Religion Catalog Information
Programs offered • Major in Religion (36 credits) • Minor in Religion (20 credits) The study of religion is an essential component of the academic program at Concordia. Religious beliefs and practices organize human life around ultimate commitments and concerns. Understanding the varied forms and elements of the religious life contributes to quality liberal arts learning and to personal enrichment through engagement with perennial questions about meaning, truth and value. Because of the mission of the college and the pervasive presence and influential role of religion in human affairs, students at Concordia are required to take two religion courses as part of the Core Curriculum requirement and may also elect to major or minor in religion. All Concordia graduates, as liberally educated persons, will gain a working understanding of the main aspects of the Christian tradition within the religions of humankind and of the academic study of religion. Required Core courses and elective study programs offer students various opportunities to acquire broad knowledge and enduring critical skills for informed religious involvement and lifelong learning. Departmental courses are organized around four modes of inquiry: • Interpretive Studies • Historical Studies • Comparative Studies • Constructive Studies These four modes of inquiry represent different ways in which humans practice religion and different ways in which religious phenomena can be studied: writing and enacting religion, forming and transmitting religion, relating and differentiating religion, and revising and appropriating religion. Students can earn an honors major for superior achievement in coursework by departmental faculty election. Upon the recommendation of the department’s assessment committee, honors will be awarded on the basis of grade point and the senior research seminar paper. Honors will be awarded during the second semester of the senior year. Honors majors will give a public presentation. The religion department provides learning experiences that prepare students to achieve the following outcomes: • be capable of critical thinking • communicate verbally in a manner that is comfortable, coherent and clear • write well • demonstrate an in-depth competency in one methodology (interpretive, historical, comparative, constructive) appropriate to the study of religion and a broad knowledge of the other three areas • value scholarship • develop an appreciation and respect for religious traditions other than their own Liberal Arts Core Requirement in Religion The Core requirement in religion for graduation is 8 credits: • REL 100 – Christianity and Religious Diversity, 4 credits. This course introduces students to the academic study of religion and to Christianity and religious diversity and should be taken during the first or second year. REL 100 – Christianity and Religious Diversity, is a prerequisite to the second religion course. No student should enroll in the second religion course without taking Religion 100 first. Any exception to this course sequence needs the approval of the religion department prior to registration of the second required religion course. • 4 credits to be taken from the following courses during the junior or senior year: – REL 313 – Jesus the Jew – Jesus the Christ, 4 credits – REL 314 – Paul: Apostle or Apostate, 4 credits – REL 316 – The Good Life: Old Testament Perspectives, 4 credits – REL 324 – The Legacy of Luther, 4 credits – REL 325 – Studies in Religious History, 4 credits – REL 326 – Christian Theologies and Ethics, 4 credits – REL 328 – Catholicism, 4 credits – REL 332 – American Religions: Natives and Immigrants, 4 credits – REL 334 – Monotheisms: Jewish, Christian and Muslim, 4 credits – REL 338 – Religions of Asia, 4 credits – REL 339 – World Christianity, 4 credits – REL 342 – God: The Question and the Quest, 4 credits – REL 344 – Christian Ethics in Human Community, 4 credits – REL 349 – Christian Ethics in the Material World, 4 credits – REL 372 – Christian Spirituality, 4 credits – REL 382 – Religion and the Body, 4 credits – REL 384 – Exploring Islam, 4 credits – REL 386 – Religion in the Postcolonial World, 4 credits Liberal Arts Core Distribution World Languages Requirement Students may satisfy the Core distribution world languages requirement through one of the following options: 1. Successful completion of the REL 211-212 sequence – Biblical Hebrew I and II 2. Successful completion of the departmental proficiency examination Entering students who have studied Hebrew should also take the proficiency exam to determine whether they should enroll in REL 211 – Biblical Hebrew I or REL 212 – Biblical Hebrew II. Major in Religion The requirements for a major in religion are 36 credits. Religion 100 and Religion 300 Core courses are counted in the nine courses for the major. Students should normally declare a major by the end of the second year and develop a plan of study in consultation with a department adviser. Majors are required to take: • REL 100 – Christianity and Religious Diversity, 4 credits • 16 credits (4 credits from each mode of inquiry). The Religion 300 J Core requirement counts as a course in one of the areas of study. • 12 additional credits in religion, which may include REL 211 – Biblical Hebrew I and REL 212 – Biblical Hebrew II • REL 410 – Research Seminar, 4 credits. This course is offered during the fall semester and should be taken during the senior year. Students who expect to be studying off campus that semester should take the Research Seminar during the junior year. Students may count 4 credits in REL 390 – Cooperative Education or 4 credits from REL 490 – Practicum toward the major. Students may apply to transfer up to the equivalent of 4 courses and no more than 16 credits from outside the college. Minor in Religion The minor in religion can be used for different educational goals. Students may wish to concentrate on courses in a specific mode of inquiry. They may wish to select courses to complement a major course of study or for personal enrichment. The requirements for a minor in religion are 20 credits. Religion 100 and Religion 300 J courses are counted in the five-course requirements for a minor. REL 211 – Biblical Hebrew I and REL 212 – Biblical Hebrew II may also be counted for a minor. Students are encouraged to develop a plan for their course of study with a religion department adviser. Students may select any religion courses beyond those meeting the Core religion requirement, except for REL 390 – Cooperative Education and REL 490 – Practicum. Students should normally declare a minor by the end of the junior year. Students may apply to transfer the equivalent of two courses and no more than 8 credits from outside the college.
