A Religious Course Listing
Students are able to cross-register for classes at any member school of the Hudson Mohawk Association. Below is a list of religious courses offered at other schools in the area. Note: Not all classes listed are offered each semester. For information on how to cross-register, visit www.hudsonmowhawk.com, or contact the Registrar's Office
Adirondack Community College
Phi 204: Comparative Religion
Investigation and comparative analysis of the world's great religions, including the religions of India (Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, Buddhism), of the Far East (Confucianism, Taoism, Shinto); and of the Near East (Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam).
College of St. Rose
RLS 100 - Introduction to Religious Studies
The phenomenology of religion, religious thought, practice and language.
RLS 110 - Introduction to Theology
A survey of the language of faith: systematic, dogmatic, Biblical and moral theology as the language through which individuals and churches express the relationship between the human and the divine.
RLS 112 - American Religious History
Mayflower to the present. A study of religion in American culture; the building of a nation, church-state relations, alternative movements, and problems of assimilation into American life. (LA-A) Satisfies Religious Studies Liberal Education Core requirement
RLS 121 - World Religions
Introduction to the major world religious traditions: Shinto, Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism,Islam, Judaism.
RLS 122 - Christian Traditions
An historical and theological review of the Christian tradition. Topics include: the formative period, the Councils, the East-West schism, the Reformation, the challenges of science and secularism, and the Ecumenical movement.
RLS 124 - The Joy of Sects
A survey of 'alternative' or 'radical' religious groups: Mormonism, Christian Science, Seventh Day Adventism, Nation of Islam, Odinism/Asatru, schismatic Roman Catho,lic traditionalists, Protest and snake-handlers. Consideration will be given to the reasons why the nation's views of religious freedoms contribute to the rise of such 'separatist' groups.
RLS 128 - Christian Ethics
An inquiry into questions about Christian practices and commitments amid contemporary life.
RLS 132 - The Catholic Imagination
An introductory course studying Catholicism's religious and cultural symbolic presence in art, literature, film, as well as religious belief and practice. Both traditional and alternative visions of Catholicism will be considered.
RLS 180 - American Fromtier Religion
American Culture. This course explores unofficial, unorganized "people's" religion - the spontaneous development of both ritual and theology at the grassroots level of culture. American spirituality reflected through its material icons.
RLS 185 - Heroes, Scapegoats, Victims
Purification, atonement and sacrifice. A cross-cultural examination of the theology and practice of "cleanliness", purity rituals, as well as the concepts of atonement and sacrifice expressed in theology and enacted in rite. A survey of both historic and contemporary religious beliefs.
RLS 190 - Junk Food Theology
The religion of the unchurched: the deinstitutionalization of American religion and the perserverence of religious themes through popular film. Star Wars, ET, Close Encounters, Jurassic Park.
RLS 203 - Old Testament Studies
A comprehensive history of the origins, development and religious significance of the Old Testament (Tanach) text.
RLS 204 - New Testament Studies
An introduction to the community behind the Christian Scriptures; the origins, development and religious significance of the New Testament text.
RLS 220 - Prophets of Israel
Religions and social change. A study of the prophet in classical biblical history and in contemporary times.
RLS 230 - Myth, Symbol, and Story
A study of the form and content of symbolic imagery employed to tell sacred stories (parables, myths, dreams, fairy tales, etc) from multiple theoretical perspectives.
RLS 240 - Native American Religions
A survey of the general characteristics of Native American religions in both North and South America, with special emphasis on the Iroquois of New York State.
RLS 250 - African World-Views
This course will consider the beliefs and practices of sub-Saharan peoples and their development from the period prior to the coming of Christianity and Islam, to modern times. The course will also attend to Afro-American religious movements, e.g. religious movements during the period of slavery and the Marcus Garvey 'back to Africa' movement.
RLS 280 - American Catholicism
A survey course of Catholic intellectual and cultural life in the United States from the colonial period to the present.
