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Religion http://www.stolaf.edu/depts/religion/ Chair, 2000-01: John D. Barbour, religion and literature, ethics Faculty, 2000-01: David Booth, theology; Gary B. Deason, systematic theology, history of science; Amy Gohdes-Luhman, Old Testament; James Hanson, New Testament; L. DeAne Lagerquist, church history, women's studies; Susan H. Lindley, American religion, women's studies; Eric Lund, history of Christianity; Daniel Malotky, theology; Bruce D. Marshall, theology; Margaret Odell, Old Testament; William R. Poehlmann, New Testament; Anantanand Rambachan, Hinduism; Barbara E. Reed, Buddhism, East Asian religions; Edmund N. Santurri, theology, religion and art, ethics; Douglas J. Schuurman, theology and ethics; Gary Stansell, Old Testament; Philip Stoltzfus, theology; Charles A. Wilson, theology The study of religion is an integral part of the liberal arts curriculum because religion has always been a major influence on the development of human societies. In order to make sense of past cultural achievements, it is important to recognize the influence of religious symbols, beliefs, rituals, scriptural texts and traditions. To participate meaningfully in contemporary culture, it is equally important to evaluate the merits of various theological beliefs and religious values. All St. Olaf students take courses that orient them in a general way to the study of religion and acquaint them with the principal elements of the Christian tradition. The religion department also makes available a range of courses about Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism in order to prepare students to live in our religiously diverse world. Since the study of religion involves the use of a variety of methodologies and intersects with many other fields of study, students often find that a major in religion helps them integrate their work in other disciplines and develop a focus for their whole liberal arts education. Many students also choose to major in religion as a preparation for seminary or graduate work in religion. GENERAL EDUCATION CREDIT Religion courses fulfill a variety of General Education requirements. The department offers many different options to complete the Biblical Studies, Theological Studies, and Ethical Issues requirements. Additional courses count as Historical Studies in Western Culture, Multicultural Studies, and Literary Studies. REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR The Religion major consists of eight courses and requires both broad exposure to major approaches to studying religion and concentrated study in some aspect of religion. The requirements are organized in four parts:
DISTINCTION Religion majors may graduate with distinction if their grade point average is 3.5 in religion and 3.0 overall, and they submit a research project that meets the approval of a departmental review committee. The department awards the Junia Prize to the best distinction project each year. 121 Bible in Culture and Community This course introduces first-year students to the dialogue between the Biblical tradition and the cultures and communities related to it. Students study the Biblical storyline, major Biblical texts and their interaction with (e.g.) theology, religious practice, ethics, and social values, while considering methods and fields in the study of religion in a liberal arts setting. An additional prospectus describes the theme of each section. GE: BTS-B. 140 Sacred Cities This course focuses on the historical development and religious significance of the three cities which for centuries have been of great importance for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. By examining how these cities acquired their special status, this course provides an introduction to the similarities and differences between the three monotheistic religions and analyzes the role religion has played in the formation of Western and Middle Eastern civilizations. GE: HWC. 201 Essentials of Christian Theology This course introduces students to Christian theology, provides an overview of central Christian beliefs (e.g., about God, Christ, creation, salvation, sin, faith, the church), and critically examines their origins, meaning, coherence, and contemporary validity. How should Christians understand themselves and the world in light of the God made known in Jesus Christ? GE: BTS-T. 202 Classics and Moderns This course introduces the central matters for argument in Christian theology - God and Christ - through close reading and critical analysis of selected classic (pre-1700) and modern theological texts. We will focus on the reasons supporting classic Christian beliefs about God, Christ, and related topics, and on the modern theological criticism of those beliefs. Is it still possible to be a Christian in the beginning of the 21st century? GE: BTS-T. 203 The Greats This course treats the major moments of theology by focusing on five or six important theological figures, movements, or texts spanning ancient, medieval, and modern Christian theology. GE: BTS-T. 207 Christian Theology and the Moral Life Examining essential Christian beliefs with special attention to their implications for the moral life, students in this course will analyze the meaning and truth of Christian symbols and claims about God, Christ, creation, fall, providence, redemption, etc., and explore their bearing upon ethical perspectives and principles, moral character and community, and