Degree Program Hours: 120

Lower Division Preparation

Common Prerequisites
No specific courses required; all students are encouraged to complete the Associate in Arts degree.
  To qualify for admission to the program, FIU undergraduates must have met all the lower division requirements including CLAST, completed 60 semester hours, and must be otherwise acceptable into the program. Recommended Courses: Religion, Philosophy, History and Anthropology.

Upper Division Program: (60)

Required Areas
The Religious Studies major serves as a basis for students who wish to pursue the study of religion or theology as a career, for students preparing for a career in counseling, education, business, law or medicine, or for students who wish to undertake a dual major in a related field of study. The major is designed to allow students to focus either on comparative topics in a critical approach to understanding religious phenomena and their relation to society in a broader cultural context or on the theory and practice of a specific religious tradition in its historical setting.

Required Courses
The major requires 33 credits distributed in the following sequence:
1. Foundation Courses (6 credits), selected from a group of courses that provide students with an introduction to multicultural approaches and interdisciplinary methodologies in the study of religion and thus a foundation for more specialized studies:

2. Focus Courses (24 credits), including 18 or more credits in Religious Studies and up to 6 credits in Related Areas, in focus or specialized courses selected at the 3000 or above level. Related Areas are selected from courses in Art History, English, History, Humanities, International Relations, Philosophy, Psychology, or Sociology/Anthropology, in order to further enhance the  interdisciplinary nature of Religious Studies. Through these courses the student develops an area of concentration in one of the following topics:
        a) Comparative Studies of Religion (comparative studies of myth and ritual, textual 
        studies, or social scientific studies), OR
        b) Studies of a Specific Religious Tradition (in-depth studies of an eastern, western,
        indigenous, or syncretic tradition), OR
        c) Religion, Culture and Values (analysis of religion in relation to women’s studies,
        science, the environment, society, or ethics).

3. 2 Capstone Courses (3 credits each), 2 senior or capstone seminars in advanced studies of religion to be selected from the following 3 seminars:

General Electives 27
The College of Arts and Sciences requires for the bachelor’s degree that a student take at least nine hours outside the major discipline, of which six hours must be taken outside the major department.
Remarks: A complete description of the Religious Studies Program is contained in a brochure available at the Department of Religious Studies. Students should refer to the brochure for specific requirements of the major program. Students select their required courses in Religious Studies with the approval of the Undergraduate Program Director.
  Students are also encouraged to consider a dual major i.e., simultaneously to meet the requirements of two academic majors.
  The Department serves the community and professional groups by offering courses off campus. For further information concerning these courses consult the department.

A student majoring in another academic discipline can earn an academic minor in Religious Studies by taking at least four REL courses (12 upper division semester hours). Students are  encouraged to take REL 3308, Studies in World Religions, as one of these courses.

Requirements:

Admission Requirements

Graduation Requirements

Completed BA at FIU including,

Six additional hours of graduate credit in Religious Studies (for majors, graduate level enrollment in six hours of Focus Courses) must also be taken as Graduate courses.

Required:

Definition of Prefixes
GRE-Ancient Greek; REL-Religion; HBR-Biblical Hebrew; ASN-Asian Studies.

GRE 3050 New Testament Greek I (3). Introduces the Greek language of the New Testament, and other works of the ancient period to enhance the understanding of translated texts. A portion of the Gospel of John is studied.

HBR 3100 Biblical Hebrew I (3). Introduces the language of the Hebrew Scriptures, portions of which are read in class.

HBR 3101 Biblical Hebrew II (3). A continuation of Biblical Hebrew I. Prerequisite: Biblical Hebrew I.

REL 1200 Introduction to Christian Scripture (3).  Examines the origins and themes of the Christian Bible using literary, historical, and archaeological approaches. Explores inter-religious dialogue between Christianity and Judaism on shared scripture.

REL 2011 Religion: Analysis and Interpretation (3). Introduces methods of critical reflection on religion and some of their applications to fundamental topics such as knowledge, value, the sacred, the individual and human society.  Written work meets the state composition requirement (6000 words).

REL 2624 From Bible to Talmud (3). An introduction to early Judaism from the end of the biblical period to the completion of Talmud that surveys the history and issues shaping this crucial period of development.

REL 2936, 4936 Special Topics (1-6). In-depth study of topics of special interest in religion.

REL 3021 Magic and Ecstasy in New Religions (3). Examines the role of magic, ecstatic religious experience, and the supernatural in contemporary religion.