RLS 290 - A Changing Church
The Catholic Church since Vatican II; changing laity, clergy, views on sexuality, authority and other theological topics.
RLS 305 - Philosophy of Religion
A study of the effort to understand and communicate with the transcendent; assessment of the relationship between reason and belief; consideration of the difficulties of the language of religion; the believer's argument for God's existence.
RLS 316 - Mysticism/Contemplat/Prayer
A survey of the mystical tradition if all religions. Mystical faith and practice as understood by its practitioners and as interpreted by philosophical and psychological theory. Special attention to Theresa of Avila and John of the Cross.
RLS 320 - Process Theology
A study of the effects of evolutionary theory on the study of the nature of God: from Whitehead and Hartschorne through Teilhard de Chardin.
RLS 325 - Morality of Killing
RLS 330 - Christian Theology
A seminar study of texts by 20th century theologians: Barth Tillich, Schillebeeckx, Rahner and others. Special attention to emerging feminist and liberation theologies.
RLS 340 - Theology and Politics
A study of political theology and liberation movements, e.g. theology after the Holocaust, Latin American liberation and American civil religion.
RLS 341 - Marriage & Family
Tradition and contemporary religious interpretations of the fundamental institution of society: human sexuality as sign and symbol.
RLS 360 - Relig. Conversion in Art & Lit
A seminar study of the phenomenon of religious conversion as reflected in art and literature. Particular focus: Catholic converts such as Augustine, Newman, Merton, and Day.
RLS 365 - Women in Religion
An interfaith study of women's spiritual lives across time, culture and the boundaries of established religious traditions. Includes a critical assessment of those challenges to the religious traditions of the world raised by contemporary women in theology.
RLS 368 - Politics Religious Hatred/U S
RLS 371 - Sacred place:sacred space
Religious architecture: the way in which the sacralization of space both shapes and is shaped by, religious experience.
RLS 380 - Special Topics
This course provides the opportunity for students and faculty to explore topics of current interest not regularly scheduled. Applicability to major elective requirements depends on the topic when the course is taken.
RLS 421 - The Holocaust
This course will explore historical, psychological and religious components of a very tragic event in the history of civilization. By understanding the events which led up to the rise of Nazi Germany and all that took place 1933-1945 one will gain deeperinsights into human nature, prejudice and racial and political bigotry.
RLS 445 - Doctors of the Church
The legacy of the intellectual history of Western Christianity: Augustine, Jerome, Duns Scotus, Aquinas.
Hudson Valley Community College
PHIL 110 - Comparative Religion I
A discussion-lecture course on the major religions of the world. The first semester emphasis is on ancient religions of the East, and the beginnings of the Judeo-Christian religions. Offered Fall, Spring.
PHIL 111 - Comparative Religion II
Continuation of PHIL 110, Comparative Study of Religion I. The second semester emphasis is on the Judeo-Christian faiths since the first century. Some treatment of the more recent (nineteenth and twentieth century) religions. Offered on demand.
Maria College
RES103 - Intro to the New Testament
RES104 - Comparative Study of Religion
RES112 - Intro to Hebew Scriptures
RES113 - Intro to Christian Scriptures
RES114 - World Religions
RES201 - Contemporary Moral Issues
RES207 - Women and Religion
Russell Sage College
PHI 105 - Philosophy of Religion: Faith, Atheism, and Doubt
This study of the logic and structure of religious belief includes arguments for and against the existence of God and the problem of human suffering in a world allegedly governed by a benevolent being. Also included are issues concerning the nature of faith in relation to reason, the attributes of the divine being in Eastern and Western religion, the question of immortality, religious language, the relation between God and moral codes, the mystical tradition, and the interpretation of the Bible.
PHI 107 - Religions of the World
This course evaluates systems of belief of the major religions in the world today. Included are the Hindu and Buddhist faiths of India and Asia, Islam in the Arab world, and the Judeo-Christian traditions. Ancient Greek and Roman deities will be discussed, and distinctions between mythology and religion will be noted. Also included will be the features of primitive worship such as magic, animism, totemism, manna, and taboo. Comparisons will be drawn between the various forms of belief, and a central question considered will be how to judge a religion’s validity.