societal institutions and practices. Readings include classical and contemporary Christian theological sources. GE: BTS-T. 208 Christian Theology and Human Existence This course traces the significance of essential Christian theological doctrines (e.g., God, Christ, sin, salvation) for contemporary understandings of human beings and human behavior. Selected comparisons with alternative and/or complementary views of human nature (e.g., philosophical, psychological, sociological, literary) are also included. GE: BTS-T. 209 Introduction to Feminist Theology Students examine traditional Christian doctrines in light of feminist critiques and reformulations. The course focuses especially upon language and images of God, the person of Christ and the work of redemption, and understandings of human nature. Students evaluate arguments for and against the compatibility of Christianity and feminism. GE: BTS-T. 212 Christian Theology in Historical Context This course offers an overview of the development of Christian thought and practice in the ancient, medieval, and modern periods and analyzes the way Christian beliefs have evolved in response to changing historical situations. Special consideration is given to how different theological perspectives have influenced the activities of religious communities and lives of notable individuals. GE: BTS-T. 213 Lutheran Heritage Analyzing continuity and change within the Lutheran tradition, students will consider Luther's theology and proposals for the reform of Catholicism and evaluate major reappraisals of Lutheran beliefs and practices which developed in response to new issues and social situations. Topics include Orthodoxy and Pietism, conservative and liberal responses to the Enlightenment, modern European Lutheranism and issues of particular importance to Lutheranism in Scandinavia, America and the Third World. GE: BTS-T. 214 Reformation Theology Students analyze 16th-century reform movements in light of their theological and historical contexts and their significance for contemporary theology. The course focuses on contributions and lives of the major figures in the Protestant Reformations (Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, etc.) and the Roman Catholic Reform, with special attention to doctrines of Christ, salvation and the Spirit, and to the question of religious authority. GE: BTS-T. 215 Types of Protestantism Students examine the major forms of Protestant Christianity, their distinctive beliefs and practices, and the historical circumstances which led to their formation. Topics include study of the contributions of major theologians (e.g., Luther, Calvin, Wesley), comparison of similarities and differences in belief and practice among Protestant churches, and modern conflicts between theological liberals and conservatives (sometimes within denominations). GE: BTS-T. 218 Political and Liberation Theology The rise of political and liberation theology movements, the situations and issues to which they respond, theological formulations of political/liberation theologies, and the relationship of these theologies to traditional Christian doctrines. Special focus on the relationship between the theological and political, nature of christology and redemption, images and role of God, and understandings of human nature. GE: BTS-T. 220 Jesus Who was Jesus of Nazareth? On what basis does the Christian church claim that he is the Christ, the Son of God? What shape has that claim taken through the centuries? Who is Jesus for us today? This course explores these and other related questions through a close reading of Biblical texts, readings from Christian tradition, and contempoary portraits of Jesus, including fiction and film. Offered in Interim. GE: BTS-T. 221 Jesus in Scripture and Tradition This course explores the meaning and significance of Jesus Christ in major New Testament writings: the Gospels, the letters of Paul, Hebrews, Revelation. Students also examine the development of New Testament ideas about Christ in subsequent Christian tradition, both classical and contemporary. GE: BTS-T. 222 The Biblical God Students examine key texts in the Old and New Testaments with the aim of exploring the issues such writings pose for Christian theological reflection. In addition, they explore selected readings on the doctrine of scripture and language about God. GE: BTS-T. 223 Paul: his Letters, his Gospel Students read Pauline letters carefully for their major issues, such as apocalyptic, gospel, apostleship, Jew and Gentile, faith, Torah, community. Considering Paul in the context of his times and Paul in the context of later Christianity, students discuss topics such as Jews and Christians, men and women, creation, grace in Paul and present day experience. GE: BTS-T. 225 God and Human Suffering Why do bad things happen to good people? If God is good and loves us as a parent deeply loves her or his child, then why do people sometimes go through experiences which turn their lives into utter hell? This course investigates two classic and three contemporary responses to the relation between God and human suffering. Two movies and a novel complement the primary texts. GE: BTS-T. 226 Christian Theology and Visual Art Christian theological reflection on the significance of visual art and consideration of selected art works as visual expressions of theological meaning. Specific topics: the didactic, devotional or meditative role of visual art in Christian