Academic Calendar - 2024
Western University Academic Calendar. - 2024
Religious Studies
An introduction to Religious Studies based on autobiographies and/or biographies of twentieth-century persons representing different religious perspectives and walks of life. Lectures, discussions of written materials and films.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 1031E.
Extra Information: 2 lecture hours / 1 seminar hour.
Course Weight: 1.00
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An introduction to Religious Studies that incorporates autobiographies and/or biographies of contemporary people representing different religious perspectives and walks of life. The course introduces students to the theory of religion and focuses particularly on the tension between religious traditions and contemporary realities.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An introduction to Religious Studies that incorporates the autobiographies and/or biographies of contemporary people representing different religious perspectives and walks of life. The course focuses particularly on religion’s meaning and function in culture and such identity-shaping experiences as violence and persecution.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Introduction of religious studies and theology from a global perspective. Topics include theological and religious perspectives on: culture(s), politics, economics, sexuality, violence, identity and community, and spirituality.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An introduction to religion and theology, this course considers the way religious beliefs and practices draw distinctions, create boundaries, and establish limits. In addition to exploring how these lines are drawn, and why they matter, we consider strategies to close the distance these domains create in everyday life.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An exploration of Christian beliefs through a study of various medium including paintings, icons, sculpture, church architecture, liturgical and devotional acts and their implication for religious faith and imagination.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An examination of selected thought provoking questions such as "What's after death?"; "Why do bad things happen to good people?"; "Why are religions in conflict, sometimes violently?"; "Do miracles happen?". The aim of this introductory study is to broaden students' awareness of religious ways of understanding the human condition.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An introduction to the rich and varied religions of the world, past and present, set within their historical and cultural contexts. In the First Term, we delve into Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism (Indian, Chinese, and Japanese), Sikhism, Confucianism, Daoism, and Shinto; in the Second Term, we examine Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2130, Religious Studies 2203F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 1.00
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Introduction to the legal, prophetic, wisdom and liturgical literature of the Old Testament and to the ideas which each type of material emphasizes.
Antirequisite(s): All 1020 level Religious Studies courses except Religious Studies 1028F/G and the former Religious Studies 1029.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course introduces students to fundamental questions about human existence, the world, and God, and the ways in which the Catholic tradition in all its diversity has addressed these questions. Themes include: the nature of God, the destiny of creation and the meaning of Jesus Christ for salvation.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 1.00
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A general survey of the four canonical gospels which highlights their characteristic literary features and their distinctive theological emphases.
Antirequisite(s): All 1020 level Religious Studies courses except Religious Studies 1026F/G and the former Religious Studies 1029.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Understanding religion is fundamental to understanding human societies and cultures. Examine religion as a social phenomenon through historical and present-day case studies. Topics may include: religion and sex; religion and money; religion and dirt; politics and religion; religion and the environment; religion and colonization; innovation in religion; religion and violence.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An introduction to Religious Studies which incorporates the autobiographies and/or biographies of contemporary men and women representing different religious perspectives and walks of life. The course introduces students to the theory of religion: its meaning and function in culture and in the lives of individuals.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 0011.
Extra Information: 2 lecture hours / 1 seminar hour.
Course Weight: 1.00
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An exploration of religious assumptions (including assumptions about how a person can live and die well) in contemporary films.
Extra Information: 2 lecture hours, 2 screening hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An introduction to Religious Studies that incorporates autobiographies and/or biographies of contemporary people representing different religious perspectives and walks of life. The course introduces students to the theory of religion and focuses particularly on the tension between religious traditions and contemporary realities.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An introduction to Religious Studies that incorporates the autobiographies and/or biographies of contemporary people representing different religious perspectives and walks of life. The course focuses particularly on religion’s meaning and function in culture and such identity-shaping experiences as violence and persecution.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An introduction to important early Christian texts that were not included in the canon and to the decisive struggles that led to the formation of what we know now as the Christian Bible.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course examines the complex ways in which religion is used both for economic exploitation and to inspire economic justice. Students will analyse sacred texts on such economic themes as land, poverty, and charity and consider contemporary economic justice issues, including debt, water rights, food justice, and investment/divestment movements.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An interdisciplinary exploration of interpretations of religion from the Enlightenment to the present day. Topics such as the conflict between science and religious belief, anti-religious thought, pluralism, feminism, and the impact of postmodernist theory will be examined.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Surveys of the Dead Sea Scrolls in translation, providing introduction to types of literature, archaeological contexts, and history of interpretation of the Scrolls over the past half century. Special attention will be paid to the religious beliefs of the Qumran community within the diverse Judaism of the Second Temple Period.
Antirequisite(s): Jewish Studies 2114A/B.
Extra Information: 2 hours. Cross-listed with Jewish Studies 2114A/B.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Examine differing conceptions of what it means to be human and how humans relate to non-human animals. Topics addressed will include dehumanization, humans and nonhumans in religious texts, race, gender, and animal rights.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Introduction to historical- critical method and to the books (the Pentateuch, the Deuteronomic History, Chronicles, Ezra-Nehemia, and Maccabees) which present the history of Israel.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An investigation of the way of life embraced by the earliest followers of Jesus of Nazareth and of the problems they encountered as revealed through the Acts of the Apostles and selected New Testament letters.
Extra Information: 3 hours
Course Weight: 0.50
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An introduction to the history, literature, and thought of primitive Christianity.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course will explore the historical-ideological relationships that religious movements have with society and the state. Attention will be paid to Semitic and Hellenistic-Roman forms and models that accompanied the introduction of Christianity from the 3rd century BCE through the Constantinian shift and, finally, to the present global religious situations.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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The history of the Christian Church from its origin to the late Middle Ages.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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The history of the Christian Church from the Late Middle Ages through to the modern period and contemporary world.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Grammar; composition; translation from Greek text of selected passages of the New Testament.
Prerequisite(s): The former Religious Studies 1029 or equivalent.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 1.00
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A study of the history, faith, and practices of the major living religions - selected from Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Shintoism, Zoroastrianism, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity.
Extra Information: 2 hours
Course Weight: 1.00
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A study of the history, faith, and practices of the major living religions - selected from Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Shintoism, Zoroastrianism, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2130.
Extra Information: 2 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 1.00
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An examination of the religious, philosophical, social, and cultural contexts that lead people to adopt diverse positions on moral issues such as abortion, euthanasia, stem cell research, and so forth. This course includes a presentation of Christian positions on the moral problems to be discussed.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A study of the principles of Christian Theology. A systematic consideration of basics, with special attention to present-day controversial and divisive theological issues.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 3249E.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 1.00
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A brief, multidisciplinary study of marriage incorporating theological, sociological, moral and/or psychological points of view. Topics may include sacrament and spirituality, love, sexuality, children, communication, conflict and forgiveness.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2223E.
Extra Information: 3.0 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Beyond ethical issues and models of conflict or integration, real questions persist about the relationship between religion and science. Given our present scientific understanding, how can traditional religion respond to neuroscience, human-machine interfaces, climate change, multiverses, and even extra-terrestrial life?
Antirequisites: Religious Studies 5240A/B.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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The significance of Jewish identity to Western culture is clear in cinema, stage, radio, television, and literature. This course explores the origins/impact of Jewishness in Jewish comedy and examines the meaning of speaking 'Jewish' comedically in Jewish and non-Jewish culture.
Antirequisites: Jewish Studies 2145F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours. Cross-listed with Jewish Studies 2145F/G.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A study of the family from a religious, cultural, moral and social point of view.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2223E.
Extra Information: 2 lecture/seminar hours.
Course Weight: 1.00
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This course examines understandings of marriage and family in various faith traditions, and their bases in scripture, theology, and tradition. It includes a focus on issues raised as these traditions encounter the multicultural, pluralistic, and increasingly secular twenty-first century society.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2150, Religious Studies 2223E, Religious Studies 2265E, and Religious Studies 2266F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A study of selected topics in Judaeo-Christian thought. Topics vary from year to year; more detailed information concerning content may be obtained from the Department prior to registration each year.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours
Course Weight: 1.00
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This course will examine issues of eco-spirituality, climate activism, and eco-justice, in light of our present global climate crisis. The readings, lectures, and discussions will explore Indigenous knowledge and religions, emerging neopagan spiritualities, as well as un-earthing transformative ecological visions in Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Asian religions.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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How accurate are portrayals of Jesus in films such as The Passion of the Christ or The Last Temptation of Christ? This course will examine critically Jesus figures portrayed in some contemporary films vis-à-vis what contemporary biblical scholarship says about the historical figure of Jesus.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Rumi, the famous 13th century Muslim mystic, wrote poetry that continues to inspire people across the globe. He has become a spiritual pop-icon and the best selling poet in America. This course will explore the reasons behind Rumi's popular appeal in the past and present, East and the West.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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How similar are biblical ideas of crime and punishment to our own? We cover topics like vengeance, blood feud, ordeal, and collective punishment alongside more familiar issues such as courtroom procedure, rules of evidence, and remedies for wrongful judgments. Do ancient, biblical approaches to crime and punishment remain relevant today?
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An introduction to the Old Testament and to contemporary critical methods of biblical interpretation. The course will focus on three aspects of such interpretation: 1) the biblical historical context, 2) stylistic and literary factors, and 3) considerations relating to the history of religion.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Western religious beliefs, Judaeo-Christian and Islamic, have been employed in legitimating violence (the just war theory) and even in promoting its use (crusades, jihad). These beliefs have also been a principal source of condemning violence (pacifism, conscientious objection, anti-war declarations and protests). This tension will be examined historically and thematically.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Did Adam have a wife before Eve? Does the spirit of the prophet Elijah roam the earth? Do Jews believe in angels, demons and magic? This course is an introduction to Jewish legends, tall tales, monster stories and superstitions for their insights into Jewish communities and the Jewish religion.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Examines myths and realities of sexuality in Judaism. Is sexuality repudiated? Can we find homoerotic subtexts in traditional Jewish sacred books? How do ideas transmitted from antiquity play out in our modern world? Examination of biblical laws and narratives, rabbinic teachings, and modern dilemmas regarding sex, marriage, and sexuality.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course will explore some of the ways the Bible has been used to support colonial, racist, anti-Semitic, and genocidal ideologies – and violence. It will also look at how the Bible may be re-appropriated by the very groups it was used to oppress.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Pop-culture is consumed for entertainment value but rarely explored for its spirituality. This course studies the human spiritual quest and how it is expressed in pop-culture through novels, music, and films such as "The Lord of the Rings" and "Harry Potter".
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours (screening time can be included in lecture hours).
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course will explore a wide variety of questions concerning the relationship between science and religion: What is science and what is religion? Has science made religion obsolete, or has science become a new religion? Is there anything science can add to religion, or religion to science?
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Please consult department for current offerings.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
This course is also offered at:
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Please consult department for current offerings.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
This course is also offered at:
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Please consult department for current offerings.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Please consult department for current offerings.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Religions, like well-cut jewels, are multifaceted and can be viewed from a number of unique angles. This course examines religion through a variety of scholarly lenses and academic disciplines, including anthropology, sociology, psychology, philosophy, phenomenology, theology and feminism.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An introduction to the history of Israel, to the literature of the First Testament of the Christian Bible and to the interpretation strategies employed by its ancient and contemporary readers.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2164F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An introduction to the distinctive Scriptures of Christianity--the New or Second Testament of the Christian Bible--and to the interpretative methods employed by ancient and contemporary readers of these books.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2124F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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What did the Buddha teach? How does Confucius say we should live our lives? Is there such a thing as 'oriental' wisdom? These and many other questions are explored in this introduction to the great religions of India, China and Japan.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 1023E, Religious Studies 2130.
Extra Information: 3 hours, 0.5 course.
Note: This course may not be used to fulfill requirements for World Religions modules.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A study of the history, faith and practices of Judaism and Islam.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2130.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An exploration of how Christian identity, belief and practice took shape from the beginnings of Christianity to the late Middle Ages. Topics include struggles over Christian doctrine; worship; monasticism; attitudes to the body, sexuality and gender; Christian expression in art and architecture.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2218F/G, Religious Studies 2610F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An introduction to Christian ethics with a focus on key concepts within the Catholic moral tradition such as the human person, freedom, love, virtue, dignity, and social justice. Issues and critical contemporary challenges to the tradition will be examined and engaged.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2238F/G.
