This course will survey the development of Christian ideas and institutions from their beginning in the first century as a tiny movement on the fringes of Judaism, through the period of Christian empire, and ending with the apparent secularization of much of the west and the growth of Christianity in the 'Global South'. Each day we will discuss primary readings in their historical contexts. We will pay particular attention to the many different ways Christians have described the relation of church and state and of religion and science.

Some scholars have argued that there is no such thing as 'Buddhism' in the singular, but only 'Buddhisms' in the plural. This course introduces students to the historically and culturally diverse expressions of Buddhism. We will ask ourselves what Buddhism has meant to different people in different times and places, with particular attention to changing conceptions of belief and practice. Among the traditions we will study are Theravada, Zen, Pure Land, and Tantra.

This is an introduction to contemporary and classical Buddhist ethical ideals. Working with primary and secondary sources, we will ask the following questions: Is the universe moral? What are Buddhist ethical ideals and who embodies these? How do contemporary Buddhists interpret classical ethical ideals? What moral dilemmas do Buddhists face today? How do Buddhists grapple with moral ambiguity? We will consider the perspectives of Buddhists from different cultures including India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, and the United States.

Mary Daly, Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, Phyllis Trible, and Judith Plaskow, among others, have argued that traditional Jewish and Christian theological systems have overlooked the needs, concerns, histories, and contributions of women. Their challenges range from the historical modification of a presumably unbiased religious system to the outright rejection of a so-called patriarchal establishment.

This course offers practice in writing various kinds of narrative. Assignments emphasize clarity, concision, and creativity. Exercises lead to longer work: sketches, or short stories. Students hone critical as well as writing skills. Student papers are duplicated and discussed in class, along with selected works by published authors.

If all is fair in love and war, are there rules for the game of power and seduction? As we move through the golden ages of absolute power in Spain, France, and Italy, will we witness a change for women? Students will explore such questions as they read plays by Tirso de Molina, Jos' Zorilla, Moli're, Beaumarchais, Goldoni; Mozart's opera Don Giovanni, and film versions of Dangerous Liaisons and Casanova's Memoirs.

This course will examine the work of contemporary American filmmaker Terrence Malick. While taking into account technical aspects (cinematography, music), ours will be a largely thematic discussion, looking at recurring themes such as good vs. evil, nature vs. culture and spirituality. Selected critical essays will deepen our conversation and reveal some of the myriad literary, philosophical and theological texts that serve as the conceptual underpinnings of Malick's films.

This course teaches the basic concepts, vocabulary, and critical skills involved in interpreting film. Through readings and lectures, students will become more informed and sophisticated observers of the cinema, key examples of which will be screened weekly. While the focus will be on the form and style of narrative film, documentary and avant-garde practices will be introduced. The class will also touch upon some of the major theoretical approaches in the field.

(Film Studies Component Course.) An examination of the gothic--a world of fear, haunting, claustrophobia, paranoia, and monstrosity--in American literature and culture, with an emphasis upon issues of race and gender. Topics include the gothic; gothic sexuality; Southern, Northern, and national gothic; freakishness and grotesquerie; and visual gothic. Focus on fiction, with some film and photography.

For all who stay to the end of the credits, purchase soundtracks, and argue over who should have won the Oscar for Best Score, along with anyone else interested in the undervalued importance of music to the general effect of a motion picture, this course will explore and discuss the myriad ways in which these two media interact. The course will focus on classic scores by Herrmann, Morricone, and Williams, as well as the uses of existing music in films of Bergman and Kubrick.