life, theological critiques and defenses of visual art, works of art as "voices" in theological controversy, Christian conviction and aesthetic evaluation, theological significance of secular, modern and postmodern art. Readings from traditional and contemporary Christian theology and art-historical interpretation, emphasizing theological subject matter. Prerequisite: Completion of BTS-B. GE: BTS-T. 227 Jews and Christians after Christendom The interaction between Jews, Christians, and their respective religions in historical and theological perspective. Considers basic features of Jewish belief and practice, past and present views of Jews and Christians about each other's beliefs, impact of Christian attitudes toward the Jews on the formation and development of Christian doctrines, relation between Christian theology and anti-Semitism, and the possibilities for a new relationship between Christians and Jews. GE: BTS-T. 228 Worship and Theology This course examines what Christians are doing when they worship - in both senses (actions and intentions). Christian groups in present and history are compared to discover forms, functions and theologies of worship illuminated by connections to Judaism, Israel, and other religions. GE: BTS-T. 240 Understanding Religious Traditions The themes of this introduction to major religious traditions including Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam vary from semester to semester; possible topics include sacred texts, religious experience, images of the divine, and the understanding of death and afterlife. GE: MCS-G. 241 Judaism, Christianity, Islam This introduction to three different but related monotheistic religions provides insight into the historical development of the religions, the formation of their distinctive beliefs and practices, and the role they have played in shaping individual and communal identity. Students compare similarities and differences, examine diversity within each of the communities of faith, analyze past conflicts between the religions, and consider future prospects for mutual understanding and dialogue. GE: MCS-G. 246 Islam - Religion and Community Students examine the formation of Islamic traditions and institutions and their religious meaning, paying special attention to the dynamism and crises of Islam in the 19th and 20th centuries. GE: MCS-G. 248 Judaism This survey of the historical, cultural, and theological developments within Judaism pays special attention to major periods in Jewish life and thought, as well as to contemporary Judaism. Students also consider related issues, such as anti-Semitism, religious pluralism, and Jewish-Christian dialogue. GE: HWC. 250 The Contemporary Islamic Revival This course examines the salient religious and political features of modern Islamic revivalist organizations in such countries and regions as Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, West Bank/Gaza, Iran and Pakistan. It gives particular attention to these groups' origins, structures, worldviews, and similarities and differences. GE: MCS-G. 253 Hinduism This class, surveying the general nature and assumptions of Hindu thought, focuses on the diversity of doctrines and practices within some of its major traditions. Students analyze selections from authoritative Sanskrit texts like the Upanishads and Bhagavad-gita, directing special attention to the central issues and developments in Hindu-Christian dialogue. GE: MCS-G. 256 Religions of China and Japan This course introduces the religious and philosophical traditions of China and Japan: Confucianism, Chinese Taoism, Buddhism, Japanese Shinto, and the folk traditions. Students read classical texts such as Chuang tzu and Mencius and analyze fundamental values and concepts such as Tao, yin/yang, and humaneness. GE: MCS-G. 257 Buddhism This course studies the Buddhist view of the human predicament and its solution. Students examine the life of the Buddha, Buddhist scriptures, and the historical and philosophical development of Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism in East and Southeast Asia. GE: MCS-G. 259 Religion and Culture in Rome (abroad) This course traces the influences of religion in Rome as it was gradually transformed from the capital city of a pagan empire into the administrative center of Catholic Christianity. Students conduct a selective comparision of ancient, medieval, renaissance, baroque, and modern religion through visits to historical sites, churches, museums, and contemporary cultural events in Rome - and to other Italian cities which interacted with Rome. Offered in Interim, 2001-02. GE: HWC. 260 Religion in America This course introduces students to the history of religion in America in the context of American culture, paying attention both to the formal structures and leadership of Christianity and Judaism in America and to questions of what "being religious" has meant to people in the pews. The course also focuses specifically on the voices and contributions of women and minorities. GE: HWC, ORC. 262 Catholic Rome, Lutheran Wittenberg (abroad) Students examine religion in Italy and Germany at a crucial historical turning point: the 16th century Reformation. Analyzing the development of Catholicism in the Middle Ages and Renaissance and the emergence of Protestantism from the reforming efforts of Martin Luther, students compare Catholic-Lutheran relations then and now. Study of religious thought and practice is connected with site visits and