History 112 - Intro to World Religions

What is religion, and why do people care so much about it? This course will examine the origins and development of some of the world's major religions including Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. We will read sacred texts and travel to sites of worship. We will also consider how religion continues to shape current affairs. Students will prepare analytic essays, participate in group discussions, and attend off-campus field trips. The course will demonstrate that understanding religion is critical to participating in a global community and will neither advocate or denigrate religious participation. (Gen. Ed. I, DG)

Religions may have divine origins, but religious belief and practice, like everything else human, have their own histories. This course has three goals. First, we consider how the west came to understand and define religion. Second, we turn to the origins and development of some of the world?s major religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Finally, we will consider the new religions of the twentieth century, the confrontations and conversations between different religions, and the processes and effects of secularization. We will examine not only religious belief but also ritual practice and the place of religion in today?s society. Understanding why we think about religion in the ways that we do, the history of religions, and issues of importance to the practice of religion today is a vital part of being a citizen of a democracy in this global age.