Prerequisite(s): 1.0 course in Religious Studies, or the permission of the Department.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 1.00
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An introduction, through volunteer service and seminar discussions, to the Roman Catholic Education system. Intended primarily for students enrolled in the Honours Specialization and Major modules in Catholic Studies for Teachers.
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honours Specialization or Major modules in Catholic Studies for Teachers or permission of the department.
Extra Information: 12 seminar hours and 75 hours of volunteer service in a Catholic High School over two terms.
Course Weight: 0.25
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This introduction to the so-called "Johannine Literature" explores John's portrayal of Jesus, early Christian conflicts as mirrored in the letters of John, the origins of the Christian belief in Jesus' divinity and the original message of the book of Revelation and how to interpret it today.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course will investigate Paul's life, his letters and what others have said about him and his teachings. It includes an appraisal of whether Paul faithfully interpreted Jesus or whether his innovations make him worthy of the title, 'the real founder" of Christianity?
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 3090F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Why did early Christians produce multiple gospels to describe one Jesus? This course examines the portrayals of Jesus in the four Gospels, relating them to the historical figure of Jesus.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Can we predict the future? Are we warned about cataclysmic events? An examination of the role of prophets in the Hebrew Bible - their historical context, social roles, and powerful writings - and the implications for whether prophecy might still be alive today.
Antirequisite(s): The former Religious Studies 2410F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Please consult department for current offerings.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Please consult department for current offerings.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course addresses "Women and the Bible" in a threefold manner: it examines the portrayal of women and female imagery in the Hebrew and Christian scriptures; considers some of the ways that the Bible has been used historically to define and often confine women, and surveys contemporary reinterpretations of biblical stories by theologians, artists and authors.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Christianity began with the life and message of Jesus of Nazareth and the impact he had on his earliest followers. This course will look at the origins of Christianity, trace its development through history and ask: How has it been faithful or unfaithful to the vision of Jesus?
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2205F/G, Religious Studies 2610F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An exploration of current expressions of feminist consciousness which are shaping spirituality. Sources will be the experience of women - in particular, that expressed in writings and film. Connections will be made to the religious traditions which are sources of many of the current trends.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A study of the understanding of marriage in scripture, history, and in current thought. The focus will be on the underlying value systems that either sustain or diminish a covenantal concept of marriage.
Antirequisite(s): The former Religious Studies 2140.
Prerequisite(s): One other Religious Studies course, or third or fourth year standing in the Childhood and Social Institutions program, or permission of the instructor.
Extra Information: 2 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.
Course Weight: 1.00
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This course will explore the historical-ideological relationships that religious movements have with society and the state. Attention will be paid to Hellenistic-Roman forms and models that accompanied the introduction of Christianity from the 3rd Century BCE through the Constantinian shift, and finally, top the present global religious situation.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2125F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Introduction to the legal, prophetic, wisdom and liturgical literature of the Old Testament, and to the ideas emphasized.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 1026F/G and Religious Studies 2201F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A survey of the four canonical gospels highlighting their literary features and distinctive theological emphases.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 1028F/G, Religious Studies 2202F/G and Religious Studies 2212F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An examination of the heightened interest in spirituality in contemporary culture, and its possible social, ethical, and religious significance. A variety of religious traditions and contemporary perspectives will be explored, including topics such and ecology, vocation, aboriginal spirituality, globalization and mysticism.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2112F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An interdisciplinary exploration of interpretations of religion from the Enlightenment to the present day. Topics such as the conflict between science and religious belief, anti-religious thought, pluralism, feminism, and the impact of postmodernist theory will be examined.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2113F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course examines the relationship between spiritual practices and the environment through lenses of social justice. Students will explore how spirituality and spiritual practices offer ways to reframe our relationship to our natural world at a time of intensifying climate and economic crises.
Antirequisite(s): Social Justice and Peace Studies 2230F/G, Religious Studies 2277F/G if taken in 2020-21 or 2021-22, and Social Justice and Peace Studies 2278A/B if taken in 2020-21 or 2021-22.
Extra Information: 3 hours; cross-listed with Social Justice and Peace Studies 2230F/G.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Cultural, social, economic, and political themes including the Protestant and Catholic Reformations; the rise of absolutism; the commercial revolution; heresy, witchcraft, and scepticism; plague and health problems; the origins of modern science; demographic trends; the Puritans; baroque art and music; Cromwell, Gustavus Adolphus, and the creation of the modern army.
Antirequisite(s): History 2103, History 2403E.
Course Weight: 1.00
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The theology of Christian social action, drawing from Catholic Church documents from 1891 on, with an analysis of specific spheres of social life, including the family, work, poverty, politics, and the environment. A consideration of the principles of Catholic social doctrine and the Church's relationship with society and the state.
Prerequisite(s): One other course in Religious Studies or the permission of the instructor.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Introduction to the plurality of indigenous spiritual traditions in North America, and their diversity, complexity, and vitality. Included is an understanding of traditional ceremonies, cosmology or world view, creation stories and other narrative forms, cultural values, healers, and medicine. Special attention is given to Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee nations.
Antirequisite(s): The former Indigenous Studies 2236A/B.
Prerequisite(s): Completion of any Arts and Humanities or Social Science 1.0 course.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Why did early Christians produce multiple gospels to describe one Jesus? This course attempts both to clarify and explain the grounds for the differences and similarities among the so-called Canonical Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John).
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2210F/G and Religious Studies 2212F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours; while Religious Studies 2202F/G is not a prerequisite, it is nonetheless recommended preparation for this course.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An exploration of the fundamental concepts of the Catholic moral tradition in light of the Second Vatican Council: scriptural foundations, conversion and discipleship, the role of the Magisterium, natural law and the law of Christ, conscience, the moral act, sin and virtue.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2207E.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A specialized course concerning Catholic moral principles with clinical/ pastoral applications for a pluralistic world. Topics: reproduction issues, abortion, organ transplants, genetics, death and dying, resource allocation, and global ethics. Expert guest speakers included. Many applications to health care institutions.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A study of the interaction between modern culture and Christian faith. Among the
issues to be explored are faith's relation to science, technology, environment, law, and human rights. Particular attention will be paid to Catholic engagements with culture and its influence on the Church and world.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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How do major religious traditions conceptualize and work toward social justice? In this course, students will study the notion of justice in Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Islam, Judaism and Christianity, and consider the relevance of social justice as a common ground for inter-religious dialogue, solidarity, and activism.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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The historical character of the Church. Chronological survey of the main developments of the Apostolic Age to the Vatican Council I. Recreation of the contexts of major developments and their interpretation according to the principle of "historicity," i.e., the Church's potential in its human dimension for change and development.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 1.00
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This survey will focus upon the activities of women within the Church from the first to the twelfth century. Attention will be given to recreating the historical contexts and cultural mind-sets about "woman" and "man" which strongly conditioned the degree to which these activities were valued.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This survey will focus upon the activities of women within the Christian tradition from the twelfth century onward. Reasons for the interruption in their earlier gains in ministry, ecclesiastical government and cultural excellence will be given. Attention will be focused on the re-emergence of women into the public life of the Church since the 1840's.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2192F/G if taken in 1992-93.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An examination of Christian traditions from the perspective of women's experience, including how they have reinforced society's oppression of women and how women have created alternative structures within ecclesial communities. Contemporary women's writings, with scripture and other sources of the tradition, are the major sources.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course considers biblical women as they are reinterpreted in poetry, novels, short stories and art. When biblical stories are compared with creative interpretations of them, ancient stories are illuminated and contemporary concerns addressed, challenging us to ask new questions of biblical texts and of ourselves as well.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An exploration of wisdom literature in the Bible (including the books of Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, Ben Sira, and Wisdom of Solomon), paying attention to the literary and historical context of these books, as well as to their possible significance for the contemporary world.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course examines the role of food in a variety of religious contexts, its symbolic and spiritual significance, and ethical issues such as hunger, food distribution and genetically modified foods. Its wide-ranging scope will expose students to multi-faceted dimensions of food as nourishment for both body and soul.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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From burkas to "burkinis", large crosses to meat dresses, many contemporary moral questions arise where religion and secular culture collide. This course uses religious garb and fashion as a lens through which to examine issues such as freedom of belief, religious identity, feminism, ideals of beauty, and authentic self-expression.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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The complex political situations in the Middle East arise from a fusion of religious, historical, ethnic, cultural, and philosophical factors. This course examines the socio-religious background of contemporary Middle Eastern societies, and explores select case studies of conflict (e.g. Syria, Iraq, Iran, the Arabian Gulf countries, Israel/Palestine, Egypt.)
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Please consult the Department for current offerings.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Please consult Department for current offerings.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Please consult Department for current offerings.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Please consult Department for current offerings.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course takes students on an intellectual and spiritual journey into the mind and heart of Islam through an exploration of Islamic philosophy and its spiritual expression in Sufi mysticism. Contemporary issues in the Islamic World will be examined through the multi-faceted lens of Islamic thought, faith and art.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A study of the religious family drawing on cultural anthropology, sacred scriptures and theology with the goal of fostering an understanding the dynamics of religio-cultural family living in a multicultural, pluralistic and secular society.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2223E; Religious Studies 2150.
Extra Information: 3 lecture/seminar hours.
Course Weight: 1.00
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This course examines understandings of marriage and family in various faith traditions, and their bases in scripture, theology, and tradition. It includes a focus on issues raised as these traditions encounter the multicultural, pluralistic, and increasingly secular twenty-first century society.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An investigation of spirituality and the role that it plays in fostering human flourishing. A special emphasis will be put on understanding how spiritualities change in the different stages of life.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A critical study of the origins and major themes of Catholic thought. Among the issues discussed are the existence and nature of God, the relationship between faith and reason, morality and natural law, and the nature of the self.
Antirequisite(s): Philosophy 2669F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A survey of beliefs about death and dying as articulated in the world’s major religious and spiritual traditions, including Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Indigenous and African spiritualties. Topics include beliefs about the afterlife and ritual practices.
Antirequisite(s): Thanatology 2270F/G, Religious Studies 2291F/G if taken in 2021-22 and Thanatology 2296F/G if taken in 2021-22.
Extra Information: 3 hours; cross-listed with Thanatology 2270F/G.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An exploration into Roman Catholic understandings of the church and its mission. Did Jesus found the church? How does the church relate to salvation, human well-being, and social transformation? How might the church address secularism and an intercultural, interreligious world?
Prerequisite(s): Religious Studies 2201F/G and Religious Studies 2202F/G or permission of the Department.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An exploration of the sacraments and rituals of the Roman Catholic at their call to personal and communal transformation.
Prerequisite(s): Religious Studies 2201F/G and Religious Studies 2202F/G or permission of the Department.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This class will begin with some basic Buddhist doctrine sufficient to contextualize Buddhist meditation practice, and then examine various styles of meditation that developed in India, Sri Lanka, Tibet, China and Japan. We will also examine some modern scientific studies of the effects of Buddhist meditation.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2263G Topics in Buddhism: Buddhist Meditation (2014-15).
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This is a special topics course in Religious Studies.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A reading course on a defined topic and with a specified bibliography.
Prerequisite(s): 1.0 course in Religious Studies at the 2100-level or above, and permission of the instructor.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course provides an introductory exploration of the Buddhist tradition, from the original teachings of the Buddha through later doctrines, philosophies, practices and art Buddhism from Sri Lanka, China, Japan and/or Tibet.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course explores the spiritual dimensions of leadership, focusing on some of the ways that spiritual and values-based contexts can inform leadership. The course will consider the relationship between culture and leadership: how does culture teach us about leadership, and how does it prepare people to be leaders?
