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.
This course introduces a range of historical and contemporary approaches to the study of religion. Various theories and methodologies will be examined with special attention given to the functions of religion within culture and the insights this provides for Christians. Core: CW
This course seeks to pursue two questions: what is the nature of the Bible and what does it mean to be a good reader of the Bible? Students will consider the nature, formation, canonization, and reception of Christian Scripture, while learning critical interpretive approaches to the text that emphasize its historical, literary, and theological context as well as the role of the reader, reception, and diverse perspectives. Thus, students should gain skills in analyzing biblical discourse and cultural discourse more broadly. Designate: TR
An overview of the role that theological reflection plays in the life of the believer and the church. Students will be exposed to different methods and understandings of theology, major issues in the history of theology, and key contemporary theological issues and debates. Designate: TR
How do young people position themselves in relation to faith, and why? Religious affiliation rates are declining globally, but questions of meaning and purpose remain urgent for adolescents. Starting in infancy, humans interpret their surroundings and make meaning from them - sometimes organizing that meaning as faith. Examining the complex interaction of brain, body, emotions and environment, this course explores when and how faith emerges as part of identity in human development. Drawing from the resources of social psychology, neurobiology and practical theology, this course is relevant for work with young people or leadership in faith-informed contexts. Designate: TR
This course introduces students to the historic roots and modern practice of Judaism and Islam. For each, we will begin by examining the historical context of its emergence and trace the development and impact of modernization on communities and religious expressions. We will examine beliefs, practices, and events that significantly shape the traditions, and pay attention to contemporary diversities, movements and political dynamics. Additionally, we will examine the intersections of gender, sexuality, and feminism within Judaism and Islam and look at relevant political tensions and conflicts. Designate: TR
This course introduces two major religious traditions originating in what is today called India: Hinduism and Buddhism. We will consider basic components (worldview, teachings, practices), historical developments, and connections and divergences of the traditions, including changes brought about by cultural and political movements (e.g. colonization and migrations) and contemporary religious manifestations. We will investigate various instances of “lived religion:” the “everyday stuff” of Hinduism and Buddhism – rituals, events, activities of persons who would be considered adherents of a tradition and seek to understand them within their historical and cultural 224 – Course Descriptions
This course explores select traditions from East Asia, specifically Daoism, Confucianism, and Shinto. We will begin by examining the specific worldview and cultural and political context to understand the dimensions of “religion” that make up these specific traditions. We will learn about specific practices and rituals, investigate the role they play in society and culture at different times, and explore themes and issues at various times, such as gender, class, art, relation to sociopolitical governance, and pop culture. Designate: TR
In this course, you will learn to distinguish between and appreciate the specific select religious and spiritual approaches of indigenous and so-called New Age traditions. Depending on the specific semester, this might include European Paganism, North American indigenous traditions, West African traditions, Voodoo, or others. Origins, historical developments, rituals and practices, the religious situation of indigenous people in the postcolonial world, and issues/conflicts arising out of contemporary socio-political contexts will be explored. Designate: TR
In the midst of a crazy paced world would you like to find some peace? Join us on a journey of Christian spiritual formation where we search for daily spaces that April Yamasaki calls "Sacred Pauses." Using texts by Yamasaki and Foster we will learn to practice twelve spiritual disciplines, such as prayer, simplicity and meditation and we will discern their impact on our inward and outward journeys of faith. A weekly small group experience, a day-long silent retreat, and periodic meetings with a spiritual director are also part of this course. Designate: TR
African Americans are diverse in religious expression and identity. From the Shrine of the Black Madonna in Detroit to African American Catholics with long legacies in New Orleans, from Black Muslims who preach Black nationalism in the Americas to Black Jews who believe they are God’s chosen people who rightfully belong to the land of Israel, African American religions are comprised of a wide array of communities. In addition to practitioners, African Americans are theorists and philosophers of religion whose studies have allowed students to gain a more profound understanding of African American life. Together, the diverse expressions and many theorists provide us the opportunity to grow in our knowledge of the study of religion. Designate: TR
This course will explore the way that the Hebrew Bible and New Testament construct, depict, shape, and challenge traditional notions of gender. Students will have the opportunity to read various biblical texts closely and consider their presentations of gender in historical, cultural, and literary context. Further, students will consider how the interpretation of these texts have shaped and been shaped by cultural attitudes around gender throughout history. In conversation with Course Descriptions – 225
Technology, Ethics, and Society Pathway
Is money the root of all evil? Can one serve both God and Mammon? Are the rich blessed by God? Was Jesus a Capitalist? This course investigates biblical texts and themes related to money, wealth, poverty, and economics that address these questions and more. Through attention to themes such as Sabbath economics, Jubilee, and Jesus’s good news for the poor, students will examine how various biblical texts speak about wealth accumulation, power, social justice, and money itself in conversation with contemporary economic concerns and theory, in pursuit of developing a theological ethics of wealth. Designate: TR
48 – 2026-27 EMU General Education
This course is designed to focus on issues that arise in the discipline of religious studies or at the intersection of Christian theology and other disciplines. Topics may include inter-religious dialogue, race and gender, political theory, economics, peacebuilding, and trauma theory. Consideration will be given to how theology may best enter into mutually enriching conversation with other religions and other academic disciplines.