Religion Courses
First Core Religion Course
REL 100 – Christianity and Religious Diversity, 4 credits. E. This course seeks to meet the needs of all students for a better understanding of religion as a basic feature of human life and of Christianity’s classic and contemporary expressions and the rich diversity of religion. The four modes of religious inquiry (interpretive, historical, comparative and constructive) that are appropriate to the study of religion will be used to examine the complexity of religion in the modern world. The course offers an important initial opportunity for integrative study that is characteristic of a liberal arts education. It invites students to engage in thoughtful and informed reflection upon religious questions.
Interpretive Studies
REL 313 J – Jesus the Jew – Jesus the Christ, 4 credits. E1 or E2. This course is an examination of the Jewish context and character of Jesus of Nazareth. This course will investigate Jesus’ life, ministry, and death in the social and religious context of first-century Palestine. In addition, it will focus on the character of the Gospels as literary narratives that tell the stories of Jesus. Jesus also came to be the object of worship and devotion, and this course will investigate how it is that Jesus became the focal point of the church’s thought and ritual practice.
REL 314 J – Paul: Apostle or Apostate, 4 credits. E1 or E2. This course is a study of the historical circumstances of Paul, the religious and theological significance of his epistles, and his legacy for the Christian church. Paul is one of the most important people in the formation of early Christianity, and has left us some of the most significant documents in the New Testament, the Pauline Epistles. Paul, however, was not appreciated by many of his contemporaries or by many people in the church since his time. He has been a figure of much controversy historically, and this course will explore why that is the case.
REL 316 J – The Good Life: Old Testament Perspectives, 4 credits. E1 or E2. What is “the good life”? This course explores various perspectives on “the good life” contained in the writings of the Old Testament. Comparisons will be made to contemporary views. The course will also look at what the biblical writings picture as obstacles to “the good life” and what are viewed as challenges today.
REL 317 X – Interpretation of the Bible, 4 credits. D. This course is an investigation that will present and integrate the various methods that biblical scholars have developed for the study of the Bible. Consideration will be given to the manner in which the biblical text, the biblical context and the interpreter of the Bible interact. The class will be conducted as a seminar and students will be expected to complete designated readings, contribute to class discussion and write interpretive papers on selected biblical texts.
REL 318 X – Women, Religion and Literature, 4 credits. A1 or A2 (2009-2010). This course is an investigation of the images and status of women in the Judeo-Christian tradition and in Western literature from an interdisciplinary perspective. The interplay of these scripts in the psychosocial and spiritual formation of contemporary men and women will be assessed.
REL 362 – Approaching the Qur’an, 4 credits. A1 or A2 (2009-2010). This is an introductory course in the academic study of the Islamic scripture, the Qur’an. The course will provide some of the basic analytic tools needed for approaching and appreciating the text and teachings of the Qur’an, including an introduction to its historical context, literary qualities, esthetic reception and interpretive traditions – both classical and modern. The course is aimed at helping students understand the nature and function of the Islamic scripture both in its native context of Muslim history and cultural life, as well as in its relation to the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament.
Historical Studies
REL 224 D – Women in Religious History, 4 credits. A1 or A2 (2009-2010). This course is a religious, historical and feminist study of the place, writings and theology of women throughout the history of the Church. This course will focus upon key religious women figures – their lives and ideas – as well as women’s experience in general concerning the life of faith and practice over the centuries.
REL 225 D – Religion in Film, 4 credits. A1 or A2 (2010-2011). This course is a study of the religious content and focus of the place and importance of film in culture. As a 200-level course it is an introduction to the examination of film from a religious and critical perspective, in particular the four modes of inquiry (interpretive, historical, comparative and constructive). The types of films that will be examined range from historical classics, international films, documentaries, popular film, films from great directors, and much more.