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2288E.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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The Hindu tradition has survived for roughly 3500 years in India, from its earliest fire sacrifices to the gods, to its expression in the modern world by such notable figures as Mahatma Gandhi. This introductory course examines the impressive growth of Hindu culture, literature, doctrine, philosophy, devotion and ritual practices.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An introductory exploration of the profound religious teachings of China and Japan, set within their historical and cultural context. Includes an examination of Chinese Folk Religion, Confucianism and Neo-Confucianism, Philosophical and Religious Daoism, Shinto, and Chinese and Japanese Buddhism.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A study of Islam, its origin, main beliefs and practices; Islamic law, theology and mystical traditions; the diversity of modern Islam and its responses to the modern world.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2620F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An exploration of the experiential dimension of the Jewish tradition through the lens of ritual studies. By exploring the festivals and observances that comprise a single Jewish year, we will delve into Judaism's conceptions of time, the body, food, suffering and love.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A study of how sexuality, marriage, and family structures are understood by the major religious traditions of the world and the impact these understandings have upon individuals (women, men, children, orphans, widows and widowers, the aged, sexual orientation) facing the stages and challenges of life in both homogeneous and pluralistic religious contexts.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Spiritual values guide the actions of many individuals who provide leadership that inspires others to work for social change. This course examines the interface between spirituality and leadership in the lives of a wide range of people and movements, and offers students the opportunity to explore their own spiritual paths.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 1.00
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This course examines a wide variety of beliefs and practices that fall under the rubric of `Yoga'. We will trace the Yoga tradition from its earliest sources in the Upanishads, Bhagavad-Gita and Yoga-Sutras, through the development Kundalini- and Hatha-Yoga traditions, up to the creation of modern yoga studios.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2261F/G offered in 2009-10, 2011-12 and 2013-14.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Please consult Department for current offerings.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Please consult Department for current offerings.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
This course is also offered at:
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Please consult Department for current offerings.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
This course is also offered at:
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Please consult Department for current offerings.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An exploration of the figure of Jesus of Nazareth, including historical roots, the development of Christian interpretations, and contemporary religious, cultural, and political significance.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 3168F/G and the former Religious Studies 2242E.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Using the insights of social geographers, scholars of violence and culture, ritual studies and popular religiosity, this course will look at the growing phenomena of roadside shrines, urban memorials and the use of natural landscape as places where human ritual, religious faith, and cultural needs create new places for making remembrance.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An exploration of how music, architecture, and the visual arts can both reflect and help shape faith. Representative works from a wide variety of historical periods will be studied in their theological and cultural contexts.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This is a special topics course in Religious Studies.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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See Faculty of Theology for current offering.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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See Faculty of Theology for current offering.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course examines religious texts (in translation) where Abraham is portrayed as the founder of peoples' the Tanakh, the Christian Bible, and the Qu'ran. The classic texts, images, and narrative of Abraham's story will be studied, as well as the interpretive methodologies employed in the Jewish, Muslim, and Christian traditions.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course explores passages in the Qur'an that have shaped classical and contemporary Islam, particularly regarding the tensions between text, context, and community. In addition to textual analysis, the course covers the history of reception and the influence these texts and their interpretations have on social relations and contemporary issues.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course explores the rich and sometimes problematic relationship between text, context, and community in relation to selected passages from the Hebrew Bible. In addition to textual analysis, the course covers the history of reception and the influence these texts and their interpretations have on social relations and contemporary issues.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course explores the rich and sometimes problematic relationship between text, context, and community in relation to selected passages from the Christian Bible. In addition to textual analysis, the course covers the history of reception and the influence these texts and their interpretations have on social relations and contemporary issues.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course will examine the roots of religious violence, focusing on the historical settings of the biblical and other religious texts used to justify this violence. Cases examined will be from ancient Egypt, ancient Israel, early Judaism, early Christianity, and early Islam.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An examination of the heroes, villains, and miracle stories of the Hebrew Bible from their roots in the ancient Near East to their incorporation into early Judaism. Comparisons will be made to the role of these stories in early Christianity.
Antirequisite(s): Jewish Studies 2345F/G.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours; this course is cross-listed with Jewish Studies 2345F/G.
Course Weight: 0.50
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What is wisdom, and how do to we attain it? Several books of the Bible are part of an ancient 'wisdom tradition' which spanned from ancient Egypt to Babylon to ancient Israel. What advice do these texts have, and what can they tell us about the well-lived life?
Antirequisite(s): Jewish Studies 2346F/G, Religious Studies 2255F/G.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours; this course is cross-listed with Jewish Studies 2346F/G.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Is it really possible to live according to biblical commandments? An exploration of biblical legal texts and early Jewish methods for transforming them into workable systems of law and ethics in the Mishnah and Talmuds. Focuses on questions of what makes legal interpretation valid and differentiating law from morality.
Antirequisite(s): Jewish Studies 2347F/G.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours; this course is cross-listed with Jewish Studies 2347F/G.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Combining classroom time, and a trip to Canada's North, students will come to a deeper understanding of the Church's praxis regarding inculturation and spirituality within a First Nations context. Consideration will be given to the legacy of colonization and movements fostering greater autonomy in the Canadian aboriginal context. Additional travel expenses to be borne by students.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2291G taken in Fall/Winter 2011-12, 2012-13.
Extra Information: six 4-hour preparatory lectures.
Course Weight: 0.50
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From ancient city of emperors to centre of the Roman Catholic Church today, Rome presents a living history like no other city. The course explores the intersection of religious practice, belief, art and architecture, politics and culture through a 10-day tour of Rome and environs. Additional travel expenses to be borne by students.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2291F Rome and the Christian Tradition taken in Summer Session 2012, or Summer Session 2013.
Extra Information: Six 2-hour preparatory lectures.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course will introduce students to the texts of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, paying particular attention to the historical and cultural environment of the ancient Israelites. The course will cover major texts from the Torah, historical books, prophetic books, and wisdom literature.
Antirequisite(s): Jewish Studies 2420A/B, Biblical Studies 5120A/B.
Extra Information: 3 hours. Cross-listed with Jewish Studies 2420A/B.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A reading course on a defined topic and with a specified bibliography.
Prerequisite(s): 1.0 course in Religious Studies at the 2100-level or above, and permission of the instructor.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A reading course on a defined topic and with a specified bibliography.
Prerequisite(s): 1.0 course in Religious Studies at the 2100-level or above, and permission of the instructor.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course examines the Qur'an's form, content, and major themes to determine what they reveal about its nature, appeal, and significance. The ways in which the Qur'an has functioned as the primary authority and guide in Muslim history and contemporary life will be examined.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2310F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course examines the diversity of Muslim experiences in the contemporary world.Using a wide selection of source material (memoirs, art and architecture, religious and literary texts) the varieties of world-views, challenges, limitations, opportunities and methodologies informing Islamic societies worldwide and in Canada will be examined.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course explores Islam's social, institutional, doctrinal, and historical expressions through the prism of gender. How gender is textually defined and socially enacted in and through the foundational discourses of Islam, as well as Women's assertion of power through mystical experiences rituals, prayer, and oral/textual transmission of knowledge will be explored.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2291F taken in 2009-10.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course focuses on the diverse aspects of mystical teachings in Islam (Sufism) with frequent comparative reference to Christian and Ancient mysticism. A variety of mystical traditions (ecstatic, contemplative, magical, and philosophical) will be discussed and analyzed based on translated primary sources.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course examines depictions of Islam and Muslims in films produced by both Muslims and non-Muslims. Using cinema as a mediator of religious thoughts, values, assumptions, and struggles, the primary goal of this course is to understand the efficacy of cinema in creating, reflecting, negotiating, resisting, or embracing basic Islamic assumptions.
Extra Information: 3 hours, 1 - 2 hours screening.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course focuses on parallel readings of Biblical and Qur'anic stories. Figures, such as Adam,Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joseph, Elijah and Jesus; and topics, such as creation, salvation, fall and afterlife, will be studied and compared to shed light on the origins of Jewish, Christian, and Islamic scriptural traditions.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course is an examination of the nature, roots, causes and responses to Islamic fundamentalism. We will explore its intersections with modernity, global capital, liberalism and feminism. Our readings include extremists' speeches, propaganda from major organizations such as the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, Al-Qaeda, ISIS/ISIL and Islamic fundamentalist thinkers' writings.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A survey of Christian thought, culture and practices, including approaches to the Bible, the formation of doctrine, the development of ethics, the use of philosophy, iconographic expression, and the sacraments. Attention will be given to a variety of historical and cultural contexts, as represented both in local and global settings.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A survey of Islamic history, thought, culture and practices, this course considers the development of Islam, key historical events, the Qur'an and its interpretive traditions, Islamic philosophy, devotional and altruistic practices, Muslim identity in a variety of local and global settings, and contemporary issues.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2285F/G, Religious Studies 2503F/G.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Course examines mythological traditions of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Canaan and Israel, asking: What is myth? What is the relationship between myth and social realities? Texts addressed will include Babylonian, Egyptian, and biblical creation accounts, flood narratives, the Epic of Gilgamesh, and stories about death and the underworld.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course surveys studies of religion within the disciplines of sociology and anthropology. In the course of covering methodologies, major figures, concepts and categories, particular attention will be given to time, space, structure, ritual, the sacred, practice, identity, and meaning as observed in historical and contemporary religious communities.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course surveys the diverse ways that religion has been defined and understood throughout history, from late antiquity to the present. In addition to comparing different religious and historical contexts, particular attention will be paid to significant historical writings on phenomena, practices, and populations in the religions of the world.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An examination of issues in philosophy of religion, focusing on arguments concerning the existence of God, the immortality of the soul, the occurrence of miracles, the validity of religious experience, and the place of religion in morality. Independent critical thinking is stressed, and no particular religious views are presupposed.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course will examine how religious concepts of the body interact with contemporary conceptions of gender, tradition, culture and sexuality. The course will look at art, movement, liturgy and ritual, as well as medicine, science, and philosophy.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2222F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Introduction to the interdisciplinary study of ritual in religious practice. Students will be introduced to the analytic tools provided in ritual studies, drawing on sociological, anthropological, and performance theory. They will apply these principles to a ritual practice in field analysis, group work, and formal writing and presentations.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An introduction to contemporary material culture theory and its application to the study of religious practices using critical readings, case studies, group work, and formal academic presentations and writing. Topics include: icons and iconoclasm; sacred books; religious vesture; objects for personal devotion.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Where does the idea of one true God come from? This class will examine Egyptian, Mesopotamian, and Greek concepts of deities, the invention of monotheism in Egypt, biblical debates over monotheism, and later developments of this idea, including the problem of Satan, the Logos, and the Trinity.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Do Holy Scriptures promote bloodshed? This class will examine biblical conceptions of warfare and violence, as well as the ancient Near Eastern background for these conceptions. Topics will include holy war, genocide, body mutilation, apocalypticism, and later uses of biblical texts in political discourse.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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The composition and distinctive emphases of the four canonical Gospels and their sources, and of other early Christian gospels.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2212F/G, Religious Studies 2227F/G.
Prerequisite(s): Religious Studies 2124F/G or permission of instructor.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A historical, literary, and theological study of the Gospel Passion Narratives and the traditions and narratives about the resurrection of Jesus.
Prerequisite(s): Religious Studies 2124F/G or permission of instructor.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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The composition and theology of Paul's letters to the Romans, Corinthians, and Galatians, in their historical setting.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2211F/G.
Prerequisite(s): Religious Studies 2124F/G or permission of instructor.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An exploration of the meaning of the Sunnah (the normative example of the Prophet Mohammed) and the development of the corpus of Hadith (narrations of these reports) and their role in diverse schools of Islamic thought and in the lives of Muslims.
Prerequisite(s): Religious Studies 2310F/G or Religious Studies 2500F/G or permission of the instructor.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course surveys classical theological, philosophical, mystical, and exegetical traditions within Islam and their implications for contemporary thought, life and practice. Particular attention will be paid to the strategies for drawing from religious traditions to construct religious identity and practice in a multicultural context.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2503F/G.