REL 3022 Ritual in Religion and Culture (3). Examines ritual and its roots, functions, analysis, and meaning, both in religious contexts and as it is assimilated and adapted in the wider culture.

REL 3026 Folk Religions in Asia and the World (3).Movements in folk or popular religions in relation to the official dimension of the major traditions, including the role of ghosts and spirits, visions and dreams, and healing and prophecy.
 
REL 3027 Meditation and the Mystical Traditions (3). The history, philosophy, and cultural impact of the role of meditation in various mystical traditions, including movements such as Kabbalah, Neo-Platonism, Sufism, Yoga, Tantra, Taoism, and Zen Buddhism.
 
REL 3028 Sacred Places, Sacred Travels (3). The role of worship associated with sacred and ritual travels, with emphasis on Asia and Latin America and the syncretism between indigenous rites and the major religious traditions.

REL 3029 Christian Mysticism (3). Historical and theological analysis of the sources, tradition and contemporary manifestations of Christian Mysticism. 
 
REL 3091 Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth (3).  Examines the nature of myth, particularly from the perspective of mythologist Joseph Campbell, and focuses on his contribution to the study of myth.

REL 3100 Introduction to Religion and Culture (3). This course explores both the ways religion uses culture to express its basic concerns and the ways that culture and lifestyle reflect religious perspectives. Attention will be given to traditional and popular expressions of American culture.

REL 3110 Religion and Television (3). Examines the interaction of religion and television; television as a vehicle for religious programming, news, and values; and religion as a dynamic influence on the medium.

REL 3111 Religion in Film (3). Students examine religious themes, images, symbols and characters in various feature and short films, a specific method of critical analysis, and the religious and societal effects of contemporary films.

REL 3112 Religion and Literature (3). Literary texts engaging central religious and spiritual themes are used to explore the multicultural and transnational study of religions. Specific topics may vary from year to year.

REL 3120 Religion in America (3). Historical survey of the development and influence of religions in the U.S. with emphasis on the unique role of religion in American culture.

REL 3123 Asian Religions in the Americas (3). This course examines the arrival, diffusion, and cultural impact of Asian religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and New religions, in North and South America.

REL 3127 Church and State (3). Explores the separation of church and state in the United States, reviewing its historical background and studying contemporary cases involving religious freedom.

REL 3131 Sects and Cults (3). Explores the American tendency to generate new religious movements and examines a variety of these sects and cults.

REL 3139 African-American Religious Movements (3). Analysis of the history, beliefs and practices of select key African-American religious movements, such as “storefront” churches and the Nation of Islam.

REL 3142 Sacred, Selfhood and Society (3). The interaction between traditional and contemporary religious and psychological approaches to understanding the self and realizing authentic selfhood in relation to society.

REL 3145 Women and Religion (3). Explores the involvement, portrayal, and roles of women in religion, from early goddess religions through the cult of Mary to contemporary feminist theology.

REL 3148 Violence and the Sacred (3). The role of religion in the inspiration, justification, avoidance, or constraint of various forms of overt or covert violence. Addresses relevant social issues.

REL 3160 Science and Religion (3). The methods, assumptions, goals of religion will be compared with those of the natural and human sciences. Specific issues, such as evolution, sociobiology, and the new astronomy will be considered to illustrate similarities and differences between the two approaches.

REL 3162 Religious Healers and Mediums (3). Religious studies scholarship using sociological method/theory to explore major themes in premodern, modern and postmodern religion, with special focus on religious ritual for healing and afterlife.

REL 3170 Ethics in World Religion (3). Examines the nature of ethics in its relationship to various faith orientations around the world and surveys specific ethical problems in world religions.

REL 3171 Sex and Religion (3). A survey of religious understandings of sexuality, gender and reproduction with special emphasis on contemporary issues.

REL 3172 Reproductive Ethics (3). Surveys U.S. religion on family, surrogacy, artificial insemination and in vitro fertilization, contraception, abortion, and fetal hazards in the workplace.

REL 3179 AIDS, Ethics and Religion (3). Examines ethical issues in AIDS as framed by churches, by persons with AIDS (PWA) networks, and by AIDS workers.

REL 3180 Medical and Bioethics (3). A survey of religious treatment of ethical issues in health care and medical research.

REL 3194 The Holocaust (3). Examines different aspects of the Holocaust as well as issues and events that led to and arose from the World War II Experience. Special attention is given to Jewish-Christian relations, thought and ethics before, during and after the Holocaust.

