Department of Religious Studies
Course Offerings: Fall, 1998
| Religions of Asia |
Religious Studies 001 MW 12:00-1:00, plus one hour recitation. Instructors: Ellis/Harding tellis@sas.upenn.edu and jharding@ccat.sas.upenn.edu http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~jharding/ General Requirement II: History and Tradition |
Why is Hollywood so fascinated with Tibetan Buddhism? Why are Madonna and Kula Shekar singing in Sanskrit?
This course will survey the traditions of South, Central, and East Asia - Hinduism, Taoism, Shinto, and Buddhism in its regional interpretations. Emphasis will be on understanding the distinctive worlds of meaning disclosed, maintained, and expressed in these traditions. Integral to this endeavor is an examination of historical backgrounds and cultural interaction.
To explore the world as seen through different eyes is the first step in a truly global community. In this class we will try to understand disparate perspectives. We will also problematize scholarship and own senses of identity by exploring Orientalist and post-colonialist points of view. Requirements: No prerequisites. Optional paper. In-class midterm and final examinations
| Religions of the West |
Religious Studies 002 M 6:30-9:10 Instructor: Derakhshani (CGS) derakhsh@ccat.sas.upenn.edu General Requirement II: History and Tradition |
The Millennium is approaching; there's even a TV show named after it. But what does the word mean? And why has there been such a great resurgence of religious belief in the modern, secularized, scientific world? This course tries to answer such questions through a survey of the beliefs and practices of the traditions that have helped to shape the Western world. The three major traditions – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam – will be traced from their origins to the present day. Emphasis will be given on how these three "religions of the book" differently interpret shared scriptural material, and how they maintain a living tradition in the modern world.
| Religion and Literature |
Religious Studies 003 MW 11:00-12:00, plus one hour recitation. Instructor: Matter amatter@ccat.sas.upenn.edu http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/rs/eam/amatter.html General Requirement III: Arts and Letters WATU Program – Fulfills ½ College Writing Requirement |
The complex web of values, beliefs, and practices that make up religious traditions have far-reaching impact in human cultures. This course hopes to open up for students the ways in which religious ideas are found in the world of imaginative literature. We will read and discuss narrative fiction, drama, and poetry from authors ranging from the pious to the satirical, from various centuries and nationalities, and both men and women. The emphasis this semester will be on Christian literature, but other religious traditions will also be considered. The course involves a significant electronic learning component, and can be taken for WATU credit. Three 5-7 page papers and three one-page electronic postings are required. Course Web Page: http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~rs3/
| Understanding the Cult Controversy |
Religious Studies 006 TR 1:30-3:00, plus one hour recitation. Instructor: Dunning sdunning@ccat.sas.upenn.edu http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/rs/snd/sdunning.html General Requirement I: Society |
Ever wonder why a Penn philosophy major might join the Hare Krishnas? Or what could make a Jewish professor of English become a follower of Reverend Moon? Or even why Scientology manages to attract all those movie stars? In the fall '98 semester we will discuss these questions as well as a few others: Is a neopagan "witch" the same as a witch in Satanism? What's all the fuss about the Millenium about? Why do cult opponents use Jim Jones and David Koresh as typical cult leaders? What is a cult, anyway? Can they be explained by psychology? By sociology? How "religious" are they, really? We may also explore some 19th century American cults and/or some major courtroom cases. The course requires midterm and final exams and either recitation participation (with weekly one-page papers) or a term paper. (Since PARIS insists that everyone register for a recitation, we will set one up in September for students electing the term paper alternative, but it will not have actual meetings.)
| Religions of the Ancient Middle East |
Religious Studies 014 MWF 12:00-1:00 Instructor: Tinney stinney@ccat.sas.upenn.edu Distribution II: History and Tradition |
One of the great triumphs of the last century and a half has been the rediscovery of the ancient civilizations of what is now the Middle East. Some of these, like ancient Egypt, are household names. Others, though less known, still offer valuable contributions to our understanding of the historical, cultural and religious milleux which eventually gave rise to a number of faiths, including Christianity, Islam and Judaism.