Sage College of Albany
PHI 105 - Philosophy of Religion: Faith, Atheism, and Doubt
This study of the logic and structure of religious belief includes arguments for and against the existence of God and the problem of human suffering in a world allegedly governed by a benevolent being. Also included are issues concerning the nature of faith in relation to reason, the attributes of the divine being in Eastern and Western religion, the question of immortality, religious language, the relation between God and moral codes, the mystical tradition, and the interpretation of the Bible.
PHI 107 - Religions of the World
This course evaluates systems of belief of the major religions in the world today. Included are the Hindu and Buddhist faiths of India and Asia, Islam in the Arab world, and the Judeo-Christian traditions. Ancient Greek and Roman deities will be discussed, and distinctions between mythology and religion will be noted. Also included will be the features of primitive worship such as magic, animism, totemism, manna, and taboo. Comparisons will be drawn between the various forms of belief, and a central question considered will be how to judge a religion’s validity.
PHI 204. Comparative Religion 3 Cr.
A survey of beliefs in the major world religions, both past and present.
Siena College
RELG 101 - Religion in Western Culture
An introduction to religion through an historical examination of western religious communities, the course focuses on Judaism, Christianity, and Islam as they have developed in a variety of forms while retaining certain central traditions.
RELG 121 - Intro to Biblical Studies
An introduction to the Bible, using the tools of contemporary biblical scholarship, including literary and historical criticism, archaeology, and philology.The course will examine the history of the biblical text and the biblical canon, the relationship between the Bible and its companion literatures, and the ways in which biblical texts are interpreted by different Christian and Jewish religious communities.
RELG 141 - An Intro to Religious Thought
An examination of religious thought/theology and ethics in the Western traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Using primary texts, particular attention will be given to an exploration of the ways religious individuals and communities understand the divine, human experience, and the world.
RELG 181 - Experiences of the Sacred
An introduction to the discipline of Religious Studies through an examination of the nature of religious experience, its relation to human understandings of the Sacred, and its expressions in human history and culture. These themes will be concretely illustrated through examples drawn from such religious traditions as Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Confucianism. Contemporary forms of religious experience will be emphasized.
RELG 205 - Judaism
This course is a survey of the Jewish historic experience, examining the forces that have shaped the ongoing development of Judaism, its beliefs and practices. Major issues and trends in modern Jewish life will be explored, including the Holocaust and Zionism. This course is sponsored in part by the Jewish Chautauqua Society.
RELG 210 - Islam
The historical origins of Islam, the emergence and development of various strands of religious tradition, and their impact on the modern world. Analysis and historical survey of such key concepts as tawhid (essence of Islam), and of its basic categories for religious life, theology, law, literature, philosophy, and science. In addition attention is paid to the growing presence of Islam in Europe and America.
RELG 215 - Eastern Christianity
A survey of the historical and religious development of those churches which belong in the tradition of Eastern Christianity and the contributions which churches of the Eastern tradition make to Christianity in the contemporary world.
RELG 220 - Language for Scripture Study
A study of a language that is essential for scholarly study of the Bible or the Qur’an.This course may be taken for up to four semesters of Arabic, Greek, Hebrew, or other languages (e.g., Latin, Aramaic) related to scripture study.
RELG 240 - Intro to Christian Theology
A study of the foundations of Christian belief. Basic themes in Christian thought such as the meaning of human existence, the experience of God, the significance of evil, and the community as focus of God’s activity will be explored in terms of the person and work of Jesus.
RELG 250 - Women and Religion
This course will focus on the varieties of women’s religious experience. Various descriptions of the reality, distinctiveness, and value of women’s religious experience as well as the role of women in institutional forms of religion will be analyzed. Readings will be drawn from the major religions of the world, with focus on the western religious traditions.
