55 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.
An introduction to the meaning of Christian faith, its Biblical ground, including consideration of issues in Biblical interpretation, and basic theological dimensions
This course will examine various accounts of religious expression in order to better understand why the stories, rituals, and social aspects of religion continue to shape what it means to be human in community with others.
An introduction to scriptures in their historical, social, and literary contexts.
This course engages with poverty as a theme in the Bible and as a reality in our contemporary world.
An introduction to the themes of Christian thought in historical and contemporary perspective.
An introduction to the academic study of world religions and religious philosophies with special attention to Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism as well as theories of religion.
Choose one elective from any PHI course (or Humanities core course, as 3 approved), 200-level or higher. A minor in Values and Professional Ethics requires 18 credits consisting of PHI 116, 216, 217, 251, 318, and one course from BUS 380, COM 320, CSC 210, ECO 221, HCS 250, HIS 425, MAT 400, POD 363, POL 450, REL 340, SOC 307. HONORS: Students majoring in Philosophy and judged qualified by the Philosophy faculty may, upon invitation, elect to pursue honors work in Philosophy. To graduate ‘‘With Honors in Philosophy,’’ students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, a minimum major GPA of 3.2, and complete nine hours of honors courses in the major, including PHI 499. SPECIAL FEATURES: Students who major in two areas offered by Religious Development, Religious Studies and/or Philosophy may count only six credits from courses used to fulfill the requirements of the first major to fulfill the total credit requirement of the second major. A similar limitation applies to the student who elects both a major and minor offered by Religious Development, Religious Studies and/or Philosophy, except that in such instances only three credits of duplicate course credit may be applied. MAJOR: PHILOSOPHY HOURS Core Curriculum Requirements 55-62 Technical Requirements 0* Major Requirements 30*
An introduction to the theological, scriptural and historical foundations of religious development of children, youth, and families.
An introduction to theories and methods of religious development of children, youth, and families. Note
This course provides an overview of the field of peace studies and offers an in-depth look into theories and practices related to non-violence. Given that nonviolence (and peace, for that matter) can be difficult to define, we will begin with the assumption that whatever nonviolence is, it is a practice-something one does. That is, it is not simply a theory about how to respond to conflict as much as it is a set of practices and habits that 1) affects social change, 2) is often, historically, a correlate of what it means to practice justice, 3) reorients the individual practitioner to have different relationships with others, and 4) functions as a hermeneutical practice for interpreting various religious texts (e.g., passages and traditions within Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, etc.).
An exploration and critical examination of spirituality as a movement in the contemporary world.
An introduction to the wisdom, theology, and spirituality of the ancient Celtic world as well as the implications of Celtic spirituality today.
This course will introduce students to contemporary issues and debates surrounding gender, sex and sexuality as they are expressed within, primarily, Christian texts and communities.
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A survey of the history of Christianity with particular attention to the practices and pieties of peoples and movements.
An exploration of the ways in which culture and religion intersect and interact with one another.
This course explores the variety of Christian theologies of liberation - black, feminist, queer, latino, and native. In this course we will explore the relationship between an individual’s social location and the identity group(s) that shape the individual and the role these realities play in the interpretation of Scripture.
An exploration of the theological themes of sin and suffering and what such experiences say (or not) about the nature of God and the human condition.
What makes for a noble death, and how does a noble death differ from suicide and/or martyrdom? These are a few of the key questions we will examine as we look at the development and role of martyrdom within the history of Christianity.
An historical overview of Christian spiritual practices from across the global church, considered in light of historical and cultural contexts.
In this course, we will examine historical and contemporary sources and methods for thinking about (and practicing) Christian ethics. This course aims to equip students to understand what makes Christian ethics distinctive from other forms of ethical reasoning.
Exploration of the gospels, key teachings of Jesus, and the historical context of Jesus’ life.
A study emphasizing the impact of American life and culture on religion, uniquely American features in religions, and religious movements of American origin.
Advanced exploration of a topic or collection of writings in sacred literature.
A study of the relationship between religion, science and philosophy.
Selected topics in religious studies.
Selected topics in religious studies.
Directed study or research on topics or projects of special interest. For students with a GPA of 2. 5 or above with permission of the instructor. May be Repeated Courses may be repeated with different content up to a total of 6 credits.
