RST 202B Introduction to Religious Studies
This course will introduce students to the academic study of religion as a distinct form of religious inquiry from theological approaches. Religious Studies considers what humankind calls “religion,” or “religious,” from outside of a faith-centered perspective, utilizing academic tools to examine and explore the everyday phenomena of religions, as well as the human experience of the sacred, the indescribable, and meaning. Topics in this course may include: different approaches and methodologies within Religious Studies; the history of Religious Studies in the academy, including its entrenchment in colonial projects, and its current uses; the definitions and politics of defining religion; the differences between faith-based and academic inquiries; hermeneutics; religious epistemologies; etc. Overall, the course will help students to build graduate level tools and a critical framework necessary to begin an academic career in Religious Studies.
Distribution
RST