RELG 260 - Religion and Moral Decision
An examination of moral experience, moral character, and moral discernment, as well as an analysis of the principles and procedures used in the Western religious traditions to adjudicate crucial moral issues such as: sexual morality, medical ethics, race relations, and moral judgements about warfare.
RELG 270 - Religion and the Environment
An examination of the stances and attitudes toward nature and the environment taken by several religious communities.The course will assist students to develop a constructive assessment of the theological and ethical contributions religious communities can make to environmental studies.
RELG 280 - World Religions
A survey of the religious experiences and traditions of selected Non-Western peoples.The traditions which will be examined include the religions of native peoples, Buddhism, Hinduism, and traditions of China and Japan. Emphasis will be placed on the living and dynamic nature of these traditions in the past and their expressions in the contemporary world.
RELG 300 - Topics in Religous Studies
A study of a specialized topic in one of the fields of Religious Studies, which include historical studies, scriptural studies, religious thought (theology and ethics), and world religions. The selected subject matter is announced in the schedule of course offerings in semesters when it is offered. Students may repeat this course for credit provided the selected subject matter has not been previously taken for credit. An additional fee may be charged depending on the topic offered.
RELG 301 - The Reformation of Christendom
The reform of western Christianity in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries as Europe moved from the medieval to the modern world. Special attention will be paid to significant figures such as Luther, Calvin, and Ignatius Loyola.
RELG 305 - Religion in America
An examination of certain religious traditions as ways of understanding the development and practice of religion in America.The central focus is on the interaction between religion and American culture. Using a historical approach, the course examines mainstream religious traditions such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, as well as non-mainstream religious traditions, such as African American Religion and American Buddhism.
RELG 310 - The American Evangelical Tradition
The development and transformations of Evangelical Pietism and its impact on American life. Emphasis will be placed on revivalism as the central theme of this tradition in America.
RELG 315 - American Catholicism
This course examines the historical backgrounds and present situation of the American Catholic community placing major emphasis on how this community has been formed by the unique American historical experience while, at the same time, contributing to this experience. Attention will be paid to issues confronting this community in the twentieth century, e.g., the role of women, minorities and the native American, questions of war and peace.
RELG 320 - Biblical Archaeology
An examination of the ancient cultures of Palestine from Neolithic times to the early days of the Christian church. RELG-320 studies both the material culture of Palestine as uncovered in excavations and also the nature (and limits) of new archaeological methods. Biblical Archaeology also probes the relationship between text (the Bible and ancient inscriptions) and these material remains. The course will investigate the religion of Israel as can be deduced from excavations but will place that religion in the broader context of the entire culture of Israel and of the ancient Near East.
RELG 324 - Intro to the Old Testament
A comprehensive study of the literatures of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible and the religious, historical, sociological, and economic factors which affected both their writing and their eventual acceptance as canonical literature by Judaism and Christianity.The course will expose the students to samples of all the main literary genres of the Old Testament and will study them using most of the contemporary biblical methodologies. The course will emphasize that the Hebrew Bible emerged on the broader stage of the ancient Near East between the high cultures of Mesopotamia and Egypt. It will also approach many crucial topics in the Old Testament such as the evolution of biblical monotheism, Israelite religion(s), the emergence of Israel in Canaan, Creation and Covenant. Prerequisite: RELG-121 or permission of instructor.
RELG 325 - Islamic Scripture, The Qur'an
The Qur’an is sacred scripture and Muslims believe it was revealed to Prophet Mohammad Ibn Abdullah in Arabic over a period of 23 years in Arabia where the first Islamic community developed.This course examines the range of religious experiences represented by the Qur’an text, its geographical surroundings from which it emerged, its interpreters, and its critics. With the use and examination of various translations of the Qur’an, the course examines the religion and culture of the pre-Islamic period, the history of the text including Hadith literature, and the relationship between the Qur’an and Jewish and Christian scriptures, acting to familiarize students with its broad scope.