This course will survey the religions of the ancient Middle East, situating each in its historical and socio-cultural context and focussing on the key issues of concern to humanity: creation, birth, the place of humans in the order of the universe, death and destruction. The course will cover not only the better-known cultures from the area, such as Egypt and Mesopotamia, but also some lesser known traditions, such as those of the Hurrians, or of the ancient Mediterranean town of Ugarit. Religion will not be viewed merely as a separate, sealed-off element of the ancient societies, but rather as an element in various cultural contexts – for example, the relationship between religion and magic and the role of religion in politics will be recurring topics in the survey. Background readings for the lectures will be drawn not only from the modern scholarly literature, but also from the words of the ancients themselves in the form of their myths, rituals and liturgies. Course assessment will be based on mid-term and final examinations.
| Great Books of Judaism |
Religious Studies 027 TR 10:30-12:00 Instructor: Stern dstern@ccat.sas.upenn.edu http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/jwst/stern.html Distribution II: Arts and Letters |
The study of four paradigmatic and classic Jewish texts intensively and to introduce students to the literature of classic Judaism. Each text will be studied historically –"excavated" for its sources and roots – and holistically, as a canonical document in Jewish tradition.
While each text will inevitably raise its own set of issues, we will deal throughout the semester with two basic questions: What makes a "Jewish" text? And how do these texts represent different aspects of Jewish identity? All readings will be in translation.No background required, and not for Jews only. All readings will be in translation.
| Religion and Psychology |
Religious Studies 101 W 6:30-9:10 Instructor: Biernacki (CGS) biernack@ccat.sas.upenn.edu http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~biernack/ Distribution I: Society |
An introduction to psychological interpretations of religious belief, experience, and behavior. Emphasis upon such major theorists as James, Freud, Jung and Allport. More recent investigations (such as psychohistory, state of religious development, religious roots of psychoanalysis, transpersonal psychologies, parapsychological research) will occasionally be included. No prerequisites.
| Religion and Secular Values |
Religious Studies 111 6:30~9:10 Instructor: Washington (CGS) washingt@sas.upenn.edu General Requirement I: Society |
This course deals with the ways in which current standards for social and public order have been influenced by the interaction between American Jewish and Christian values and American secular and civil values. Issues treated include: racial and ethnic attitudes, sexual equality/morality, pornography, abortion, euthanasia, capital punishment, mental health, economic justice, and environmental issues.
| Major Western Religious Thinkers: Maimonides and Medieval Jewish Thought |
Religious Studies 113 R 3:00-6:00 Instructor: Harvey Distribution II: History and Tradition |
An introductory course with focus on Maimonides. The course will require substantial reading in English translation and either several short papers or a term paper.
| History of Jewish Civilization |
Religious Studies 120 TR 1:30-2:30, plus one hour recitation. Instructor: Ruderman ruderman@sas.upenn.edu http://www.history.upenn.edu/faculty/ruderman.html General Requirement II: History and Tradition |
A broad introduction to the history of Jewish civilization from its beginnings until the late Middle Ages, with the main focus on the formative period of classical rabbinic Judaism and on the symbiotic relationship between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. An overview of Jewish society and culture in its biblical, rabbinical, and medieval settings.
| Jewish Mysticism |
Religious Studies 126 R 2:00-5:00 Instructor: Koren skoren@ccat.sas.upenn.edu Distribution III: Arts and Letters |
This course will survey Jewish mysticism from its earliest expressions in the Bible to the modern Hasidic movement. Topics to be discussed include the nature of the mystical experience, the relationship between magic and mysticism, the similarities between Kabbalistic hermeneutics and modern literary theory, and sexual symbolism.
| An Introduction to Christianity |
Religious Studies 133 S 9:30-12:10 Instructor: Kirkegaard (CGS) bkirkega@ccat.sas.upenn.edu http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/bkirkega/home.html Distribution II: History and Tradition |
A survey of the classical Christian Traditions (Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism, Protestant groups). The basic perspective is phenomenological, but historical and folkloric considerations are also raised. Topics include the symbols of Christian faiths, perspectives on human nature, and the problem of evil.
| Christian Origins |
Religious Studies 135 TR 10:30-12:00 Instructor: Kraft kraft@ccat.sas.upenn.edu http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/rs/rak/kraft.html Distribution II: History and Tradition |
Christianity did not begin in a vacuum – indeed, it emerged from the complex Jewish world of which we catch a glimpse in the "Dead Sea Scrolls" and blossomed into various forms among the "mystery religions" of the Greco-Roman world around the Mediterranean Sea and farther east. In this course we will explore those developments in the first two centuries of the common era, with special focus on the evidence preserved in the earliest surviving Christian writings, including the "New Testament" collection. The goal of the course is neither conversion nor its opposite, but understanding as best we can from this distance what the participants in the various developments thought was happening, and how they shaped and were shaped by their worlds.