Offered in alternate years
Management (choose 9 SH)
Christianity and Social Change. . . . 3 *REL 423 Judaism, Christianity, Islam: Comparative Monotheisms. . . . . . . . . . 3
This course is designed to introduce students to the interdisciplinary field of missiology by examining Christian mission, as well as the issues raised by its critics, from various perspectives. These perspectives include biblical foundations of mission, a historical overview of missions, critical reflections on empire and globalization, current issues in mission, practical applications, and personal considerations for intercultural missionaries. Designate: TR
Christianity and Social Change. . . 3
Disability (3 SH) This course examines the construction of “disability” as a historical concept with real live consequences. We will learn about the different theoretical approaches to disability (“models of disability”), and explore issues regarding sexuality, relationships, rights, representation, and advocacy. We will also keep in mind the intersections with other bodily and social markers, such as gender, race, sexuality, class, and nationality. We will focus on the role culture and religion, particularly Christianity (its doctrines and practices), has played in how we understand disability as a concept, and persons with disability as members (or not) of our communities. We will analyze historical and contemporary sources like art, literature, religious and medical discourses to explore Course Descriptions – 227
An advanced study of key thinkers and topics in theology in order to more fully develop skills of theological analysis, discussion and presentation. Students gain an appreciation of the role of theology within the life of the church to become better prepared for a role in the church's theological task. Provides an intensive setting for reflection on theological understandings and inter-disciplinary conversation with theology. Designate: TR
*REL 422 Judaism, Christianity, Islam: Comparative Monotheisms 3
*REL 421 Judaism, Christianity, Islam: Comparative Monotheisms. 3
A survey of the Anabaptist movement and Mennonites throughout the world from the sixteenth to twenty-first centuries. Issues include pacifism, wealth, political participation, community and tensions between faith and the dominant culture. Particular attention is given to the Anabaptist vision and its relevance for 21st-century American life. (HIST 365) (Fall 2025) Designate: HI
*REL 412 Sociology of Religion . . . . 3 *REL 421 Comparative Monotheisms . . 3
This course is an introduction to the Hebrew Bible, that considers its history, formation, and reception, and surveys its varied texts within their historical, socio-economic, political, literary, and theological contexts. This includes a particular an emphasis on Near eastern culture, religion, and politics as well as the various ways that these texts have been received and appropriated, so that students might become knowledgeable and critical interpreters of the text.
This course is an introduction to the New Testament, that considers its formation and canonization, and surveys its varied texts within their historical, socio-economic, political, literary, and theological contexts. This includes a particular emphasis on the life of Jesus, Roman imperialism, their Jewish context, and the distinctly socio-economic and political message of the kin-dom of God.
Liberation theology names the effort to understand and interpret the gospel through conscious and reflective deliberation within experiences of injustice, inequality, violence, and oppression. This course will explore some of the various expressions that have arisen under the banner of liberation, such as Black theology, feminist theology, queer theology, and theology in the face of empire. Designate: TR 228 – Course Descriptions
This course is a basic introduction to the language of the Greek New Testament. The course focuses on the basic grammar necessary for reading/translating the Greek New Testament as well as for doing more advanced Greek studies. Through classroom study, written exercises, quizzes and readings in the Gospel of John, students develop ability in discovering the form and function of words/phrases, build a basic vocabulary and discover the value of language study for biblical interpretation. (Does not satisfy EMU Language Learning Requirement.) Prerequisite: senior status, or permission of instructor. (BIBL 531)
This course builds on the foundations of REL 423 (Elementary Greek), continuing to develop skills in reading and analyzing Koine or Hellenistic Greek, the language of the New Testament. The course focuses on basic grammar, vocabulary, and reading skills necessary for translating the Greek New Testament. After completing foundational grammatical concepts, the course focuses primarily on in class Greek reading and independent translation. Intermediate Greek concepts are introduced in order to further build students’ understanding of grammar and syntax that will aid in the reading and interpretation of the New Testament. (Does not satisfy EMU Language Learning Requirement.) Prerequisite: REL 423. (BIBL 541)
Would you like to experience the inner workings of a congregation, and test your gifts for ministry? A program of study and supervised field experience in a congregation, church agency or related ministry. Special emphasis is placed on personal development for ministry, developing leadership skills and experiencing the many facets of ministry in the congregation.
The purpose of the practicum is first-hand involvement in Christian ministry and witness in an intercultural setting. Radical Journey, SALT, and YES and other similar short-term programs may meet this requirement if arrangements are made with an adviser before beginning the placement. Summer placements in global South settings, or participation in a Washington Community Scholars' Center internship or other urban context are encouraged. Religion and intercultural studies minors may integrate their practicum with a required practicum in their major, or within a semester-long intercultural, if arrangements are made beforehand with an advisor.
Designate: TR
Source: Eastern Mennonite University's catalog, linked per course · table learning_unit · CourseShelf publish 59