REL 3197 Topics in Race and Religion (3). Examines the role of religion in specific historical events such as the US civil rights movement, the rise/fall of S. African apartheid, or the subjugation of the Amerindians.

REL 3207 Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls (3). Explores the new light shed on the life of Jesus and the early Christian movement by the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

REL 3209 The Dead Sea Scrolls (3). Surveys scholarship on the Dead Sea Scrolls, including their significance for the study of the Bible and the history of Judaism and Christianity.

REL 3220 Moses, Priests and Prophets (3). In-depth study of selected portions of the Hebrew scriptures, paying close attention to the history of ancient Israel. Will be taught from a range of Jewish and/or Christian perspectives.

REL 3250 Jesus and the Early Christians (3). Examines the life of Jesus and the New Testament documents; what we know about Jesus, how we know it, and how and why early Christianity spread so rapidly.
 
REL 3270 Biblical Theology (3). Explores the ideas of God, man, redemption, ethics, and the after-life, tracing each through its development from earliest Hebrew thought to the rise of post-biblical Judaism and Christianity.

REL 3280 Biblical Archaeology (3). Explores the nature, goals and methods of biblical archaeology. A survey of the most important sites and finds that have given us a new understanding of the world of the Bible.

REL 3282 Archaeology of Israel (3). Introduction to the archaeology of the land of Israel as it relates to biblical history. Visits to major excavations will be combined with special lectures on the most significant finds of each site.

REL 3308 Studies in World Religions (3). Examines the origins, teachings, and practices of selected world religions. The specific religions selected for examination may vary from semester to semester.

REL 3310 Introduction to Asian Religions (3). The great traditions which originated in India and China – Brahmanism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Confucianism, Taoism – are explored in the cultural and social contexts.  Special attention is paid to how these religions contribute to the construction of social identities, as well as to the interaction between religions and their artistic expressions in painting, architecture, poetry and drama.

REL 3313 Sources of Modern Asian  Society (3). Is the contemporary period a replay of ancient relio-cultural patterns, or does it pose unique challenges? Explores how classical Hinduism, Confucianism, and Buddhism affect modern India, the “Tigers”, Sri Lanka and Japan.

REL 3314 Religion on the Silk Road (3). The historical meeting point of religions east and west, on the Silk Road that linked China with Central Asia, the Middle East, and Greco Roman culture.

REL 3320 Moses, Jesus, Muhammad (3). The lives of Moses, Jesus, Muhammad and the communities they founded. Each religion’s teachings are explored to reveal in what ways they are similar and in what ways unique.

REL 3325 Religions of Classical Mythology (3). Examines the beliefs and practices of ancient Egyptian, Semitic, Greek, and Germanic religions, their influences on later civilization and religious thought, and the possible continuing insights offered by each.

REL 3330 Religions of India (3). The myriad religions of India, from prehistoric origins to contemporary politicized Hinduism. Schismatic movements (Buddhism, Jainism) and “Indianized” extrinsic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Zoroastrianism).

REL 3333 Classical Hinduism (3). A study of the development of classical Hinduism from its prehistoric roots, its classical textual and philosophic formulations to the theisms of the early medieval period.

REL 3337 The Goddess in India (3). Images of the Goddess, known as Devi or Shakti, have been traced back to the third millennium BCE. Scrutiny of the evolution of Goddess worship in India is theological in character, philosophical in content, and legendary in tradition.

REL 3340 Survey of Buddha (3). The course will explore the central themes of the main schools of Buddhism developed in India, Tibet, China, Japan, and Korea. The themes will be examined from religious, historical, and philosophical points of view.

REL 3342 Zen and the Tea Ceremony (3). Theory, practice, aesthetics and cultural history of Chado, the tea ceremony of Zen Buddhism.

REL 3343 Buddhist Literatures (3). Selected non-canonical Buddhist genres, traditional and modern. Readings might include Tibetan tantric hagiographics or songs, Tales of Genji, Nohard Kabuki, pilgrim narrations, women’s enlightenment songs, meditation manuals.

REL 3344 Tibetan Buddhism (3). Tibetan Buddhism is an amalgam of Indian Mahayana Buddhism, Tantric Buddhism, and indigenous Shamanism. It developed unique symbolism, rituals, spiritual practices and social organization.