We will get very involved in discussing what can be known about the period, and
how much we as interpreters contribute to any resulting "historical" picture. Get
down and dirty with the ancient materials; it shouldn't hurt much! Join the
excursion into some of the deepest roots of western society.
Online Course Materials:
gopher://ccat.sas.upenn.edu:70/11/courses/rels/135
| Introduction to Islamic Religion |
Religious Studies 143 TR 10:30-12 Instructor: von Schlegell brvs@ccat.sas.upenn.edu http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~brvs/ Distribution II: History and Tradition |
Last year the United States Supreme Court Justices convened a special session. Their ruling: Patrons and sculptor of the figure of Muhammad in the historical stone frieze encircling their courtroom had only honorable intentions. Concerns about depicting the Prophet of Islam, raised by some American Muslims, were addressed and the frieze remains unchanged. Aversion to figural art is a well-known sentiment among many Muslims, Jews, and, at certain periods, Christians. What else does Islam, the last of t he three Abrahamic monotheistic religions, share with Judaism and Christianity? Of the world's one billion Muslims, about five million reside in the United States today. How is "the fastest-growing religion in America" practiced by Muslims from a wide r ange of backgrounds, especially in the African-American community?
This course is a comprehensive introduction to Islam in a variety of geographic settings from the rise of the religion in the seventh century to the present. We try to understand Islam in contemporary experience as well as in religious texts. In the fir
st part of the course, we will explore the Qur'an, the life of Muhammad in political and sacred history, sectarian developments, and Sufism (Islamic mysticism). In the second part of the course, we focus Islamic "fundamentalism" and the West, American Is
lam, and Islamic feminism. The course lectures are supplemented with discussion, slide presentations, and films. Although not required, students are encouraged to take part in a class visit to the Overbrook Mosque in Philadelphia. (We will discuss the
best time for going to the Mosque in class.)
Course Web Page:
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~brvs/intro.html
| Introduction to Hinduism |
Religious Studies 163 R 6:30-9:10 Instructor: Fuller (CGS) jfuller@ccat.sas.upenn.edu Distribution II: History and Tradition |
This course will explore the rich variety of religious beliefs and practices that we today label as Hinduism. We will focus on how these doctrines and practices have both reflected and informed cultural life on the Indian subcontinent in their historical development from the earliest Vedic times down to contemporary revivalist movements. We will treat such basic issues as the nature of the self and the body, divinity and the cosmos, and social norms and values, in all the variety of their religious expression – from ascetic yoga, to ritual devotionalism; from high philosophy, to spirit possession. Materials will include readings in the original texts in translation, to historical, ethnographic and film studies.
| Devils, Women, and Jews |
Religious Studies 237 MWF 12:00-1:00 Instructor: Maggai |
This course examines how early modern and contemporary Western culture formulates the relationship between Satan, women, and Jewish people. Part of this class will take place in the Lea Library at Van Pelt, one of the major collections of treatises on demonology in this country. The course will start with an analysis of Aldous Huxley's The Devils of Loudun, accompanied by a screening of Ken Russell's "The Devils", a film based on Huxley's book. Later we shall read The Pope and the Witch, a satirical play by the Italian Nobel-prize winner Dario Fo. The following part of this class will focus on Renaissance texts on demonology. We shall examine two fundamental books available in an English translation: Malleus maleficarum by the Dominican Sprenger and Kramen, and Compendium maleficarum by Stefano Guazzo. A series of lectures will examine the Spanish and Portuguese Inquisitions. We shall study how and why the Catholic Church interpreted the Jewish community as the quintessential incarnation of Satan. This part of the course will conclude with a close reading of Jerusalem Delivered by Torquato Tasso, a masterpiece of Renaissance literature. The following section will study how female mystics describe their relationship with the devil. We shall read passages from The Probation by Maria Maddalena de' Pazzi, a major mystical text focused on Satan's disturbing influences, and the autobiography of Teresa of Avila. Finally, this class will examine how the myth of Satan's power is depicted in contemporary culture. After analyzing a few short stories on this subject, we shall conclude with a screening of the movie "Rosemary's Baby."