Directed study or research on topics or projects of special interest. For students with a GPA of 2. 5 or above with permission of the instructor. May be Repeated Courses may be repeated with different content up to a total of 6 credits.
Directed study or research on topics or projects of special interest. For students with a GPA of 2. 5 or above with permission of the instructor. May be Repeated Courses may be repeated with different content up to a total of 6 credits.
A seminar for all Religious Studies majors focusing upon the methods, texts, and current issues in the study of religion.
General Elective Credits will be required – see advisor TOTAL CREDIT HOURS (minimum) 128# * On occasion, technical and/or program requirements may also meet specific core curriculum requirements. Please confer with your program advisor to determine which courses, if any, may be counted accordingly. # All Bachelors programs at Lenoir-Rhyne require at least 128 credit hours. If, in combination, core, technical, and program requirements do not generate at least 128 hours, additional credits must be completed to achieve 128 hours. These classes may be general electives, or a student may complete a minor or additional major. Additional recommendations: It is advised that students who wish to do graduate study take twelve hours of Greek and six hours of history in addition to the major. 144
Investigation of an area of religious study culminating in an honors thesis. Oral presentation.
The course examines the nature of religion itself and determines methods of studying particular expressions of religion practiced globally. Various religious traditions are studied in order to explore core beliefs and rituals, sacred texts, religious experiences, and ethical/moral conduct. The course is primarily a research course.
Emphasis Courses (choose 2; may count toward degree requirements):
An examination of the major teachings and beliefs of Christianity with attention to their origin, relevance, and connections to contemporary life and society.
What is religion? What is the nature of religious experience? Are religion and its experiences open to critical scrutiny? If so, how do we study them? This course seeks to answer these questions while raising many more concerning the academic study of the human phenomenon we call religion. After introductory material on defining/identifying religion, the course proceeds with a look at three broad period-themes within the study of religion: One, None, and Done. “One” is a look at the early comparativists and phenomenologists who sought to understand worldwide religion by positing a universal “religious experience”. “None” then introduces the concepts and figures that have suggested that religion is socially constructed and/or is a human construct intended to assist with the survival of the species. The third section of the course, “Done”, surveys the ongoing scholarly debate over secularization: is the world becoming less and less religious? In so many words, is religion “done”? The course ends with a brief introduction to contemporary approaches to studying religion such as gender theory and the “subjective turn.”
An examination of the complex nature of religious diversity within contemporary American culture. The class introduces the historical roots, key beliefs, practices, and social patterns of varying religious traditions present in America. Students utilize their awareness of religious 159
This course supplements “Introduction to Global Religions” by focusing attention on the scriptures, or sacred texts, of religious communities worldwide. The class will examine the history, content, structure, sacralization process, and in-group meaning of the primary texts from each religious tradition – seeking to develop a broader understanding of those communities, cultures, and concerns from which the sacred texts arose. The world’s great religions have produced many of the world’s great texts, and this course seeks to investigate the latter so as to better comprehend the former.
This course is a cross-cultural, multi-disciplinary exploration of three significant categories of spiritual practice in major religions across the globe: Prayer, Pain, and Pilgrimage. These three forms of spiritual exercises provide the basic structure of the course, guiding an investigation into the historical, psychological, socio-cultural, and doctrinal reasons that motivate religious adherents all over the world to seek spiritual perfection. The course goes beyond simply identifying the practices associated with each major world religion, highlighting major forms of spiritual practice and revealing their many permutations across time and place.
Exploration of Biblical narratives that have influenced Western culture, with an emphasis on their interpretation, their construction of human identity, and their relationship to ethical and moral decision-making.
Gods in All Worlds (GAW) is a collection of readings, more a Sayings Gospel than a collection of essays (though some readings are a couple of pages in length). My goal for our use of this text is not that we memorize or try to retain every word but rather that we use it for inspiration and contemplation, as background for our own discoveries and explorations. As for the others, these texts present views into worlds and perspectives deeply informed by the spiritual quest. These, too, are presented for inspiration and contemplation, to stir us as well as to inform us, to move us to attempt new ways of speaking and considering.
Selected topics in religion not covered in other courses. May be repeated for credit with different topics. Three credits.
Source: Lenoir-Rhyne University's catalog, linked per course · table learning_unit · CourseShelf publish 61