REL 324 J – The Legacy of Luther, 4 credits. E1 or E2. This course is a study of the life and work of Martin Luther, who will be looked at in the context of Medieval and Reformation Europe. The legacy of Luther’s ideas and their impact on movements and denominations down to the modern age will also be examined.
REL 325 J – Studies in Religious History, 4 credits. E1 or E2. This course is an examination of the historical development of religious institutions and theological traditions. It will investigate diverse groups and significant individuals that have shaped specific religious traditions. It will study the development of the thought and religious practices, such as prayer, worship and other expressions of faith, of these traditions.
REL 326 J – Christian Theologies and Ethics, 4 credits. E1 or E2. This course is a study of the historical development of central theological beliefs of the Christian Church and of its ethical thought through the centuries. The course will explore representative Christian teachings in theology and ethics, investigate their evolution over time, and consider their expressions in church creeds and wider cultural life.
REL 327 X – Eastern Orthodoxy, 4 credits. A2 (2009-2010). This course is an introduction to the Eastern Orthodox tradition. This course will survey the roots, theology and development of Christianity in the East. It will then explore the particular manifestation of eastern Christianity in a variety of historical locations including Greece, Istanbul, Russia and/or elsewhere by examining the historical, theological and cultural expressions of Orthodox communities around the world. Russian studies minors who take this course will focus specifically on the Russian Orthodox Church.
REL 328 J or X – Catholicism, 4 credits. A1 or A2 (2010-2011). This course explores the Roman Catholic tradition and its diverse expressions of faith. It considers historical developments within the tradition, with a particular focus on the changes initiated by Vatican II. Students will study topics ranging from official teachings of the Magisterium on particular issues, to the challenges facing the Catholic Church in the U.S., to the popular forms of Catholicism in a world church, to the struggles for social and environmental justice among Catholics. Tensions between official church teachings on particular issues (including women’s roles, the death penalty, homosexuality, war and peace, and religious pluralism) and the variety of beliefs among faithful Catholics will be considered. Students will be encouraged to develop a critical and complex understanding of this particular faith tradition.
REL 372 J – Christian Spirituality, 4 credits. A1 or A2 (2010-2011). This course on Christian Spirituality is an examination of the historical development of Christian spiritual movements. In particular, this class will take a historical look at experiential expressions of the Christian faith as they are manifest in spiritual traditions, such as monastic and/or mendicant communities, mysticism, Christian social and political activist groups, fundamentalists and the like. It will do so by studying the development of the classic religious spiritual writings, art and artifacts, practices and thought, and public expressions of faith.
Comparative Studies
REL 234 D – Symbol, Myth and Ritual, 4 credits. A1 or A2 (2009-2010). This course is an analysis of belief and action, concentrating on the symbols and metaphors employed to express, link and act meanings. For the purpose of examining two or more religious traditions, myths will be considered symbols in story or narrative, and rituals will be viewed as symbols in action. The aim will be to understand the various functions and goals of symbolic activity.
REL 331 X – Understanding Religion, 4 credits. D. This course is an exploration of modern attempts to account for the presence of religion in all human cultures and societies. We will analyze and assess a variety of arguments about the nature, causes and effects of religious phenomena. Texts studied will be drawn from the disciplines of philosophy, psychology, sociology, theology, the history of religions and cultural anthropology.
REL 332 J or X, G – American Religions: Natives and Immigrants, 4 credits. A1 or A2 (2009-2010). This course surveys the major teachings and practices of various religions in the United States, with special attention to religious diversity both within and among various traditions. In exploring the religious beliefs and practices of both “natives” and “immigrants” in America, students consider the various expressions of Protestant Christianity, as well as Catholicism, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Native American religions. Of particular interest will be how these religions interact with aspects of American culture, the relationship between religious freedom and religious diversity, the ways in which members of different religious groups seek recognition and power, and the challenges and conflicts that result. Although the primary focus of the course will be on contemporary expressions of religion in America, we will also consider historical perspectives on and examples of the intersection of “religion” and “American culture.”
REL 334 J – Monotheisms: Jewish, Christian and Muslim, 4 credits. E1 or E2. This course is a study of Jewish, Christian and Muslim religions through introductory texts as well as the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament and the Qur’an. Classroom work will focus on beliefs and faith; acts and rituals; history and tradition; persons and lives; and structures and themes. Theories and methods will be used to engage in the comparative study of religion.