REL 3349 Indian Buddhism (3). The origin and development of Buddhism in India and South - Southeast Asia. Context, life and teachings of the Buddha, Schools of thought and social institutions.

REL 3362 Islamic Faith and Society (3). A survey of the main facets of Islamic religion and societies from the time of Muhammad to the present.

REL 3380 Native American Religions (3). An introduction to Native American religions, including myths, rituals, shamanic practices, and beliefs. Attention will be given to contemporary issues of tribal cultures of South Florida.

REL 3383 Religions of the Caribbean (3). Developments, beliefs, rituals, and symbolic system of religious traditions of the Caribbean. Religion and society in Caribbean history.

REL 3392 Jewish Mysticism (3). An overview of the history and philosophy of Kabbalah and an exploration of selected practices and techniques of Jewish mysticism.

REL 3398 Rhythms of the Sacred (3). Explores how music has been a powerful and essential part of mystical experience in the world's religious traditions, how it becomes religion and how religion influences music.

REL 3443 Liberation Theologies (3). A survey of the major themes in and methodological distinctiveness of Latin American, African American and Feminist Liberation Theologies.

REL 3490 Behind the Da Vinci Code (3). Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code is the starting point to examine whether there are secrets behind the history of Christianity as it is usually taught. Topics include gnosticism, knights templar, freemasons.

REL 3492 Earth Ethics (3). This course will explore resources from philosophy and religion that could contribute to a solution of the current environmental crisis. Ethical issues of the environment will especially be examined in the light of these resources. 

REL 3505 Introduction to Christianity (3). Introduces the basic beliefs and practices of Christianity in their historical and modern forms, including both common and distinctive elements of Catholicism, Protestantism, and Eastern Orthodoxy.

REL 3510 Early Christianity (3). This course will survey the first development of Christian thought and practice from its beginnings as a primitive church to its establishment as a major faith in the Middle Ages. It will then consider the relevance of this early experience for modern movements of this faith.

REL 3520 Saints, Witches, and Cathedrals (3). Cathedrals and crusades through religious schisms and wars to Third World Christianity and women priests: select survey of major trends in Christianity.
 
REL 3530 Protestantism (3). Surveys Protestantism from the Reformation to the present, including the formation of Protestant theology, the relationship of Protestantism to culture and contemporary developments.

REL 3532 Reformation (3). The lives and thoughts of the leaders of the Protestant Reformation will be the focus of this course. Significant attention will be given to the personal experiences and theological perspectives that directed the actions of such persons as Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli, as well as the movements they founded.

REL 3551 Mary and Jesus (3). Biblical scholarship and theological traditions regarding Jesus of Nazareth and Mary, his mother.

REL 3564 Modern Catholicism (3). Surveys Catholicism from Vatican Council II to the present, including developments in liturgy, theology, and the relationship of the Church to the world.

REL 3601 The Ethics of Judaism (3). Examines Jewish approaches to ethical issues. Takes into account both traditional and nontraditional approaches which claim, in some way, to be authentically Jewish.

REL 3607 Judaism (3). An introduction to Judaism, following a brief historical overview. Lectures and discussions will focus on the themes of Text, Time, Space, People, and Memory in classical and contemporary manifestations.

REL 3625 Introduction to Talmud (3). Through close readings (in English translation) of specific Talmudic texts, this course introduces students to the Talmud - the magnum opus of Rabbinic Judaism.

REL 3627 Kabbalah and the Bible (3). Study of the basic categories of Kabbalah as an esoteric doctrine and evaluation its unique interpretation of selected Biblical texts within the historical context of the Sephardic Jewish experience.

REL 3630 American Judaism (3). Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, and other forms of American Judaism, and the impact of the Holocaust, Zionism, and anti-Semitism on American Jewry.

REL 3671 Jews, Sex, and Gender (3). Deals with the central issues and debates surrounding gender, sex, and the body in Jewish thought and practice.  Covers the wide range of texts and responses to these issues in Jewish history.

REL 3672 Religion and Society in Israel (3). Conquest, domination and exile are major themes in Israel’s history. Responses to these experiences—assimilation, Zionism, and the secular state—are examined.

REL 3690 Hasidic Thought (3). Analysis of the popular Jewish mystical pietistic movement that began in 18th century Eastern Europe, revolutionizing Jewish society, culture, and thought up to the present day.

