Gilgamesh, Plato’s Phaedo, the Katha Upanishad, The Tibetan Book of the Dead, Dante’s Divine Comedy and Newman’s Dream of Gerontius, and a variety of philosophical and theological reflections on the meaning of death and the hope for eternal life. Enrollment limited to 35. {H}{L}
REL 208The Inklings: Religion and Imagination in the Works of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and Their Circle4
The Inklings were a group of Oxford intellectuals who met in the Magdalen College rooms of the literary historian, apologist and fantasist C.S. Lewis to read aloud and discuss their works in progress. This course examines the Inklings’ shared concerns, among them mythology, philology, recovery of the Christian intellectual tradition and resistance to "the machine." Readings include essays and letters by Tolkien, Lewis, Charles Williams, Owen Barfield and quasi-Inkling Dorothy Sayers, as well as selections from their major works of fiction, theology and criticism. Enrollment limited to 35. {H}{L}
REL 209Why Believe? Investigating Faith and Doubt4
What is it like to be a believer? What sort of evidence is needed for religious belief to be justified? Can doubt coexist with faith? This course investigates connections between religious belief and acts of knowing, trusting, searching, and doubting. The class examines personal testimonies along with philosophical and literary reflections on belief and doubt. Readings from Blaise Pascal, William James, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Ramanuja, the Nyaya-sutra, Ibn Sina, al-Ghazali, Thomas Aquinas, as well as contemporary philosophers of religion, sacred writings from several religious traditions, and the letters of Mother Teresa on her long “dark night.” Occasional films. {H}{L}
How do you go about acquiring wisdom and leading a meaningful life? The Bible and related ancient texts have long inspired religious, philosophical and artistic answers to these questions. In this course, students explore how moral and ethical ideas expressed in wisdom literature such as Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Job and Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, love poetry in the Song of Songs, and narratives such as Ruth, Esther and Tobit may inform our lives today. {L}
An exploration of biblical prophecy with a focus on how the prophets called for social and religious reform in language that continues to resonate today. {H}{L}
"Who do you say that I am"? This question, which Jesus reportedly posed to his disciples, has remained compelling to generations of his followers as well as their detractors, and continues to challenge views of Christianity’s Christ to this day. This course examines some of the most prominent texts, images and films that have informed understandings of Jesus over the past two millennia and have contributed to making Jesus one of the most well-known yet enigmatic and controversial figures in history. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 25. {H}{L}
Whether revered as the Mother of God or remembered as a single Jewish mother of an activist, Mary has both inspired and challenged generations of Christian women and men worldwide. This course focuses on key developments in the "history of Mary" since early Christian times to the present. How has her image shaped global Christianities? What does her perceived image in any given age tell us about personal and collective identities? Topics include Mary’s "life"; rise of the Marian cult; Marian apparitions (e.g., Guadalupe and Lourdes) and miracle-working images, especially in Byzantium and Russia; liberation and feminism; politics, activism, mysticism and prayer. Devotional, polemical and literary texts, art and film. Enrollment limited to 35. {H}
Major themes addressed by Muslim thinkers since the 19th century, such as Islamic reform and revival, the encounters with colonialism and imperialism, nationalism and other modern ideologies; and Islamic discussions of modernity, liberalism, democracy, feminism, sexuality, and militancy. Reading of primary sources in translation. {H}
The Qur’an, according to the majority of Muslims, is God’s word revealed to Muhammad through the angel Gabriel over a period of 22 years (610-632 C.E.). This course introduces students to Islam’s scriptural text: its content, form, structure and history. It also situates the Qur’an in the larger frame of the genre of Scripture: What does it mean for a text to be revealed? Study of the Qur’an as a seventh-century product, as well as the history of reception of this text. Analysis of its varying impact on the formulation of Islamic salvation history, law and legal theory, theology, ritual, intellectual trends, and art and popular culture. {H}{L}
The persistence of the ideology of jihad in modern Islam drives revivalists and apologists to disagree over the meaning of “jihad” and whether it should be understood to necessitate violence or as an interpersonal spiritual struggle. This course examines the most important modern debates about Jihad and how each position engages and appeals to the foundational Islamic sources (e.g. Qur’an, Muhammad, Sharia/Islamic Law) and Islamic history for legitimacy. It also explores the factors that make the rhetoric used by modern jihadists popular among certain Muslim constituencies, inspiring them to wage holy war against “infidels” as well as fellow Muslims. Course may be repeated for credit with a different topic. Enrollment limited to 35. {H}
Subject
REL
Credits (min)
4
Credits (max)
4
Credit unit
Credits
Type
course
Repeatable
may be repeated for credit with a different topic.
The development of Buddhism and other religious traditions in Japan from prehistory through the 19th century. Topics include doctrinal development, church/state relations, and the diffusion of religious values in Japanese culture, particularly in the aesthetic realm (literature, gardens, tea, the martial arts, etc.) {H}
This course is an introduction to the literature, thought and practice of religious traditions in India, from ancient times to the medieval period. Readings include materials from the Vedas, Upanishads and epics, from plays and poetry, as well as Buddhist and Jain literature. Particular consideration is given to the themes of dharma, karma, love and liberation as they are articulated in Classical Hinduism. {H}
How does one make sense of what one sees in South Asia? What is the visual logic behind the production and consumption of images, art, advertising and film? This course considers the visual world of South Asia, focusing on the religious dimensions of visuality. Discussions include the divine gaze in Hindu and Buddhist contexts, the role of god-posters in religious ritual and political struggle, the printed image as contested site for visualizing the nation and the social significance of clothing and commercial films in colonial and contemporary India. Students also work closely with holdings from the Smith College Art Museum.