REL 338 J – Religions of Asia, 4 credits. E1 or E2. This course is an introduction to two or more of the major religious traditions of Asia, focusing on the history, ideas and practices of these religions. The student will consider ways in which members of these traditions view themselves, society and the world. This course also provides an introduction to theories and methods for the comparative study of religion.
REL 339 J – World Christianity, 4 credits. E1 or E2. This course looks at the current manifestation of Christianity as a global religion in its diversity and complexity, studying the most important contemporary developments in Christianity around the globe (outside the North Atlantic). These developments are considered, first, as social (religious) phenomena, which need to be studied in relation to local (and sometimes global) political, historical, economic, social and religious factors. Yet the course also engages specifically Christian theological questions that arise from the development of Christianity as a global yet diverse reality.
REL 382 J, G – Religion and the Body, 4 credits. A1 or A2 (2009-2010). This course explores the role of the human body in world religions (especially Buddhism but also Hinduism, Christianity, Taoism, Islam and indigenous religions) and in contemporary American culture. It examines the ambiguity of the body in these contexts: its function as both an obstacle and a vehicle on the path toward spiritual growth and well-being. This ambiguity raises a number of interesting questions about the relationship between “mind,” “body” and “spirit,” and students will explore these questions not only through assigned readings, papers and discussions but also through the study of Aikido, a Japanese martial art that emphasizes the neutralization of aggressive force through non-destructive resolutions. Students who enroll in this course must sign up for PED 112, which meets Monday and Wednesday evenings for an hour throughout the semester. Aikido training instills a sense of personal and social responsibility, which students will engage through a service-learning project.
REL 384 J – Exploring Islam, 4 credits. E1 or E2. This is an introductory course in classical Islamic history and tradition. It will examine the social, political and cultural environment, as well as the key figures and defining events, of the formative period of Islam (seventh to ninth centuries), before exploring the various dimensions of the Islamic tradition as articulated by some of the most influential Muslim authorities. While the focus of this course is on the classical period, it will frequently refer to modern Islam in terms of both continuations and ruptures, thereby illuminating the unique promise and predicament of contemporary Islam.
REL 386 J – Religion in the Postcolonial World, 4 credits. E1 or E2. This course focuses on the role of religious traditions, communities, and leaderships during and after colonial rule with specific attention to the role of religion in the exercise and resistance of colonial power and postcolonial construction of national identity. The course considers how religions have been (re)constructed in the context of colonial encounters and postcolonial nationalism, and how religions are affecting postcolonial developments such as nation-building, economic development, regional stability and ethnic relationships. Close attention is also given to the interaction between religions in the colonial/postcolonial context, as well as the relationships between religious and other social identities, such as ethnicity, gender, race and class/caste.
Constructive Studies
REL 244 D, U – Religion and Popular Culture, 4 credits. A1 or A2 (2010-2011). This course is a study of the interrelationship between religion and contemporary popular culture. This course will analyze how religious faith shapes culture, as well as how contemporary popular culture affects the understanding and expression of religious faith. It will focus upon the portrayal of religious faith in contemporary expressions of culture in mass media (e.g. print, film, television, music and computer technology), social issues and institutions. The course will introduce students to the variety of religious and theological understandings currently present in American society. Students will learn how to do theological analysis and critique of popular cultural movements and expressions.
REL 340 G – The Ethics of Aid and Development, 4 credits. A1 (2010-2011). This course is an examination of voluntary responses to war, civil conflict and natural disaster, with a focus both on individual action and organizations. The course addresses both “aid” (direct financial and material support) and “development” (the upward social, economic and political trajectory of escape from conflict and poverty), and explores what can be accomplished with reference to real-world cases.
REL 341 X – Christian Sexual Ethics, 4 credits. D. This course is a study in constructive moral reflection upon sexuality and sexual relations in the Christian life. This course will examine questions about how Christians should cultivate and order human interests in love, intimacy, bodily pleasure and procreation. It aims to equip students to think critically and responsibly about various issues, including sexual violence, divorce, homosexuality and non-marital sexuality.
REL 342 J – God: The Question and the Quest, 4 credits. E1 or E2. This course is a study of the questions, as well as the quest, for an understanding of God in contemporary life and thought. This course will address understandings of the concept of God in the face of such issues as the existence of evil and suffering, religious pluralism, gender identity and natural scientific analysis. It will also treat the spiritual quests for meaning that these issues elicit. After exploring several examples of such contemporary quests, this course will address responses from within the Christian tradition. Students will learn how to do theological analysis and critique of contemporary understandings of God and their religious implications.