RELG 330 - Jesus, the Gospels, and Christian Origins
A study of the life and teachings of Jesus and of the community founded in his name, with special attention to the available historical sources; a literary, historical, and theological examination of the four gospels.
RELG 335 - Paul and the Rise of the Christian Church
An examination of the person and teachings of Paul as these are reflected in his letters, with consideration of how Paul’s contributions were developed by subsequent generations of Christians in such works as the Pastoral Epistles, the Book of Acts, and other early Christian literature.
RELG 340 - The Modern Search for Jesus
A study of the person and work of Jesus in the light of twentieth century thought. Attention will be given to the debate concerning the historical Jesus and the Christ of faith, the Christological formulations of the Christian scriptures and the early Christian community, and the place of Jesus in the thought of such theologians as Rahner, Bultmann, Barth, and Tillich.
RELG 350 - Sacramental Theology
An investigation of the biblical, historical, psychological, and sociological roots of liturgy emphasizing the place of ritual in human and Christian personal development.
RELG 355 - The Catholic Tradition
An historical and systematic examination of key elements of the Catholic tradition, e.g., tradition, sacrament, ministry, papacy, and spirituality. Contemporary issues such as the relationship between Catholicism and politics and the dialogue between Catholicism and world religions will also be explored.
RELG 360 - Morals and Medicine
An examination of problems in medical ethics that are particularly urgent at the present time, such as: models for health care, human experimentation, organ transplantation, care for the dying, euthanasia, genetic engineering, artificial insemination, sterilization, behavior control, allocation of scarce medical resources, and health care delivery. Readings include a diversity of theologians, philosophers, social scientists, lawyers, historians, scientists, and physicians. Prerequisite: BIOL-110 and BIOL-111 or BIOL-130 or BIOL-170 or permission of instructor.
RELG 365 - Religion,Values, and Business
A critical examination of the ways in which values are expressed in business decisions within the religious and cultural contexts which shape these values. Theories of ethics and social responsibility are examined in relation to issues such as environmental concerns, hiring practices, advertising, consumer demands, and related issues that require self-regulation or government-imposed regulation of corporations.
RELG 370 - Religion, Morality, and Politics
An examination of the relation between ethics and politics as interpreted by selected, representative religious thinkers.
RELG 375 - Modern Men, Meaning, and Morality
A study of men’s experience as gendered persons, rather than as universal human beings, from the perspectives of men’s studies and religious ethics.The course will examine gender relations and critical theory as well as specific topics related to men’s lives, such as: growing up male, seasons of men’s lives, friends and lovers, sexuality and marriage, careers and fatherhood, politics and war, and new spiritual and social visions.
RELG 380 - The Religions of Native Peoples
An overview of the religious traditions of various native peoples such as Native Americans, Africans and Pacific Islanders. The role of religious experience in the cultural, historical and social worlds of these peoples is considered in their historical and modern settings.The course will pay special attention to the contributions of these peoples to the religious and cultural worlds of modern times.
RELG 385 - Buddhist Traditions
A survey of the history, development and structure of the religious traditions of Buddhism including the Theravada, Mahayana,Tibetan and Zen traditions.The religious experience of Buddhists and its impact on the cultures of India, Central Asia, China and Japan are examined. In addition attention is paid to the growing presence of Buddhism in Europe and the United States.
RELG 400 - Religious Studies Field Experience
As an academically oriented field experience, this course offers three semester hours credit for an intensive two- to two-and-a-half week study program in selected geographical areas to study aspects of religion from the perspectives of the subdisciplines of historical studies, religious thought, ethics, or world religions, preceded by orientation lectures, and including supervised research into one aspect of the field study. Examples of topics that will be explored at different times include: Religion and the Peace Process in Northern Ireland, The World of the Protestant Reformation, The Relationship between African Religion and the African American Community, and Franciscan Italy.Travel costs are paid by the student.The cost varies each semester.
RELG 401 - The Franciscan Tradition
An examination of Siena’s founding tradition, based on the lives and writings of St. Francis and St. Clare, an analysis of how the Franciscan tradition has developed through the centuries, and of how it is expressed in the twentieth century, especially at Siena.