| Islamic Mysticism |
Religious Studies 246 T 3:00-6:00 Instructor: von Schlegell brvs@ccat.sas.upenn.edu http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~brvs/ Distribution II: History and Tradition |
Sufism (Islamic mysticism) is notoriously difficult to define. Husayn al-Hallaj, executed in a state of ecstasy in Baghdad (922 CE), the Spanish mystic Ibn 'Arabi (1240 CE), the sober legist Ibn Taymiyah (1328 CE), and the recent President of the Turkish Republic, all had Sufi affiliations. Scholars of both Islam and Judaism have assumed that mystics and religious legal authorities are in constant battle. Is there an "orthodox" esotericism? What distinguishes a Sufi Muslim from a non-Sufi Muslim? Why is Sufism perceived as a dangerous threat in certain countries today?
In this seminar we will read Islamic mystical texts dealing with the Sufi Path, the nature of God and the hidden meanings of the Qur'an, dreams and miraculous powers, and the spiritual reality of sexual union. We will also consider the differing social r oles Sufism has played for over a millennium. Rather than being restricted to a secretive elite in Islamic history, men and women of all classes have been Sufis. We trace the development and spread of the Sufi initiatic orders and their distinctive ritu als. We will examine what has happened when opposition to Sufism, especially in the early modern and contemporary periods, reaches peak moments and how Sufis have responded to their critics. For the contemporary period we will use film (documentaries an d scripted movies), Western converts' narratives, and novels to see how a long tradition of mysticism continues to evolve in Islam today.
Previous knowledge of Islam is not required. All source readings are in English translation. Open to undergraduate and graduate students. Participants will present their research for the main paper to the seminar. No exams.
Online course material will be made available by September of 1998:
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~brvs/courses.html
| Computing and Humanities |
Religious Studies 302 MW 4:00-5:30 Instructor: Banner kbanner@ccat.sas.upenn.edu http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~kbanner |
This course is an introduction to the use of computers in the humanities. The
focus will be upon consideration of issues and techniques involved in developing
quality resources for use in the student's field of study. A major project will be the
creation of a web site related to the student's major. The class will utilize a
combination of lectures, discussion, presentations and practical lab experience.
Techniques will include the basics of HTML (for the development of humanities
web pages), graphics, and a brief introduction to simple programming concepts.
The course will also consider methodological issues such as the movement from text
to multimedia, ethical/legal problems, and the phenomenon of "cyberculture."
This class and its graduate counterpart are developments of the course which
previously existed as Religious Studies 409.
Course Web Page:
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/rs/rs302/
| Christian Thought: 200-1000 |
Religious Studies 433 T 3:00-6:00 Instructor: Matter amatter@ccat.sas.upenn.edu http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/rs/eam/amatter.html Distribution II: History and Tradition |
How did earliest Christianity, living in expectation of the end of time, evolve into such an elaborate institution as the medieval Church? This seminar traces the growth of Christian thought from the age of the classical definitions of theology to the first age of reform, the threshold of the high middle ages. Readings will be from both primary and secondary sources, focusing on such topics as theological speculation and definition, the development of ascetic and monastic traditions among both men and women, and the earliest shaping of Christian spirituality and mysticism. There are no prerequisites, but students will be expected to give at least one in-class presentation and write a take-home midterm and a final 10-15 page research paper.
| The Life of Jesus: Sources |
Religious Studies 435 R 2:00-5:00 Instructor: Kraft kraft@ccat.sas.upenn.edu http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/rs/rak/kraft.html Distribution III: Arts and Letters |
From as far back as we can get, competing traditions about Jesus and his
significance are attested, some of which found their way into the "New Testament"
collection, while others survived elsewhere in the early Christian world. Close
examination of these ancient materials exposes a variety of obstacles to
reconstructing a convincing historical picture of the man and his message, but along
the way a great deal can be learned about the historical enterprise, whether
exercised in the form of the controversial "Jesus Seminar" or in less publicized
efforts. This is not a Bible School class, but it may result in a rewarding experience
of academic enlightenment – and excitement!