events. Offered only in Interim. GE: BTS-T. 264 Women in Judaism and Christianity A study of the relationship of women and religion in the western world, this course covers both religious ideas about the nature and roles of women and the contributions of outstanding individual women. Students survey scriptural, historical and contemporary materials on both Judaism and Christianity. GE: HWC, MCS-D. 270 Old Testament/Hebrew Bible This course examines the faith of Israel in the God of the covenant and how the covenant faith was shaped in the community of Israel and expressed in its literature. GE: HWC. 272 The Pentateuch Close readings of the first five books of the Bible gives students insights into theology, literary forms, and historical context. Discussion focuses upon the usefulness of archaeology and comparative ancient Near Eastern materials, questions concerning the Documentary Hypothesis, the value and limits of recent narrative approaches to the Bible, and finally a chance to test the validity of certain modern approaches to Biblical theology. GE: ALS-L, HWC. 273 Hebrew Prophets This course features close reading of the prophetic literature of Israel with attention to literary forms, historical context, and theological insights. Students discuss the contribution of the Hebrew prophets to Jewish and Christian tradition, and prophecy as a religious phenomenon. GE: HWC. 274 Wisdom Literature This course involves study of the Biblical Wisdom Literature, with primary emphasis upon the Old Testament Wisdom tradition (e.g., Job, Psalms, Proverbs) and careful reading of primary texts, including material from the Ancient Near East and the Apocrypha. GE: HWC. 275 Historical Geography and the Bible (abroad) This course concentrates on the historical and geographical background of the Bible. Visits to archaeological sites in Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem especially enable students to understand the religious pluralism of ancient Palestine as well as the Jewish roots of Christianity. A secondary emphasis of the course is on the current diversity of worship and piety in Jerusalem. Offered in Interim. GE: HWC. 277 Interpreting the Gospels This course offers close reading in Matthew, Mark, Luke-Acts, John, selected Gnostic gospels, and Hellenistic writings, with attention to questions of structure, plot, and character. Students explore ways these narratives become theologically and culturally meaningful, e.g. in the formation of early Christian creeds, prayers, and hymns; in the quest of the historical Jesus; and in their use in novels, poetry, art, music, and film. GE: ALS-L. 279 Feminist Interpretation of the Bible This course offers a survey of historic and contemporary feminist hermeneutics. Students examine Biblical portrayals of women and women's roles, feminist critiques of these depictions, literary and historical-critical strategies for interpreting these passages, and the question of Biblical authority. GE: MCS-D. 280 Religion and Literature Students explore the religious significance of selected works of literature and examine how literary plot, character, symbolism, and theme raise religious questions, reveal ethical concerns, and imply theological convictions. GE: ALS-L. 281 Religious Autobiographies Students examine the role of religion in the formation of identity in members of American multicultural groups. Topics include experiences of evil, spiritual searching, conversion, and the search for both individuality and commitment to community. Readings include autobiographies by Frederick Douglass, Malcolm X, Black Elk, Maxine Hong Kingston, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Offered in Interim. GE: ALS-L, MCS-D. 289 Buddhism, Peace, and Justice Students examine contemporary Buddhist moral teachings on social issues such as violence and peacemaking, human rights and social justice, and humanity and the environment. Coursework focuses on the writings of Vietnamese monk and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh, Tibetan leader-in-exile Tenzin Gyatso (Fourteenth Dalai Lama), American ecologist Joanna Macy, and others. Students consider the moral paradigms of Christianity and Buddhism: Christ and the Bodhisattva. Prerequisite: a BTS-T course. GE: EIN. 290 Biblical Hebrew I This course introduces students to the elementary structures and vocabulary of Biblical Hebrew, and to tools of Biblical interpretation - lexicons, concordances, and technical commentaries that require a knowledge of Hebrew. Students read sections of the Hebrew Bible in the original language. The course does not count toward the graduation requirement in Foreign Language. 291 Biblical Hebrew II Students continue the study of Hebrew grammar and vocabulary, with increasing emphasis on translation of the Biblical text and introduction to text-critical principles and to exegesis of the Hebrew text. The course does not count toward the graduation requirement in Foreign Language. Prerequisite: Hebrew I. 292 Christian Ethics This course explores theological beliefs essential for an understanding of Christian ethics and their application to specific ethical situations confronting people and society. Prerequisite: a BTS-T course. GE: EIN. 293: Virtue This course offers a study of Greek, Christian, and modern understandings of virtue, based on classic texts and recent literary works. Students explore the nature and forms of virtue, conflicts between virtues, the social context of virtue, the