Religion 111 - Introduction to Religion

This course introduces students to the comparative study of religion by exploring two distinct families of religious traditions, focusing on ways in which scholars draw on texts and historical contexts to understand religious doctrines and practices. The traditions examined vary from year to year. In 2020-21, we will focus on Christian and Buddhist traditions. Texts will be drawn from both classical and modern sources and from a variety of geographical and cultural locations, and will explore the relationship between religion and issues of political economy (which, in this context, means the intersection of economic and political dynamics within societies). In both traditions we will examine different configurations of this relationship, with a range that extends from deep interconnection (where religion, economics, and politics are intimately intertwined) to complete separation (where, at least notionally, religion has nothing to do with issues of political economy).

Classes will meet in person on campus.  Remote students will either attend class sessions by videochat or will have access to audio recordings of class meetings.  All students, local and remote, will have access to pre-recorded video content;  all students will contribute to class discussion via posts to Moodle.  Local and remote students may be asked to prepare brief presentations on assigned readings to be delivered either in person or by prerecorded video.

Fall semester. Professors A. Dole and M. Heim.