Prerequisite(s): Special permission of the instructor.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An examination of principled reasoning in classical Islamic jurisprudence, the theological status of reason in Islam, the principles and priorities of traditional ethical reasoning, the arguments for a goal-oriented approach to ethics, the contemporary emphasis on the context of the ethicist and the construction of religious authority, and the importance of individual moral formation.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course examines Islamic political thought and practice from the Medina Charter and the early Caliphate through to contemporary movements and developments. Central topics include: religion and the state, the main branches of Islam, religious tolerance, good governance, human rights, rule of law, and colonialism.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Explore the spirituality of Muslim women past and present including the female companions of the Prophet Muhammad, how they affected revelation and the development of Islam, medieval saints and scholars who played a central role in promoting charity and education, and contemporary activists who claim Islam against extremists and secularists.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An introduction to legal issues and social discourse surrounding freedom of religion and accommodation of religious beliefs and practices in Canada, including the challenges of competing rights and exemptions.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 5134A/B.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course surveys the history of Christianity in Egypt and North Africa with a particular focus on the early Christian communities in Alexandria, Cyrene and Carthage, their influence on African theology, spirituality and worship, and their continued presence and place in contemporary social, cultural, and political life.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course surveys Christianity in the Middle East with a particular focus on the history of monasticism and its development in Egypt, Syria and Palestine. Selected Greek, Coptic and Syriac literary sources will be introduced to explore the religious and cultural affinities between different Middle Eastern Christian communities as well as to trace their survival within majority-Muslim contexts.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A survey of 'constructions' of the figure of Jesus of Nazareth, both in modern critical historical assessments and in ancient Christian (canonical and non-canonical) and non-Christian sources. Special attention will be paid to the way construals of Jesus shape (and are shaped by) cultural, religious, and historical circumstances.
Antirequisite(s): The former Religious Studies 2242E.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Mysticism is the ancient practice of escaping one's bodily, material existence and entering spiritual realms. A close look at Jewish mystical texts from the visions of Isaiah and Ezekiel in the Hebrew Bible, to the medieval tracts Sefer Yetizrah and Zohar, to the phenomenon of Kabbalah centres today.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course explores the fascinating and volatile world of the early Christians with a focus on: groups that were outlawed because of their heretical teachings, the texts that they produced and the decisive struggles that led to the formation of what we now know as the Christian Bible.
Prerequisite(s): Religious Studies 2202F/G.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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How do Islamic traditions and communities understand and promote wellness, especially mental health? This course explores historical and contemporary perceptions of mental health within an Islamic theological perspective, with a special focus on Islamic principles of holistic well-being and the mental health challenges facing Muslim communities today.
Prerequisite(s): 0.5 course in Religious Studies.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course studies the parables of Jesus of Nazareth in their social and literary contexts, as well as their history of interpretation, with a particular focus on their interpretation for preaching.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 5230A/B.
Prerequisite(s): Religious Studies 2124F/G or permission of instructor.
Extra Information: 3 hours lecture.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An introduction to the principles of Christian Theology through a systematic consideration of basic principles. Special attention to contemporary challenging and difficult theological issues.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2137.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 1.00
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How do I go about making an ethical decision? This course examines the roots and contemporary understandings of Christian ethics, both Catholic and Protestant. Issues such as human sexuality, the ecological crisis, euthanasia, war and genetic manipulation are considered.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course introduces students to the theory and practice of interreligious dialogue, with the goal of encouraging critical, generous, and constructive thinking about diverse religious perspectives. Students navigate the complexities of interreligious dialogue to foster mutual learning and respect, and to promote universal values and collaborative justice advocacy.
Prerequisite(s): 0.5 course in Religious Studies.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Can religious belief meet the challenges posed by modern science, the social sciences and contemporary philosophy? Is it just about 'blind faith' or can it explain and make sense of itself in the context of evolution, changing moral convictions and new views about humanity and nature?
Prerequisite(s): Third or fourth year standing in a Religious Studies program.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A critical exploration of the development of Catholic thought from the 16th-century Protestant and Catholic Reformations to the present day, with emphasis on theological renewal in the 19th and 20th centuries and the emergence of contemporary global perspectives.
Prerequisite(s): Religious Studies 2205F/G, and third- or fourth-year standing in an Honours Specialization, Specialization or Major module in a Religious Studies program or permission of the Department.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An exploration, through volunteer service and seminar discussion, of the mission and methodologies of Roman Catholic education systems in Southwestern Ontario. Intended primarily for students enroled in the Honours Specialization or Major modules in Catholic Studies for Teachers.
Prerequisite(s): Religious Studies 2208U and Honours Specialization or Major module in Catholic Studies for Teachers or permission of the department.
Extra Information: 12 seminar hours and 75 hours of volunteer service in a Catholic High School over two terms.
Course Weight: 0.25
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Please consult the Department for current offerings.
Prerequisite(s): Third- or fourth-year standing in an Honours Specialization, Specialization, or Major module in a Religious Studies program, or permission of the Department.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course will survey the history of Eastern Christianity in its great diversity. Reviewing the geography, theology, liturgy, and art of Greek- and Syriac-speaking Christianity, students will have an introduction for further study or for greater understanding of the complexity of the Middle East today.
Antirequisite(s): Church History 5350A/B.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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By exploring the religious foundations of justice and peace in Islam’s theology, Sufism, and law, this course examines Muslims' conceptualizations and (successful or failed) expressions of justice and peace in historical and modern contexts. Of particular interest will be contemporary issues of social, gender, racial, and environmental justice.
Antirequisite(s): Social Justice and Peace Studies 3360F/G.
Prerequisite(s): 1.0 essay course at the 2200 level or above.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A survey of religious pluralism from a theological perspective, with particular attention to major contemporary authors in theology of religions and comparative theology. Although special attention will be paid to Christian writers, sources from diverse religious traditions will be encountered.
Antirequisite(s): Systematic Theology 5228A/B.
Prerequisite(s): Any 2000-level course in Religious Studies or Theological Studies.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A study of selected anti-religious thinkers from the beginnings of modernity to the present day. 'Dissuaders' such Toland, Hume, Marx, Nietzsche, Sartre and Dawkins will be studied, dealing with themes from Deism to political and personal freedom, Enlightened reason, biological evolution and the problem of natural evil.
Antirequisite(s): Systematic Theology 5223A/B.
Prerequisite(s): Any 2000-level course in Religious Studies or Theological Studies.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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The impact of the Holocaust (1938-45) on Judaism in terms of its philosophy-theology, subsequent placement in Western society, and on Western and Global society. Students will examine the historical-social context of anti-Semitism/National Socialism as well as investigating Jewish responses in theology, philosophy and socio-political identity after the Holocaust.
Antirequisite: Jewish Studies 3450F/G.
Prerequisite(s): Completion of first-year requirements including 1.0 course from Category A or 1.0 course in History.
Extra Information: 2.0 hours. Cross listed with Jewish Studies 3450F/G.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course introduces a variety of theoretical and practical perspectives on the role religion plays in international conflict resolution and peace building. Cases involving representatives of major religious traditions will provide a basis for comparing theories and practices of resolving conflict.
Antirequisite(s): Social Justice and Peace Studies 3451F/G.
Prerequisite(s): Third or fourth year standing in a Religious Studies program, or permission of the Department.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An exploration of globalization and justice, and the spiritual resources for responding to injustice, grounded especially in Christian reflection on the theme of liberation.
Antirequisite(s): Social Justice and Peace Studies 3452F/G.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours. Cross-listed with Social Justice and Peace Studies 3452F/G.
Course Weight: 0.50
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The biblical book of Job is a masterpiece of world literature about a good man afflicted with untold suffering. We will explore this book and the way artists and thinkers through the ages in literature, art, and film have re-imagined Job to make sense of their own experiences of suffering, grief, and injustice. There are no prerequisites for this course and it is open to all with an interest in these topics.
Course Weight: 0.50
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What ethical issues pertain to the environment? Are religious perspectives on the environment ethically relevant? Do we "owe" the environment anything individually and collectively? To answer these questions, this course traces historical and contemporary interactions between religious thought and practices and environmental issues in order to better understand current policy and practices.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course explores the religious and theological dimensions of principles and decision-making in biomedical ethics. In addition to reviewing the principles that inform, and issues that arise in, clinical practice and testing, this course considers historical and contemporary ethical perspectives on topics such as triage, consent, bodily integrity, privacy, accessibility, and medicalization.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2239F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course explores the surprisingly strong interaction between religious values, leadership and governance in the modern West. Themes will include the contribution of religion to public life in the recent past, as well as the role that more informed theological perspectives might play in current political and economic debates.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Are there universal beliefs about human nature and dignity? Are there certain actions that we must not do, regardless of the circumstances? Are there values that transcend every culture and context? To answer these questions, this course explores historical and contemporary interactions between Religion, theology, philosophy, natural law and human rights.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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In the recent past, numerous corporations, churches and governments have apologized for past injustice. Tracing the historical development and contemporary deployment of these official apologies, this course asks: What is at stake in apologies? Should perpetrators be punished? What are survivors owed? What role do they play in political life?
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An advanced reading course on a defined topic and with a specified bibliography.
Prerequisite(s): Third- or fourth-year standing and registration in an Honours or Honours Double Major in a Religious Studies program or permission of the instructor.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An advanced reading course on a defined topic and with a specified bibliography.
Prerequisite(s): Third- or fourth-year standing and registration in an Honours or Honours Double Major in a Religious Studies program or permission of the instructor.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course provides the opportunity for exceptional students at Huron to complete a guided project in experiential learning. Through seminars and discussions with the instructor, the form of the course may take that of an internship, a service learning opportunity, a research project, field trips and field work in diverse topics connected to the study of religion and theology.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Studies focused on one or more of the major or minor prophets.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2213F/G, Jewish Studies 4040F/G.
Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor.
Extra Information: 3 hours. Cross-listed with Jewish Studies 4040F/G.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Guided research and writing in religious studies, theology, or one of its cognate fields.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 1.00
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This seminar aims to study critically the often competing claims by diverse world religions about the best path to the ultimate. At the same time, it will foster an appreciation for the richness and beauty of different religious traditions.
Prerequisite(s): Third- or fourth-year standing in an Honours Specialization, Specialization, or Major module in a Religious Studies program, or permission of the Department.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An investigation, through volunteer service and seminar discussions, of various philosophies of education with particular reference to those employed in Catholic secondary schools. Intended primarily for students enroled in the Honours Specialization or Major modules in Catholic Studies for Teachers.
Prerequisite(s): Religious Studies 2208U, Religious Studies 3308U, and good standing in an Honours Specialization or Major module in Catholic Studies for Teachers or permission of the department.
Extra Information: Twelve 3-hour seminars, and 75 hours of volunteer service in a Catholic High School over two terms.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 4415F/G.
Prerequisite(s): Third- or fourth-year standing in an Honours Specialization, Specialization, or Major module in a Religious Studies program, or permission of the Department.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Building on the basic historical-critical method of biblical study learned in earlier biblical studies courses, this advance seminar will introduce students to new and exciting ways to read and interpret the Bible. Among the methods to be studied and practiced are: narrative, feminist, reader-response and postcolonial methods.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 4410F/G.
Prerequisite(s): Third- or fourth-year standing in an Honours Specialization, Specialization, or Major module in a Religious Studies program, or permission of the Department.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Extra Information: 3 hours.
Prerequisite(s): Third- or fourth-year standing in an Honours Specialization, Specialization, or Major module in a Religious Studies program, or permission of the Department.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Extra Information: 3 hours.
Prerequisite(s): Third- or fourth-year standing in an Honours Specialization, Specialization, or Major module in a Religious Studies program, or permission of the Department.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Extra Information: 3 hours.
Prerequisite(s): Third- or fourth-year standing in an Honours Specialization, Specialization, or Major module in a Religious Studies program, or permission of the Department.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Extra Information: 3 hours.
Prerequisite(s): Third- or fourth-year standing and registration in an Honours or Honours Double Major in a Religious Studies program or permission of the instructor.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An advanced reading course on a defined topic and with a specified bibliography.
Prerequisite(s): Third- or fourth-year standing and registration in an Honours or Honours Double Major in a Religious Studies program or permission of the instructor.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An advanced reading course on a defined topic and with a specified bibliography.
Prerequisite(s): Third- or fourth-year standing and registration in an Honours or Honours Double Major in a Religious Studies program or permission of the instructor.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Religious Studies
An introduction to Religious Studies based on autobiographies and/or biographies of twentieth-century persons representing different religious perspectives and walks of life. Lectures, discussions of written materials and films.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 1031E.