depiction of virtues in narrative, religious and theological understandings, and the strengths and weaknesses of an ethics based on virtue. Prerequisite: a BTS-T course. GE: EIN. 295 Religious Pluralism and the Nature of Community The nature and boundaries of communities, as well as the quality of relationships within communities, are determined by theology as well as by social, political, and ethnic factors. Students examine the ways in which the world's religions, particularly Christianity, have interpreted each other's significance and truth claims and considers the ethical implications of these different responses. Prerequisite: a BTS-T course. GE: EIN. 296 Love, Justice, and Social Relations This course examines theological and ethical aspects of Christian social responsibility. It examines the meaning and normative import of Christian faith for justice and love in relational spheres (politics, economics, marriage and family, gender relations). It also explores the ethical implications of central Christian doctrines (vocation, sin, grace, two kingdoms, creation). Issues raised include civil disobedience, use of lethal force, distributive justice, love and self-sacrifice, and gender roles. Prerequisite: a BTS-T course. GE: EIN. 297 Christian Ethics, Life and Death Students examine the ethics of killing and letting die from the perspective of Christian belief. Possible topics include abortion, suicide, euthanasia, war, capital punishment, global hunger and starvation, and the killing of non-human animals, with special attention to the place of Christian moral views, in modern secular or pluralistic societies. Readings include classic and contemporary Christian ethical sources as well as contemporary secular moral, legal, and political theory. Prerequisite: a BTS-T course. GE: EIN. 298 Independent Study 301 Roman Catholic Theology Students consider the present situation and future prospects of Roman Catholic theology through an engagement with the figures and events which have most deeply shaped Catholic theology in this century. The course also examines recent Catholic views on the central topics of Christian theology: God, Christ, salvation, and the Church, and the relationship of these views to Protestant ideas about the same issues. GE: BTS-T. 302 History of Christian Thought I Students critically analyze the development of Christian thought from its beginnings to the 9th century. Special attention is placed on the theological controversies which led to the formation of the Christian community's central doctrines: God as Trinity, Jesus Christ as divine and human, salvation as divine action and human response. Students read from Irenaeus, Origen, Athanasius, Augustine, and others. GE: BTS-T. 303 History of Christian Thought II This course provides a critical analysis of the development of Christian thought in the Middle Ages and Reformation, 11th through 16th centuries. Particular attention is paid to the great theological systems of the Middle Ages and to the theological aims of the 16th-century reforming movements, drawing upon readings from Anselm, Aquinas, Bonaventure, Luther, Calvin, and others. GE: BTS-T. 304 History of Christian Thought III This course offers a critical analysis of the development of Christian thought in the modern period, 17th century to 1970. Students pay special attention to the rise of modern historical and philosophical outlooks which challenge traditional Christian claims and to the appropriation and criticism of these outlooks in modern theology. Students read from Edwards, Schleiermacher, Barth, Bultmann, and others. GE: BTS-T. 341 Conscience and Its Critics Students examine traditional and recent Christian views of conscience, as well as alternative views and criticisms from various normative perspectives. Considering philosophical theories, psychological views, feminist thought, political issues, and literary texts, students explore difficult cases of conscience. Prerequisite: a BTS-T course. GE: EIN. 344 Feminist Perspectives and Christian Ethics How might the Christian ethical systems which have dominated western culture look different if women's experiences and perspectives had been more centrally included? This course focuses on the continuities and contrasts between traditional Jewish and Christian ethics and the feminist and womanist ethical challenges to them which have emerged over the last quarter century. Prerequisite: a BTS-T course. GE: EIN. LEVEL III SEMINARS FOR MAJORS 389 Studies in Women and Religion This seminar offers selected topics in the study of women and religion, which may include theological, Biblical, sociological, spiritual and historical perspectives in Christian and/or non-Christian traditions. Specific topics are announced each year. GE: MCS-D. 390 History of Religions Seminar 391 Biblical Seminar Fall 2001: The Fourth Gospel; 392 Historical Seminar 393 Theological Seminar - Fall 2000: Theology and the Visual Arts 394 Internship 395 Ethics Seminar 396 Studies in Religion 397 Religion in Dialogue 398 Independent Research 399 Thematic Seminar This integrative seminar focuses on the pursuit of research, the explanation of research to fellow students, and the exploration of connections among diverse approaches to the selected topic, which changes annually. Fall 2001: The New Jesus and the Moral Life 310 Ethical Issues and Classic Normative Perspectives See also Interdisciplinary 250 Western Christianity and the Orthodox East: Unity and Separation |