RELG 405 - Judaism and Modernity
An examination of how Jews and Judaism have responded to the crisis of modernity.Topics to be examined include the effects of the breakdown of the European Ghetto; the birth of Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist, and Neo-orthodox Judaism; the Haskalah movement; Zionism; 20th century Jewish thought; post-Holocaust theology; contemporary trends in Judaism.
RELG 420 - Biblical Study Tour
An academically oriented study of biblical lands, this specially designed course offers three semester hours credit for an intense two-week study program in the lands of the Bible, preceded by orientation lectures, and followed by supervised research into one aspect of the field tour. Travel costs paid by student.
RELG 440 - The Protestant Tradition
A study of the beginnings of Protestant Christianity, its development in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and the basic thought of representative twentieth century theologians such as Karl Barth, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Rudolf Bultmann, Reinhold Niebuhr, and Paul Tillich.
RELG 445 - Liberation Theology
This course explores the religious and theological dimensions of liberation theology. Attention will be focused on the claims about God’s activity, human nature, and the Christian life made by the advocates of liberation. Recent texts by Black, feminist, gay, and Latin American theologians will form the context for class discussions.
Skidmore College
RE 103 - Religion and Culture
An introductory study of the nature of religion, the interaction of religion and culture, and the function of religious belief in the life of the individual. Consideration will be given to such phenomena as myth and ritual, sacred time and space, mysticism, evil, conversion, and salvation. Readings will be drawn from classical and modern sources. (Fulfills humanities requirement.)
RE 201 - Hebrew Scriptures
An introduction to the Old Testament and the beginnings of the Talmud. In addition to the primary sources, commentaries and special studies will be used. Particular attention will be given to the Jewish ideas of theology, history, and ethics and to their effect on later Christian thought. Offered alternate years.
RE 202 - Christian Scriptures
An introduction to the New Testament and the statements of the early church councils. In addition to the primary sources, commentaries and special studies will be used. Particular attention will be given to the Christian ideas of theology, history, and ethics. Offered alternate years.
RE 204 - Religious Ethics: Judeo-Christian
A survey of the development of Western religious ethics. Areas studied will include Biblical ethics, Monastic and Talmudic ethics, the ethics of Augustine and Aquinas, Reformation ethics, Puritan ethics, nineteenth-century frontier church ethics, and the modern ethical systems of American Protestantism, Roman Catholicism, and Judaism. Offered alternate years.
RE 205 - Women, Religion, and Spirituality
An exploration of women's religious experience in crosscultural and historical terms with primary emphasis on images and roles of women in the Western cultural traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Considering religious mythology, belief, and practice against the background of broader social and political realities, the course devotes special attention to contemporary developments in feminist theology and the tension between traditional and alternative modes of spirituality. (Fulfills LS2 requirement.)
RE 211 - Western Religions
A study of the history, beliefs, and rituals of the major religious traditions of the West, particularly Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
RE 213 - Religious Traditions of India
An introduction to the thought and culture of India through its religious traditions. The course emphasizes the history, beliefs, rituals and symbols of Hindu traditions and gives attention to the Jain, Buddhist, Islamic, and Sikh traditions in India. (Designated a non-Western culture course; fulfills humanities requirement.)
RE 214 - Religious Traditions of China and Japan
An introduction to the thought and cultures of China and Japan through their religious traditions. The course emphasizes the history, beliefs, rituals, and symbols of Buddhist traditions and gives attention to the Confucian, Taoist, and Shinto traditions. (Designated a non-Western culture course; fulfills humanities requirement.)
RE 215 - Islam
This survey of the religion of Islam uses the Hadith of Gabriel as its organizing principle. This canonical hadith divides Islam into three dimensions: submission, faith, and doing what is beautiful. We will explore Islamic religious ideals, schools of Islamic learning, and historical and contemporary issues pertaining to each of the three dimensions. (Designated a non-Western culture course; fulfills humanities requirement.)