Extra Information: 2 lecture hours / 1 seminar hour.
Course Weight: 1.00
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An introduction to Religious Studies that incorporates autobiographies and/or biographies of contemporary people representing different religious perspectives and walks of life. The course introduces students to the theory of religion and focuses particularly on the tension between religious traditions and contemporary realities.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An introduction to Religious Studies that incorporates the autobiographies and/or biographies of contemporary people representing different religious perspectives and walks of life. The course focuses particularly on religion’s meaning and function in culture and such identity-shaping experiences as violence and persecution.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Introduction of religious studies and theology from a global perspective. Topics include theological and religious perspectives on: culture(s), politics, economics, sexuality, violence, identity and community, and spirituality.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An introduction to religion and theology, this course considers the way religious beliefs and practices draw distinctions, create boundaries, and establish limits. In addition to exploring how these lines are drawn, and why they matter, we consider strategies to close the distance these domains create in everyday life.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An exploration of Christian beliefs through a study of various medium including paintings, icons, sculpture, church architecture, liturgical and devotional acts and their implication for religious faith and imagination.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An examination of selected thought provoking questions such as "What's after death?"; "Why do bad things happen to good people?"; "Why are religions in conflict, sometimes violently?"; "Do miracles happen?". The aim of this introductory study is to broaden students' awareness of religious ways of understanding the human condition.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An introduction to the rich and varied religions of the world, past and present, set within their historical and cultural contexts. In the First Term, we delve into Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism (Indian, Chinese, and Japanese), Sikhism, Confucianism, Daoism, and Shinto; in the Second Term, we examine Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2130, Religious Studies 2203F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 1.00
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Introduction to the legal, prophetic, wisdom and liturgical literature of the Old Testament and to the ideas which each type of material emphasizes.
Antirequisite(s): All 1020 level Religious Studies courses except Religious Studies 1028F/G and the former Religious Studies 1029.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course introduces students to fundamental questions about human existence, the world, and God, and the ways in which the Catholic tradition in all its diversity has addressed these questions. Themes include: the nature of God, the destiny of creation and the meaning of Jesus Christ for salvation.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 1.00
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A general survey of the four canonical gospels which highlights their characteristic literary features and their distinctive theological emphases.
Antirequisite(s): All 1020 level Religious Studies courses except Religious Studies 1026F/G and the former Religious Studies 1029.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Understanding religion is fundamental to understanding human societies and cultures. Examine religion as a social phenomenon through historical and present-day case studies. Topics may include: religion and sex; religion and money; religion and dirt; politics and religion; religion and the environment; religion and colonization; innovation in religion; religion and violence.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An introduction to Religious Studies which incorporates the autobiographies and/or biographies of contemporary men and women representing different religious perspectives and walks of life. The course introduces students to the theory of religion: its meaning and function in culture and in the lives of individuals.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 0011.
Extra Information: 2 lecture hours / 1 seminar hour.
Course Weight: 1.00
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An exploration of religious assumptions (including assumptions about how a person can live and die well) in contemporary films.
Extra Information: 2 lecture hours, 2 screening hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An introduction to Religious Studies that incorporates autobiographies and/or biographies of contemporary people representing different religious perspectives and walks of life. The course introduces students to the theory of religion and focuses particularly on the tension between religious traditions and contemporary realities.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An introduction to Religious Studies that incorporates the autobiographies and/or biographies of contemporary people representing different religious perspectives and walks of life. The course focuses particularly on religion’s meaning and function in culture and such identity-shaping experiences as violence and persecution.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An introduction to important early Christian texts that were not included in the canon and to the decisive struggles that led to the formation of what we know now as the Christian Bible.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course examines the complex ways in which religion is used both for economic exploitation and to inspire economic justice. Students will analyse sacred texts on such economic themes as land, poverty, and charity and consider contemporary economic justice issues, including debt, water rights, food justice, and investment/divestment movements.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An interdisciplinary exploration of interpretations of religion from the Enlightenment to the present day. Topics such as the conflict between science and religious belief, anti-religious thought, pluralism, feminism, and the impact of postmodernist theory will be examined.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Surveys of the Dead Sea Scrolls in translation, providing introduction to types of literature, archaeological contexts, and history of interpretation of the Scrolls over the past half century. Special attention will be paid to the religious beliefs of the Qumran community within the diverse Judaism of the Second Temple Period.
Antirequisite(s): Jewish Studies 2114A/B.
Extra Information: 2 hours. Cross-listed with Jewish Studies 2114A/B.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Examine differing conceptions of what it means to be human and how humans relate to non-human animals. Topics addressed will include dehumanization, humans and nonhumans in religious texts, race, gender, and animal rights.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Introduction to historical- critical method and to the books (the Pentateuch, the Deuteronomic History, Chronicles, Ezra-Nehemia, and Maccabees) which present the history of Israel.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An investigation of the way of life embraced by the earliest followers of Jesus of Nazareth and of the problems they encountered as revealed through the Acts of the Apostles and selected New Testament letters.
Extra Information: 3 hours
Course Weight: 0.50
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An introduction to the history, literature, and thought of primitive Christianity.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course will explore the historical-ideological relationships that religious movements have with society and the state. Attention will be paid to Semitic and Hellenistic-Roman forms and models that accompanied the introduction of Christianity from the 3rd century BCE through the Constantinian shift and, finally, to the present global religious situations.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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The history of the Christian Church from its origin to the late Middle Ages.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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The history of the Christian Church from the Late Middle Ages through to the modern period and contemporary world.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Grammar; composition; translation from Greek text of selected passages of the New Testament.
Prerequisite(s): The former Religious Studies 1029 or equivalent.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 1.00
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A study of the history, faith, and practices of the major living religions - selected from Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Shintoism, Zoroastrianism, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity.
Extra Information: 2 hours
Course Weight: 1.00
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A study of the history, faith, and practices of the major living religions - selected from Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Shintoism, Zoroastrianism, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2130.
Extra Information: 2 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 1.00
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An examination of the religious, philosophical, social, and cultural contexts that lead people to adopt diverse positions on moral issues such as abortion, euthanasia, stem cell research, and so forth. This course includes a presentation of Christian positions on the moral problems to be discussed.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A study of the principles of Christian Theology. A systematic consideration of basics, with special attention to present-day controversial and divisive theological issues.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 3249E.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 1.00
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A brief, multidisciplinary study of marriage incorporating theological, sociological, moral and/or psychological points of view. Topics may include sacrament and spirituality, love, sexuality, children, communication, conflict and forgiveness.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2223E.
Extra Information: 3.0 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Beyond ethical issues and models of conflict or integration, real questions persist about the relationship between religion and science. Given our present scientific understanding, how can traditional religion respond to neuroscience, human-machine interfaces, climate change, multiverses, and even extra-terrestrial life?
Antirequisites: Religious Studies 5240A/B.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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The significance of Jewish identity to Western culture is clear in cinema, stage, radio, television, and literature. This course explores the origins/impact of Jewishness in Jewish comedy and examines the meaning of speaking 'Jewish' comedically in Jewish and non-Jewish culture.
Antirequisites: Jewish Studies 2145F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours. Cross-listed with Jewish Studies 2145F/G.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A study of the family from a religious, cultural, moral and social point of view.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2223E.
Extra Information: 2 lecture/seminar hours.
Course Weight: 1.00
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This course examines understandings of marriage and family in various faith traditions, and their bases in scripture, theology, and tradition. It includes a focus on issues raised as these traditions encounter the multicultural, pluralistic, and increasingly secular twenty-first century society.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2150, Religious Studies 2223E, Religious Studies 2265E, and Religious Studies 2266F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A study of selected topics in Judaeo-Christian thought. Topics vary from year to year; more detailed information concerning content may be obtained from the Department prior to registration each year.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours
Course Weight: 1.00
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This course will examine issues of eco-spirituality, climate activism, and eco-justice, in light of our present global climate crisis. The readings, lectures, and discussions will explore Indigenous knowledge and religions, emerging neopagan spiritualities, as well as un-earthing transformative ecological visions in Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Asian religions.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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How accurate are portrayals of Jesus in films such as The Passion of the Christ or The Last Temptation of Christ? This course will examine critically Jesus figures portrayed in some contemporary films vis-à-vis what contemporary biblical scholarship says about the historical figure of Jesus.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Rumi, the famous 13th century Muslim mystic, wrote poetry that continues to inspire people across the globe. He has become a spiritual pop-icon and the best selling poet in America. This course will explore the reasons behind Rumi's popular appeal in the past and present, East and the West.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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How similar are biblical ideas of crime and punishment to our own? We cover topics like vengeance, blood feud, ordeal, and collective punishment alongside more familiar issues such as courtroom procedure, rules of evidence, and remedies for wrongful judgments. Do ancient, biblical approaches to crime and punishment remain relevant today?
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An introduction to the Old Testament and to contemporary critical methods of biblical interpretation. The course will focus on three aspects of such interpretation: 1) the biblical historical context, 2) stylistic and literary factors, and 3) considerations relating to the history of religion.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Western religious beliefs, Judaeo-Christian and Islamic, have been employed in legitimating violence (the just war theory) and even in promoting its use (crusades, jihad). These beliefs have also been a principal source of condemning violence (pacifism, conscientious objection, anti-war declarations and protests). This tension will be examined historically and thematically.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Did Adam have a wife before Eve? Does the spirit of the prophet Elijah roam the earth? Do Jews believe in angels, demons and magic? This course is an introduction to Jewish legends, tall tales, monster stories and superstitions for their insights into Jewish communities and the Jewish religion.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Examines myths and realities of sexuality in Judaism. Is sexuality repudiated? Can we find homoerotic subtexts in traditional Jewish sacred books? How do ideas transmitted from antiquity play out in our modern world? Examination of biblical laws and narratives, rabbinic teachings, and modern dilemmas regarding sex, marriage, and sexuality.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course will explore some of the ways the Bible has been used to support colonial, racist, anti-Semitic, and genocidal ideologies – and violence. It will also look at how the Bible may be re-appropriated by the very groups it was used to oppress.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Pop-culture is consumed for entertainment value but rarely explored for its spirituality. This course studies the human spiritual quest and how it is expressed in pop-culture through novels, music, and films such as "The Lord of the Rings" and "Harry Potter".
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours (screening time can be included in lecture hours).
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course will explore a wide variety of questions concerning the relationship between science and religion: What is science and what is religion? Has science made religion obsolete, or has science become a new religion? Is there anything science can add to religion, or religion to science?
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Please consult department for current offerings.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
This course is also offered at:
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Please consult department for current offerings.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
This course is also offered at:
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Please consult department for current offerings.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Please consult department for current offerings.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Religions, like well-cut jewels, are multifaceted and can be viewed from a number of unique angles. This course examines religion through a variety of scholarly lenses and academic disciplines, including anthropology, sociology, psychology, philosophy, phenomenology, theology and feminism.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An introduction to the history of Israel, to the literature of the First Testament of the Christian Bible and to the interpretation strategies employed by its ancient and contemporary readers.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2164F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An introduction to the distinctive Scriptures of Christianity--the New or Second Testament of the Christian Bible--and to the interpretative methods employed by ancient and contemporary readers of these books.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2124F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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What did the Buddha teach? How does Confucius say we should live our lives? Is there such a thing as 'oriental' wisdom? These and many other questions are explored in this introduction to the great religions of India, China and Japan.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 1023E, Religious Studies 2130.
Extra Information: 3 hours, 0.5 course.
Note: This course may not be used to fulfill requirements for World Religions modules.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A study of the history, faith and practices of Judaism and Islam.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2130.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An exploration of how Christian identity, belief and practice took shape from the beginnings of Christianity to the late Middle Ages. Topics include struggles over Christian doctrine; worship; monasticism; attitudes to the body, sexuality and gender; Christian expression in art and architecture.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2218F/G, Religious Studies 2610F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An introduction to Christian ethics with a focus on key concepts within the Catholic moral tradition such as the human person, freedom, love, virtue, dignity, and social justice. Issues and critical contemporary challenges to the tradition will be examined and engaged.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2238F/G.