REL 3695 The Golden Age of Sephardic Jewry (3). The religious life of the Sephardic Jews as it emerged during the Golden Age of Spain in dialogue with Christians and Muslims, and as it developed throughout the Sephardic diaspora. Among the figures to be studied are Judaic philosophers, legalists and mystics, such as Maimonides, Judah Halevi, Ibn Ezra and Moses de Leon.

REL 3949 Cooperative Education in Religion (3). A student majoring in Religious Studies may spend one or two semesters fully employed in industry, government, or other appropriate institutional setting in a capacity relating to the major. Permission of Cooperative Education and major department.

REL 4030 Methods in the Study of Religion (3). This course examines a number of the most important methods used in the academic study of religion, together with representative examples of the use of these methods. Prerequisites: Religious Studies major status or permission of the instructor.

REL 4141 Latinas and Religion in the Americas (3). Review of the practices, beliefs, social and political activism, and theological and biblical reflections of Latinas in the Americas from a historical perspective to modern day.

REL 4146 Feminist Theology and Ethics (3). Surveys major Christian and Jewish feminists on revelation, sexuality and body, liturgy, religious community and other topics.

REL 4173 Technology and Human Values (3). This course will explore the sources and impact of modern technology from philosophical and religious perspectives. Topics to be discussed include the effects of technology upon the understanding of human nature, and the relationship among technology, the natural environment, and hopes for a livable human future.

REL 4193 Holocaust Memorials (3). Examines the contemporary religious, moral, and cultural impact of the Holocaust through the analysis of selected memorial forms: memoirs, theology, fiction, cinema, monuments, museums, and the arts.

REL 4205 Current Methods in Sacred Texts (3). This course introduces sacred texts and the methods and tools of their study, including translations, historical studies, hermeneutics, and the use of secondary resources. Prerequisite: Religious Studies majors status or permission of the instructor.

REL 4224 The Prophets and Israel (3). Examines the setting of the prophets in the history of Israel, their contributions to biblical religion, and their use in later religious and renewal movements.

REL 4251 Jesus and Paul (3). Examines the historical settings, teachings, significance, and later interpretations of Christianity’s founder and its foremost interpreter.

REL 4311 Religious Classics of Asia (3). Classical religious texts of Asian traditions. Content may vary. Course may be repeated with change in content.

REL 4312 Jews of Asia (3). Surveys the history, culture, and literature of the Jews of Asia, with emphasis on the Cochin Jews, the Bene Israel of Bombay and environs, the ‘Baghdadis’ of Indian port cities, and the Chinese Jews of Kaifeng.

REL 4345 Zen Buddhism (3). This course explores Zen (Ch`an) Buddhism in its historical, theoretical, and practical dimensions with a specific aim of examining the theme that the Buddha mind can be actualized by awakening to one’s own Buddha-nature.

REL 4351 Religion and Japanese Culture (3). The impact of the traditional religions, Shinto and Buddhism, on the intellectual and cultural history of Japan, especially literature and art, from the ancient and classical through the modern periods.

REL 4361 Women in Islam (3). Provides students with an understanding of the position of women in Islam through an examination of traditional and contemporary understandings of key religious texts.

REL 4364 Interpreting the Quran: Gender and Jihad (3). Introduces students to the history, interpretation and translation of the Quran through a close examination of passages related to issues of gender and jihad.

REL 4366 Voice of the Prophet (3). Familiarizes students with the position and history of prophetic traditions (Hadith) in Islam.

REL 4370 African Religions (3). Critical analysis of the beliefs, myths, symbols, and rituals of traditional African religion, African Christianity, and African Islam, and exploration of their place and function in African societies.

REL 4381 Native Religions of Latin America (3). Focuses on the relationship in Native Religions of L.A. between geography, environment and religious worldview and attitudes. Some attention to contemporary native issues and relations with states and other religions.

REL 4382 Latin American Women and Religions in the Americas (3). Examines Latinas' participation in the history of religions in the Americas in order to explain the impact of women's religious experiences in cultural, social and political realms.

REL 4420 Contemporary Religious Thought (3). A survey of major figures in contemporary theology for the purpose of understanding their thought and its application to current issues in religion and society.

REL 4425 Contemporary Issues in Christian Theology (3). Examines contemporary efforts to reflect on traditional topics in Christian theology, such as God and human nature, and explores the role of theology in addressing selected social and cultural issues.

REL 4441 Religion and the Contemporary World (3). An examination of reflection by religious thinkers and others who employ religious perspectives, concerning select conceptual issues of critical importance in the contemporary world.