Online Course Materials:
gopher://ccat.sas.upenn.edu:70/11/courses/rels/435
| Ethnography of Belief |
Religious Studies 507 W 12:00-2:00 Instructor: Hufford dhufford@sas.upenn.edu |
This course will examine traditional systems of supernatural belief with an emphasis on the role of personal experience in their development and maintenance. The course will focus on subjects of belief generally conceived of as being "folk" in some sense (e.g., belief in ghosts), but will not exclude a consideration of popular and academic beliefs where appropriate (e.g., popular beliefs about UFO's and theological doctrines of the immortality of the soul). The course will be multidisciplinary in scope.
| Kierkegaard |
Religious Studies 539 M 1:00-4:00 Instructor: Dunning sdunning@ccat.sas.upenn.edu http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/rs/snd/sdunning.html |
In the fall 1998 seminar, we will be studying Soren Kierkegaard's pseudonymous writings that portray the "aesthetic" stage of life. Wherever possible, we will also read or view the works by, for example, Plato, Mozart, Goethe, and Schlegel, to which the pseudonym is alluding (whether in imitation or satire). The primary texts for the seminar will be Either/Or, Volume I and "In Vino Veritas" from Stages on Life's Way. The seminar will normally run from 1 PM until 3:30 or so, and will meet in Logan 204.
| Technological Approaches to the Humanities |
Religious Studies 602 S 9:30-12:10 Instructor: Treat jtreat@ccat.sas.upenn.edu http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~jtreat/ |
Applicants for teaching positions are asked, "How have you used technology in instruction and research?" This course will give graduate students in the Humanities the practical experience to answer. Students in the course will each create an instructional web site relevant to their research. They will incorporate images and sounds. They will learn to program in Perl, to analyze texts and quantitative data, and to create dynamic web pages. They will explore ethical issues ("Does technology create a new elite?") and pedagogical issues ("What makes effective teaching?") related to the use of technology. Students are expected to be engaged in advanced research in the Humanities (at least 24 course units prerequisite) and to have basic computing skills (word processing, e-mail). Enrollment is limited. Details may be found on the course web site: http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/rs/602/
| Religion in Public Life: Issues and Options |
Religious Studies 610 M 6:30-9:10 (CGS) Instructor: Dunning sdunning@ccat.sas.upenn.edu http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/rs/snd/sdunning.html |
Teachers, school administrators, journalists, public policy specialists, social
workers and health care professionals all encounter situations in which the religious
sensitivities of "clients" (students, parents, readers, etc.) challenge the traditional
ways in which professionals have discharged their duties. This seminar is an
introduction to six of the most difficult issues:
1. Diversity and deviance in American religions
The seminar serves as an introduction to the Religion in Public Life
concentration within the MLA program.
2. Church-state relations and the Constitution
3. Problems in teaching about specific eastern and western religions
4. Religious dimensions of contemporary ethical and social debates (abortion,
euthanasia, minority and gender roles
5. Religious art, music and holidays in the public sphere
6. The prevailing understandings of religion in the media and modern society.
| Seminar in Judaism and/or Christianity in the Hellenistic Era |
Religious Studies 735 Organizational meeting to be announced. Instructor: Kraft kraft@ccat.sas.upenn.edu http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/rs/rak/kraft.html |
Topic to be arranged.
Online Course Materials:
gopher://ccat.sas.upenn.edu:70/11/courses/rels/735
| Honors Thesis Seminar |
Religious Studies 309 Time arranged Instruction: Staff |
Required for honors majors.
| Independent Study-Undergraduate |
Religious Studies 399 Time and topic arranged. Instructors: Staff rstudies@sas.upenn.edu |
Please obtain section numbers from the department office or from the faculty member with whom you will be working.
| Independent Study-Graduate |
Religious Studies 999 Time and topic arranged. Instructors: Staff rstudies@sas.upenn.edu |
Please obtain section numbers from the department office or from the faculty member with whom you will be working.
Please note: many of these offerings are cross-listed with other departments. Please consult the SAS Fall 1998 Course Roster for cross-listings.
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Home PageLast Updated March 20, 1998
Kenneth Banner kbanner@ccat.sas.upenn.edu