Prerequisite(s): 1.0 course in Religious Studies, or the permission of the Department.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 1.00
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An introduction, through volunteer service and seminar discussions, to the Roman Catholic Education system. Intended primarily for students enrolled in the Honours Specialization and Major modules in Catholic Studies for Teachers.
Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Honours Specialization or Major modules in Catholic Studies for Teachers or permission of the department.
Extra Information: 12 seminar hours and 75 hours of volunteer service in a Catholic High School over two terms.
Course Weight: 0.25
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This introduction to the so-called "Johannine Literature" explores John's portrayal of Jesus, early Christian conflicts as mirrored in the letters of John, the origins of the Christian belief in Jesus' divinity and the original message of the book of Revelation and how to interpret it today.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course will investigate Paul's life, his letters and what others have said about him and his teachings. It includes an appraisal of whether Paul faithfully interpreted Jesus or whether his innovations make him worthy of the title, 'the real founder" of Christianity?
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 3090F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Why did early Christians produce multiple gospels to describe one Jesus? This course examines the portrayals of Jesus in the four Gospels, relating them to the historical figure of Jesus.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Can we predict the future? Are we warned about cataclysmic events? An examination of the role of prophets in the Hebrew Bible - their historical context, social roles, and powerful writings - and the implications for whether prophecy might still be alive today.
Antirequisite(s): The former Religious Studies 2410F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Please consult department for current offerings.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Please consult department for current offerings.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course addresses "Women and the Bible" in a threefold manner: it examines the portrayal of women and female imagery in the Hebrew and Christian scriptures; considers some of the ways that the Bible has been used historically to define and often confine women, and surveys contemporary reinterpretations of biblical stories by theologians, artists and authors.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Christianity began with the life and message of Jesus of Nazareth and the impact he had on his earliest followers. This course will look at the origins of Christianity, trace its development through history and ask: How has it been faithful or unfaithful to the vision of Jesus?
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2205F/G, Religious Studies 2610F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An exploration of current expressions of feminist consciousness which are shaping spirituality. Sources will be the experience of women - in particular, that expressed in writings and film. Connections will be made to the religious traditions which are sources of many of the current trends.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A study of the understanding of marriage in scripture, history, and in current thought. The focus will be on the underlying value systems that either sustain or diminish a covenantal concept of marriage.
Antirequisite(s): The former Religious Studies 2140.
Prerequisite(s): One other Religious Studies course, or third or fourth year standing in the Childhood and Social Institutions program, or permission of the instructor.
Extra Information: 2 lecture hours, 1 tutorial hour.
Course Weight: 1.00
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This course will explore the historical-ideological relationships that religious movements have with society and the state. Attention will be paid to Hellenistic-Roman forms and models that accompanied the introduction of Christianity from the 3rd Century BCE through the Constantinian shift, and finally, top the present global religious situation.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2125F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Introduction to the legal, prophetic, wisdom and liturgical literature of the Old Testament, and to the ideas emphasized.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 1026F/G and Religious Studies 2201F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A survey of the four canonical gospels highlighting their literary features and distinctive theological emphases.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 1028F/G, Religious Studies 2202F/G and Religious Studies 2212F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An examination of the heightened interest in spirituality in contemporary culture, and its possible social, ethical, and religious significance. A variety of religious traditions and contemporary perspectives will be explored, including topics such and ecology, vocation, aboriginal spirituality, globalization and mysticism.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2112F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An interdisciplinary exploration of interpretations of religion from the Enlightenment to the present day. Topics such as the conflict between science and religious belief, anti-religious thought, pluralism, feminism, and the impact of postmodernist theory will be examined.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2113F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course examines the relationship between spiritual practices and the environment through lenses of social justice. Students will explore how spirituality and spiritual practices offer ways to reframe our relationship to our natural world at a time of intensifying climate and economic crises.
Antirequisite(s): Social Justice and Peace Studies 2230F/G, Religious Studies 2277F/G if taken in 2020-21 or 2021-22, and Social Justice and Peace Studies 2278A/B if taken in 2020-21 or 2021-22.
Extra Information: 3 hours; cross-listed with Social Justice and Peace Studies 2230F/G.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Cultural, social, economic, and political themes including the Protestant and Catholic Reformations; the rise of absolutism; the commercial revolution; heresy, witchcraft, and scepticism; plague and health problems; the origins of modern science; demographic trends; the Puritans; baroque art and music; Cromwell, Gustavus Adolphus, and the creation of the modern army.
Antirequisite(s): History 2103, History 2403E.
Course Weight: 1.00
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The theology of Christian social action, drawing from Catholic Church documents from 1891 on, with an analysis of specific spheres of social life, including the family, work, poverty, politics, and the environment. A consideration of the principles of Catholic social doctrine and the Church's relationship with society and the state.
Prerequisite(s): One other course in Religious Studies or the permission of the instructor.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Introduction to the plurality of indigenous spiritual traditions in North America, and their diversity, complexity, and vitality. Included is an understanding of traditional ceremonies, cosmology or world view, creation stories and other narrative forms, cultural values, healers, and medicine. Special attention is given to Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee nations.
Antirequisite(s): The former Indigenous Studies 2236A/B.
Prerequisite(s): Completion of any Arts and Humanities or Social Science 1.0 course.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Why did early Christians produce multiple gospels to describe one Jesus? This course attempts both to clarify and explain the grounds for the differences and similarities among the so-called Canonical Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John).
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2210F/G and Religious Studies 2212F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours; while Religious Studies 2202F/G is not a prerequisite, it is nonetheless recommended preparation for this course.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An exploration of the fundamental concepts of the Catholic moral tradition in light of the Second Vatican Council: scriptural foundations, conversion and discipleship, the role of the Magisterium, natural law and the law of Christ, conscience, the moral act, sin and virtue.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2207E.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A specialized course concerning Catholic moral principles with clinical/ pastoral applications for a pluralistic world. Topics: reproduction issues, abortion, organ transplants, genetics, death and dying, resource allocation, and global ethics. Expert guest speakers included. Many applications to health care institutions.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A study of the interaction between modern culture and Christian faith. Among the
issues to be explored are faith's relation to science, technology, environment, law, and human rights. Particular attention will be paid to Catholic engagements with culture and its influence on the Church and world.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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How do major religious traditions conceptualize and work toward social justice? In this course, students will study the notion of justice in Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Islam, Judaism and Christianity, and consider the relevance of social justice as a common ground for inter-religious dialogue, solidarity, and activism.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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The historical character of the Church. Chronological survey of the main developments of the Apostolic Age to the Vatican Council I. Recreation of the contexts of major developments and their interpretation according to the principle of "historicity," i.e., the Church's potential in its human dimension for change and development.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 1.00
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This survey will focus upon the activities of women within the Church from the first to the twelfth century. Attention will be given to recreating the historical contexts and cultural mind-sets about "woman" and "man" which strongly conditioned the degree to which these activities were valued.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This survey will focus upon the activities of women within the Christian tradition from the twelfth century onward. Reasons for the interruption in their earlier gains in ministry, ecclesiastical government and cultural excellence will be given. Attention will be focused on the re-emergence of women into the public life of the Church since the 1840's.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2192F/G if taken in 1992-93.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An examination of Christian traditions from the perspective of women's experience, including how they have reinforced society's oppression of women and how women have created alternative structures within ecclesial communities. Contemporary women's writings, with scripture and other sources of the tradition, are the major sources.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course considers biblical women as they are reinterpreted in poetry, novels, short stories and art. When biblical stories are compared with creative interpretations of them, ancient stories are illuminated and contemporary concerns addressed, challenging us to ask new questions of biblical texts and of ourselves as well.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An exploration of wisdom literature in the Bible (including the books of Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, Ben Sira, and Wisdom of Solomon), paying attention to the literary and historical context of these books, as well as to their possible significance for the contemporary world.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course examines the role of food in a variety of religious contexts, its symbolic and spiritual significance, and ethical issues such as hunger, food distribution and genetically modified foods. Its wide-ranging scope will expose students to multi-faceted dimensions of food as nourishment for both body and soul.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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From burkas to "burkinis", large crosses to meat dresses, many contemporary moral questions arise where religion and secular culture collide. This course uses religious garb and fashion as a lens through which to examine issues such as freedom of belief, religious identity, feminism, ideals of beauty, and authentic self-expression.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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The complex political situations in the Middle East arise from a fusion of religious, historical, ethnic, cultural, and philosophical factors. This course examines the socio-religious background of contemporary Middle Eastern societies, and explores select case studies of conflict (e.g. Syria, Iraq, Iran, the Arabian Gulf countries, Israel/Palestine, Egypt.)
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Please consult the Department for current offerings.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Please consult Department for current offerings.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Please consult Department for current offerings.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Please consult Department for current offerings.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course takes students on an intellectual and spiritual journey into the mind and heart of Islam through an exploration of Islamic philosophy and its spiritual expression in Sufi mysticism. Contemporary issues in the Islamic World will be examined through the multi-faceted lens of Islamic thought, faith and art.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A study of the religious family drawing on cultural anthropology, sacred scriptures and theology with the goal of fostering an understanding the dynamics of religio-cultural family living in a multicultural, pluralistic and secular society.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2223E; Religious Studies 2150.
Extra Information: 3 lecture/seminar hours.
Course Weight: 1.00
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This course examines understandings of marriage and family in various faith traditions, and their bases in scripture, theology, and tradition. It includes a focus on issues raised as these traditions encounter the multicultural, pluralistic, and increasingly secular twenty-first century society.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An investigation of spirituality and the role that it plays in fostering human flourishing. A special emphasis will be put on understanding how spiritualities change in the different stages of life.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A critical study of the origins and major themes of Catholic thought. Among the issues discussed are the existence and nature of God, the relationship between faith and reason, morality and natural law, and the nature of the self.
Antirequisite(s): Philosophy 2669F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A survey of beliefs about death and dying as articulated in the world’s major religious and spiritual traditions, including Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Indigenous and African spiritualties. Topics include beliefs about the afterlife and ritual practices.
Antirequisite(s): Thanatology 2270F/G, Religious Studies 2291F/G if taken in 2021-22 and Thanatology 2296F/G if taken in 2021-22.
Extra Information: 3 hours; cross-listed with Thanatology 2270F/G.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An exploration into Roman Catholic understandings of the church and its mission. Did Jesus found the church? How does the church relate to salvation, human well-being, and social transformation? How might the church address secularism and an intercultural, interreligious world?
Prerequisite(s): Religious Studies 2201F/G and Religious Studies 2202F/G or permission of the Department.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An exploration of the sacraments and rituals of the Roman Catholic at their call to personal and communal transformation.
Prerequisite(s): Religious Studies 2201F/G and Religious Studies 2202F/G or permission of the Department.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This class will begin with some basic Buddhist doctrine sufficient to contextualize Buddhist meditation practice, and then examine various styles of meditation that developed in India, Sri Lanka, Tibet, China and Japan. We will also examine some modern scientific studies of the effects of Buddhist meditation.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2263G Topics in Buddhism: Buddhist Meditation (2014-15).
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This is a special topics course in Religious Studies.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A reading course on a defined topic and with a specified bibliography.
Prerequisite(s): 1.0 course in Religious Studies at the 2100-level or above, and permission of the instructor.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course provides an introductory exploration of the Buddhist tradition, from the original teachings of the Buddha through later doctrines, philosophies, practices and art Buddhism from Sri Lanka, China, Japan and/or Tibet.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course explores the spiritual dimensions of leadership, focusing on some of the ways that spiritual and values-based contexts can inform leadership. The course will consider the relationship between culture and leadership: how does culture teach us about leadership, and how does it prepare people to be leaders?