REL 4461 Topics in the Philosophy of Religion (3). Examines a specific topic in the philosophy of religion, such as faith and reason, religious experience, or an important thinker. It may be repeated with permission of the instructor.

REL 4481 Contemporary Latin American Religious Thought (3). The major trends of religious thought in Latin America and their impact on the society of the area will be investigated. Special reference will be made to Post-Vatican II theology and to very recent theologies of liberation. 
 
REL 4610 Jews of Arab Lands in the Middle Ages (3). An examination of Jewish culture from the rise of Islam in the 7th century to the end of the Middle Ages.

REL 4613 The Modernization of Judaism (3). Explores the ways in which religious beliefs and traditional concepts of Jewish self identity have changed as a result of emancipation and the participation of Jews in the modern Western world.

REL 4623 Peace, War, and Kabbalah (3). Study the basic categories of Kabbalah as an esoteric doctrine and evaluate its unique approach to war and peace within the historical context of the Sephardic Jewish experience.

REL 4626 Jewish Sephardic Thought (3). The main Sephardic and Oriental thinkers. Includes philosophers, mystics, and rabbinics.

REL 4694 Kabbalah and Sexuality (3). Exploration of the theme of sexuality within the context of Kabbalistic texts. Study of the basic categories of Kabbalah as an esoteric doctrine of the Jewish faith.

REL 4697 Sephardic Jewry Colloquium (3). Study with leading scholars of Sephardic and Oriental Jewry. This course will be taught in conjunction with the Sephardic annual lecture series highlighting new research on this Jewry.

REL 4910 Independent Research (1-6). Topics will be selected to meet the academic needs of the individual student. Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.

REL 4912 Research Seminar in Religious Studies (3). Working on a variety of individual research projects, students explore research issues and methods. Research projects must be approved in advance. Course may be repeated. Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.

REL 4931 Religious Studies Seminar (3). This seminar is designed for majors and other qualified students approved by the Department. The specific topic will be selected and announced in advance. The number of participants will be limited.

REL 4937 Special Topics (3). In-depth study of topics of special interest in religious studies.

REL 4941 Internship Seminar (3). Students work 5 hours a week in religious institutions; complete individualized group readings; write on individual assignments; discuss group readings in context of group experiences.

REL 4943 Independent Study on Sephardic Jewry (16). For advanced students who posses proven significant knowledge of the field of Sephardic and Oriental Jewry, to engage in a guided research on the topic of their choice within the field. Prerequisites: REL 4610, REL 3xxx Sephardic Jewry, SYD 4606.

REL 4944 Internship in Sephardic Jewish Organization (1-3). Work and study with the leadership of and research one of the Sephardic and Oriental communities in Florida. Serves as a field study in which the classroom learning comes alive. Prerequisites: REL 4610, REL 3xxx Sephardic Jewry, SYD 4606.

REL 4949 Cooperative Education in Religion (3). A student majoring in Religious Studies may spend several semesters fully employed in industry, government, or other appropriate institutional setting in a capacity relating to the major. Permission of Cooperative Education and major department.

REL 5018 Religion, Literature, and Critical Theory (3). Examines intersections between world religions and contemporary literature in light of modern theories of interpretation. Themes explored include scriptural re-readings and spiritual journeys. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5023 Religious Ritual (3). Examines the critical relationship of ritual, religious practice and belief, and culture, while introducing the principles and methods of ritual studies. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5025 Myth and Religion (3). Investigates the role, function, and meaning of myth in religious experience and practice through an examination of specific myths, mythic patterns, and critical theories. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5122 African-American Religion (3). Survey of development of African-American Religions with emphasis on North American experience during slavery, Jim Crow and contemporary eras. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5125 Religion and Public Life (3). Examines the relationship of religion and government in the United States, with focus on the First Amendment and issues of separation of church and state. Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5137 North American Religion (3). Historical examination of religious groups and influences in North America, focusing on their contributions and cultural impact. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5138 Sects, Cults, and New Religions (3). Explores and critically analyzes the multiplicity of new American religious movements and the unique combination of factors that has encouraged them. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5143 Latinas and Religion in the Americas (3). This course will review the practices, beliefs, social and political activism, and theological and biblical reflections of Latinas in the Americas from a historical perspective to modern day.