REL 343 X – Science and Religion, 4 credits. A1 or A2 (2009-2010). This course is an examination of the similarities and differences in methodology between several of the natural sciences and religion. Focusing upon issues of interdisciplinary importance, this course will assist in analyzing the interaction of different views and the presuppositions involved. The relation of creation and evolution, life and mind, and other such issues will be addressed.
REL 344 J – Christian Ethics in Human Community, 4 credits. E1. This course is a study in constructive moral reflection on roles and relations in the Christian life. This course will examine questions about how Christians should live as people of God, as friends and family members, as workers, as citizens of a democratic state and a pluralistic global society. It aims to equip students to think critically and responsibly about living with persons in different social contexts and communities.
REL 345 X – Death and Dying, 4 credits. D. This course is a study in constructive moral reflection upon finitude and mortality in the Christian life. This course will examine questions about how Christians should respond to the failure of life in conversation with theological beliefs about the meaning of dying and the finality of death. It aims to equip students to think critically and responsibly about a range of topics, including cultural attitudes and trends, medical care and suicide, ritual practices and life after death.
REL 346 X – Business Ethics, 4 credits. D. This course is a study in constructive moral reflection upon economic activity in the Christian life. This course will examine questions about how Christians should create and sustain productive institutions that are just and humane. It aims to equip students to think critically and responsibly about basic norms for economic life in a global market system.
REL 347 X – Biomedical Ethics, 4 credits. D. This course is a study in constructive moral reflection upon health and medical care in the Christian life. This course will examine questions about how Christians should respond to disease, disability, and bodily decline. It aims to equip students to think critically and responsibly about the “biomedical revolution,” its expressions and implications for our society and world.
REL 348 X – Ethics of Sustainable Community, 4 credits. A1 or A2 (2009-2010). This course is a study in constructive moral reflection on human relations to nature within the Christian life. The course will examine questions about whether Christians should love nature and, if so, how. It aims to equip students to think critically and responsibly about the Christian and American environmental traditions, about current and expected challenges to sustainable planetary life, and about norms and practical strategies.
REL 349 J – Christian Ethics in the Material World, 4 credits. A1 (2009-2010). This course is a study in constructive moral reflection on roles and relations in the Christian life. This course will examine questions about how Christians should relate to planet Earth, to created things or artifacts, to the body. It aims to equip students to think critically and responsibly about living in a biophysical world, of which humans are parts, products and participants.
REL 392 G – Religion and World Affairs, 4 credits. A1 or A2 (2010-2011). This course looks at religion in the context of global issues that are relevant to the present day, especially on an international, but also local, level. Topics for the course will vary depending on the issues of the present day and scholarly expertise of the instructor.
Language
REL 211 C – Biblical Hebrew I, 4 credits. A1 (2010-2011). This course is a study of the language of the Hebrew Bible, including basic grammar, and leading to the reading of prose passages.
REL 212 C, W – Biblical Hebrew II, 4 credits. A2 (2010-2011). This course is a study of the language of the Hebrew Bible, including basic grammar, and leading to the reading of prose passages.
Other Courses
REL 250 – Pre-May Seminar, 4 credits. D.
REL 300 – May Seminar, 4 credits. MS.
REL 300 G – South Africa May Seminar, 4 credits. MS.
REL 380 – Special Topics, 4 credits. D. Courses covering various topics of interest in this particular discipline are offered regularly. Contact department or program chair for more information.
REL 390 – Cooperative Education, 2 to 4 credits. D.
REL 402 – Advanced Religion Seminar, 4 credits. D. This course is designed primarily for religion majors and minors (students must have completed at least five courses in religion before enrolling in the course). It offers students an opportunity to study a particular topic, theme or figure in significant depth. The course aims to expose students to advanced level work in the field of religion, in preparation for further work in the field after graduation. Students will be encouraged to pursue original research on the seminar topic/theme/figure through a variety of research opportunities. The subject of the course will rotate among the four areas for the study of religion (interpretive, historical, comparative and constructive) and credit will be assigned to one of these areas.
REL 410 – Research Seminar, 4 credits. E1. Limited to religion majors and minors, this course uses the seminar format to engage students in systematic reflection about the ways in which the modes of inquiry in the field of religion can contribute to the consideration of a common topic. Each student will complete a research project under the supervision of the instructor and present the results in a paper to the seminar for criticism and discussion.
REL 480 – Independent Study, 1 to 4 credits. D. This course provides an opportunity for individual students to conduct in-depth research of a particular topic under the direct supervision of a faculty member. Contact the department or program chair for more information.
REL 490 – Practicum, 4 credits. D.
Course Catalog