RE 220 - Encountering the Goddess in India
An introduction to the Hindu religious culture of India through a study of major Hindu goddesses. The vision (darsan) of and devotion (bhakti) to the feminine divine image will be explored. An interdisciplinary approach will explore the meaning of the goddess in literature, painting, poetry, religion, and sculpture. (Designated a non-Western culture course; fulfills LS2 requirement.)
RE 230 - Topics in Religion
The study of a selected special topic in religion. May be repeated with the approval of the department.
RE 241 - Theory and Methodology in the Study of Religion
An introduction to the theory and methodology of the study of religion. The course will provide an overview of basic theoretical approaches such as the historical, sociological, anthropological, phenomenological, philosophical, and comparative. Issue identified by theorists from traditionally marginalized groups will be explored, as well as strategies for examining religion in relation to various forms of cultural expression such as literature and the arts.
RE 303 - Religion in Contemporary American Society
A study of the backgrounds and contemporary forms of American religions. Attention will be given to the institutional, liturgical, and doctrinal patterns of these religions and the application of their principles to such social problems as the state, education, the family, sex, human rights, and war. Prerequisites: two courses in the following: philosophy, religion, history, economics, psychology, and sociology, or permission of instructor. Offered alternate years.
PR 324 - Philosophy of Religion
An investigation of the fundamental paradoxes of religious belief. Questions to be considered will include the arguments for the existence of God, the problem of suffering and evil, the nature of mystical knowledge, and the rise of modern religious skepticism. Prerequisite: one course in philosophy or religion or permission of instructor. Offered alternate years.
PR 325 - Japanese Religious Philosophies
A study of selected classical and contemporary Japanese thinkers who see philosophy as intertwined with religious praxis. Attention will be given to Motoori Norinaga's Shinto view, but emphasis will be on Buddhist thinkers such as Kukai, Dogen, Shinran, and Nishitani. Prerequisite: one course in philosophy or religion or permission of instructor. Offered alternate years. (Designated a non-Western culture course.)
PR 326 - Tibetian Buddhism
A study of selected classical and contemporary Tibetan thinkers who see philosophy as intertwined with religious praxis. The course focuses on the Vajrayana form of Mahayana Buddhism that is on central element in the culture of Tibet, as well as its Mahayana Buddhist background in India. Emphasis is on the central ideas of wisdom, compassion, emptiness, dependent arising, and the two truths in such thinkers as the Prajhaparamita, Nagarjuna, Candrakirti, and the Dalai Lama. Prerequisite: one course in philosophy or religion or permission of instructor. Offered in alternate years. (Designated a non-Western culture course.)
Union College
PHL 61 - Philosophy of Religion
Current research in philosophical theology about language, possible worlds, and evidence used to address issues such as whether the existence of God is compatible with evil and human freedom, whether moral obligation can depend upon God's will, whether God's power is limited by the possible, whether God owns us, whether it is reasonable to bet on the existence of God.
PHL 138 - Buddhist Philosophy
An upper-level course on Buddhist theories of reality, representing the range of philosophical schools in the Theravada and Mahayana traditions. Over the centuries, Buddhist philosophers sought answers to the problem of human suffering in intensive meditations on the nature of reality, on the emotional and cognitive processes of the human mind, and on the ethical principles that produce sanity and altruism. In their search for enlightenment, they criticized the obstacles to enlightenment (attachment, mistaken belief in a Self, dualistic thought, and negative emotions), and they proposed effective mind-training practices for realizing the nature of reality as well as the path that benefits oneself and others. This course focuses on Buddhist metaphysical theories; it begins with early philosophies that propose an atomic theory of reality as well as criteria for valid cognition and logical inference, and then it examines later philosophies that propose an idealist theory of reality (i.e., the Mind-only theory) and even a "non-theory" of reality--on the grounds that reality is inexpressible (i.e., Madhyamaka theory). Prerequisite: At least one philosophy course or permission of the instructor.