REL 5144 Women and Religion (3). Examines the influence of religion on social construction of gender and the definition of woman’s nature and role, with a focus on Western developments. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5149 Religion, Violence, and Conflict (3). Is religion peaceful or violent? Theoretical analysis of the role of religion in violent, social and political conflicts, such as the Crusades, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the Haitian Revolution. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5165 Science and Religion (3). Surveys the interaction between science and religion from conflict models to integration; special attention to specific natural sciences including cosmology and biology. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5182 Religions and Ethics (3). Investigation of methods, resources for ethics in world religions, and some examples of issues. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5183 Ethics and Environment (3). A study of cultural and religious sources of contemporary ethical attitudes and values about the environment. Also includes consequences of these for specific environmental issues. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5184 Sex, Ethics, and Religion (3). Religious treatment of sexual activity, desire and procreation in major religions, with special focus on contemporary scientific research on sexuality and spirituality. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5192 Seminar in Mysticism (3). The issues of consciousness, language, and morality in mystical tradition of the east and west, including Kabbalah, Neoplatonism, Sufism, Yoga, Taoism, and Zen. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5208 Studies of the Dead Sea Scrolls (3). Overview of the Dead Sea Scrolls explores the new techniques being used in their study. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5211 Bible I: The Hebrew Scriptures (3). Extensive reading in the Hebrew Scriptures how the various texts of the Hebrew Scriptures came to be written, and how they can be interpreted - both within the context of faith communities and within the cultural contexts out of which the texts were written.  Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5232 Hebrew Exegesis I (3). Provides a comprehensive survey of the fundamentals of the language of the Hebrew Bible designed to equip the student for the task of exegesis. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5233 Hebrew Exegesis II (3). A continuation of Hebrew Exegesis I emphasizing the reading of select passages of the Hebrew Bible to develop skills in translation and interpretation. Prerequisites: REL 5232 and graduate standing.

REL 5242 New Testament and Qumran (3). Detailed investigation of the possible contacts between the New Testament and Qumran in such areas as Biblical Exegesis, Apocalypticism, Eschatology, and Messianism. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

REL 5244 Bible II: The New Testament (3). History, theology, and interpretation methods of the New Testament. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.
 
REL 5262 New Testament Greek Exegesis I (3). A detailed overview of the principles of Greek grammar that shows the student how to use Greek in the study of the New Testament. Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

REL 5263 New Testament Greek Exegesis II (3). Careful reading of selected passages of the New Testament and early Christian literature designed to develop skills in translation and interpretation. Prerequisites: REL 5262 and graduate standing.

REL 5331 Religions of India (3). Topics include: religion in prehistoric and ancient India, classical Hindu texts and schismatic movements, medieval theism, the acculturation of extrinsic religions, Hindu-Muslim-Sikh syncretism, and the modern period. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5346 Seminar on Buddhism (3). The central doctrines and rituals of the Buddhist tradition, including the views on causality, mindfulness, monasticism, salvation, purity, and ethics in the Theravada, Tantric, and Zen schools. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5352 Religions of East Asia (3). The history, philosophy, and cultural impact of the major religious traditions of East Asia, including Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, Shinto, and syncretic folk religions. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5360 Classical Arabic (3). Introduces the grammar and vocabulary of classical Arabic necessary for developing the ability to read classical texts.

REL 5365 Advanced Interpretation of the Quran: Gender and Jihad (3). History, interpretation and translation of the Quran through a close examination of passages related to issues of gender and jihad.

REL 5368 Voice of the Prophet (3). Familiarizes students with the position and history of prophetic traditions (Hadith) in Islam.

REL 5372 African Spirituality (3). Intensive investigation of select forms of traditional spirituality in sub-Saharan Africa, including ritual, sacrifice, and spirit possession, and Africanized Christian and Islamic devotion. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5384 Rasta, Vodou, Santeria (3). Critical, sociological and phenomenological analysis of the history, beliefs, rituals, and social significance of Rastsfarianism, Vodou, and Santeria on the Caribbean and the United States. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5385 Native American Religions (3). An advanced study of Native American religions and the methods employed to investigate them. Attention will be given to traditional and contemporary expressions.  Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5386 Latinas’ Religious Experience (3). Focus on the diversity of religious experiences among women born and educated in Latin cultures such as: Brazil, Haiti and Hispanic American, including Hispanic in the U.S.

REL 5387 Native Religions of Latin America (3). Focuses on major culture areas, history of tribes, changes in religious practice through contact with Christianity.