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2288E.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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The Hindu tradition has survived for roughly 3500 years in India, from its earliest fire sacrifices to the gods, to its expression in the modern world by such notable figures as Mahatma Gandhi. This introductory course examines the impressive growth of Hindu culture, literature, doctrine, philosophy, devotion and ritual practices.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An introductory exploration of the profound religious teachings of China and Japan, set within their historical and cultural context. Includes an examination of Chinese Folk Religion, Confucianism and Neo-Confucianism, Philosophical and Religious Daoism, Shinto, and Chinese and Japanese Buddhism.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A study of Islam, its origin, main beliefs and practices; Islamic law, theology and mystical traditions; the diversity of modern Islam and its responses to the modern world.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2620F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An exploration of the experiential dimension of the Jewish tradition through the lens of ritual studies. By exploring the festivals and observances that comprise a single Jewish year, we will delve into Judaism's conceptions of time, the body, food, suffering and love.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A study of how sexuality, marriage, and family structures are understood by the major religious traditions of the world and the impact these understandings have upon individuals (women, men, children, orphans, widows and widowers, the aged, sexual orientation) facing the stages and challenges of life in both homogeneous and pluralistic religious contexts.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Spiritual values guide the actions of many individuals who provide leadership that inspires others to work for social change. This course examines the interface between spirituality and leadership in the lives of a wide range of people and movements, and offers students the opportunity to explore their own spiritual paths.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 1.00
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This course examines a wide variety of beliefs and practices that fall under the rubric of `Yoga'. We will trace the Yoga tradition from its earliest sources in the Upanishads, Bhagavad-Gita and Yoga-Sutras, through the development Kundalini- and Hatha-Yoga traditions, up to the creation of modern yoga studios.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2261F/G offered in 2009-10, 2011-12 and 2013-14.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Please consult Department for current offerings.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Please consult Department for current offerings.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
This course is also offered at:
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Please consult Department for current offerings.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
This course is also offered at:
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Please consult Department for current offerings.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An exploration of the figure of Jesus of Nazareth, including historical roots, the development of Christian interpretations, and contemporary religious, cultural, and political significance.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 3168F/G and the former Religious Studies 2242E.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Using the insights of social geographers, scholars of violence and culture, ritual studies and popular religiosity, this course will look at the growing phenomena of roadside shrines, urban memorials and the use of natural landscape as places where human ritual, religious faith, and cultural needs create new places for making remembrance.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An exploration of how music, architecture, and the visual arts can both reflect and help shape faith. Representative works from a wide variety of historical periods will be studied in their theological and cultural contexts.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This is a special topics course in Religious Studies.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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See Faculty of Theology for current offering.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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See Faculty of Theology for current offering.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course examines religious texts (in translation) where Abraham is portrayed as the founder of peoples' the Tanakh, the Christian Bible, and the Qu'ran. The classic texts, images, and narrative of Abraham's story will be studied, as well as the interpretive methodologies employed in the Jewish, Muslim, and Christian traditions.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course explores passages in the Qur'an that have shaped classical and contemporary Islam, particularly regarding the tensions between text, context, and community. In addition to textual analysis, the course covers the history of reception and the influence these texts and their interpretations have on social relations and contemporary issues.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course explores the rich and sometimes problematic relationship between text, context, and community in relation to selected passages from the Hebrew Bible. In addition to textual analysis, the course covers the history of reception and the influence these texts and their interpretations have on social relations and contemporary issues.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course explores the rich and sometimes problematic relationship between text, context, and community in relation to selected passages from the Christian Bible. In addition to textual analysis, the course covers the history of reception and the influence these texts and their interpretations have on social relations and contemporary issues.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course will examine the roots of religious violence, focusing on the historical settings of the biblical and other religious texts used to justify this violence. Cases examined will be from ancient Egypt, ancient Israel, early Judaism, early Christianity, and early Islam.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An examination of the heroes, villains, and miracle stories of the Hebrew Bible from their roots in the ancient Near East to their incorporation into early Judaism. Comparisons will be made to the role of these stories in early Christianity.
Antirequisite(s): Jewish Studies 2345F/G.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours; this course is cross-listed with Jewish Studies 2345F/G.
Course Weight: 0.50
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What is wisdom, and how do to we attain it? Several books of the Bible are part of an ancient 'wisdom tradition' which spanned from ancient Egypt to Babylon to ancient Israel. What advice do these texts have, and what can they tell us about the well-lived life?
Antirequisite(s): Jewish Studies 2346F/G, Religious Studies 2255F/G.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours; this course is cross-listed with Jewish Studies 2346F/G.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Is it really possible to live according to biblical commandments? An exploration of biblical legal texts and early Jewish methods for transforming them into workable systems of law and ethics in the Mishnah and Talmuds. Focuses on questions of what makes legal interpretation valid and differentiating law from morality.
Antirequisite(s): Jewish Studies 2347F/G.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours; this course is cross-listed with Jewish Studies 2347F/G.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Combining classroom time, and a trip to Canada's North, students will come to a deeper understanding of the Church's praxis regarding inculturation and spirituality within a First Nations context. Consideration will be given to the legacy of colonization and movements fostering greater autonomy in the Canadian aboriginal context. Additional travel expenses to be borne by students.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2291G taken in Fall/Winter 2011-12, 2012-13.
Extra Information: six 4-hour preparatory lectures.
Course Weight: 0.50
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From ancient city of emperors to centre of the Roman Catholic Church today, Rome presents a living history like no other city. The course explores the intersection of religious practice, belief, art and architecture, politics and culture through a 10-day tour of Rome and environs. Additional travel expenses to be borne by students.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2291F Rome and the Christian Tradition taken in Summer Session 2012, or Summer Session 2013.
Extra Information: Six 2-hour preparatory lectures.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course will introduce students to the texts of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, paying particular attention to the historical and cultural environment of the ancient Israelites. The course will cover major texts from the Torah, historical books, prophetic books, and wisdom literature.
Antirequisite(s): Jewish Studies 2420A/B, Biblical Studies 5120A/B.
Extra Information: 3 hours. Cross-listed with Jewish Studies 2420A/B.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A reading course on a defined topic and with a specified bibliography.
Prerequisite(s): 1.0 course in Religious Studies at the 2100-level or above, and permission of the instructor.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A reading course on a defined topic and with a specified bibliography.
Prerequisite(s): 1.0 course in Religious Studies at the 2100-level or above, and permission of the instructor.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course examines the Qur'an's form, content, and major themes to determine what they reveal about its nature, appeal, and significance. The ways in which the Qur'an has functioned as the primary authority and guide in Muslim history and contemporary life will be examined.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2310F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course examines the diversity of Muslim experiences in the contemporary world.Using a wide selection of source material (memoirs, art and architecture, religious and literary texts) the varieties of world-views, challenges, limitations, opportunities and methodologies informing Islamic societies worldwide and in Canada will be examined.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course explores Islam's social, institutional, doctrinal, and historical expressions through the prism of gender. How gender is textually defined and socially enacted in and through the foundational discourses of Islam, as well as Women's assertion of power through mystical experiences rituals, prayer, and oral/textual transmission of knowledge will be explored.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2291F taken in 2009-10.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course focuses on the diverse aspects of mystical teachings in Islam (Sufism) with frequent comparative reference to Christian and Ancient mysticism. A variety of mystical traditions (ecstatic, contemplative, magical, and philosophical) will be discussed and analyzed based on translated primary sources.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course examines depictions of Islam and Muslims in films produced by both Muslims and non-Muslims. Using cinema as a mediator of religious thoughts, values, assumptions, and struggles, the primary goal of this course is to understand the efficacy of cinema in creating, reflecting, negotiating, resisting, or embracing basic Islamic assumptions.
Extra Information: 3 hours, 1 - 2 hours screening.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course focuses on parallel readings of Biblical and Qur'anic stories. Figures, such as Adam,Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joseph, Elijah and Jesus; and topics, such as creation, salvation, fall and afterlife, will be studied and compared to shed light on the origins of Jewish, Christian, and Islamic scriptural traditions.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course is an examination of the nature, roots, causes and responses to Islamic fundamentalism. We will explore its intersections with modernity, global capital, liberalism and feminism. Our readings include extremists' speeches, propaganda from major organizations such as the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, Al-Qaeda, ISIS/ISIL and Islamic fundamentalist thinkers' writings.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A survey of Christian thought, culture and practices, including approaches to the Bible, the formation of doctrine, the development of ethics, the use of philosophy, iconographic expression, and the sacraments. Attention will be given to a variety of historical and cultural contexts, as represented both in local and global settings.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A survey of Islamic history, thought, culture and practices, this course considers the development of Islam, key historical events, the Qur'an and its interpretive traditions, Islamic philosophy, devotional and altruistic practices, Muslim identity in a variety of local and global settings, and contemporary issues.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2285F/G, Religious Studies 2503F/G.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Course examines mythological traditions of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Canaan and Israel, asking: What is myth? What is the relationship between myth and social realities? Texts addressed will include Babylonian, Egyptian, and biblical creation accounts, flood narratives, the Epic of Gilgamesh, and stories about death and the underworld.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course surveys studies of religion within the disciplines of sociology and anthropology. In the course of covering methodologies, major figures, concepts and categories, particular attention will be given to time, space, structure, ritual, the sacred, practice, identity, and meaning as observed in historical and contemporary religious communities.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course surveys the diverse ways that religion has been defined and understood throughout history, from late antiquity to the present. In addition to comparing different religious and historical contexts, particular attention will be paid to significant historical writings on phenomena, practices, and populations in the religions of the world.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An examination of issues in philosophy of religion, focusing on arguments concerning the existence of God, the immortality of the soul, the occurrence of miracles, the validity of religious experience, and the place of religion in morality. Independent critical thinking is stressed, and no particular religious views are presupposed.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course will examine how religious concepts of the body interact with contemporary conceptions of gender, tradition, culture and sexuality. The course will look at art, movement, liturgy and ritual, as well as medicine, science, and philosophy.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2222F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Introduction to the interdisciplinary study of ritual in religious practice. Students will be introduced to the analytic tools provided in ritual studies, drawing on sociological, anthropological, and performance theory. They will apply these principles to a ritual practice in field analysis, group work, and formal writing and presentations.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An introduction to contemporary material culture theory and its application to the study of religious practices using critical readings, case studies, group work, and formal academic presentations and writing. Topics include: icons and iconoclasm; sacred books; religious vesture; objects for personal devotion.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Where does the idea of one true God come from? This class will examine Egyptian, Mesopotamian, and Greek concepts of deities, the invention of monotheism in Egypt, biblical debates over monotheism, and later developments of this idea, including the problem of Satan, the Logos, and the Trinity.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Do Holy Scriptures promote bloodshed? This class will examine biblical conceptions of warfare and violence, as well as the ancient Near Eastern background for these conceptions. Topics will include holy war, genocide, body mutilation, apocalypticism, and later uses of biblical texts in political discourse.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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The composition and distinctive emphases of the four canonical Gospels and their sources, and of other early Christian gospels.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2212F/G, Religious Studies 2227F/G.
Prerequisite(s): Religious Studies 2124F/G or permission of instructor.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A historical, literary, and theological study of the Gospel Passion Narratives and the traditions and narratives about the resurrection of Jesus.
Prerequisite(s): Religious Studies 2124F/G or permission of instructor.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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The composition and theology of Paul's letters to the Romans, Corinthians, and Galatians, in their historical setting.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2211F/G.
Prerequisite(s): Religious Studies 2124F/G or permission of instructor.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An exploration of the meaning of the Sunnah (the normative example of the Prophet Mohammed) and the development of the corpus of Hadith (narrations of these reports) and their role in diverse schools of Islamic thought and in the lives of Muslims.
Prerequisite(s): Religious Studies 2310F/G or Religious Studies 2500F/G or permission of the instructor.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course surveys classical theological, philosophical, mystical, and exegetical traditions within Islam and their implications for contemporary thought, life and practice. Particular attention will be paid to the strategies for drawing from religious traditions to construct religious identity and practice in a multicultural context.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2503F/G.