Mormonism has gone from a religion of a few families to a global family of small sects and large denominations. This course explores the diversity of contemporary and historical Mormonisms. Discussions include the creation of new scriptures; conflict between church and state; the dynamics of religious schism; temple spaces and the politics of secrecy; constructions of race, gender, and sexuality; missions and evangelism; modern pilgrimage; and the globalization of modern Mormonisms. In addition, students conduct oral histories with women from around the world who have been ordained within a progressive Mormon church. Enrollment limited to 18. (E)
REL 292Colloquium: Religion, Race and Resistance in America4
How has religion been used to construct race in America? How has race helped constitute religion? What can the shared histories of religion and race in America tell about culture and politics? And how have these understandings been used to foster resistance? This class examines these questions, from the era of colonization to the present, through a study of laws, uprisings, rituals, social movements, monuments, sacred texts, songs, theologies and foodways. Enrollment limited to 18. {H}{S}
REL 293Colloquium: Social Justice, Spirituality and the American Radical Tradition4
This course explores how American spiritual communities have produced radical social change and alternative visions for the future. Subjects include nineteenth-century Black prophets and abolitionism; Spiritualists and women’s suffrage; Latinx Catholics and labor activism; Black churches, Jewish liberals, and the Civil Rights movement; Native traditionalists and the Red Power movement; Mormon feminists and the ERA; radical Catholics and the anti-nuclear movement; the new religious left and LGBTQ rights; practitioners of green spirituality and the climate crisis; and spiritual-but-not-religious folks and the Black Lives Matter movement. As part of a class podcast project, students also interview contemporary activists. Enrollment limited to 18. {H}{S}
REL 301WBSeminar: Topics in the Philosophy of Religion-Why Believe? Investigating Faith and Doubt4
What is it like to be a believer? What sort of evidence is needed for religious belief to be justified? Can doubt coexist with faith? This course investigates connections between religious belief and acts of knowing, trusting, searching and doubting. The class examines personal testimonies along with intellectual and literary expressions of belief and doubt. Readings from such authors as Nagarjuna, Ibn Sina, Aquinas, Pascal, David Hume, William James, Ludwig Wittgenstein, as well as contemporary philosophers of religion; Buddhist, Hindu, and biblical texts; al-Ghazali’s Deliverance from Error; and letters of Mother Teresa on her long “dark night.” Restrictions: Juniors and seniors only. Enrollment limited to 12. Instructor permission required. {H}{L}
REL 305MCSeminar: Advanced Topics in Religion-The Muslim World and the Crusades: Then and Now4
This course explores the historical, religious, political, social and cultural impacts of the Crusades on the Muslim World from the late eleventh century until today. Special attention is given to the variety of Muslim reactions to and encounters with the Franks, including hostile and friendly relations. The course also considers the effect of the Crusades on the course of Islamic history and religious thought and its enduring legacy by examining texts, films, novels, poetry, etc. The broader objective is to understand how and why specific historical narratives generate powerful religious discourses that shape the current political, social and cultural realities. Restrictions: Juniors and seniors only. Enrollment limited to 12. Instructor permission required. {H}{S}
REL 305PLSeminar: Advanced Topics in Religion-Pilgrimage4
This seminar surveys modern pilgrimage practices in traditional religions, new religious movements, and religion-like assemblages, such as fan scenes. In studies ranging from an ethnography of Jim Morrison’s Paris grave to a history of Birthright trips to Israel, the course examines the diverse ways that humans engage travel, shrines, and constructions of the sacred. In doing so, the course analyzes how pilgrimage intersects with issues of national identity, racialized hierarchies, gender and sexuality, religious orthodoxy and heterodoxy, migration, memory, and nostalgia. Finally, it reflects on the limits and generative possibilities offered by pilgrimage as an academic category. Restrictions: Juniors and seniors only. Enrollment limited to 12. Instructor permission required. {H}{S}
REL 310ISSeminar: Topics in the Hebrew Bible-Why Do the Innocent Suffer?4
Many biblical texts question whether God consistently rewards the righteous and punishes the wicked. Prominent examples include Job, Ecclesiastes and certain Psalms, but similar ideas occur in the Torah and the Prophets. While focusing most deeply on Job, this course introduces students to an array of biblical and ancient Near Eastern texts, as well as some post-biblical and even modern literature, to illuminate the Hebrew Bible’s discourse surrounding this issue. Restrictions: Juniors and seniors only. Enrollment limited to 12. Instructor permission required. {H}{L}
REL 345SLSeminar: Topics in Islamic Thought-Muslims and Shari'a law4
This seminar explores the complexity and history of Shariʿa Law in Islam. It examines the formation of a variety of schools of Shariʿa from very early Islamic history until today and the way Muslim jurists have maintained the relevance of Shariʿa to their respective societies and times. It covers the theory and application, purpose, sources (e.g., Qurʾan, Muhammad, customs), hermeneutical tools (e.g., reason, public good, doubt) and the Shariʿa laws themselves. The course also discusses the interaction of Shariʿa with other legal systems, especially in the context of today where Shariʿa is restricted to a small realm (primarily family and personal law). Restrictions: Juniors and seniors only. Enrollment limited to 12. Instructor permission required. {H}