REL 5394 Jewish Mystical Texts (3). A study of the major movements and figures in the development of Jewish mysticism through its significant texts, from biblical times up to the present. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5435 Feminist Theology (3). Surveys the development of feminist theology, both deconstructive and reconstructive, principally in Christianity, but also in other religions. Prerequisite: Graduate status.

REL 5462 Religion and Philosophy (3). Examines the use of philosophical reasoning to justify religious belief or its rejection. Such topics as natural theology, atheism and fideism will be examined. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5488 Theology and Liberation Movements (3). Comparison of Latin American, feminist, and African American theologies of liberation, including methods, social analysis, social location, interlocutor, ecclesiology, theology, eschatology and use of scripture. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5495 Inter-reilgious Dialogue (3). The intellectual basis, the classical formulations, and the contemporary practice of interreligious dialogue in a variety of cultural settings. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5501 History of Christianity I (3). Christianity from its origins to the Middle Ages. Doctrinal and organizational development of the church and characteristic aspects of its spiritual life. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5502 Saints, Witches and Missionaries (3). Survey of movements, reforms, divisions, and major ideas within institutional Christianity, 1400 to the present. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5515 History of Early Christianity (3). Origin and growth of Christianity from the first to the fifth century, and the adaptation of its message to the Greco-Roman world. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5565 Modern Catholicism (3). Theology and liturgical practice in the Roman Catholic Church from Trent (16th C) to the present, with primary and secondary sources. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5605 Studies in Judaism (3). Historical overview of Jewish belief and practice, with special consideration of Jewish ritual life. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5606 Rabbinic Judaism (3). The theology and ideologies of the 1700-year period in the history of Judaism known as Rabbinic Judaism.  Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5614 Ancient Judaism (3). The history, literature and characteristic institutions of Judaism from the Persian period to Amoraic times. Attention given to developments in the land of Israel and the diaspora. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.
 
REL 5615 Medieval Judaism (3). The works of major thinkers in Medieval Judaism, including Maimonides, Nahmanides, Halevi, Luzatto, and such topics as Jewish mysticism (Kabbalah) and Hasidism. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5616 Religion, Culture and Politics in Israel (3). Exploration of the history of modern Israel. Discussion of issues, state and religion, ethnic and denominational tensions, democratic characters of the state and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

REL 5617 Jews and Muslims in the Middle Ages (3). Study of Jewish culture from the rise of Islam in the 7th century -- usually considered the start of Jewish Medieval Era -- to the end of the Middle Ages.

REL 5618 Modern Judaism (3). Explores the ways in which religious beliefs and traditional concepts of Jewish self identity have changed as a result of emancipation and the participation of Jews in the modern Western world. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5619 Holocaust Representations: Religion and Remembrance (3). Examines the symbolic and cultural representations of the Holocaust through its religious/ theological discourse and its remembrance.  Implications for Jewish life and thought are also explored. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of the instructor.

REL 5620 Kabbalah and Gender (3). Exploration of the theme of Gender within the context of Jewish mysticism. Analysis of central Kabbalistic texts pertaining to the issue of gender and sexuality.

REL 5628 Jewish Thought and Thinkers (3). The principal of Sephardic and oriental thinkers since the Middle Ages; includes philosophers, rabbinics.

REL 5629 Kabbalah, Peace and War (3). Study of the basic categories of Kabbalah as an esoteric doctrine and evaluate its unique approach to peace and war within the historical context of the Jewish mystical experience.

REL 5698 Sephardic and Oriental Jewry Colloquium (3). In depth examination of important issues in the study of Sephardic and Oriental Jewry.

REL 5907 Independent Study in Sephardic and Oriental Jewry (1-6). For advanced students who possess proven significant knowledge of the field of Sephardic and Oriental Jewry, to engage in a guided research on the topic of their choice within the field. Prerequisites: REL 4610, REL 5xxx Jews of Arab Lands, REL 3xxx Sephardic Jewry, SYD 4606.

REL 5934 Graduate Pedagogy (1-3). Advanced work in Religious Studies pedagogy, including classroom teaching, assignment development and grading, and seminar discussion of pedagogical issues.

REL 5945 Internship in Sephardic and Oriental Jewry (1-3). Work and study with the leadership of and research one of the Sephardic and Oriental communities in Florida. This serves as field study in which the classroom learning comes alive. Prerequisites: REL 4610, REL 5xxx Jews of Arab Lands, REL 3xxx Sephardic Jewry, SYD 4606.