Prerequisite(s): Special permission of the instructor.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An examination of principled reasoning in classical Islamic jurisprudence, the theological status of reason in Islam, the principles and priorities of traditional ethical reasoning, the arguments for a goal-oriented approach to ethics, the contemporary emphasis on the context of the ethicist and the construction of religious authority, and the importance of individual moral formation.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course examines Islamic political thought and practice from the Medina Charter and the early Caliphate through to contemporary movements and developments. Central topics include: religion and the state, the main branches of Islam, religious tolerance, good governance, human rights, rule of law, and colonialism.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Explore the spirituality of Muslim women past and present including the female companions of the Prophet Muhammad, how they affected revelation and the development of Islam, medieval saints and scholars who played a central role in promoting charity and education, and contemporary activists who claim Islam against extremists and secularists.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An introduction to legal issues and social discourse surrounding freedom of religion and accommodation of religious beliefs and practices in Canada, including the challenges of competing rights and exemptions.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 5134A/B.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course surveys the history of Christianity in Egypt and North Africa with a particular focus on the early Christian communities in Alexandria, Cyrene and Carthage, their influence on African theology, spirituality and worship, and their continued presence and place in contemporary social, cultural, and political life.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course surveys Christianity in the Middle East with a particular focus on the history of monasticism and its development in Egypt, Syria and Palestine. Selected Greek, Coptic and Syriac literary sources will be introduced to explore the religious and cultural affinities between different Middle Eastern Christian communities as well as to trace their survival within majority-Muslim contexts.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A survey of 'constructions' of the figure of Jesus of Nazareth, both in modern critical historical assessments and in ancient Christian (canonical and non-canonical) and non-Christian sources. Special attention will be paid to the way construals of Jesus shape (and are shaped by) cultural, religious, and historical circumstances.
Antirequisite(s): The former Religious Studies 2242E.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Mysticism is the ancient practice of escaping one's bodily, material existence and entering spiritual realms. A close look at Jewish mystical texts from the visions of Isaiah and Ezekiel in the Hebrew Bible, to the medieval tracts Sefer Yetizrah and Zohar, to the phenomenon of Kabbalah centres today.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course explores the fascinating and volatile world of the early Christians with a focus on: groups that were outlawed because of their heretical teachings, the texts that they produced and the decisive struggles that led to the formation of what we now know as the Christian Bible.
Prerequisite(s): Religious Studies 2202F/G.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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How do Islamic traditions and communities understand and promote wellness, especially mental health? This course explores historical and contemporary perceptions of mental health within an Islamic theological perspective, with a special focus on Islamic principles of holistic well-being and the mental health challenges facing Muslim communities today.
Prerequisite(s): 0.5 course in Religious Studies.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course studies the parables of Jesus of Nazareth in their social and literary contexts, as well as their history of interpretation, with a particular focus on their interpretation for preaching.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 5230A/B.
Prerequisite(s): Religious Studies 2124F/G or permission of instructor.
Extra Information: 3 hours lecture.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An introduction to the principles of Christian Theology through a systematic consideration of basic principles. Special attention to contemporary challenging and difficult theological issues.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2137.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 1.00
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How do I go about making an ethical decision? This course examines the roots and contemporary understandings of Christian ethics, both Catholic and Protestant. Issues such as human sexuality, the ecological crisis, euthanasia, war and genetic manipulation are considered.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course introduces students to the theory and practice of interreligious dialogue, with the goal of encouraging critical, generous, and constructive thinking about diverse religious perspectives. Students navigate the complexities of interreligious dialogue to foster mutual learning and respect, and to promote universal values and collaborative justice advocacy.
Prerequisite(s): 0.5 course in Religious Studies.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Can religious belief meet the challenges posed by modern science, the social sciences and contemporary philosophy? Is it just about 'blind faith' or can it explain and make sense of itself in the context of evolution, changing moral convictions and new views about humanity and nature?
Prerequisite(s): Third or fourth year standing in a Religious Studies program.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A critical exploration of the development of Catholic thought from the 16th-century Protestant and Catholic Reformations to the present day, with emphasis on theological renewal in the 19th and 20th centuries and the emergence of contemporary global perspectives.
Prerequisite(s): Religious Studies 2205F/G, and third- or fourth-year standing in an Honours Specialization, Specialization or Major module in a Religious Studies program or permission of the Department.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An exploration, through volunteer service and seminar discussion, of the mission and methodologies of Roman Catholic education systems in Southwestern Ontario. Intended primarily for students enroled in the Honours Specialization or Major modules in Catholic Studies for Teachers.
Prerequisite(s): Religious Studies 2208U and Honours Specialization or Major module in Catholic Studies for Teachers or permission of the department.
Extra Information: 12 seminar hours and 75 hours of volunteer service in a Catholic High School over two terms.
Course Weight: 0.25
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Please consult the Department for current offerings.
Prerequisite(s): Third- or fourth-year standing in an Honours Specialization, Specialization, or Major module in a Religious Studies program, or permission of the Department.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course will survey the history of Eastern Christianity in its great diversity. Reviewing the geography, theology, liturgy, and art of Greek- and Syriac-speaking Christianity, students will have an introduction for further study or for greater understanding of the complexity of the Middle East today.
Antirequisite(s): Church History 5350A/B.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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By exploring the religious foundations of justice and peace in Islam’s theology, Sufism, and law, this course examines Muslims' conceptualizations and (successful or failed) expressions of justice and peace in historical and modern contexts. Of particular interest will be contemporary issues of social, gender, racial, and environmental justice.
Antirequisite(s): Social Justice and Peace Studies 3360F/G.
Prerequisite(s): 1.0 essay course at the 2200 level or above.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A survey of religious pluralism from a theological perspective, with particular attention to major contemporary authors in theology of religions and comparative theology. Although special attention will be paid to Christian writers, sources from diverse religious traditions will be encountered.
Antirequisite(s): Systematic Theology 5228A/B.
Prerequisite(s): Any 2000-level course in Religious Studies or Theological Studies.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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A study of selected anti-religious thinkers from the beginnings of modernity to the present day. 'Dissuaders' such Toland, Hume, Marx, Nietzsche, Sartre and Dawkins will be studied, dealing with themes from Deism to political and personal freedom, Enlightened reason, biological evolution and the problem of natural evil.
Antirequisite(s): Systematic Theology 5223A/B.
Prerequisite(s): Any 2000-level course in Religious Studies or Theological Studies.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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The impact of the Holocaust (1938-45) on Judaism in terms of its philosophy-theology, subsequent placement in Western society, and on Western and Global society. Students will examine the historical-social context of anti-Semitism/National Socialism as well as investigating Jewish responses in theology, philosophy and socio-political identity after the Holocaust.
Antirequisite: Jewish Studies 3450F/G.
Prerequisite(s): Completion of first-year requirements including 1.0 course from Category A or 1.0 course in History.
Extra Information: 2.0 hours. Cross listed with Jewish Studies 3450F/G.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course introduces a variety of theoretical and practical perspectives on the role religion plays in international conflict resolution and peace building. Cases involving representatives of major religious traditions will provide a basis for comparing theories and practices of resolving conflict.
Antirequisite(s): Social Justice and Peace Studies 3451F/G.
Prerequisite(s): Third or fourth year standing in a Religious Studies program, or permission of the Department.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An exploration of globalization and justice, and the spiritual resources for responding to injustice, grounded especially in Christian reflection on the theme of liberation.
Antirequisite(s): Social Justice and Peace Studies 3452F/G.
Extra Information: 3 lecture hours. Cross-listed with Social Justice and Peace Studies 3452F/G.
Course Weight: 0.50
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The biblical book of Job is a masterpiece of world literature about a good man afflicted with untold suffering. We will explore this book and the way artists and thinkers through the ages in literature, art, and film have re-imagined Job to make sense of their own experiences of suffering, grief, and injustice. There are no prerequisites for this course and it is open to all with an interest in these topics.
Course Weight: 0.50
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What ethical issues pertain to the environment? Are religious perspectives on the environment ethically relevant? Do we "owe" the environment anything individually and collectively? To answer these questions, this course traces historical and contemporary interactions between religious thought and practices and environmental issues in order to better understand current policy and practices.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course explores the religious and theological dimensions of principles and decision-making in biomedical ethics. In addition to reviewing the principles that inform, and issues that arise in, clinical practice and testing, this course considers historical and contemporary ethical perspectives on topics such as triage, consent, bodily integrity, privacy, accessibility, and medicalization.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2239F/G.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course explores the surprisingly strong interaction between religious values, leadership and governance in the modern West. Themes will include the contribution of religion to public life in the recent past, as well as the role that more informed theological perspectives might play in current political and economic debates.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Are there universal beliefs about human nature and dignity? Are there certain actions that we must not do, regardless of the circumstances? Are there values that transcend every culture and context? To answer these questions, this course explores historical and contemporary interactions between Religion, theology, philosophy, natural law and human rights.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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In the recent past, numerous corporations, churches and governments have apologized for past injustice. Tracing the historical development and contemporary deployment of these official apologies, this course asks: What is at stake in apologies? Should perpetrators be punished? What are survivors owed? What role do they play in political life?
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An advanced reading course on a defined topic and with a specified bibliography.
Prerequisite(s): Third- or fourth-year standing and registration in an Honours or Honours Double Major in a Religious Studies program or permission of the instructor.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An advanced reading course on a defined topic and with a specified bibliography.
Prerequisite(s): Third- or fourth-year standing and registration in an Honours or Honours Double Major in a Religious Studies program or permission of the instructor.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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This course provides the opportunity for exceptional students at Huron to complete a guided project in experiential learning. Through seminars and discussions with the instructor, the form of the course may take that of an internship, a service learning opportunity, a research project, field trips and field work in diverse topics connected to the study of religion and theology.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Studies focused on one or more of the major or minor prophets.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 2213F/G, Jewish Studies 4040F/G.
Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor.
Extra Information: 3 hours. Cross-listed with Jewish Studies 4040F/G.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Guided research and writing in religious studies, theology, or one of its cognate fields.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 1.00
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This seminar aims to study critically the often competing claims by diverse world religions about the best path to the ultimate. At the same time, it will foster an appreciation for the richness and beauty of different religious traditions.
Prerequisite(s): Third- or fourth-year standing in an Honours Specialization, Specialization, or Major module in a Religious Studies program, or permission of the Department.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An investigation, through volunteer service and seminar discussions, of various philosophies of education with particular reference to those employed in Catholic secondary schools. Intended primarily for students enroled in the Honours Specialization or Major modules in Catholic Studies for Teachers.
Prerequisite(s): Religious Studies 2208U, Religious Studies 3308U, and good standing in an Honours Specialization or Major module in Catholic Studies for Teachers or permission of the department.
Extra Information: Twelve 3-hour seminars, and 75 hours of volunteer service in a Catholic High School over two terms.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 4415F/G.
Prerequisite(s): Third- or fourth-year standing in an Honours Specialization, Specialization, or Major module in a Religious Studies program, or permission of the Department.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Building on the basic historical-critical method of biblical study learned in earlier biblical studies courses, this advance seminar will introduce students to new and exciting ways to read and interpret the Bible. Among the methods to be studied and practiced are: narrative, feminist, reader-response and postcolonial methods.
Antirequisite(s): Religious Studies 4410F/G.
Prerequisite(s): Third- or fourth-year standing in an Honours Specialization, Specialization, or Major module in a Religious Studies program, or permission of the Department.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Extra Information: 3 hours.
Prerequisite(s): Third- or fourth-year standing in an Honours Specialization, Specialization, or Major module in a Religious Studies program, or permission of the Department.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Extra Information: 3 hours.
Prerequisite(s): Third- or fourth-year standing in an Honours Specialization, Specialization, or Major module in a Religious Studies program, or permission of the Department.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Extra Information: 3 hours.
Prerequisite(s): Third- or fourth-year standing in an Honours Specialization, Specialization, or Major module in a Religious Studies program, or permission of the Department.
Course Weight: 0.50
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Extra Information: 3 hours.
Prerequisite(s): Third- or fourth-year standing and registration in an Honours or Honours Double Major in a Religious Studies program or permission of the instructor.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An advanced reading course on a defined topic and with a specified bibliography.
Prerequisite(s): Third- or fourth-year standing and registration in an Honours or Honours Double Major in a Religious Studies program or permission of the instructor.
Extra Information: 3 hours.
Course Weight: 0.50
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An advanced reading course on a defined topic and with a specified bibliography.
Prerequisite(s): Third- or fourth-year standing and registration in an Honours or Honours Double Major in a Religious Studies program or permission of the instructor.
Extra Information: 3 hours.